Svalbard presents a variety of journey activites. Trip on a rib boat and seek for walrus, kayak in entrance of an lively glacier, or cruise out to an deserted mining city. For a very cool someday journey, how about kayaking throughout Adventfjord after which mountaineering to the summit of Hiorthfjellet, one of many tallest mountains within the space?
We signed up for Svalbard Wildlife Expedition’s tour, “Arctic Problem.” On this tour, you kayak from Longyearbyen throughout Adventfjord, hike to the summit of Hiorthfjellet, after which return to Longyearbyen the identical approach. It’s an superior someday journey and excellent if you wish to be lively and (if you’re fortunate with the climate) get a singular view of Longyearbyen.
Fast Overview of the Arctic Problem
Adventfjord is the physique of water that Longyearbyen sits on. Instantly throughout Adventfjord from Longyearbyen rises a tall, brown mountain that is known as Hiorthfjellet. On this hike, you hike to the highest of Hiorthfjellet. It’s not technically difficult, however you do want a superb stage of health to kayak twice and climb this mountain.
We did this on our first full day in Svalbard, and what a deal with to search for at this mountain for the rest of our go to with the information that we stood up there. Hiorthfjellet dominates the view from Longyearbyen, so it’s fairly cool to face on the summit.
Fast Details:
Spherical journey kayaking distance on Adventfjord: 5.4 km (3.4 miles)
Spherical journey Mountaineering Distance on Hiorthfjellet: 8.7 km (5.4 miles)
Elevation Achieve: 915 meters (3000 ft)
Issue Stage: Strenuous
Size of Time: 11 hours
When To Go: June to September
Price: NOK 2010 per particular person
Minimal Age: 16 years
Firm: Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions
This elevation profile contains the kayaking at first and the top of the tour.
Please apply the seven rules of Depart No Hint: plan forward, keep on the path, pack out what you deliver to the mountaineering path, correctly get rid of waste, depart areas as you discovered them, be thoughtful of different hikers, and don’t strategy or feed wildlife.
Arctic Problem: Adventfjord & Hiorthfjellet
Kayaking Adventfjord
At 8 am, Nanna, our information with Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions (SWE), picked the 4 of us up at our resort and drove us 5 minutes to the SWE workplace.
Nanna is a younger, Norwegian lady who moved to Svalbard and have become a everlasting resident right here about 5 years in the past. She was superior. And because the day wore on, I grew to become increasingly more amazed at her power and toughness.
At this workplace, we had been outfitted with drysuits, kayaking skirts and gloves, after which we packed our issues into drybags for the journey throughout the fjord.
Down by the water’s edge, we loaded our luggage into the kayaks. This complete course of, from arriving on the workplace to our first paddle strokes on Adventfjord, took about one hour. It was stunning how a lot prep went into maintaining our issues and ourselves dry.
This was our first expertise kayaking in chilly water and we had been just a little clueless in regards to the gear. However we realized quick. Later within the week we went glacier kayaking and we felt far more comfy with the gear and with being in icy water.
As soon as out on the water, the true enjoyable began. It was an overcast day with the temperature about 6°C (43°F). Clouds hid the highest of Hiorthfjellet, however periodically the solar would shine on Longyearbyen.
We stopped loads to take photographs and video and to get pleasure from this expertise. We’re kayaking in Svalbard!!
It took us about half-hour to kayak throughout Adventfjord. I truly felt scorching and sweaty and couldn’t wait to get out of my drysuit!
We pulled our kayaks on shore, unloaded our drypacks, and began on our approach.
On the Path to Hiorthfjellet
Looming above us was Hiorthfjellet. If the snowy, whiteout circumstances continued on the summit, we must finish the hike early. Nanna additionally gave us a 2:30 pm flip round time. It felt a bit like we had been going for the summit of Everest, solely with out the extraordinarily excessive altitude and the oxygen skinny air.
There isn’t any path and no path markers up the mountain. We merely walked via the fields, crossed streams, and climbed via fields of boulders.
