UKH

Hi, 

Thinking of heading out to northern Norway for a month in April, possibly Lofoten, senya or (most likely) lyngen alps. 
 

any ideas on how the season is looking so far?? 
 

thanks

This is probably not super helpful but conditions tend to be ridiculously changable ao it's kinda impossible to say what April will be like. I live just south of Lofoten, right now there's a huge storm raging (in one town, the roof of city hall flew out to sea) with +5 degrees and rain but snow in the mountains. April might still be great though, the weather and conditions will have changed multiple times before then. And late season tends to have much more stable snow and weather conditions. 

Thanks for the reply. I realise April is a while away, and it's difficult to say what conditions will be like. I was just wondering if snow depths are currently good, bad or average for this time of year.

Snow is pretty much non-existent at lower levels where I live in Austria, so I could already say that touring season (March) will be limited to higher elevations, and hence looking to head north to find some better snow. 

Asking early, as I need to make arrangements for the time off in advance.  

I follow on Instagram a number of people who guide or just live in Northern Norway and are skiers or climbers (or both). If you do that if nothing else you get some sense of how much snow there is, what the icefalls are like etc. Maybe worth checking out #Lyngen and looking for skiers!

Thanks Toby. I'll probably try that. 

As said, April is still quite always. But in all honesty I’m sure you will find good skiing at that time. In fact I’ve been travelling around there for skiing a lot during the last 20 or so years (granted, last time I was there is like 9 years ago… Thanks kids). And I can’t remember a single trip from April that has not offered great skiing. It can be really anything from nice Pow in say Tamok or Riksgränsen, SWE or perfect spring corn in Kvaloya, Lyngen or Lofoten.

At the time, be mobile and go where the temps and conditions are good.

Albeit I would say that April might be a tad late season for Lofoten (especially, If mid or late April). Prolly the same with Senja. But the higher stuff around Narvik will still be good, and like said go further North, higher or inland for better snow If too warm/wet in the coast.

what do you know! bet you cant even ski a red! armature! 

I live in Tromsø and would say snow depths were maybe average for this time of year - before the storm came along at the weekend. Last few days we've had raging winds (like with gusts >40m/s in the mountains) temperatures up to +6 at sea level and shedloads of rain (which is lasting several days yet). This is after about 4 months of much colder and drier than average weather. So who knows what the rest of the season holds....

Thanks for all the replies. I've been to Lyngen before for the month of April and generally had very good conditions. Some shitty conditions depending on the location. 

I'd be heading up easter weekend so there from the start of April. Will be travelling in my van, so will just check the conditions closer to the time and try to stay flexible. 

With that attitude, you are basically guaranteed good conditions on something, somewhere Bring a crash pad as well and you'll be able to go bouldering if all else fails. 

Anyone got an update on conditions at the moment??

I see it's currently raining

I'm heading out next Thursday for 4 weeks. Loose plan is first week around Navik area or Lofoten, then two weeks in Lyngen alps, and then see what to do later for the last week. 

10 days in the middle are fixed in Lyngen Alps, but other than that I'm flexible to go where conditions are best. 

So some snow!

But Lofoten looks a bit black https://www.vegvesen.no/trafikkinformasjon/reiseinformasjon/webkamera/#/vis...

Use the tilbake til kart button to navigate the map

Lofoten might be out of season now, albeit not too long ago I saw a bunch of me friends guide there with good snow.

But heading a bit inland from Narvik, and you'll have more skiing than you can chew at. Riksgränsen has more than enough even pure lift-served skiing for a week or so. And the touring opportunities are boundless.

I'm there for touring, but I might do a day of two of lift served off piste if the conditions are good. 

I was thinking the same for Lofoten, but somewhere I'd really like to go if the conditions were ok. But again, if the conditions are better inland a bit then for sure I can head that direction. 

Thanks for the info. I've been trying to check some webcams, but it's hard to get a true picture from the road level. 

Anyway, I'm sure there will be some snow to be found. 

Heaps to do pure touring as well in the Riksgränsen region. And some lift served extreme skiing. Like all the stuff on NORDALSFJÄLL or Branten.

https://www.freeride.com/ski-resorts/riksgransen/
https://www.freeride.se/offpistguide-10-ak-som-du-inte-vill-missa-i-riksgra...

My friend was skiing on Lofoten last week and they finished doing a skimo race on Saturday. They pictures looked fantastic but Dave said the snow was really poor - enough to be dangerous at times, and he is an incredibly experienced ski mountaineer. I think some of the folk he was skiing with, he last skied with years back in Antarctica just to give you an idea of experience levels. I've seen pics from Lofoten from old friends and climbing contacts though, and that looked as a great as normal, snow down to sea level and all that.

In Tromso area currently.

Warm and a fair bit of rain yesterday and overnight.

Still plenty of snow all the way to the sea and it will all be nice and stable when it gets cold again.

Poor in what sense?? Just the lack of it, a or dangerous conditions for Skimo racing?? 

This was before the race - not sure about that. I think they got some fresh snow for it, but crap visibility. Last week Dave said it was very icy, they cramponed (as in on boots, not ski crampons) much of the way up one peak you can normally ski and on the way down he said he fell and slid without being able to stop for some way due to ice. I've skied a good month of days out over the last couple of decades with Dave, and I don't think I've ever seen him fall! So it must have been combat skiing at its worse to catch him out. 

But, by the sea, different aspects, different altitudes etc etc and five days ago now - so it could be totally different by now.