Pure Academy Two
From ski touring to ski alpinism
We build on and expand our knowledge and skills obtained in Academy One during five days in the Tarfala and Kebnekaise massifs. We continue with ski alpinism, travel in glaciated terrain and improve our avalanche knowledge. Course coverage includes glacier-, and crampons technique, ropework, abseiling, snow anchor construction and steep skiing. We’ll also complete the avalanche qualification SVELAV Freeride 2. After successful course completion the aim is that you should be able to confidently travel over glaciated areas and in steeper terrain requiring climbing with ropes and abseiling.
Location: Tarfala and Kebnekaise massifs
Ski days: 6
Instructor: IFMGA mountain guide
Max participants: 6 per guide
Prerequisites:
- Theory One
- Pure Academy One
- Avalanche certification SVELAV Freeride 1
- A – Rock climbing fundamentals
- B – Evening training sessions, Level One
- C – Theory two
- D – Off-piste skiing, Level One
- Age limit: 18
Syllabus:
- Avalanche certification SVELAV Freeride 2
- Course text: Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain
- Glacier skiing and crevasse rescue
- Crampons and axe technique
- Ski alpinism, technique and ropework
- Steep skiing, snow anchors, abseiling
Guides
Sweden’s Alpine Eldorado
Tarfala is a ski tourer’s Mecca situated right in the middle of the Kebnekaise massif, around 25km west of Nikkaluokta, Lappland. The province itself adds up to about a quarter of Sweden’s total area, and is the home to seven national parks, bordering both Norway and Finland. From Nikkaluokta, the nearest town, Kiruna, is a 64km drive away. There are multiple glaciers to be found in the Tarfala Valley, and perhaps the most well-known, Storglaciären, is one of the most studied glaciers in the world.
The peaks top out at between 1,700 and 2,100 m asl in a typically sub-arctic, high alpine environment. Sweden’s highest peak, the north summit of Kebnekaise (2,099 m asl) is here, and it’s an obvious ski touring aspiration for our trip. We have 5.5 ski touring days at our disposal, and with the mountains right on our doorstep, we’re always close to the instep. Our days will be filled with high alpine climbing, steep passages, airy ridge walks and roped up glacier travel.
Pure Ski Touring only hires IFMGA Mountain Guides
What is a Mountain Guide?
A Mountain Guide is a specially trained and highly experienced professional who is certified by authorities or mountain guide associations. They are considered experts at a high level and are hired to instruct or lead individuals and small groups in mountain environments that require this advanced expertise. The profession of mountain guide originated in the mid-19th century when alpine climbing became recognized as a sport.
IFMGA Certification
The title IFMGA Mountain Guide is reserved for individuals who have received full certification through their country’s national mountain guide association, whose curriculum and training are approved by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA). Certification is obtained through a rigorous examination process that includes rock climbing, alpine climbing and ski mountaineering. Certification usually takes between three and seven years to complete.
Swedish Mountain Guide Organisation
The Swedish Mountain Guide Organisation (SBO) is Sweden’s only professional organisation for mountain guides. SBO trains and examines guides and offers further training. The organisation promotes the interests of its members nationally and internationally and administers information, fees and meetings. The requirements for authorisation are high and include technical skills, teaching and leadership skills. SBO cooperates with other organisations and is a member of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA), which gives Swedish guides the right to work internationally according to the federation’s standards.
Our IFMGA Mountain Guides at Pure Ski Touring Camp are
Christian Edelstam
Travel
Accommodation
We’re based at the Tarfala mountain hut, situated in the Tarfalavaggi, one of the most scenic valleys in the Kebnekaise massif. The number of peaks 1,500-2,000 m around us is staggering. Tarfala hut sleeps 22. You’ll bed down with your own bedding or sleeping bag in multiple occupancy rooms with bunk beds. Mattresses, duvets and pillows are provided. Together we keep this hut running: you’ll help chop firewood, fire the stove, cook food, gather water, wash up and clean the hut. We make our breakfasts and cook our dinners together. We’ll make lunch packs from the breakfast supplies every morning.
