A Norwegian Winter Mørketid Multi-Adventure with Klättermusen Experiences

This arctic adventure incorporated ski touring, dogsledding, and fat biking, all in the dramatic mountains and remote fjords of the Finnmark region of Norway. We were closer to the North Pole than Oslo!

Day 1

A short, two-hour flight from Oslo to Alta brought us to our starting point, where we were met by Klättermusen Experiences, our hosts for the next week. From Alta, also a major hub for arctic adventure, we were driven 90 minutes along the Alta Fjord to our base camp at Låvan Lodge, consisting of two charming, traditional cabin homes and a boathouse nestled among the fjord of Kvænangen.

My safety equipment-filled backpack on the deck of Låvan Lodge with fjord and mountain views that were out of this world.

Our welcome dinner in the candlelit attic above our room seemed straight out of a fairytale. The food was as delicious as it was beautifully presented. Our starter was a traditional Norwegian delicacy of wine and aquavit paired with pickled herring, sour cream, chives, and a cracker with herbed caviar hummus. This dish was followed by a choice of beef stroganoff or fresh-caught salmon ratatouille, then rosehip soup for dessert. Quite a warm welcome to our group of eight guests in this cozy atmosphere. With a round wooden hot tub in sight that was fueled by a log fire, I knew the week had some fun in store for us.

Day 2

After an early morning start and a hearty breakfast, we were fitted with our ski touring and safety equipment. We were even welcomed to demo some Klättermusen-branded ski gear. A short drive later to a spot nearly right outside our front door, we hiked—with climbing skins on our skis—almost 2,000 feet up, arriving on top of our challenging mountain at sunset: 1:45 pm. While we never saw the sun, it did provide enough light to hike while seeing amazing views of the surrounding fjords. Then, after donning our helmets and locally made headlamps, removing our skins from our skis, and securing our boot heels in our bindings, we descended the icy and treeless face of the mountain, in the dark, down to our snowshoeing crew, who’d built a fire and ice benches for our arrival.

We capped off the evening with a visit to a reindeer farm run by an indigenous Sámi family. We began our visit in their traditional Sámi tent called a lavvu, where they served up reindeer stew in their traditional Sámi clothing called gákti. They educated us on their way of life: working and herding the reindeer, hunting, and fishing. The cultural experience was highlighted by their storytelling and singing traditional songs in their native tongue. We got to meet the larger-than-anticipated reindeer—feeding them by hand while they raced around in the cold, dark evening—before heading home for a hot tub and welcomed sleep.

Listening to indigenous Sámi stories and folk songs in a traditional tent called a lavvu. Photo credit Arnaud Mallez.

Day 3

The second day of ski touring took us to nearby Jøkelfjord, the gorgeous area near the only glacier in Europe that calves into the ocean. A much steeper, challenging climb than the day before, we skinned up to one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. The top of this mountain provided us a 360-degree view of the impressive mountains, surrounding fjords, and, of course, the Jøkelfjord Glacier. Donning our helmets and headlamps again, we descended down the powder-covered mountainside, through a forest of trees near the bottom, to our crew waiting with warmed vans to take us home.

Soon after we arrived home, we were greeted from our toasty hot tub with a view of the Aurora Borealis, with its dancing green and purple lights across the dark sky directly above us. This spectacular show lasted for about an hour, and had us watching the whole time, without even feeling the chill of being outdoors. The magical experience was unbelievable. We capped off the night with another made-for-a-magazine dinner in our candlelit dining room.

We were blessed with an Aurora Borealis light show two nights in the sky above our cabins. The light danced across the sky so beautifully for over an hour each night.

Day 4

The next morning provided the more experienced skiers the ultimate experience of skinning up an even steeper mountain—four hours and almost 3,000 feet—to another outstanding mountaintop view. An equally challenging but rewarding ski down a bowl, through another forest of trees, led to a short walk back to the house. This was an experience the group is still talking about months later. Our marvelous chef, Erik, made everyone a seafood stew for lunch that hit the spot not only for those returning from the morning ski touring, but also for those who stayed behind to savor the beauty of the fjord out front.

The reward with a view after a four-hour trek up this mountain: untouched skiing on the way back to the cabin. Photo credit Arnaud Mallez.

That afternoon, we ventured to the home and farm of world champion musher Marianne Skjøthaug and her husband, Arne Karlstrøm, at Parken Gård Husky in Langfjordbotn. Their business holds a certification as an ecotourism business and focuses on nature and sustainability. This charming family taught us the history and necessary function of dogsledding as a way of life in this region. We learned to harness the dogs and drive the sled, taking over 40 dogs and eight sleds through the forest with our headlamps and the thrill of adventure to help guide us. Not as easy as it appears! After slipping off course a couple times, we safely arrived back at the ranch, where we were welcomed by hot cocoa, coffee, homemade blueberry cakes, and three newborn husky puppies.

This evening, back at our home at Låvan Lodge, Erik had prepared our delicious meal, which was served in the candlelit boathouse, providing a charming and romantic experience on the waterfront of the fjord. Initially warming ourselves by the kettle fire out front, we watched as Erik grilled a local whale delicacy, ground reindeer, fresh veggies, potatoes, and tortillas, served with a lingonberry aioli and plenty of wine. As we ate, we recounted our experiences with nothing but laughter and smiles.

The cozy boathouse on the fjord at Låvan Lodge where we met for drinks, local specialty starters, and dinner one night.

Day 5

The next morning, after packing a lunch and enjoying a hearty breakfast, we headed back to Parken Gård Husky. We met back up with Arne and Marianne as they toured us around the ranch, including the cattle farm used for milk. We viewed their many awards for their dogsledding and witnessed their dog-mushing and cattle-ranching life in their small village. We had a little more light for our dogsledding experience this day, making our views and adventure even more spectacular. Practically experts at this point, we harnessed the dogs and hopped on the sled, taking turns between steering and riding.

