About Northern Alpine Guides
Northern Alpine Guides is a family owned guide service based in the Lofoten Islands, Norway. We offer mountain guiding to skiers and climbers all over the world.
Northern Alpine Guides is a local professional guide service managed by our core staff of IFMGA guides Seth, Sjur and Stian. Our core staff live year around in Kabelvåg, Lofoten and know these islands of peaks as well as anyone.
We guide skiers and climbers in mountains all over the world, but it will always be at our homeground in Lofoten where we will have the most fun.
Our backyard is full of amazing terrain for skiers and climbers and we love to bring new guests to our playground.
Our Mission
Quality and Professionalism is the approach we bring to the planning, organization, and execution of every trip run by Northern Alpine Guides; whether its a ski & sail expedition to Greenland, climbing big ice in Norway, skiing in the Lofoten Islands, beautiful rock climbing on Stetind, or mountaineering on some of the classic summits in the Alps. We never marginalize the resources needed to provide you with the first-class experience we promise you when you book with us.We strive to make your entire Northern Alpine Guides trip a safe, enjoyable, and successful experience without rushing you to the summit and back.
All of our trips are customized and tailored to your dreams, objectives, and skill level. We listen to you first and then develop a personalized trip for you. With small group sizes we can optimize our days out in the mountains and at the same time manage the risks involved by doing these activities. Also this gives us time for more one on one instruction, more climbing and more skiing.
Small Ratio Programs
We pride ourselves on safety and success in the mountains. A small group size is not only safer but allows for more one on one instruction, more time spent climbing, and more fun.
Obviously the ratio or group size that we can guide affects our prices. You may find companies offering lower prices but they will always have higher climber-to-guide ratios than us.
We feel that larger groups and higher ratios compromise the safety, enjoyment, and success of individual participants. We take our job seriously and believe we cannot offer the best experience for you if we don’t manage our group sizes correctly. On soft adventures like hiking and other triviell activities we manage bigger groups.
Environmental Ethics
Northern Alpine Guides has made a commitment to reducing our impact in all aspects of our business. We travel to some of the most beautiful and pristine areas in the world and do our best to minimize the physical and cultural footprints we leave behind.
All of our expeditions practice the Leave No Trace code of ethics and we strive to make other business choices that will help make our planet an even better place to live.
Certification & Experience
All our guides are handpicked by us and certified through IFMGA. They have impressive technical ability, strong decision making skills, and focus on transparency in their communication with the guests. Our instruction aims to improve your skills, techniques, and approach to the terrain.
IFMGA is an international organization that sets the standard for the highest education of mountain guides in the world. It's the national guide association NORTIND that´s responsible for educating the Norwegian IFMGA guides. The education includes climbing, skiing, glaciers and will train the guides to be able to handle complex terrain and situations in the alpine.
Read more about IFMGA here: IFMGA
Read more about NORTIND here: NORTIND
Staff & Guides
We are a company of extremely experienced guides. Mountain activities will always involve some risk and that is why we take our profession very seriously. Continued education, development and certification is important to us and we choose our guides accordingly. We have worked with all of our guides for a long time and have very close friendships with our crew. It doesn’t get any better than the crew of Northern Alpine Guides!
Seth is the owner of Northern Alpine Guides together with his wife Maren. He is a fully certified IFMGA Guide from Washington State, USA. After many years with ski and climbing guiding all over the world he settled down in Lofoten with his wife Maren in 2010. With over 20 years working as a mountain guide, he knows exactly how to run a guide operation and is highly respected among colleagues. His friendly being and positive vibe makes him a favorite among guests.
Sjur has been an active climber and skier for over 25 years. He is a full time employee in Northern Alpine Guide and an IFMGA Guide. He moved to Lofoten to spend even more time on what he likes best; steep outdoor activities. He always travel with either, skis, climbing shoes or axe and crampons. Over the years he's been climbing and skiing in several continents, but he says nothing beats the combination of the mountains and ocean in the Lofoten Islands. He is also an instructor at the Norwegian Guide Association education new IFMGA guides and ski guides.
Stian originally comes from Narvik, and lives now in Kabelvåg with his family. He is an IFMGA Mountain Guide and a geologist. Stian has a background in alpine ski racing, and he is a very active climber. He has been traveling the world climbing and skiing and is always eager to get out climbing new routes. It’s impossible not being affected by his stoke, and before you know it he has dragged you out on one of his adventures. Stian has a great passion for alpine climbing and have done several first ascents in the region.
