Svartisen
Norway's second largest icecap
SVARTISEN — A WELL-KEPT SECRET
Some years back, we did a test crossing of Svartisen, Norway's second largest glacier. It was the weekend around 1 May, when long queues form across the Jostedal glacier. On Svartisen we met no one.
Not many have crossed this glacier. Now is your chance to join the trip, led by our local guide.
There is something fascinating about glaciers — a kind of primitive raw force. Of the great ice sheets that carved out the fjords and valleys of this country, and left thousands of islands as a guard against the North Atlantic, only a handful remain. And they are shrinking fast. Svartisen, once a single icecap, is now two — the East Ice and the West Ice.
Duration: 4 days on the glacier
Distance: A crossing of both the East and West Ice, finishing at Storglomvatn
Group size: 1 guide and up to 6 participants
Departure point: Mo i Rana train station
End point: Glomfjord (Sunday evening*)
Dates 2027: TBA
Price: NOK TBA (deposit NOK 3,000)
EXPEDITION FACTS
Expedition Details
Svartisen sits in Nordland, just inside the Arctic Circle, the second largest icecap in Norway after Jostedalsbreen. Once a single ice sheet, it has split into two — the East Ice and the West Ice — with a small valley between them. The crossing takes in both.
We go in late April, when the glacier is still well covered with winter snow and most crevasses are bridged. Conditions vary year to year. Whether we rope up depends on what we find, and in poor visibility we always do.
This is a short trip but a real one. There are serious metres to climb on Day 1 and again on Day 3, parts of the ascent are steep, and the sled work on the way down to the dam at Storglomvatn is technical in places. You should arrive in good shape and comfortable on skis with a sled. Read our training chapter for advice and study the equipment list carefully. If in doubt, get in touch.
What you get is three days on the ice in country few people see — the sea to the west, mountains and plains stretching east toward Sweden — led by a guide who knows the route.
The Route
Day 1. The trip starts in the morning in Mo i Rana. You can take the morning train from Bodø — which usually means a night in Bodø beforehand — or arrive in Mo i Rana the evening before, by train from Bodø or Trondheim, and stay overnight there.
From Mo i Rana we drive in to Svartisvatnet and walk up a side valley to reach the glacier. A beautiful valley — a few cottages at the start, a snowmobile trail, then wilderness. We'll see how far we get on the first day, but there are a lot of metres to climb. Parts of the ascent are steep, and the skins go on under the skis. Up on the edge, you look straight down on Svartisvatnet — it drops away fast. We won't quite reach the glacier today; first camp is in this valley.
Day 2. The transition onto the glacier is smooth at this height. No cracks were visible along the route when we last went through, though the crevassed areas further down to the west were clear. We hold the height and ski along a ridge, nunataks rising to either side. Mount Svartiskongen comes into view in the distance, but first we descend from the East Ice. It's May, and most crevasses are snowed in. Whether we rope up depends on conditions, which change year to year — in poor visibility, we always rope up.
There's a small valley between the two glaciers. If conditions are good and we make it down, we camp there.
Day 3. Another long climb to start, though less steep than the descent from the East Ice the day before. We find the ridge that blends into the glacier, and then we are on the West Ice. The best part of the trip — the sea visible to the west, mountains and plains stretching east toward Sweden.
Early start, full day, bright nights — we can ski as long as we want. Over the last hump, a fine downhill run takes us toward the hydro dam at the northwest end of Storglomvatn.
We follow the construction road down from the dam. The top section isn't yet cleared of snow, and the first kilometre can be tricky — sometimes we shoulder the pack, since the sled tends to tip on sloping ground. Lower down it eases, and after about two kilometres we reach the cleared road. A car picks us up there and drives us to Glomfjord.
Day 4. Night in Glomfjord, in a hotel or barrack. The airport shuttle leaves around 07:00, leaving plenty of time for an early flight to Oslo or elsewhere.
If we've been delayed on the glacier and had to camp higher up, we should still have time to reach Glomfjord during the afternoon and head home in the evening.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
All general equipment: tents, navigation, sleds, pulling harness (if needed), and the safety, security, and communications essentials. Breakfast and dinner from the moment we leave town until we are back. And all the advice you can use in the build-up. Just call :-)
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Personal clothing, skis, boots, poles, sleeping bag, mattress, and stuff bags. Travel to and from the start point, and accommodation before and after the trip. Travel, cancellation, and medical evacuation insurance — these are required.
If you have allergies or intolerances, we may ask you to contribute so we can be sure you have enough safe food. Any unforeseen delays, weather, or route changes may also lead to extra cost.
MEALS
Breakfast and dinner are included from the moment we leave town until we are back. Breakfast is Børge's enriched porridge plus coffee or tea. Lunch and snacks during the day are on you and are not included — we take many short stops to eat and drink small amounts often, rather than one long break. Dinner is Real Turmat / DryTech expedition food.
SIGNING UP / DEPOSIT / INVOICE
The Booking Form gives you a place in the queue. We then send a deposit invoice — non-refundable per our Travel Conditions. Once paid, your place on the trip is confirmed. Three months before the start, we send the final invoice with the remaining balance.