Arctic guide
Ski & Sail: what the week includes and what it does not
A Ski & Sail week with Boreal Yachting includes the whole boat, skipper and crew, all meals on board, and daily ski touring straight from the anchorage in the Lyngen Alps or Lofoten. It does not include flights, ski touring equipment, avalanche safety kit, insurance, or a certified mountain guide unless booked.
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Side by side
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| The vessel, chartered whole for your group | Flights to Tromsø or Evenes |
| Skipper and crew for the week | Ski touring skis, skins, boots and poles |
| All meals on board and non-alcoholic drinks | Transceiver, shovel and probe |
| Cabin berth, bedding and towels | Certified mountain guide, unless booked as an extra |
| Heating, drying space and fuel | Travel and mountain rescue insurance |
| Daily sailing between touring areas | Alcohol and personal expenses |
| Transfer to and from the boat in the base harbour | Nights ashore before or after the charter |
What does a Ski & Sail day look like?
The boat anchors below a peak the evening before. After breakfast the group goes ashore by tender, puts skins on at the water's edge and climbs from sea level. The descent finishes at the shore, and the boat moves on while everyone dries out.
Ascents in the Lyngen Alps typically run 800 to 1,400 vertical metres. The touring season runs from late February to early May.
Do you need a mountain guide?
Yes, unless your group has genuine avalanche competence and someone in it takes responsibility for terrain choice. The skipper is responsible for the boat, not for what happens on the mountain.
What level of skier is it for?
You should be a confident off-piste skier or splitboarder, comfortable descending variable snow, and fit enough to climb for three to four hours on consecutive days.
It is not a beginner ski trip and it is not a course. Nobody will teach you to ski powder on board.
When is a land-based ski trip the better choice?
If your group wants a lift-served resort, a wide choice of restaurants, or the ability to stand down for a day without being on a boat, a land-based week in Tromsø or Lyngen will suit better.
A boat also constrains the terrain to what is reachable from the coast. A road-based trip with a car reaches inland valleys that no anchorage does.
Ski & Sail earns its place when the coastline is the point: peaks that rise from the fjord, a new anchorage each night, and no drive at either end of the day.
Common questions
- Are meals included on a Ski & Sail week?
- Yes. All meals on board are included, from breakfast on the first morning to breakfast on the last, along with non-alcoholic drinks and packed lunches for touring days.
- Is ski touring equipment provided?
- No. Guests bring their own touring skis or splitboard, skins, boots, poles and avalanche safety equipment: transceiver, shovel and probe. Rental can be arranged in Tromsø before departure.
- When is the Ski & Sail season in Norway?
- Late February to early May. February and March give colder, drier snow and shorter days; April and early May give long daylight and settled spring conditions.