At first, we walked via a discipline. The soil was gentle and squishy, virtually like a groundhog created tunnels all through the floor of the bottom. Moss, quick grass, and really fairly however very tiny wildflowers made up the gentle carpet we walked on.
Alongside the way in which, we bought to see Svalbard reindeer, quick, stocky reindeer that had been within the means of shedding their winter coats. In late June, they had been principally white with patches of their brown summer time coats peeking via.
The primary a part of the hike was comparatively straightforward. Nanna led us up the hillside via this panorama, over small streams, till we reached a steep hill that appeared like a landslide of boulders.
An Early Lunch Break
It was solely 11 am however we had been all hungry for lunch. On the menu for right now: freeze-dried meals. I can’t say that this was one thing we had been wanting ahead to, nevertheless it was scrumptious! Every of us had a pouch of freeze-dried meals (pork for Tim, Tyler and Kara and I ate hen tikka masala) that we reconstituted with scorching water out of a thermos. Sizzling lunch on the facet of a mountain, with an excellent view again to Longyearbyen…what an sudden deal with!
It was quiet, it was peaceable, and it was stunning. For this reason we hike, to discover new locations and expertise the nice open air.
Mountaineering to the Summit of Hiorthfjellet
My pack had the heavy thermoses of water, so we left that behind as we pushed to the summit. That is the place the arduous half begins.
For about half-hour, we hiked up a steep incline that was a sea of boulders and small rocks. Many had been unstable, throwing us off stability and inflicting us to stumble sometimes. If we injured ourselves on this hike, this is able to be the spot.
Safely to the highest of that climb we entered the snowy prime part of Hiorthfjellet. The 4 of us picked our approach via the snow, which was fairly deep in some locations, attempting to maintain our mountaineering footwear dry. This was futile. Our ft would find yourself getting soaking moist.
As we climbed greater, snow clouds moved in. We misplaced these superb views of Longyearbyen, however the snow added to the thrill of the hike. To be mountaineering within the arctic in June with freshly falling snow was an ideal introduction to Svalbard.
Regardless of chilly fingers and moist toes, we had been all having a blast.
And Nanna, together with her heavy pack and rifle, saved up a powerful tempo. She appeared unfazed by the chilly temperature. We had been chilly, our noses had been operating, and we couldn’t cease for lengthy with out actually getting chilly. Not Nanna. At instances, she wasn’t even carrying gloves, and her face didn’t have the crimson, rosy cheeks like ours did. Her summer time climate is our winter climate.
We hiked up the snowy, slippery ridge and made it to the summit at 1:45 pm, nicely earlier than the flip round time, and that included our further time for lunch. Nanna was thrilled (and so had been we!).
After a fast celebration of Bixit cookies on the summit, we began the hike down Hiorthfjellet. Taking place was extra treacherous, particularly the steep discipline of boulders.
Return to Longyearbyen
Fortuitously, the snow stopped, so we warmed up just a little bit.
Sadly, my digicam stopped working in the course of the finish of the hike. The batteries bought too chilly and did not operate. This was my first time spending a lot outing within the chilly air that I didn’t even assume to maintain the batteries heat. Rookie mistake, I assume. From right here on, I saved my spare batteries in opposition to my physique each time we ventured out into the chilly, arctic air.
By the point we bought again to the kayaks the solar was shining. We kayaked throughout Adventfjorden and our tour was over.
What an ideal strategy to begin our tour of Svalbard. Now, each time we appeared throughout the fjord to Hiorthfjellet, we might proudly reminisce in regards to the few moments that we stood up there.
This whole day was superb. In case you like mountaineering or you might be searching for a singular someday journey in Svalbard, that is one so as to add to your record. Not solely do you get to summit a mountain within the arctic, however you get to see wildlife, be taught in regards to the miners who lived and labored right here, and get the sensation that you’re mountaineering someplace comparatively distant.
