Itinerary

As we start our ski expedition at 8.30 a.m. on day one, it’s natural for participants from afar to arrive the day before. We can offer GLØD Aurora Canvas Domes (2-3 beds) and GLØD Boutique Apartment (up to 4 people). If you require accommodation, let us know when you book the tour.

A planning meeting will be held at GLØD Headquarters at 15.00 (3 p.m.) on the day prior to departure to look at maps and the route, go through the expedition plan and the weather forecast, etc. We will check the gear and any supplements and hand out any equipment you have rented. (The time can be changed).

Dinner can be served this evening – but needs to be booked in advance.

Day 1 (first day of skiing) Alta Canyon and Jokta

Skis, sledges, dogs and equipment will be packed in the trailer and we will at 8:30am be transported to Øvre Stilla, at the top of the Tverrelvdalen valley. This is where we start the ski trek and we largely make our own tracks on day one. We start today’s 15 km leg down in mountain birch forest and end at Jotka Fjellstue (mountain lodge). We ski due west and after roughly 8 km we reach Alta Canyon and can admire this spectacle view of one of Northern Europe’s largest canyons. After taking some wonderful photos, we head due south, stopping along the way to eat a packed lunch (remember to bring a packed lunch and thermos with you).

On arrival at Jotka, our hosts Steinar and Lisa are waiting to welcome us. This mountain lodge is one of the checkpoints on both the Finnmarksløp sled dog race and the Offroad Finnmark mountain bike race.

After a hot sauna, we will be served a fantastic dinner and dessert.

Day 2 (Jotka – Mollisjok)

After breakfast, we set off on the longest leg of the trek (29 km). Apart from a couple of ascents at the start, followed by descents, the terrain on this leg is relatively flat. We follow sections of the course for the famous Finnmarksløp sled dog race and cross Iesjavri, Finnmark’s largest lake. After nearly 30 km of skiing, we arrive at Mollisjok Fjellstue (mountain lodge). We are now right in the heart of the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau, in the wilderness.

Day 3 (Mollisjok – Ravnastua)

Today we cross “hundevidda” (the dog plain), known and dreaded by the participants in the Finnmarksløp sled dog race, who are exhausted after little sleep and more than 800 km on their sleds. The terrain is slightly uphill for the first few kilometres before reaching the top of the eastern plateau. These areas are exposed to the elements, so we must prepare accordingly. Late in the day, we head slightly down again towards the wooded valley and, after 23 km of skiing today, we arrive at Ravnastua. On arrival at Ravnastua, we are greeted by our host Oskar. If we are lucky, he will play his accordion in the evening!

Day 4 (Ravnastua – Assebakte (Karasjok)

The last leg is around 14 km, which is mostly through mountain birch forest, ends with a wonderful sweeping descent of nearly 5km. We encounter the fertile Karasjokdalen valley, ending at Assebahkte, a few kilometres west of Karasjok. We will be picked up and transported back to Alta.

We plan to be back at GLØD headquarters in Alta around 16.00 (4 p.m.), where you can have a well-earned shower and sauna. It will be possible to catch flights south after 17.30 (5.30 p.m.).

For those who are not in a hurry, we will meet for dinner in Alta (not included) to round off the tour in a proper manner. We can assist with arranging accommodation in Alta for those who require it.

Dates 2024

March
1 – 4
15 – 18

April
5 – 8
12 – 15
19 – 22
26 – 29

Price NOK 13,600

Datoer 2025

March
21 – 24
28 – 31

April
3 – 6
11 – 14
25 – 28

Price NOK 14,700

Minimum 5 participants

The package price includes all accommodation in mountain lodges, transport, wilderness guide, assistance by polar dogs, safety equipment such as satellite telephone and GPS and mountain equipment such as tents and cooking gear. A sauna and shower at GLØD HQ after the tour is also included.

The package includes all meals from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 4, as well as soup/bread during the info meeting day zero

Those who wish may upgrade to a made-up bed (NOK 200 per night) and sauna before dinner (NOK 150 per person). However, it’s worth noting that the mountain lodges Mollisjok and Ravnastua use disposable sheets, which are not exatactly the same as regular sheets.

