Powder Alarm is Ringing! http://ping.fm/7wCyS

Powder Alarm! Feb 12th Lofoten Islands.

Pudderalarm!

I went out on a ski tour with fellow NAG guide Sjur Hauge today enjoying the fresh powder we have been waiting for a little while now. Our mission was also to do some test pit's and analyze the snow stability.  We are very happy with what we found overall and the skiing was great!  In the last 24-36 hours we have received a solid 40 cm of new well bonded snow in the mountains and its still snowing. We have a great base to the snow pack especially up high and we received allot of snow in this storm system. The long term forecast is calling for even more snow so it's shaping up to give us a great start for the ski season in Lofoten.  At 650m we measured an average of 250-270cm of snow and in some places my 300cm probe could not  even reach the bottom.

The high season for skiing in Lofoten is just starting and we have our second group of ski guests coming up this week.  We are exited for the forecast of continued snow fall for this week with low temperatures giving us the opportunity to get up on the bigger steeper peaks in the near future. We have a coastal snowpack and environment here in Lofoten and the snow at sea level comes in and out all season. So for those of you who has been  a little worried when seeing local web cameras with wet conditions. This usually means its snowing in the mountains and is a good thing. The season is officially started and we are really fired up for more skiing, even longer days, more Northern Lights and the amazing views the Lofoten islands has to offer.
Here are a few pictures from today. Get stoked!

At 650m we measured an average of 250-270cm of snow.  In some places my 300cm Probe could not reach the bottom!

Sjur enjoying the 40cm of light powder on the way down from Torskman.

Your Lofoten Mountain Guide signing out!
Seth

We are Married to Lofoten! http://ping.fm/qV4v9

Blog Test http://ping.fm/tURQj

Big Season in the Alaska Range!

The Mighty West Face of Mount Huntington as seen from camp.

I arrived back in the Alaska Range for my 11th spring season in a row. The Alaska Range has changed my life in many beautiful ways. In 1998 I saw the the AK Range up close and personal for the first time. I was 18 and from that day on I was a climber and I planned on making a living as a guide. Two goals that's it. Those two goals led me to this amazing life of climbing and guiding not only in the AK Range, but all over the place. After so many great trips and all the inspiring people out here, I can not imagine not coming back.

Denali towering above the Silverthrone ice fall in the Ruth Amphitheater.

This year I started by guiding a private trip with Sean Russell on 5/1-5/12. Our intention was to climb the west face coliour of Mount Huntington. We climbed up on the west face only to be stopped in our tracks with a thin, unsupportable, snow pack upon slabs below great looking ice. This is the result of an extremely dry and cold winter/spring here in Alaska. So we bailed. I then used a little knowledge, creativity, and luck and the next thing I knew we skied out to the south face of Kahiltna Queen (12,380ft). The Queen is a significant peak steep from all sides and has a triple divide summit with glaciers flowing to the Kahiltna, Ruth, and Tokositna glaciers. The South Face has been unnoticed for years with the neighboring Hunter and Huntington catching all the focus. We climbed one of two really, great climbs on one the most overlooked faces in the central Alaska Range. This was the second ascent of the route and a Great Adventure. I would grade the route V 5.6 AI 4 60º Snow.

Sean at the Begshrund on Mt. Huntington's west face.

Sean climbed really well and we made it to camp in 21hrs rigging over 20 rappels on the descent. We could not find one piece of gear in the entire 3,000' route. It was a great adventure with mixed weather conditions... anything from bitter cold, sun, wind, snow, and complete whiteout. We were stopped from traversing the last 200' of elevation due to zero visibility and a cornice ridge. This was the perfect climb in great conditions in an unreal setting. I would be siked to climb it again or better yet the other route to the west. My 94 year old grandmother passed away the day we were climbing making the Queen seem also fitting for this adventure in the AK Range. This ones for you grams!

We climbed the obvious line in the middle of the Face. Kahiltna Queen is beautiful.

Looking up the face in the early morning light. 3,000ft of golden granite.

Sean topping out on a fun mixed pitch on the lower route.

Granite gear with steep snow and ice. The black speck in the glacier upper right is our camp.

Weather was changing by the minute...most of my pictures are in the rare good light moments.

Pitch 20 something. We were able to simul climb 50% of this route. Good speed and good times.

View before the snow and white out rolled in a few pitches from the top. That is Pk 11,520 behind use. Coley Gentzel and I got the First Ascent of this peak in 2005 via a route named The Flame.

Last pitches and the last picture of the climb...at this point all I could think about was the 3,000'descent with little ice and a small rock rack.

Stay tuned to Facebook and follow our Denali Expedition with Team Norge on skis. We will fly in May 19th and I'm packing food and gear for the next few days. Happy days in the hills, Seth.

Ski Guiding at its Best in the Lofoten Islands!

