Norwegen Sail & Ski

Aalesund // Sunnmøre Alps // April 2023

A ski touring trip by sailboat - Explore 62° North

Norway has long been at the top of my bucket list and when Robert from Explore 62° North invited me to join him on one of his Sail& Ski trips, I didn't hesitate one second! Quickly a few friends were found to fill the other spots in the boat, not only I dreamed of exploring the land in the north on skis :-) Also with us is Nils Ohlendorf, a friend and top photographer, who will capture the trip with his photo camera.

Arrival - delay times three

On April 19th we start our journey up north. But the arrival turns out to be more complicated than expected: My alarm clock rings at four in the morning and we make our way from South Tyrol to Munich airport. The shuttle from our supposedly cheap parking is unfortunately late (and so are we), so we arrive at Munich airport at the very last second and are already in the belief that we have missed the plane. But no, the plane is still there and after a sprint through the entrance hall and the security check we are at the right gate, just to find out that our plane is also delayed! Finally on the plane, we get the message from the airport service that we will miss our connecting flight and that we should please look for another solution. After a long day of travelling, we finally arrive in Aalesund at 11pm.

Mountain Blæja - first ski tour

On Thursday morning, while we are still sleeping, Robert and Bella (who helps Robert on the boat and spoils us every day with the best food) are already steering the boat into the small harbor from where we will start our first ski tour. Well rested and after a great breakfast on the boat, which really leaves nothing to be desired, we are ready for the first exploration tour in Norway. When you book a sailing trip with Robert, he will get a ski guide for you. That is super nice, because the guide knows the mountains here and will find you the best snow! Today's tour destination: mountain Blæja. At 11am we finally get on our skis, here in the north you can also start a ski tour a little later ;)

The first part leads us through a small forest, very leisurely ascending, so we find our rhythm easily. The higher we get, the better the panorama becomes. Once we reach the top, we have a fantastic view of the Hjørundfjord and the Sunnmøre Alps. As a summit snack we have a salmon roll, as it should be here in Norway, and get ready for the descent. The corn snow looks promising! But we still do not have enough and so we follow the invitation of our guide, skin up again and also climb the mountain next to it. The descent here looks even better! And our faces confirm it :-) Arrived again at the small saddle we take the descent down towards the harbor. Since we are here with the sailboat, we have the opportunity to leave our ascent track and descend towards the sea.

The last meters to the harbor we carry our skis and in the distance we already see Bella and Robert. We pack the skis away and end the afternoon on the boat, feeling the light breeze while sailing, chatting, drinking a beer and enjoying the good atmosphere on a sailboat. We stop in the harbor and end the day, typically Scandinavian, with a hot sauna and an icy dip in the sea. We have a wonderful dinner on the boat: Bella has prepared salmon fillet with potatoes and broccoli for us. It tastes great and fills up the batteries for tomorrow.

Day 2: Slogen

Also on the second day bright sunshine awaits us and for today our guide has chosen a particularly beautiful peak: the Slogen. It is considered the parade mountain of the region and is really a dream ski tour. We put on our skins and start our second ski tour highly motivated. The temperatures are already a bit spring-like, the weather perfect, cloudless and no wind. The ascent is initially flat into the valley, then it becomes increasingly steeper. The last part we take the skis on our backs, a few more meters and then we finally stand on the summit: what a view! The surrounding mountain landscape in combination with the fjords is truly unique. We enjoy the view and get ready for the descent, but for me the skiing part is short: today I have my paraglider with me! Below the steep summit slope I find a flatter piece, unpack my glider and soon after I'm airborne: "See you later guys!". I enjoy my flight here in Norway and land at the valley entrance, where the rest of the group arrives soon after.

We spend the afternoon on the sailboat in a small harbor and some of us even jump into the ice cold sea water. Bella spoils us once again with delicacies, also in Norway they know the good aperitivo time ;-)

For dinner Robert got us a table at Christian Gaard Bygdetun, a beautiful restaurant in the idyllic Hjørundfjord. We enjoy a burger with local venison and are amazed by this gorgeous place. The hostess, a lady who radiates with energy, also mixes us a few good drinks. We don't want to leave here anymore!

Day 3: Nordre Sætretind

The good weather stays with us also on our third day and we are heading again highly motivated towards our today's destination: Nordre Sætretind. Bella is joining us, so I am not the only lady in the group and as a real Scandinavian she also shows how to ski tour here in the north: in shorts and sports bra! While we Central Europeans are all dressed in long pants and shirts, here in the north you see a lot of free skin, and some feel most comfortable even without clothes... Anyway, on the ascent we all get a good sweat. Again we get amazing summit-views. Our guide has selected great destinations for us, we explore a new place every day and ski on good corn snow. That's fun!!

And we can still burn as many calories during the day, you don't end up in deficit here :-) For tonight Robert has chosen again a very beautiful place: the Rekkedal Guesthouse. We get a tour of the farm, which dates back to the 15th century and enjoy a glass of Italian sparkling wine, the owners import wines from smaller wineries in northern Italy. Dinner consists of a menu of local dishes accompanied by really good wines (there is no hesitation in refilling😅). A wonderful evening with very friendly hosts.

Day 4: it gets stormy

On our last day on the sailboat the good weather unfortunately leaves us, it's stormy and cold - but of course that doesn't stop us from doing our last ski tour here in Sunnmøre. In the fog and light snowfall we make a small tour, and as always our guide finds a descent that is fun even in difficult visibility and snow conditions! Back at the boat, we warm up and as you do that in the north, of course with a sauna! In the harbor there is the possibility to use the sauna facilities, and of course we don't say no to that.

But then it is already time to clear the cabins and to say goodbye to Bella and Robert...

We had an incredible 4 days on the boat and I can recommend this trip to everyone. For me it was the first (but definitely not the last) time on a sailboat and in conjunction with the skis makes this a unique experience. From fjord to fjord, every day a new landscape and the variety of possibilities that you have with the sailboat, make this experience an absolute highlight. Robert and Bella really care about the well-being of their guests and even if the space in the sailboat is limited, you will not lack anything. Thank you for this amazing trip!

Are you thinking about booking a sailing trip with Explore 62°?

Here is some additional information:

Showers are available in the harbor, as well as the possibility to dry your wet ski gear.

Culinary you are well taken care of, there is every day a rich breakfast with porridge, eggs, salmon, ham, bread, butter, coffee,... During breakfast everyone prepares his snack for the ski tour. In the afternoon Bella always prepared snacks for us and dinner, either in a restaurant or on board, was always fantastic.

Towels, sheets, etc. are all on the boat. The ski-tours are adapted according to the ability, desire and mood of the guests, the guides are happy to follow individual wishes, of course. Therefore, it may be that the tours differ from the program on the website.

What to bring: Own ski equipment, clothing, avalanche equipment (but can also be rented by arrangement).

Tip: Pack small and no hardcase, rather bags, because the space on the boat is limited.

In addition, good mood and a lot of desire for ski touring! Don't miss this unique experience ☺️

All further info + booking here: Explore62North