Equipment

Sleigh with device for pulling (GLØD)
Huskies (GLØD)
Primus stove (GLØD)
Saucepan (GLØD)
Gasolin (GLØD)
GPS (GLØD/private)
Tent/Wind bag (GLØD)
Satelite phone (GLØD)

Skiing gear

All-terrain ski, cross-country ski also possible (rentable from GLØD)
Ski poles
Ski boots
Ski wax (GLØD can supplement this)
Ski skins (short version)

Clothing
Windproof hooded jacket
Windproof trousers
Hat, thin and thick
Ski gloves
Mountain mittens (wool mittens with windproof cover)
Down jacket, if necessary thick woolen sweater/thick fleece
Thin sweater/fleece
Long underpants and top
Long underpants and spare top
2 pairs of thin woollen socks
2 pairs of thick woollen socks
Headover
Gaiters

Follow the link to see a summary of the type of clothing we like to use on these tours: https://fb.watch/jymeriIqBX/

Additional equipment
Rucksack 45-60 litres
Sleeping bag (for use at the cabins and for emergencies)
Camping mat (used to sit on during breaks and emergency situations). Seating pads are insufficient
Thermos bottle, 1 litre
Sun glasses
Sun screen
Headlight

Photographic equipment
Bag for equipment not carried on your back

Toiletries
Towel
Sports tape
Any necessities

If you like carrying heavy loads you might consider
Slippers to wear in the cabins
Reading material

Finnmarksvidda

Finnmarksvidda is Norway’s largest plateau, covering an of more than 22,000 km². Most of the plateau is 300-500 m above sea level, while Bidjovaggi in the southwest is around 700 m above sea level. Mountain birch forest and willow thicket grow in the lower areas of the gently rolling landscape, while bare plateau dominates above 350 m above sea level. The relatively flat landscape creates shallow fishing lakes and rivers with low slope.

It’s common to distinguish between the eastern and western parts of the plateau, and the highway between Alta and Kautokeino (the E45) forms an obvious boundary. Some also refer to the southern part of the plateau, the area south of the road between Kautokeino and Karasjok (route 92). The south-eastern part of the plateau close to the Finish border is protected by the Øvre Anarjohka National Park, while the south-western part of the plateau in Troms county is protected by Reisa National Park.

Low temperatures

Every winter, the temperature on the Finnmarksvidda drops towards minus 40 °C and the official record low is minus 51.4 ºC. January and February are the coldest months but also in March it’s not uncommon that the temperature can drop towards minus 35 °C. Even in April, some nights can be as cold as minus 25 °C.

However, it’s worth noting that as the cold on the Finnmarksvidda is dry and not humid it does not feel so cold. Another advantage is that there is generally relatively little wind.

Reindeer and the Sami

Finnmarksvidda is the place the indigenous Sami people engage in reindeer husbandry. As mentioned above, there is plenty of space on the plateau. During the wintertime, the reindeer husbandry mostly takes place in the southern part of the plateau towards the Finnish border and, to a certain degree, in the south-western part around Reisa National Park. The winter pastures of the reindeer are in these areas. The reindeer start to migrate northwards in April. Within a fortnight, a reindeer herd travels from the southern parts of the plateau to the summer grazing areas on the north coast. The calving season takes place during this journey, generally in late April and early May. The reindeer remain on the coast until August when they start the long migratory trek back to the winter pastures in the south.

If you are skiing across the Finnmarksvidda in April, you may be lucky enough to experience a herd of reindeer migrating to its summer pastures. The reindeer will generally be followed by Sami reindeer herders on snowmobiles accompanied by dogs to assist them. This is a majestic and unforgettable experience, but please exercise caution. Reindeer, especially females with calves, can be easily frightened. In the worst-case scenario, the mother can abandon her calf. As a skier, it’s wise to wait until the herd has passed before continuing. The reindeer herder will generally come over for a chat if he/she thinks you may get too close to the herd.

Northern Lights

As you probably know, the Northern Lights originate from energy that is released when charged particles from the sun (solar storms) hits particles in the atmosphere, 80-500 km from us. The light that occurs is visible in the northern (and southern) parts of the globe. As the Finnmarksvidda is located directly below the Northern Lights Oval, it’s a wonderful place to see the Northern Lights, not least because there is virtually no light pollution at all. However, the sky must be clear and dark to see the Northern Lights, which generally means no later than mid-April. It then becomes too light in the evening/at night to see the Northern Lights and after a while is light 24/7.

Settlements on the plateau

Settlements are few and far between on the Finnmarksvidda. There are a few small settlements consisting of a few houses and cabins along the road, while Kautokeino and Karasjok are the two main villages. Both have populations of around 3,000. The Sami village of Masi, roughly midway between Alta and Kautokeino, has about 300 inhabitants.

