Frequently asked questions about heli skiing in Iceland and Greenland

A: There are direct flights from over 20 cities in Western Europe, the USA and Canada to Iceland. It takes about 2-3 hours to fly from Europe and about 5-6 hours from the East Coast of North America. There is one main carrier, Icelandair which service destinations on both sides of the Atlantic. All these flights arrive at Keflavik International Airport in the south part of the country. Private jets and charters can land at Akureyri airport AEY in the North, only 45 min away from our Lodge. Other airlines servicing Iceland include Easy Jet, Delta Airlines and SAS.

Q: How do I get to Akureyri?

A: Ones you arrive in Keflavik in the south a 45 min bus or taxi ride will bring you to the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. If you are planning to spend a few days in Reykjavik you can send us an enquiry about which Hotels are the best and what to do around town. If you are desperate for some turns and want to get straight to the goods you catch an internal flight from Reykjavik to the town of Akureyri in the North, 45min. Reykjavik airport is in the center of town and most buses from the International airport will drop you off there.

NOTE: You will need no more than 2 hours from the time your international flight lands in Keflavik until the departure of the domestic flight in Reykjavik due to the fact that the domestic airport is very small and easy to navigate.

There are up to 10 flights daily with IcelandAir or you can charter your own ride with Eagle Air Iceland or Norlandair straight from Keflavik International airport to Akureyri.

Q: Where is the Troll Peninsula?

A: The Troll's can be found in the North of Iceland. The Peninsula juts north into the Arctic Ocean North West of the town of Akureyri. Simply visit the Map Room on this site for further information.

Q: What is the terrain like?

A: The Troll Peninsula is every skier's dreamland with about 90% of the mountains skiable, meaning there are not many cliff faces or flat spots. The mountains are the perfect mix of steep to very steep couloirs and faces to wide open low angled glacier runs.

What really sets the Troll Peninsula apart from any other heli ski destination is the fact that you can ski up to 1300m runs all the way down to the ocean.

There are plenty of slopes for skiers of all abilities from very extreme terrain suitable for the pro riders to nice and friendly areas for the first time heli skier. The Mountains of the Troll's are up to 1500m or 5000ft high but you can in many cases, ski that entire vertical all the way down to the ocean. The average heli ski run is around 900m or 3000ft in vertical drop.

Due to our northerly position there is no tree skiing in Iceland, in fact the local joke is that if you get lost in an Icelandic forest, you just have to stand up. So if you are scared of big nasty tree wells Iceland will feel pretty safe. For the best idea of what the terrain is like, please check out our official video promo.

Q: What are snow conditions like?

A: The snow pack is predominantly coastal and in the springtime we are skiing powder in March and April, to excellent corn snow in May and June, with the occasional powder well into June. What really makes the snow good is the small temperature difference between night and day which makes for perfect corn snow, never to deep and never to hard.

This also means we have for the most parts very stable snow in terms of avalanche danger so we can ski steeper and more exposed lines than you would normally do heli skiing.

Another good thing about our great corn skiing is that skiers that would usually not dare venture on a heli skiing trip where deep powder skiing skills are a must can come here and enjoy them self's just as much as the experts.

Q: What is the weather like?

A: April and May tend to be stable in terms of wind and precipitation on the Troll Peninsula with long spells of calm, but there are also storms that can last for a day or two. Bad weather happens and you must be aware of the fact that you are up in the high Arctic in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This is all a part of your adventure heli skiing experience.

Our position in the middle of the Atlantic also means that bad weather never lasts for long with fast moving low-pressure areas striking and than leaving as fast as they arrived. Temperatures in April and May are mild, usually around -10 to 0 degrees Celcius up in the mountains but can rise up to 10 degrees on a good day but drop to minus 10 on a cold day.

One huge advantage of our northerly position is the continuous daylight, meaning that you can have bad weather until 4pm but still get out for 10 plus runs since the sun is not setting until around midnight......

All that said there is another Icelandic saying that goes like this "If you do not like the weather in Iceland, just wait 5 minutes"

Q: Why choose Arctic Heli Skiing?