Maren is part owner of Northern Alpine Guides and has found her paradise in the village of Kabelvåg, Lofoten. She loves the easy access to the amazing terrain in Lofoten with plenty of options to climb and ski. Maren's love for nature, adventure and traveling has taken her all around the world. She is a titled KaosPilot with a bachelor in Innovation, creativity and business development. When she does not have her hands full working with projects or is out on a private adventure she spends time with her daughter Nora and her dog Nanook.
Alan Oram
Erica Engle
Vegard Rye
Mark Allen
Iriatz Ezkergain
Tim Connelly
Chris Wright
Sebastian Tallent
Sami Modinius
Sami Haapasalmi
Shane Robinson
Dylan Taylor
Do I have to book online?
No, you can email us your arrival and check out dates, number of skiers, and how many guiding days. Then we can book you in manually and send you a booking confirmation.
Can I choose start date and length?
Yes, not a problem, but we don’t allow for stays at the lodge for less than 3 nights.
Are customized packages more expensive?
No, they are calculated at the same rates as our trips with designated lengths.
Can we book a day with a boat?
Yes, we can organize boat access skiing when your here. We book these trips when the weather and conditions are permitting.
How and when do I pay?
You will receive two invoices by email. The first invoice for the deposit and later for the remaining balance. You can pay with bank transfer or call in a credit card payment.
Which airport do you suggest we fly to?
We recommend two arrival airports: Svolvaer or Evenes Narvik. Read our travel advice here.
What kind of rental car should I order?
You need a rental car that has room for everyone in your group and your guide, plus equipment. With that said for groups sizes from 2-3 a station wagon or SUV with ski rack works great. For groups of 4 or more we recommend a Van or 2 vehicles.
When is the arrival and departure times at the lodge?
You can check into the Lofoten Ski Lodge at anytime… if you arrive in the middle of the night we have a key box so you get your check in information and keys at any hour. The cabins are ready at 1300 on your arrival day. Check out is at 1100 or earlier on you check out day. Feel free to arrive early or late but nice to let us know if your going to make dinner served from 1900-2100 on your arrival date.
Do I share room?
Yes, with someone in your private group unless you order a single room.
Do you cater for food allergies and/or diets?
Yes we cater for all food allergies and diets. Make sure to fill out your registration form with the necessary information for our kitchen staff.
Can I travel with my own guided group and stay at the Lodge?
Yes, we have a guest guide program. Have your guide contact us for a booking.
Can we book a stay without guiding?
You can check into the Lofoten Ski Lodge at anytime… if you arrive in the middle of the night we have a key box so you get your check in information and keys at any hour. The cabins are ready at 1300 on your arrival day. Check out is at 1100 or earlier on you check out day. Feel free to arrive early or late but nice to let us know if your going to make dinner served from 1900-2100 on your arrival date.
Do I really need ski crampons?
Yes! They are required equipment.
Can I rent gear?
Yes, we rent skis with skins and poles plus avalanche rescue equipment.
Do I need an avalanche backpack?
No, but if you have one your free to use it. We don’t rent them out.
What kind of skis should I bring?
Bring a Ski with an underfoot width of 85-105mm, Randonee Bindings, Skins cut to fit, and Ski Crampons.
When and where do I meet the guide?
You will meet the guide at breakfast the morning of your first ski day. You guide will come to your table and talk thru the day and plan with you. Our guides are at a mandatory guides meeting in the morning before breakfast so you can have a mellow nice breakfast and we will come to you.
How long are the days and how much elevation do we ski?
Our days start 0800 - 0830. We customize the day to the weather, snow, and conditions of the group.
Can I join a group?
No, but you can put your own group together.
Can I join as a split-boarder?
Yes, no problem but remember ski/binding crampons are required.
How cold is it?
Not that cold. Average temperature of 0°C to -5°C at sea level.
When is the best time to come?
From mid February until the end of April.
When is the best time for Northern Lights?
February and March are the best months to see the Northern Lights in Lofoten.
Are there other activities we can do during our stay?
Yes, many options! Be inspired here: https://visitlofoten.com/en/
Can we go fishing?
Yes, we have world class cod fishing in Feb/March. The reception at the lodge can help you book an after ski fishing trip.
What if I need to cancel my stay?
What happens if the weather stop us from skiing?
After arrival, there are no refunds for bad weather. Normally we can find a suitable ski tour in all weather conditions. We will make sure you get a good day even on a day the weather is far from ideal.
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