Dogsledding on the Parken Gård Husky farm in Langfjordbotn. Photo credit Arnaud Mallez.

Halfway through the ride, we stopped at a tiny cabin on their property in Langfjordbotn, where we were surprised to find a Finnmark-style fire built into the snow, surrounded by ice benches covered in reindeer skin. They had sticks to grill sausages over the open-air fire, hot homegrown potato leek soup (made from local almond potatoes) on the stove, and cocoa and coffee waiting for us. They shared stories of life in this part of the world and about their Iditarod racing adventures. Our dogsled ride back to the ranch left us experiencing a remarkable sunset with beautiful pinks, blues, and purples illuminating the sky. Our last night back at our cozy home was blessed with another beautiful candlelit dinner in our attic dining room, and topped off with another Aurora Borealis light show giving us a send-off like no other.

Finnmark-style campfire during a dogsledding break. Photo credit Arnaud Mallez.

Day 6

Erik and the other amazing hospitality crew outdid themselves the following morning with another hearty breakfast and warm send-off as we packed up and headed back along the fjord to Alta. The hotel for our last night, Altafjord Gjestegaard og spa AS, greeted us with a beautiful buffet lunch of homemade pitas, grilled reindeer, and fresh veggies, accompanied by a berry yogurt dressing. An unassuming building from the outside, the interior of the hotel was full of warmth and charm, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the fjords and Nordic artifacts worthy of a boutique hotel.

After lunch, we headed to our nearby fat biking outfitter, GLØD. We were set up with helmets and the appropriately sized fat bikes with their oversized tires, followed by a safety chat and practice run. Then, we were off to the snow-covered trails! We started biking in the near dark, along the Alta River, through the forest with a guide in the lead. Luckily, we already had our bike headlights on to guide us the last half of the ride, as it became fully dark before we arrived back at the GLØD headquarters that afternoon. We checked off another first-time adventure above the Arctic Circle!

Fat biking along the Alta River.

This evening, we were treated to a fine dining experience at Trasti&Trine. Not only an Alta fine dining restaurant, Trasti&Trine is also a destination with accommodations, activities, cooking classes, and its newest addition, the charming Alaska Bar, where one can put on a vinyl record, order a favorite cocktail, write a message on a coaster, and pin it to the ceiling. We indulged in a 10-course tasting menu with wine pairings and savored every taste of the unique flavors of the surrounding sea and forests. What a beautiful way to celebrate the last night of our adventure-filled week.

Day 7

On our final day, before we all departed on our flights back to Oslo or wherever everyone else was headed, we visited the Alta Museum and World Heritage Rock Art Center. This special UNESCO World Heritage Site holds some of the most significant prehistoric rock carvings in Europe, with over 6,000 registered figures. Scattered outside among the terrain along the Altafjord, some of the rock carvings date back to around 5000 BC. The modestly sized, modern museum itself was worth an hour or two of one’s time.

Our timing allowed a quick stop at the Cathedral of the Northern Lights. This spiral-designed church was inspired by the night sky, and the waves resemble the Northern Lights. With Alta serving as the location of the first scientific research done on the Northern Lights, it seems natural to design a church after them! The cathedral is open most days to visitors.

Final thoughts

Traveling with Klättermusen Experiences was better than I’d imagined. Taking care of every thoughtful detail, from the handmade wool slippers left on our bed to supporting each individual on the trip and their level of experience (including the paraplegic Creative Director, Ydwer, who participated in every activity we all did), this inaugural trip was already a well-oiled machine.

This is a perfect adventure for the outdoor enthusiast, the foodie and wine connoisseur, those seeking a change of scenery for their love of skiing or snowshoeing, those wishing to experience a part of the world few people even know about, and those who enjoy history and culture and appreciate local traditions. Each member of the team that Klättermusen Experiences has assembled provides a unique touch to every aspect of the trip. No detail has gone unnoticed. Should one be lucky enough to get to experience the Northern Lights during this amazing adventure, little will be left on one's bucket list.

With the timing of the Oslo to Alta flights, an overnight in Oslo on each end is most likely necessary. It's cheapest to book these separate from the international flights. I highly recommend more than one night in Oslo because it's such a great city to explore and having jet lag on this adventurous experience is rough. Oslo has so much to do in and of itself, so spending a few nights at the start of the trip here and exploring another European city on the backend would be ideal.

For those who aren’t into adventure ski touring as much, a snowshoeing option led by a local Sámi guide is an alternative. Still challenging, it's a great alternative for those still open to exploring the region but at a lighter pace. The trip is crafted to accommodate guests with a beginner to a master level of experience in the sport. This is perfect for couples or groups where not everyone is at the same level of active winter sporting.

While I would not consider the Låvan Lodge a luxury experience, it was charming, cozy, and provided an authentic arctic Norwegian experience. Outside of Alta, there are no “hotels” per se, only cabin-like homes scattered across the archipelago of the fjords. This type of lodging, with all the homecooked meals included in the trip price, adds to the unique and almost otherworldly experience of this active adventure.

The best part? Every Klättermusen Experiences trip has a professional photographer on the trip, snapping shots of the guests during each activity. The guests are then privy to the entire photo album to download any photos they choose. To me, this was the coolest thing since I, as the usual photographer, am rarely in any photos! Nor was I savvy enough to grab my phone during the cold, active skiing activity in time to snap a shot. Watching the photographer race up the mountain ahead of us to catch the perfect shot, or park himself behind a tree as we rushed by on our dogsleds, was a delightful addition.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Norway page.