 Poster: A snowHead
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With no chance of a cold snap in Wales and (very) late spring conditions in the Alps it was time to head north for some powder.
Snowforecast was calling for close to 1m of fresh in Narvik, so a quick email was sent to Mike Prosser who's living and working in the resort to see if it was worth a trip.
I'd worked with Mike in the Niseko Resort Area of Hokkaido, Japan in the winter of 06/07 and Mike has worked ski patrol and lift ops in Narvik the past three winters, after riding his motorbike across Australia and then from Vladivostock to the far north of Norway. He's recently returned from riding from Narvik to cape Town, South Africa.
It was snowing and blowing, and I was going.
Mike sent me these pics from the day before I was due to leave
http://kjetil-janson.blogspot.com/2011/04/etter-snesluddregn-og-take-kommer-solen.html
DAY 1 : WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL 2011
Caught the last train to London the night before and slept in Heathrow. Surprisingly comfortable and warm.
Was expecting to pay an excess for baggage with SAS but my one checked ski bag weighing 15kg got through ok. SAS must have the most convulted baggage restrictions out there!
Return train travel from Aberdare (home) to London Heathrow - 88 euro
Return flight from Heathrow to Evenes, Norway (via Oslo) - 425 euro
Return bus travel from Evenes Airport to Narvik - 54 euro
Arrived in Evenes at 5.30 pm and the 1-hr bus ride to Narvik was spectacular. Sunshine, clear skies, snow right down to the fjord in places, jagged peaks reflected in tidal pools.
Met Mike at the Gran Hotel bar, and after a couple of drinks it was back to his digs to unpack.
He (and the other Narvik employees) stays in the Best Western Hotel just across the road from the gondola on a very cheap monthly rental. Has an en-suite hotel room and shares a fully equiped kitchen with 4 other people.
DAY 2 : THURSDAY 21 APRIL 2011
During the mid-week Narvik is open between 11am and 8pm. Mike headed off to work at 8.30am and I walked across to meet him for first lift at 11.
You can either take three t-bars to the top restaurant or take the 6-person gondola. The gondola has three cars travelling up at any one time, so if there's a line it's quicker to take the t-bars. At the top of the t-bars / gondola it's a short skate to the 2-man chair that takes you to the top of the resort which accesses the best inbounds terrain and also the hike to the slackcountry shots.
http://www.narvikfjellet.no/
Narvik Resort Map
A day ticket costs 41 euro, and at this stage of the season it's worth buying by the day due to rising freezing levels (read rain) and wind closures.
Narvik gondola
Great first day on the hill. Not that cold either, between -5 and +5. It was snowing lightly off and on all day and even with limited views the setting is spectacular.
Mike Prosser heading to the ocean
Stopped off for lunch at the top restaurant with Rob, a ski patroller from Sweden who lives across from Mike. Excellent burger and fries. One of the best I've eaten in a ski resort (second only to Wazza's Brick Burgers in Hirafu). Not cheap though. 20 euros.
Mike (left) and Rob in the top restaurant, Narvik
As we left the restaurant the snow was coming down, but it quickly turned to drizzle at the base.
Evenings were spent eating in and drinking supermarket beer, cider and the duty free rum I brought in.
DAY 3 : GOOD FRIDAY 22 APRIL 2011
Much the same as yesterday, with dry, chalky powder in the upper bowls and soft, spring bumps on the out.
Mike Prosser doing ski patrol today
Marcus, another Swede on ski patrol
Mike Prosser, it's a dirty job but someone has to do it
DAY 4 : SATURDAY 23 APRIL 2011
What an absolutely brilliant day. Sunshine, no wind, dry, blown in pow on the upper mountain, about 5 cm penetration.
Hiked solo from the top of the resort to see what I could see. What I saw made me smile.
Morkholla
Narvik from Tredjetoppen
Partisan Peak from Tredjetoppen
I dropped in from Tredjetoppen and skied the ridge line that separated two big alpine bowls
Bowl below Partisan Peak
Bowl below Tredjetoppen
Met up with Mike at the bottom and we went back around and did another lap.
Mike Prosser looking at Morkholla. Biggest cornices I've ever seen
Mike Prosser on Tredjetoppen with Narvik Ski Resort in the background
Yours truly on Tredjetoppen (Mike Prosser photo)
Mike Prosser skiing off Tredjetoppen
Great turns. Chalky pow at the top, corn in the mid section, and spring bump fest on the out.
Got the gondola back up to the restaurant area and enjoyed a barbecue in the sun
DAY 5 : EASTER SUNDAY 24 APRIL 2011
Rain at the base high winds closing the gondola meant a day off skiing.
It cleared up by the evening and Mike, Karen (head of Ski Patrol), Marcus, Kaj (rentals) and I drove across the other side of the fjord to watch Karen and Marcus do a spot of climbing.
Marcus
Kaj
Mike, Marcus and Kaj with Rombakstotta in the background
Karen
Mike, Marcus and Kaj
Marcus
DAY 6 : MONDAY 25 APRIL 2011
Rained all day. No thank you.
DAY 7 : TUESDAY 26 APRIL 2011
Drizzle at the base and high winds, so Mike and I decided to make the 1-hr drive to Riksgransen, Sweden for the day.
http://www.stromma.se/en/Riksgransen/
Snowing off and on and then the lifts closed at the end of the day due to high winds. Admitedly we didn't hike to Nordalsfjall but I was quite underwhelmed by the terrain and pitch. Great setting though and loads of snow.
On the way back Mike spotted a perfect spot to try kite skiing for the first time. He was having a ball.
Mike Prosser kite skiing near the Norway-Sweden border
All in all an excellent trip. Norway is expensive, but well worth the expense.
Thanks Mike and thanks to all that made me feel very welcome.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Great trip report once again!
stunning shots. green jackets rock... next purchase for me 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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That looks like a damn cool part of the world. What's the access into the BC like? Fairly straightforward hike?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Mike Pow, Thanks for another great report.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| That looks like a damn cool part of the world. What's the access into the BC like? Fairly straightforward hike? |
A piece of the proverbial. Either drop in to the first bowl straight off the chair, or hike about 30 mins to access both sides of the peak.
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great pics, Mike - love the portraits
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As always impressive. Must get to the arcitc one day 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Nice report. A part of the world I'd love to visit.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great report.
That's the  calendar sown up then, and the pic of the cornices should go on the front.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Another inspiring report and some fantastic photos. You're making me dead jealous.
FYI, another way to get to Narvik is to fly to Stockholm, go down the steps to the station underneath and get the overnight train that travels all the way up the RHS of Sweden and then hooks back to Narvik. We traveled this way some years back when we skied up Kebnekaise and along the Kungsleden.
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