1 – 6 March 2025

Pure Vatnahalsen

Where Time Stood Still

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The historic Høyfjellshotellet has something peaceful about it. It is exclusive and classic. No roads or cars. But the ride is anything but quiet. The Flåmsdalen is steep and mighty. The proximity to the mountains is palpable. Three short steps over the century-old railway track and the day of skiing can begin.

Pure Vatnahalsen is an Out of Bounds trip with longer days and more demanding tours. It is often just a group with a mountain guide, which means that there are no different degrees of difficulty on the tours. However, this smaller format gives us greater mobility to explore more distant mountain peaks. We sometimes cook our own food and the accommodation is simpler. Given that the altitude meters are more, you need to have previous experience of ski touring tours and your backpack should only contain the bare essentials to minimize weight.

Mountain &
Guides

Steep and awe inspiring

The ski touring in Vatnahalsen offers up to 1,000 vertical meters, and popular tours to explore include Tarven, Broknosi, Urdshovd and Geitanosi. We’ll get efficient, full ski touring days as we gear up right outside the hotel door, and we may have time to fit in both two and three runs in a day, depending on daylight, weather and wind conditions. The area, with its ravines and sudden, short, steep sections is reminiscent of the Swedish freeski mecca, Riksgränsen, but in Vatnahalsen everything is at a much grander scale.

 

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.

Read more here:
SBO
IFMGA

Our IFMGA Mountain Guides at Pure Vatnahalsen is

Fredrik Liberg

Mountain & guides

Vatnahalsen

Vatnahalsen is a mountain region that can only be reached by train. The 20 km Flåmsbanen ascending the 900 m up from the Sogn fjord is said to be the most scenic train journey on the planet, and its first stop is Vatnahalsen. Time has moved at a more sedate pace here — no Teslas, or code-operated road barriers. The area is an open expanse with thousands of peaks. The mountains are steep, and rise directly from the fjords, including the Nærøy, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Nærøy fjord is the longest and deepest in Scandinavia.

Accommodation

Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell is built on a huge rock, perched 300 m above the scenic Flåms valley. The building was originally intended as a tuberculosis sanatorium (1896), but the construction of the rail road to Bergen meant that there was a need for a mountain hotel. The hotel became a noted holiday destination between the two world wars, occasionally referred to as “St Moritz of the Nordics”. During the second world war, German troops requisitioned the hotel, and during one unfortunate event the hotel burnt to the ground. It was fully reconstructed during the 50s, and the 50s style is there to behold to this day. The hotel has around 100 beds, its own restaurant and is committed to environmental sustainability. It offers a down to earth, scenic and inspiring outlook.

Resa

The event commences as we gather on the platform for the Bergensbanen train at Oslo Central station. We travel together from Oslo to Myrdal station. As we disembark we have an enjoyable 20 mins of night skiing with head torches to get to Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell itself (our gear will arrive the following day; we’ll only carry the bare essentials). The home leg will begin in the morning at Vatnahalsen train station, from which we’ll go to Myrdal and onwards to Oslo.

Itinerary

Bergensbanen, Mar 1, Oslo – Myrdal 16:25-21:17
Night ski, around 20 min down to Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell

Flåmbanen, Mar 6, Vatnahalsen – Myrdal 09:32-09:40
Bergensbanen, Mar 6, Myrdal – Oslo 10:05-15:05

Adjoining rail or bus connections to our start location, Oslo C, should be individually arranged, and aren’t included. We can assist with this. Contact us on info@pureskitouring.se for more information.

For travellers from Stockholm, the following rail connections work well:
SJ, Mar 1, Stockholm C – Oslo 07:36-13:09 (not included)
SJ, Mar 6, Oslo – Stockholm C 16:36-22:32 (not included)

For travellers from Gothenburg, the following bus connections work well:
Bus, Mar 1, Nils Ericsson Terminalen – Oslo 10:15-13:51 (not included)
Bus, Mar 6, Oslo – Nils Ericsson Terminalen 18:01-21:45 (not included)

Accommodation & Travel
Knowledge &
Equipment

We’ll ascend around 800-1,200 vertical meters per day at a moderate pace. Some days may require longer walk-ins and will be physically more demanding. Ratio: 6 guests per guide.

  • Good fitness is required, capable of sustaining an ascent rate of 350m/h
  • Off-piste skiing in all conditions, on slopes up to 35 degrees
  • Previous experience with ski touring technique and equipment, how to walk and kick-turn with climbing skins
  • Age limit 18 years old (16 years old if accompanied by legal guardian)

Mandatory Equipment

  • Skis with touring bindings
  • 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
  • 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
  • Passport and money 
  • Travel insurance
  • Hand sanitiser
  • Personal snacks (chocolate, nuts etc) for touring

Vatnahalsen specifics

  • Ski Crampons (Harscheisen)

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.

Knowledge & Equipment

Read more & media

Articles

Read more & media

Reserve

Price &
Itinerary

  • Package including train travel to & from Oslo C
    • Part in double room
    • 23 500 SEK
    • Estimated 2000€
    • Single room
    • 24 900 SEK
    • Estimated 2150€

Included

  • 4 full days’ ski touring with certified IFMGA mountain guide
  • Avalanche safety training with certified IFMGA mountain guide
  • Ski touring technique skills with certified IFMGA mountain guide
  • Equipment orientation with certified IFMGA mountain guide
  • Equipment test centre with Black Diamond and ATK
  • Guest lectures
  • Personal account access to Pure Ski Touring’s website
  • Pure Ski Touring’s goodie bag
  • Accommodation, Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell, 5 nights
  • Breakfast, lunch and evening meal, 5 days
  • Bedding, towels, cleaning
  • Rail travel, Oslo-Myrdal-Vatnahalsen – we ski the last bit down to Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell
  • Rail travel, Vatnahalsen-Myrdal-Oslo
  • Luggage transfer, Myrdal-Vatnahalsen return

The event commences at Oslo Central Station. We’d be happy to help you with travel arrangements from your location to/from Oslo. Please contact us on info@pureskitouring.se for more details.

  • Saturday, March 1

    • 07:36 Departure from Stockholms Centralstation (not included)
    • The event starts for everyone at Oslo train station!
    • 16:25 Departure from Oslo train station with Bergenbanan to Myrdal station
    • 21:17 Arriving at Myrdal station and here we pack the backpack with the essentials and ski down to the hotel (our luggage arrives at the hotel the next morning and is placed in the respective room).
    • Once at Høyfjellshotellet, check-in will be followed by supper and drinks before bedtime

  • Sunday, March 2 - Wednesday, March 5

    • 07:00 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant
    • We make up packed lunches for the day
    • 08:30 Full day ski touring with our guide
    • After ski on the hotel’s veranda as we return
    • Own time, shower, sauna and change
    • 19:00 A well-deserved dinner served in the hotel restaurant

  • Thursday, March 6

    • 07:00 Breakfast served in the hotel restaurant
    • 09:00 Check out
    • 09:32 Depart with the Flåmsbanen train from Vatnahalsen station to Myrdal station
    • 10:05 Depart Myrdal station with the Bergensbanen train, destination Oslo
    • 15:05 Arrival Oslo C, where this year’s Pure Vatnahalsen event formally ends
    • 16:36 Departure with SJ train for those heading to Stockholm C (not included)
    • Departure, long distance bus, for those heading to Gothenburg (not included)
    • 22:32 Arrival, Stockholm C (not included)
Price & Itinerary
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