Fjord to Summit at its Best

There are no roads leading to the remote town of Bergsfjord. Located on the northwestern part of a peninsula, far up north on the mainland of Norway, the only way to get here is by boat. 40 permanent residents populate the place. The school has four students. Close to the harbor is a grocery store, open just a few hours daily. A doctor comes to town twice a month. Despite the village’s size and location, it is a fully functional society. The name could not be more apt: Bergsfjord means mountain fjord. Wherever you look, mountains and fjords are all you see. The rocky landscape is made for skiing, dropping into the fjord from 2,900-3,900 feet of altitude.

No matter whether you are interested in skiing straight, steep chutes or big, wide-open and flat flanks: it’s all here. Perfectly located in the middle of the village is Bergsfjord Lodge. The tiny-looking white house with blue corners used to belong to the village doctor, but as the population decreased, the physician moved to the nearby, larger village of Øksfjord. His former house is now rebuilt into a cozy lodge hosting up to eight people. There are two options when it comes to skiing from the lodge: Either the ski-in/ski-out possibilities just outside the door step. Or the seemingly endless terrain around the peninsula that can be reached by boat after making the short walk down to the harbor.

„Always keep one hand on the boat,“ Morten says in a severe voice while the group stands on the boat jetty, listening to the safety brief. Morten is an experienced sailor. Seven years ago, he sailed along Norway’s coastline in search of the best skiing. Just outside Bergsfjord, his boat broke down, forcing him to head into the harbor. This changed his life. He fell in love with the place, bought the old doctor’s house and turned it into a skiers’ lodge. For the last two years, he has been running Bergsfjord Lodge with his girlfriend, Matilda. She oversees the cooking while Morten takes guests with his metal boat to and from the mountains.

Today’s boat ride looks smooth. The sun is just about to rise above the mountain tops, and the wind is calm. Morten leaves the protected harbor and steers the boat south on Langfjorden, aiming for Nordmannsbukta. All six guests hold on to the boat with at least one hand while Morten points to various moun-

tains and tells stories. He is not only a great skier but also an qualified ski guide who has skied many lines in this area. He boasts extensive knowledge and is a valuable aid to Christian Edelstam, the Swedish mountain guide of this group.

There is no easy way to dock the boat in Nordmannsbukta. The coastline is nothing but rocks and snow. Christian helps out in the bow while Morten fixes the anchor in the stern. Soon the skiers can disembark. It’s about six meters from the stern of the boat to the shore – a balancing act on the wet, slippery stones. Fifteen minutes later, everyone has swapped their soaked shoes for touring boots.

Christian leads the group to higher altitudes. The ski track winds its way through valleys and large open spaces. At 2,600 feet, the view finally opens up. Mountains and water in all directions. This is the last rocky outpost. Further north and east, the mountains become hills and less interesting for skiing.

There are many options for descents from the glacier summit. Christian chooses one that starts flat and easy before transitioning to steeper terrain. From here, the group has to ski one after another. The snow in this valley is perfectly protected and makes the group happy. It’s all about first tracks, because there are no other people around. The last pitch is heading straight into the fjord. Morten’s boat is just a tiny dot in the water.

The group sits tired and satisfied in the lounge on the top floor of Bergsfjord Lodge. Stefan is reading a guide book on skiing in northern Norway, Kersti is knitting a sweater and Sarah is reading a magazine. Magnus has just had a shower and Christian is looking at the large map in the hallway. Matilda is cooking dinner. She provides the group with a culinary journey – a different dish every day, always made with regional ingredients only.

The remaining days are like the first. Boat transportation to new mountains, nothing but first tracks, fantastic food and great company. Ski touring in Norway at its best.