The Tarfala hut has no electricity and no running water. Don’t count on any mobile coverage, although we’ve had reports that Telia (Swedish mobile provider) occasionally works.
Travel
You can choose to travel either by train or by air. There is no difference in terms of ski days. You can also make your own travel arrangements and join up at an agreed location and time. We’ll reduce the costs accordingly, of course.
By Train
If you choose to travel by train your journey starts from Stockholm Central Station in the evening. You’ll board the northbound sleeper and arrive in Kiruna the following morning. We ride sleeping carriages and have our own sleeping car compartments. The return journey follows the same path, and you’ll take the night train south from Kiruna, arriving back at Stockholm Central Station the following morning.
Itinerary
SJ sleeper train, Mar 19, Stockholm C – Kiruna, 18:08-09:14 (+1 day)
SJ sleeper train, Mar 25, Kiruna – Stockholm C, 18:29-10:09 (+ 1 day)
– bed in sleeping compartment compartment t & r included (only Pure participants in the compartment)
By Air
If you choose the flight, your journey begins late at night at Arlanda in Stockholm. You fly to Kiruna and from there there will be your own bus transfer to our pre-booked hotel in Kiruna. There you sleep one night and a good breakfast buffet is served the following morning. The return journey follows the same path, and you’ll depart Kiruna for Stockholm in the evening. We can also arrange flights from Gothenburg and Malmö on request. Please contact us on info@pureskitouring.se for more details.
Itinerary
SAS Mar 20, Stockholm Arlanda – Kiruna, 08:10-09:50
SAS Mar 25, Kiruna – Stockholm Arlanda, 14:10-15:55
Equipment
Prerequisites
- Pure Academy One
- Comfortable skiing off-piste in varied conditions
- Good fitness
- Age limit: 18
For those who have not completed Pure Academy One:
- Avalanche certification SVELAV Freeride 1
- Rock climbing fundamentals, Svenska Klätterförbundet (Swedish Rock Climbing Association)
- Theory One
- Off-piste skiing, Level One
- Self-sufficient in ski touring technique
Validation
If you have previous knowledge you wish to validate, you can do so here.
Mandatory Equipment Academy Two
- Skis with touring binding
- Climbing skins, contour-cut to your skis
- Ski boots
- Ski poles with baskets of a diameter of at least 6cm
- Avalanche transceiver (not analog), shovel, probe. Check batteries.
- Helmet
- Avalanche backpack with inflatable airbag, 25-40l capacity
- Ski crampons (harscheisen)
- Crampons
- Ice axe
- Harness
- Screw gate karabiners, 3
- Sling (120cm), 1
- Prussik loop, 1 (knotted from a length of around 125cm, 5mm accessory cord)
- Ice screw, 1 (if you have it, otherwise we can lend you one on location)
- Shell jacket and trousers. Wind-, and waterproof.
- Mid-layer in wool or fleece
- Insulated jacket. Synthetic or down. Alternatively an extra fleece.
- Base layer, top and long-johns. Wool or synthetic
- Ski socks, wool
- Underwear, wool or synthetic
- Gloves or mittens, one pair of thick, one pair of thin
- Hat and balaclava or Buff to cover your face
- Sunglasses and goggles
- Sun cream
- Water bottle
- Head torch
- Travel sheet
- Notepad and pencil
- Passport and money
- Travel insurance
- Hand sanitiser
- Personal snacks (chocolate, nuts etc) for touring
Academy two specifics
- Crampons
- Ice axe
- Harness
- 1 screwgate karabiner
- Ski Crampons (Harscheisen)
- Travel sheet or sleeping bag liner
Good to have
- Thin windproof/soft shell jacket
- Soft shell trousers
- Extra base layers
- Extra underwear (wool/synthetics)
- Extra ski socks (wool)
- Day wear/civvies (to be left in the hotel)
- Normal shoes (to be left in the hotel)
- Thermos
- Camera
- Mobile phone and charger
- Toiletries bag
- Ear plugs
- Blister tape
Always aim to minimise weight when packing.
If you’re missing some of the equipment listed above, we’ll be happy to help arrange equipment hire or purchase. Contact us on info@pureskitouring.se for details.
