Polar Training Weekend at Finse
The cool-school of polar training and finding your polar-feet
FOUR FUN DAYS AT FINSE
A long-standing tradition at Ousland Explorers, now extended by a day to make it more complete. More detail, more personal adjustment, more hands-on time with the guides.
This is the four days designed for everyone going on a trip later in the year — or planning, or dreaming, of doing one.
It is intense. We go through the principles of a ski expedition end to end, and we aim to answer every question you and the others bring. A fun and enlightening bombardment of everything we know :-)
The aim is twofold: for you to understand what a big trip asks of you, and to see honestly where you stand in your preparation.
We run other Polar Training, too — courses, shorter trips, private programmes, the Polar Lab etc. But this one is the bare minimum of what you should do before heading for Greenland or anywhere.
Summary
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Duration: 4 days (Thursday to Sunday)
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Location: Finse, Norway (training base at the Ousland House)
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Group size: 1-2 guides and 10 participants
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Meet-up: January 28th 2027 at Finse
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Price: NOK 10,000 per person (deposit NOK 4,000) - For long-trip customers: NOK 4,000 per person
THE PROGRAM
Thursday — Oslo to Finse. Everyone trickles into Oslo during the morning. If you need any gear, we can arrange a visit to Piteraq before the train. The 12:03 from Oslo arrives Finse at 16:32. If coming from the Bergen side suits you better, that's no problem. We stay at the Ousland House, and after settling in, we start. Usually a long and good first evening — we go through a lot of detail, you bombard us with questions, dinner happens around the conversation.
Friday — Equipment, sled, and skills. The weather sets the shape of the day, but we cover equipment standards, sled packing, ski technique, and pulling efficiency. After dinner we move to navigation, communications, and how to repair both body and equipment when things go wrong.
Saturday — Nutrition and the mini-expedition. Morning is about nutrition and preparing to go out. Then a one-day mini-expedition. We don't cover huge distances — that's not the point. We refine routines, tent craft, safety, and camp efficiency. Night in tents.
Sunday — Debrief and home. Back to Finse and the Ousland House, unpack, short debrief. The 14:20 train back to Oslo arrives at 18:59.
WHAT WE COVER
The aim is to walk you through the basic skills for winter survival, so you are as well prepared as possible for whatever comes next.We cover: equipment, ski technique, navigation, tent routines (inside and outside), sled packing, safety and survival, and trip philosophy.We also answer the questions everyone has — and a lot they didn't know they had. At what wind speed do you actually pitch camp? How do you operate if a storm has already arrived? Which underwear works for you? How to train? The questions never end. On this weekend, you get to pull every trick and tip we have out of us.And of course we cook, we set a safe camp, and we enjoy tent life out there :-)The full information pack and equipment list go out on sign-up.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Lodging at the Ousland House. Food while at Finse. All general camp equipment — sleds, sled bags, tents, stoves, and the rest.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Travel to and from OsloTrain ticket to and from FinseTravel insurancePersonal equipment: clothing, skis, boots, poles, sleeping bag, mattress, cup, bowl, cutlery (full packing list sent in advance)Food and lodging in Oslo before or after, if you arrive early or stay later
SIGNING UP / DEPOSIT / INVOICE
The deposit (NOK 4,000) secures the place. The remaining balance is due before the start. The deposit is non-refundable per our Travel Conditions.