Wish to see extra? Try Tyler’s video:
Useful Suggestions for Mountaineering to Hiorthfjellet
We did this hike on the finish of June. The excessive temperature in Longyearbyen was 6°C (43°F) and it was a lot colder up on Hiorthfjellet.
The minimal age is 16 years. Once we did this, Tyler was 15 and Kara was 13. We spoke immediately with SWE, and as soon as they realized of Tyler and Kara’s intensive mountaineering and kayaking expertise, they waived the 16-year minimal age. Nonetheless, we agree that the minimal age of 16 is an efficient suggestion. This can be a lengthy day and climate circumstances can change rapidly, so it isn’t really helpful for youthful children.
We wore waterproof Merrell mountaineering footwear, one pair of socks, one pair of mountaineering pants, one long-sleeve shirt, a fleece, a rain jacket, a hat, and gloves. There have been just a few moments the place we did get chilly, however I’m glad that we left our massive, cumbersome winter coats within the resort.
If it’s a windy day, it could really feel a lot colder. We needed to cope with snow however the winds had been comparatively calm. When you have plans to do that when the winds are blowing, think about bringing extra layers.
The quantity of snow on the path varies day-by-day and year-by-year. Some years, the snow will be utterly passed by late June. In 2018, once we did this, the snow was over 2 ft deep in some spots. Mountaineering boots will assist, however even these don’t go excessive sufficient in your legs to maintain your ft dry. Nanna’s boots went virtually as much as her knees.
Along with bringing alongside chilly, water-proof clothes, you also needs to deliver water, sunblock, and your digicam.
Are you able to hike Hiorthfjellet by yourself?
It’s doable to do that hike by yourself, however you will want to hold a rifle (in case you cross paths with a polar bear) and lease a kayak and drysuit to cross Adventfjord. Since there’s not a marked path up Hiorthfjellet, you may both comply with a GPS map or just climb the mountain till you get to the highest.
Nanna informed us that it’s doable to lease a rifle in Longyearbyen. I should not have the small print about this (since we didn’t do it), so it make take some analysis in your half if you’re contemplating mountaineering by yourself.
Extra Details about Svalbard:
- GLACIER KAYAKING: Glacier Kayaking in Svalbard
- PYRAMIDEN: Cruising to Pyramiden, a Russian Ghost City in Svalbard
- SVALBARD TRAVEL GUIDE: Svalbard Journey Information: Plan Your Good Go to
- LONGYEARBYEN: Prime Ten Issues to do in Longyearbyen
- COST TO VISIT SVALBARD: How A lot Does it Price to Go to Svalbard?
Does this appear like one thing you wish to do? Remark beneath you probably have any questions.
Extra Info for Your Journey to Norway:
PLACES TO GO IN NORWAY: For an inventory of prime experiences in Norway, don’t miss our Norway Bucket Checklist. If you’re a hiker, we even have a mountaineering information with 14 epic day hikes to do in Norway.
NORTHERN NORWAY ITINERARY: On this 10 day Norway itinerary, street journey via Senja and the Vesteralen Islands, two stunning off the crushed path locations, and go to the Lofoten Islands.
10 DAYS IN THE FJORD REGION: On this 10 day itinerary via the fjord area, go to southern Norway: Bergen, Geirangerfjord, and Stavanger and hike Trolltunga, Pulpit Rock and Kjeragbolten.
MORE GREAT HIKES IN EUROPE: From thrilling trails within the Alps to straightforward walks alongside the coast, learn our article 20 Finest Hikes in Europe for some stunning mountaineering trails to place in your journey want record.
EUROPE TRAVEL INSPIRATION: For extra nice concepts on the place to go in Europe, take a look at our article 30 Stunning Locations to Go to in Europe. You may also get extra journey concepts in our 10 Days in Europe itinerary information, which has 10 nice itineraries on your subsequent journey to Europe.
Is your journey to Svalbard a part of an even bigger journey to Norway? Learn all of our articles about Norway in our Norway Journey Information.
