Kviar Ski Lodge Glacier Fjords Iceland

The beautiful abandoned farm of Kvíar is becoming a cozy but rugged haven for adventurers to enjoy a great atmosphere after a fulfilling day out. Kvíar is a great getaway and the perfect stepping stone for ski touring trips. We use our comfortable speedboat Bjarnarnes to shuttle us to the best skiing locations in the area. At the end of the day, the speedboat picks us up and heads back to the lodge where mouth-watering dinner awaits. Life is simple in Kvíar and you'll be taken back in time as you enjoy how people lived in the area more than sixty years ago.

Join us in this remote yet amazing location at the center of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. The beautiful abandoned farm of Kvíar is becoming a cozy but rugged haven for adventurers to enjoy a great atmosphere after a fulfilling day out. The house was built in 1921 and in 1948, the last inhabitants left this isolated place in search for a better life. Though not many people might want to live there permanently, Kvíar is a great getaway and the perfect stepping stone this trips both in winter and summer. We use our comfortable speedboat Bjarnarnes to shuttle us to the best skiing locations in the area. At the end of the day, the speedboat picks us up and heads back to Kvíar where mouth-watering dinner awaits and you can spend a little time in the sauna. Life is simple in Kvíar and you'll be taken back in time as you enjoy how people lived in the area more than sixty years ago.

We urge you to take at least one day to enjoy skiing in the backcountry around Ísafjörður where great couloirs and open slopes await fresh tracks.

Please note: This plan is just to give an example. Since we have a fast boat, we can change it as we please depending on where the best snow is and what people want to do. There are still a lot of un-skied lines that are perfect to explore on this trip.

Itinerary

Day 1
Departure after lunch on our speedboat Bjarnarnes from the harbour in Ísafjörður. Our destination is Kvíar, where we plan to spend few hours searching for good snow and going over some safety issues with the guide. You should eat well and dress accordingly before getting on board the speed boat and keep your ski gear ready. Well deserved dinner will be ready when the group comes off the mountain to the farmhouse.
 
Day 2
A short boat ride will take us to the head of Lónafjörður Fjord where we shoulder our packs and with skins on, we have many options. Either head to Rangali and skin up Rangalaskarð Pass where we get a god view over Hornvík Bay on the North side, or up from Miðkjós and skin up to the peaks of Snókur and Breiðuskarðahnjúkur for some beautiful ski runs. We take a boat ride back to Kvíar where a great meal awaits us. We might spend half an hour on the beach picking mussels (fr. moules) for starter before heading back. We will light up the sauna to relax sore muscles.
 
Day 3
After a hearty breakfast we get going on the big Zodiac to Veiðileysufjörður where we plan to ski over to Lónafjörður Fjord. We make at least two long runs that day and end in Rangali, one of the most beautiful fjordscapes in Iceland. We end with a boat ride back to Kvíar Lodge for a well deserved dinner and drinks.
 
Day 4
We plan to spend the whole day exploring the mountains in Hrafnfjörður (e. Raven's Fjord). The head of the fjord holds some amazing cruising grounds with smooth runs all the way from the tops. The highlights are from the top of Hvítserkur and Mt. Bláfell and from the pass between Bláfell and Mt. Hattarfell. For those that want something really steep, there is an option to ski the West face of Hattarfell. Only been done once before.
Day 5
On the last full day we plan to make a short boat ride over to Höfðaströnd Beach and skin up to the top of Mt. Tröllafell (e. Troll Mountain) with a mixture of steep couloirs and open runs. There is a lot of un-skied territory on that side that we can also look at and make some nice first descents.
 
Day 6
Our passenger boat arrives early for a pickup and transfer back to Ísafjörður, where we get ready for a some skiing in the vicinity of town. There are many options for a traverse or steep couloirs very close to town.
 
We also encourage you to stay an extra night in Ísafjörður and maybe ski one more day in the surrounding mountains.

Included:          

• Airport transfers in Ísafjörður for guests arriving on the day of departure
• All food
• Accommodation in Kvíar Lodge
• Boat transport for skiing. It can be a mixture of our speedboat Bjarnarnes and a Zodiac
• Transportation to and from the Kvíar Lodge.
• Professional guiding

Not included:
         

• Travel to and from Ísafjörður, Iceland unless specifically mentioned in itinerary.  
• Personal medical insurance 
• Personal equipment
• Alcohol

Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging. You have a wide range of skiing to choose from and not everyone has to ski the same terrain.