Reserve
Itinerary
-
Packages
- Excluding travel
- 21 400 SEK
- Rail travel
Bed in sleeping car compartment included - 23 300 SEK
- Estimate 2050€
- Air travel
Accommodation one night in Kiruna is included - 24 100 SEK
- Estimate 2100€
Included in Pure Academy Two
- 6 course ski touring days with IFMGA mountain guide
- Avalanche certification SVELAV Freeride 2
- Course pamphlet Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain
- Ski alpinism technique
- Glacier travel and rope work
- Crampons and ice axe technique
- Snow anchor construction
- Abseiling
- Steep skiing
- Off-piste skiing in glaciated terrain
- Pure Academy Badge
- Evening training sessions with Erik Wickström
- Theory Two with IFMGA mountain guide (Dec)
- Accommodation, Tarfala mountain hut, 5 nights
- Breakfast, Tarfala mountain hut, 5 nights
- Lunch package, Tarfala mountain hut, 5 night
- Dinner, Tarfala mountain hut, 5 nights
- Coffee and snack, Nikkaluokta mountain station (arrival day)
- Luggage storage, Nikkaluokta mountain station
- Warm lunch and coffee, Nikkaluokta mountain station (departure day)
- Shower, Nikkaluokta mountain station (departure day)
- Transfer, Nikkaluokta – Kebnekaise mountain station (arrival day)
- Transfer from the line stop down to Nikkaluokta (departure day)
- Rail travel, Stockholm – Kiruna, return
- Bed in sleeping compartment (Pure participants only)
- Transfer, Kiruna train station – Nikkaluokta, return
Alternatively;
- Flight Stockholm – Kiruna, return
- 1 luggage 23 kg and 1 hand luggage 8 kg
- 1 special luggage with skis, boots 23 kg
- Accommodation, ski lodge in Kiruna, 1 night
- Breakfast buffet, ski lodge in Kiruna
- Transfer to Kiruna Airport – Nikkaluokta, return
-
Tuesday, March 12th
- 18:11 Train travellers depart Stockholm Central
-
Course day 1
Wednesday, March 13th- 08:40 Air travellers depart Stockholm Arlanda
- 09:15 Arrival, Kiruna Train Station, for the train travellers, meet & greet
- 09:30 Transfer from Kiruna Train Station, then Kiruna airport and then to Nikkaluokta Mountain Station
- 10:20 Arrival, Kiruna Airport
- 11:45 Arrival, Nikkaluokta Mountain Station, and we’ll be served coffee and lunch.
- Change into skidoo overalls and transfer to Kebnekaise mountain station
- Ski Touring with mountain guide over the Kebnekaise massif on to Tarfala
- 19:00 Check-in at Tarfala hut and continued course review
- 19:00 We cook our dinner and eat together in the hut’s kitchen
-
Course days 2-6
Thursday, March 14th - Sunday, March 17th- 07:00 Breakfast in the hut
- 08:00 We assemble for today’s course component
- We’re guided by weather and conditions. Included in the course is the 3-day avalanche certification SVELAV Freeride 2, travel in glaciated terrain and alpine climbing and abseiling sections.
- 16:00 Return to the hut
- 18:00 We cook our dinner and eat together in the hut’s kitchen
- 19:30 Daily summary and theory
-
Monday, March 18th
- 07:00 Breakfast in the hut
- 08:00 We assemble for today’s course component
- Our final course day, and we revisit the work from previous days.
- We ski down the Tarfala valley to join the skidoo transfer line and get a tow down to Nikkaluokta Mountain Station
- Time for a shower and change at Nikkaluokta, followed by a warm lunch
- 11:45 Drive from Nikkaluokta, dropping off at airport, followed by the train station
- 18:30 Departure, Kiruna Train Station for our train travellers
- 13:55 Departure, Kiruna Airport for our air travellers
- 15:35 Arrival, Stockholm Arlanda Airport
- 09:25 Tuesday 19th March, - Arrival, Stockholm Centralstation, for the train travellers
- 09:53 Måndag 4 april, - Ankomst Stockholm C (tågresenärer)
