Svalbard?

HikeforTurns · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:35 am

Anyone been there? Looks sick!

http://www.thenorthfacejournal.com/svalbard-couloir/

Second Highest Peak, Hornsundtind:

HikeforTurns · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:50 am

Lets charter that cruise ship and a heli.......

HikeforTurns · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:56 am

1st ascent in 1938!

http://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.net/spitsbergen-information/settlements-and-stations/hornsund.html

keffler · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:27 am

Jonesin are you HFT? That place looks RAD! So much on this great planet to ride. This reminds me of a video that showed guys skiing down in Antarctica. So many options, so little time and money...

HikeforTurns · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:56 pm

$1000 to fly den-oslo
$800 to fly oslo-svalbard

then it looks like we start skinning from the airport!

It looks like it might be a bit of an approach to Hornsundtind:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Longyearbyen,+Svalbard+and+Jan+Mayen&daddr=Hornsundtind,+Svalbard+and+Jan+Mayen&geocode=FV6FqQQd7sfuACnfV0VP2FKcRTHslWShyrKG2g%3B&gl=us&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=78.427909,16.869507&sspn=0.743889,4.839478&ie=UTF8&ll=77.539726,16.512451&spn=1.60091,9.678955&t=p&z=7

HikeforTurns · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:05 pm

I bet we could rent or buy a skiff and shred stuff like this until we get bored.

We could live off seals and reindeer and Akvavit....

keffler · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:08 pm

Maybe we can harness up a polar bear and get him to pull us. I wonder if they like beer?

fullers2oh · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:56 pm

well - hmmm - really? wait i am twisting my arm.... :disco:

ok so when did you want to pull this off? this year or next?

i was thinking of blowing 650 on a mammoth pass but i would much rather spend my $$$ on an epic adventure. i always see those sweet TR's from up way north and have always been interested in that zone. also as someone who lives closer to the equator and is used to split days of darkness and light, i get very excited by the idea of no to little darkness in late spring, or more time for touring!

also - it seems there is a fair amount of splitters working norway so would be nice to meet and tour with any of them.

with regards to flights n cost, kind of spendy but i bet the fares change. also no direct flights from LA wtf? ha ha just kidding. so then we would fly in to that zone and then just dirtbag it and camp out or would you want to stay in a hut/hostel/hotel, etc.???

p.s. i am serious about this shit but only if it is for next year. i cant swing it this year due to a new job.

HikeforTurns · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 5:50 pm

Ha! Love it. Someones down in less than a couple hours. Definitely not this year. Probably not next either as I have a youngin on the way. I need to start working on the lady now, plant the seed, annoy, annoy, annoy, annoy then go! The main issue is time off, We'd need a minimum of two weeks to pull anything cool off. I was reading its ill advised to leave "city" limits (longyearben) due to the amount of Polar Bears around, probably have to carry a big boomstick. Also have to get the Governor of Svalbards permission? Have to find a local hardman with a sled to show us the goods or a boat captain that could take us to shredsville and pick us up after a few days.....

Lodging:

$
http://www.gjestehuset102.no/rom.html

$$$
http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-spitsbergen
http://www.rica-hotels.com/Hotels/Spitsbergen-Hotel/

http://www.spitsbergentravel.com/Start/
http://www.wildlife.no/en/special_activities/ski_expeditions

maniacdave · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:15 pm

Sounds good to me. Some info from wikipedia and my thoughts...

Quote:

Svalbard is the meeting place for cold polar air from the north and mild, wet sea air from the south, creating low pressure and changing weather and fast winds, particularly in winter; in January, a strong breeze is registered 17% of the time at Isfjord Radio, but only 1% of the time in July.

High winds & no light. January is out. April or May and make it a shoulder season trip in between a season in the Rockies and a couple of months in Chile?

Quote:

In summer, particularly away from land, fog is common, with visibility under 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) registered 20% of the time in July and 1% of the time in January, at Hopen and Bjørnøya.[95] Precipitation is frequent, but falls in small quantities, typically less than 400 millimetres (16 in) in western Spitsbergen. More rain falls in the uninhabited east side, where there can be more than 1,000 millimetres (39 in).

Head to the east side to get away from the crowds and find fresh tracks.

Quote:

Within Longyearbyen, Barentsburg and Ny-Ålesund, there are road systems, but they do not connect with each other. Off-road motorized transport is prohibited on bare ground, but snowmobiles are used extensively during winter—both for commercial and recreational activities. Transport from Longyearbyen to Barentsburg (45 km/28 mi) and Pyramiden (100 km/62 mi) is possible by snowmobile by winter, or by ship all year round. All settlements have ports and Longyearbyen has a bus system.

Find a dude with a sled...

Quote:

Polar bears are the iconic symbol of Svalbard, and one of the main tourist attractions.[98] While protected, anyone outside of settlements is required to carry a rifle to kill polar bears in self defense, as a last resort, should they attack.[99] Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land share a common population of 3,000 polar bears, with Kong Karls Land being the most important breeding ground.

...make sure he brings a gun.

SPLITRIPPIN · **Posted:** Wed Apr 13, 2011 7:49 am

Better pick your crew now... you know I'm in. Just hurry up w/ all that baby making already. We're booked out 3 years :thumpsup:

fullers2oh · **Posted:** Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:31 pm

well a few years out certianly gives us time to get it right. ok well maybe then i will have to go solo next season to get everything dialed in, boats, biles, and gunz. i have always been intrigued by the mtn boat trip. they have similar trips in iceland, which is also very spendy.

bones get broke · **Posted:** Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:14 am

I wnt to go..........and never come back.
Dude, I will try my damndest to bed me a hot Viking babe and set up a new bones franchise over there. That way I could stay and slay with reckless abandon and you guys can come over and visit.

That's my word, SON!!!!

Splitboard.com Forums

Svalbard?

Who is online