finnmark

always head north to learn polar travel

The Finnmark plateau is the northernmost largest wilderness and mountain plateau in Norway, at some 300-500 meters above sea level. It is located well north of the Arctic Circle and is best known as the Sami and reindeer herds' land area.
The Finnmark plateau has a continental climate and therefore has both low temperatures and little precipitation. For us, it does not escape us that it is extremely beautiful and has an adventurous tranquility few other places can match.

TWO SUCCESSFUL TRIPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLANES HAVE JUST BEEN COMPLETED. LOTS OF LEARNING, GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND TONS OF FUN. READ THE DIARIES FROM THE CROSSING HERE.

NOW WE MOVE OUR ATTENTION TOWARD 2025. BOTH TRIPS WERE FULLY BOOKED THIS YEAR, SO SIGN UP EARLY!

why cross finnmark?

Preparation is everything. For many it is more than half the journey. Therefore, we have meetings before all the important trips in addition to i.e. calls, e-mail and Skype. But we also have some small trips that are perfect to get you on the right track.

One of these is a 5 day ski trip with sleds crossing Finnmarksvidda. This is a trip which will give you an introduction to the camping, equipment, the cold, the sleds and the routines, while the nights this far North tend to offer spectacular Northern Lights as an additional outdoor experience. Finnmarksvidda is the trip you can join if you don’t feel like being away for too long but still want to get some time off to re-set and rewind and maybe to evaluate your assumptions and to get the feeling of what is in it.

see photos at the bottom of the page!

Expedition details

This is a Kinder Egg! Not only will we take you to the most northerly and wildest part of Norway, we will cross Finnmarksvidda which is an adventure and an expedition in itself. And we will do it in a way so that you have every chance to enhance your skills for other big targets.

Finnmarksvidda is in the middle of Norway’s most northerly county - Finnmark, and at the height of winter it may well be compared to the most remote and coldest expedition in both Arctic and Antarctica. In spring the area is well visited, but we will do it while the Polar Night still holds it’s grip over the north and the temperatures at night can sink to -30°C, and sometimes even less… in these temperatures you will feel the power of the northern lights flickering over the sky.

This is training, yes, but also a bit of an expedition as we believe that it is he best way of learning. To get the real taste, (we do not bring big groups), you are sure to find out what it is all about. Here nothing comes for free as the days are short, the temperatures low and the sledge for real. We aim to perfect camp routines, navigation, strategies and teamwork as we, at the same time, enjoy the scenery, the polar night and the peace of the waste plains.

Whatever your next trip/expedition may be, we want you to be prepared for it. By learning the tricks of winter survival under real conditions you will be more confident and your chances of reaching your future goals will increase.

Distance to be covered is in the region of 120 km and should take us 5 full ski days. Long enough so that you can get necessary field experience.

This trip will be as a mini Greenland crossing, so you should be in reasonable good shape before showing up. Please read our training chapter for advice and also read out equipment list carefully, - and look forward to a fantastic trip and the most fun school you ever attended.

This Cool-School is our Polar Academy!

Day by day

Day 1: We fly in to Alta (ALF) from Oslo in the middle of the day and spend the day preparing, analysing the route and weather forecasts, packing food and readying ourselves. All team sleep together on a camping cabin/apartment.

Day 2: Last check, then we off to our starting point. Then we are on our skis! After some kilometres we arrive at the Jotka Fjellstue and can’t resist going in for a cup of hot drinks. Then we proceed towards the open plains and camp when darkness descends.

Day 3: We walk the whole day south-east towards Isejavre, the biggest lake on Finnmarksvidda, and are now really on the tundra as the landscape rolls out all around us. We pitch the tents again at dusk.

Day 4: We cross over Isejavre. From here we will most probably leave the normal route to train and enhance our skills in navigation and look into natural indicators for navigation. And this is for a reason, as we are now into an area that most resembles the waste and flat expanses of traditional expedition targets like Greenland and Antarctica.

Day 5: Today the terrain will gradually become more hilly again as we pass Øvre Mollesjokk and continue towards Ravnastua. How far we get depends on the strength of the team and what ‘Mother Earth’ has in store for us, but this is normally our last night camping out.

Day 6: We descend from the plane through more foresty terrain and arrive at out friend Sven’s place where we stay the last night night together at a wonderful lodge – and will even sit on chairs and have a well-deserved dinner!

Day 7: Next morning we drive into the Sami town of Karasjok and jump on the bus to Lakselv and Banak Airport (LKL). Here our ways part as we head for home. We recommend you book afternoon flights out of Lakselv (very early flights available, but will miss breakfast and will need a taxi to the airport, too early for buses.

What is included:

We will provide an experienced guide, all general equipment such as tents, stoves, navigation equipment, sleds, pulling harness if needed, and all security, communication and safety essentials. And all possible advice in the buildup. Just call :-)

What is not included:

The price does not include: Travel to Alta- and return from Lakselv / Bandak (airports). Food, shelter and travel before and after going out in the field. Personal equipment like underwear, jacket, pants, hoods and mittens, sleeping bag and mattress, personal bags, skis and boots.
Travel- and cancellation insurance.
You might be asked to contribute if you have food allergies, intolerance, etc, so that we can be sure you have enough of safe food.
Any unforeseen delays / weather / change of plan may also result in extra cost.

meals:

We include breakfast and dinner once we leave "civilization" behind and until we are back in town.
Breakfast is Borge's special enriched porridge recipe plus coffee/tea.
Lunch/snacks during the day are on you and NOT included. We do many short stops to eat smaller amounts and drink regularly rather than only one.
Dinner is composed of Real Turmat / DryTech expedition food

signing up / Deposit / invoice:

The system works as follows: Your Booking Form will give you a place in the queue. We will then send you a deposit invoice. This is non refundable according to our Travel Conditions. Once paid, your place on the trip is guaranteed and you are on your way.
3 months before the start of the trip we'll send final invoice with remaining balance.

Look through these images - they are taken by Jon Kolsøand bengt Rotmo