Above the Arctic Circle
Steep mountain walls dive straight down into the crystal blue of the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline is peppered with red wooden houses and old fishing boats departing with dreams and returning with the day’s catch. Silhouetted against the blue sky, dramatic peaks dressed in white, perfect for skiing. But within this beauty is balance, a duality which gives it depth. Happiness understood in its contrast to burden of sadness. The weight of darkness more richly felt because of light’s warmth.
Most of the world experiences this opposing polarity every 24 hours. Above the arctic circle the routine cyclical process is elongated. In spring, it’s the land of the midnight sun, the surreal beauty of which is made all the more special by the months of darkness, which must be endured as penance. Only experience can garner true appreciation.
As a Swede I grew up just north of the border with Norway, but Lofoten wasn’t a place I visited until later in life. Skiing and photography opened my eyes to its magic. Almost 10 years ago I visited a neighboring area in Norway with Andreas Fransson and JP Auclair. Andreas showed me a place I could hardly envision in my wildest imagination. When I visited for the first time a few years later, I became truly obsessed and have visited in both the snowy spring and the summer ever since.
There are no ski lifts, endless peaks to climb and varied snow conditions changing every day in response to the coastal Atlantic weather.
When Armada launched its new touring skis, Locator, we knew Lofoten was the perfect place to test their balance of low weight and a stiff, powerful construction. Alongside my ski adventure mentor and close friend Tof Henry, Swiss shredder Flurina Bieger and Swedish filmer Elias Lundh, we loaded up a four-bed RV with a full collection of Locator Series skis—from the 112 powder tool to the ultralight and fast 88—climbing gear, ropes and a wealth of local knowledge from our friends in Henningsvear.
which was necessary to increase our safety margins for changing conditions. As Tof puts it, “You have to stick your nose in the snow and smell it.” If that means waking up at 4:30 a.m. to achieve an objective, so be it. Being with Tof in the mountains, you get to see his decision making and understand his process. From the outside it may look like he’s on the edge, but everything he does—from the way he ski cuts a slope to which rope, piton or ice axe he brings—is calculated with full focus. It’s the attention to detail that allows exploration while pushing the limits.
We brought with us a respect for the mountains, an excitement for the possibilities and a gratitude for the long daylight hours with the midnight sun that never sets behind the horizon. If you’ve never been to Norway to experience it for yourself, consider booking a Lofoten RV adventure. Until then, enjoy our short film from our two weeks in Lofoten.
Story and Photos by Daniel Rönnbäck