The last week we have had some Amazing conditions for skiing here in Lofoten and allot of guests out skiing with us. It is hard to describe how good it was without over using words such as amazing or fantastic.... so we are going to let these pictures speak for themselves.  Book now for 2012! 
Time to pack up for some more ski guiding in the worlds most beautiful islands.
Alpine Cheers!  Seth
seth@alpineguides.no

Skiing Powder to the beach in Lofoten

Presten Coulior

Some of our guests heading up to Trollsaddle.

Light and Dry POWDER to the fjord off Geitgaljen!

It doesn't get any better than this.

Amazing Skiing and a Great Avalanche Course again in Lofoten!

We just wrapped up another great Avalanche Course/Skredkurs out of the Kabelvåg Hotell this weekend (19-20 Feb.) Our snow pack here in the Lofoten Islands has settled out in the last week and we have had allot of new snow making for great skiing conditions. Add in sunshine and a crew of very experienced skiers with the drive to learn more about traveling safely in avalanche terrain.... making for a great experience for all. See for yourself in the pictures below!
Have you booked your ski adventure in Lofoten for this season? We have some great weekends still available in March and Early April for skiing with Northern Alpine Guides. The Hotel is looking great this year and our staff is top notch. Do miss your chance to ski in Lofoten this winter.
Seth

Ski Guiding and Avalanche Courses in Lofoten, February 2011

We have had an amazing start to our ski guiding season here in Lofoten.  This year we have been blessed with deep snow pack since November.  The standard rise and fall of temperatures has given us a great base of snow and is setting us up for another amazing March and April in Northern Norway. 

Over the last week we have had allot of new snow followed by strong winds building up an unstable wind slab in the upper 30cm of the snow pack.  This wind slab offers the perfect conditions for learning more about Avalanche mechanics, forecasting, and the skills necessary to travel safely in avalanche terrain.  Last weekend we had a great Avalanche course and we will hold another course this weekend (Feb. 19-20).  There is still two places available on the course so please contact us as soon as possible if you interested in sharpening you avalanche awareness skills.

In our weekend avalanche courses we focus on practical skills to prepare, evaluate, and manage avalanche risk.  We spend 80% of or time in the mountain in backcountry terrain allowing you time to practice and your decision making skills.  Whether you're new to backcountry skiing or a seasoned veteran this course is a great way to touch up you skills before the heart of the winter sets in here in Northern Norway.  Join us in the Magical Islands this winter for an Avalanche Course or some private ski guiding!

Stay Tuned for more updates on our ski guiding program here in Lofoten.

Enjoy the pictures from our final day this last Avalanche Course:

 

Must watch Video!

If you love skiing like we do you must watch this video!  These Canadians are doing it right.

Early winter in Lofoten, Norway!

We have had an amazing start to our "winter" this fall! We are out skiing as much as possible enjoying great skiing conditions here in Lofoten. I will let the pictures tell the story. Click Here to see a full slide show of the Ski Guiding Tours we have been on so far this Fall!

Stetind Sydpillaren, Guiding the South Pillar of Stetind

The South Pillar (Sydpillaren) is in the middle left of the face.  Our approach is up the grassy ramp to the base of the Pillar.

Håkon (a master student in Mathematics from Ålesund) and Erik (a Doctor here in Lofoten) hired me to guide them up the ultra-classic South Pillar of Stedind this weekend.  We climbed the route with great weather and in perfect style.  The South Pillar (Sydpillaren) of Stetind is 12 pitches of impeccable alpine granite towering above Tysfjord, about an hour south of Narvik.  Approach takes about three hours from the ocean to the base of the route.  The climbing is on high quality rock and offers a great variety of climbing.  The first four pitches are crack systems up the lower slab leading into steeper and steeper climbing through corners and chimney's too the upper headwall (5.7-5.9).  The last four pitches on the headwall are in a steep corner system (5.10) topping out just below the large summit of Stetind.  This has to be one the most varied and aesthetic alpine rock climbs I have ever guided.  Big smiles and great views all day.  Enjoy the pictures!  Make sure to click the images to see them full size.     

Morning Light on the last water source of the approach.  Tasted as good as it looks.

On the approach to Stetind.

Fun easy climbing on the lower pitches.

Håkon on the fresh granite of the lower route.  A large rock fall a few years ago made this pitch harder and better climbing.

Hakon above the clouds on pitch 6.

Clean and fun climbing on the upper half of Stetind.

The guys on the one of the belay transitions. Tysfjord in the background.

Exiting the clean corner and into the hand crack.  Pitch 12.

South Pillar of Stetind.  Last technical pitch.

Top out right to the summit register.

Summit Photo!

The upper half of the South Pillar is on the left Skyline.  Classic East Ridge (descent), right hand ridge.

Looking back to the Lofoten Islands on the way back to the Ferry.

Sunset on Stetind from the Ferry back to Lofoten.

Thanks for checking out the trip report.  Climb the South Pillar of Stetind with Northern Alpine Guides next summer!

Seth