A: - Adventure of a lifetime
- Chance to ski first descents right down to the Arctic Ocean
- Closest adventure heli skiing destination to both sides of the Atlantic
- Exclusive Heli ski packages with maximum 16 guests per week
- Ski basking in the rays of the midnight sun at 00:00hrs
- Iceland's only certified Mountain Guides and heli ski experts
- Canadian certified heli ski guides and pilots
- Unique cultural experience
- First descents, volcano's, hot springs, awesome food and company

Q: Can I really ski all the way down to the Arctic Ocean

A: Yes you can and it is definitely one of the highlights of our operation. We have plenty of runs with a vertical descent of 1000 meters or 3000 feet with pick ups right on the coast line.

Q: Can I be reached at the Lodge?

A: Yes. The Klængshóll Lodge phone number is +354 466 1519. There is a high speed wireless internet connection at the lodge so you can check emails etc. There is also 3G mobile phone coverage at the lodge.

Q: Can non-skiers come to?

A: Yes we can accommodate a certain number of non skiers at the lodge and they are more than welcome to join you on your heli ski trip. There are plenty of interesting activities around, but simply relaxing at the lodge or in one of the regions geothermal baths will usually do just fine. Advice us at the time of booking if a non-skier would like to join the group and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Q: When is the best time to ski?

A: April and May would be high season and the best chance of getting the goods, but March and June can provide great skiing, with March big on powder and June with endless golden corn and midnight sun.

Q: Do I bring my own skis?

A: You can if you like, but we do have a good fleet of Movement and Black Diamond rental skis that you can try out but make sure to bring your boots, and better yet in carry on luggage in case your bags get lost on the way. As for type of ski best suited for our conditions a mid fat to fat ski, and not to soft, would be the ideal. If you take your skis to the shop for a tune up before your trip make sure to ask for a warm temp wax. We do have a good ski shop for repairs and hot waxing at the lodge in case of repairs or someone not advancing downhill due to the No Wax problem.

Q: How good do you have to be?

A: It depends on a few things such as your group and program, but every skier needs to be a fit intermediate skier and be able to ski under control in off-piste terrain. That said, if you are for example a complete group of four people that have no heli ski experience we have plenty of easy terrain and can set the pace to your groups needs.

Q: What about skiers with special dietary needs?

A: Please advice us by making note of any special needs or allergies on your booking form when reserving your trip. If we know in advance we can prepare and accommodate you no matter what your dietary needs are. The only food not readily available in Iceland is Kosher food.

Q: What happens if the weather is bad?

A: Yes bad weather happens and you must be aware of the fact that you are up in the high Arctic in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. But fear not for we have prepared some great down day activities. Visiting Lake Myvatn Nature Reserve with all its volcano's, hot springs and bubbling mud pools is just one of those plans. You will also have the opportunity to experience the great local culture and dip into one of the regions many geothermal baths and visit the local micro brewery (our most popular down day activity...). If you end up skiing all your days on the Troll Peninsula you will most likely want to come back for all the great down day activities.

But keep in mind the huge advantage of our northerly position, the continuous daylight, meaning that you can have bad weather until 6pm but still get out for 10 plus runs since the sun is not setting until around midnight......

Q: What kind of helicopter will we fly in?

A: We use AS 350 B2 Ecureuil Astar's. This is the work horse of most heli ski operations, powerful, safe and reliable. Our pilots have thousands of logged flight hours in difficult Arctic conditions and are sought after all over the world for their skills and training.

Q: Is the skiing as good as everybody says?

A: Yes it is, but what makes the whole trip worth while is great skiing mixed with a great cultural adventure and visiting Iceland. the land of fire and ice.

Q: Are the guides experienced heli ski guides?

A: Our guides are all certified to the highest industry standard in the world. They are for the most parts Canadian trained and work heli ski guiding in Canada the birth place of heli skiing in the winters. Arctic Heli Skiing operates in accordance with Canadian heli skiing standards. Click for Guide profiles.