Mountain lodges

The mountain lodges are traditional lodging houses offering basic accommodation in cabins and dormitories with 2-6 bunks. The mountain lodges were originally state-owned, but in recent times many have been transferred to private operators. They have permanent keepers (hosts) and are equipped with crockery, kitchenware and linen. Although the hosts are not obliged to serve meals, most provide meals and/or sell basic groceries such as canned foods, margarine, flour and bread. Meals and saunas must be booked in advance. The same goes for beds, especially during the peak seasons. All the mountain lodges have a telephone and are open year-round.

The mountain lodges in Finnmark were built in the late 19th century and at one stage there were 40 such mountain lodges in the county. There were also previously more basic state-owned wilderness huts (resting places), which were open. These were equipped with bunks, mattresses, pillows, cooking utensils and cutlery, but not provisions. The state no longer operates such huts and many of these have now burnt down or fallen into a state of disrepair.

Internet, phone coverage and electricity

All the mountain lodges have electricity so charging mobile phones and other electrical equipment is no problem. Jotka Fjellstue has good mobile coverage (even 4G) but there is no telephone coverage at Ravnastua and Mollisjok. There is mobile coverage on parts of the plateau, especially when you cross an elevation in the terrain.

The Alta Canyon is regarded as Northern Europe’s largest canyon. This massive canyon cuts more than 400 metres down into the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau and stretches 7.5 km south/southeast. The view from our vantage point is formidable and well worth the effort! At the bottom of the canyon, we can see the mighty Alta river meandering towards the sea.

Animal life

If we are lucky, we can see eagles or other birds of prey floating on thermal air currents in an endless search for prey. The Alta Canyon is a breeding area for several rare birds of prey, including the golden eagle, rough-legged buzzard and several species of falcon.

The canyon has a rich animal life and species such as foxes and hares are common sights, while f and lynxes often wander past. Even the moose finds it a pleasant place to be!

Fishing

We may spot a long, narrow Alta riverboat on the river. You will see one man sitting at the front rowing and keeping the boat steady in the current while a fisherman sits at the back of the boat with his rod seeing if the fish are biting. Strict rules apply for fishing here and after Midsummer only fly fishing is permitted.

The Alta river is considered the best river in the world for catching Atlantic salmon. Nowhere on earth are the chances higher of landing a big salmon weighing 10 kg or more!

Culture and identity

In many ways, the Alta river is the nerve of the Alta community. Many Alta families have close bonds with the river, which is popular for fishing and recreation by riverboat. The annual licence draw for salmon fishing in the Alta river attracts thousands of angling enthusiasts. Only about 800 each year get a fishing licence. The remainder most pin their hopes on accompanying a family member or friend.

Fishing in the river is considered extremely lucrative, including in former times when the fishing rights were leased to overseas interests. Illegal fishing by the local was widespread. Some claim the fish swam up the Alta river and down the Tverrelv valley where the most common poaching route was.

Hydroelectric power development

After major demonstrations, the Alta river was dammed in the 1980s and the hydroelectric power station opened in 1987.

The dam is about 10 km south of our vantage point, but the terrain hides it from view. Owing to strict licencing conditions, apart from the road up from Stilla in Tverrelv valley and the dam itself, we can see few traces of the massive development.

Even though the State imposed strict conditions on the developers, the Alta salmon (particularly the breed in the upper reaches of the river) has suffered. Tenacious efforts are being made to remedy this.

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Over the years, an increasing number of companies have begun organising ski trips in Finnmark.

Why should you go on a skiing trip with Glød? (Other companies’ trips look very similar)

We don’t wish to say anything about what others do or how prices and the like can vary. However, we wish to focus on what we believe is important:

We have arranged skiing trips on the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau since 2005, which means we know the history, the people and the terrain.

We are based in Alta on the edge of the Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau, so the travelling distance for our guides, equipment, polar dogs and food is minimal. Moreover, our trips have minimal impact on the environment.

We use polar dogs to pull the communal gear by expedition sled, which provides pleasant company and is a far more environmentally friendly option than, for instance, snowmobiles.

The food we serve – when we are not staying at the mountain lodges – is produced by our chef using locally sourced ingredients of the highest quality. The meals are packed in sous-vide bags and served as delicacies at our camp sites along the way.

You can rent pulks/expedition sleds, drags, sleeping bags, ground pads, skis, boots and poles from us.

Communal equipment such as GPS, satellite phone, map, compass, primus stoves, fuel, pots and food included on all our tours.

All the gear we use is well tested and of the highest quality.

Our guides are knowledgeable and have solid outdoor recreation qualifications and experience from many long trips, such as crossing Anarjohka, skiing the length of Norway and/or Spitsbergen, as well as countless tours criss-crossing all of Troms and Finnmark.

Our guides love their job and they – and everyone we collaborate with – have sustainable conditions.