Scaling adventures: Snow sports in the East Fjords

ACTIVITIES Adventure guide

Powder paradise

I grew up in the East Fjords of Iceland and began skiing at an early age. As a teen, I switched to snowboarding and have not looked back. Every winter, I travel with my family to East Iceland for a snow-sport adventure. I know the ski resorts and mountains in the region like the back of my hand and all the secret spots ski and snowboard enthusiasts should explore. My favourite is the 500-m (1,640-ft) drop from the top of Bjolfur mountain in Stafdalur. Afterwards, it’s almost obligatory to have pizza and a refreshing drink at Skaftfell in Seydisfjordur.

Here are my suggestions for something calm, curious and exhilarating for the entire family in the mountains back home.

TEXT: Ivar Petur Kjartansson PHOTO: Elli Thor Magnusson

Calm

Both Stafdalur and Oddsskard ski resorts have excellent facilities for beginners. Stafdalur is probably the best in the country for the youngest practitioners, with a cable in perfect slant for kids on their first-ever runs. The area has lots of cushions, obstacle courses and decorations to make the experience even more fun. At Oddsskard there’s a superb cable lift for those with basic knowledge of skiing and snowboarding, where people of all ages can practice before moving on to longer and steeper slopes. The area also has the country’s best terrain park with all sorts of jumps and obstacles for daredevils.

Curious

Both resorts have a number of varied courses for those looking for demanding and diverse challenges, both on and off-piste. Stafdalur has, for example, a more than 2-km (1.4-mile) groomed run behind Stafdalsfell mountain. Oddsskard is a powder paradise with steep slopes all around; you just have to wander a few metres away from the lift. At both resorts, the bravest family members can find demanding runs off-piste without having to go on a long hike, and the family can still enjoy the day together. (Ask locals about off-piste conditions.)

Exhilarating

The East Fjords have endless mountains and alpine slopes. The ridge between Seydisfjordur and Mjoifjordur extends to 1,200 m (3,973 ft) above sea level and can easily be accessed from Fjardarheidi mountain pass. From the top of Oddsskard is a short walk to world-class slopes (with a drop of at least 1,000 m / 3,281 ft) which go down to the seashore in Eskifjordur. The magnificent Snaefell, Iceland’s tallest mountain outside glacier regions, towers over Fljotsdalsherad. You can hike to the top and slide down one of the country’s longest runs, even until September if conditions are favourable (take precautions and carry safety equipment).