Snowshoeing trip to Tromso, Norway

In early March 2018 I was in the Tromso area for a week-long snowshoeing trip. In that week, I got everything I could have wanted - and some things I didn't particulary want but were a great expierience anyway - from a trip to the far, far north. I did a four-day trek in the immidiate backcountry of Tromso, then made day trips from a hotel in the city center. I got two displays of northern lights, my first try at camping in the snow, travelled across snowy tundra in sunshine, crossed godforsaken bogs and forests in a complete white-out snowstorm, walked along quiet fjords, was amidst steep snowy peaks and witnessed the amazing sight of northern city lights in twilight. What a week it was.

SNOWSHOEING IN SUNSHINE

For two days, skies were clear and the air was cold. Great conditions for snowshoeing. Normally blue skies can be a bit boring for photography, but I really like them in combination with snowy landscapes. This view just begged for a photo. Those three tiny, perfectly alligned trees in the huge, empty, snow-covered tundra - what's not to love?

I had experiences with camping in temperatures as low as -10C, but never before in deep snow. Contrary to what you might think, cold is actually not much of a problem. Just put on warm, dry clothes as soon as you stop, add a thick down jacket (absolutely worth the investment), and you'll be fine. My impression after two nights of snow camping: a lot of fun, but everything takes so long! From stamping out a platform with your snow shoes, to waiting for the snow to freeze over again, to setting up the tent using snow stakes and cutting them out again in the morning... it all takes a lot of time. One general tip: don't forget to bring a thin piece of wood to put your stove on, so it doesn't sink into the snow. I brought a small plate of aliminium for this purpose, but it was much too slippery.

STARS AND NORTHERN LIGHTS

I was extremely lucky to spot the northern lights on my very first night. I had put my tent up late and around 10 in the evening I still hadn't finished melting snow and cooking. I was taking pictures of my lit up tent when I turned around and saw an unmistakable green light high in the sky. I just couldn't believe it - people spend years chasing it, without any luck, and here I was, seeing the northern lights the very first night of my trip. I admit I did a little dance of pure joy. All I had to do then was turn my tripod around, change my settings and capture the beautiful moment. Important to know is that the northern lights don't tend to look in real life like they do in photos (no, I didn't even increase the saturation while editing these pictures - it's an effect of the long exposure). Unless the activity is incredibly strong, this is a faint light, slowly moving around at about 80 km above the earth. I totally saw it with my bare eyes, though. Just don't set your expectations too high. The best camera settings will differ, but for a good start set your camera to the widest possible apperture, up the ISO to 1600 or so, and set a shutter speed of around 10 seconds (much longer and the waves will lose their shape, turning into a green haze instead). An ultrawide, fast lens is the best for the job. 

Also northern lights on the second night of my trip! They were a bit weaker this time, but note the purple color on top.

Stars and a bow of nothern light from the cozy cabin I shared the second night with two Danish students.

SNOW STORM AND A WHITE OUT

The clear weather didn't last. In the late afternoon of my third day the weather changed dramatically and very, very fast. Within half an hour it went from blue skies to a full-blown snowstorm. The next morning, the snow storm was still raging and visibilty was very low. I decided to cut my route a bit shorter by decending down the valley to Skittenelv instead of Oldervik. It turned out to be a beautiful but also incredibly wild valley - no roads, no houses, no signs of human life at all untill the very end. I felt far removed from anyone and anything while I crossed plains and large bogs and dense forests in knee-deep snow until I came across the half-frozen river, following its bends untill I stumbled upon the tiny village. I was pretty exhausted, I must say! But within 20 minutes the bus to Tromso came and took me right back to the comforts of the busy city center. 

I took this photo in a moment where the white out lifted a bit, just revealing the mountain behind.

The snow storm picking up in strength again amidst the trees.

BEAUTIFUL TROMSO

The pro of staying in the city was the oppertunity to do twilight walks through the city center, which were great, even more so because watching people slip and slide over the extremely slippery pavements was just so funny. There were several people with tripods taking photos from the right side of this bridge, but I explored further and liked this angle better, with the Arctic cathedral peaking between the pillars. Luckily there was little wind, so great conditions for reflections.

Doesn't Tromso just look magical with all the lights on and the snowy mountains in the background? 

STEEP MOUNTAINS OF KVALOYA

The mountain slopes of Kvaloya were too steep to safely head into in deep snow, but I did enjoy two days of walking along the calm fjords. This is a photo of beautiful reflections in Kaldfjord.

Steep slopes on the side of Ersfjord. The light was incredible this afternoon.

VIEW OVER TROMSO

This day started snowy but then cleared, so on an impulse I decided to climb the peak Nordfjellet. A fun trip that gave me nice views over Tromso, situated beautifully on its own island, with the large island Kvaloya behind it and the open ocean beyond.

ICY BEACHES

Strolling around Tromso's many snowy beaches. There is always something special about a beach covered in snow.

CUTE SEALS

I spend my last day in Tromso at Polaria, an interesting arctic aquarium where you can see all kinds of sea creatures that live in the arctic sea, observe seals up close and chat with the local researchers. Then it was time to catch the plane back to the Netherlands. I'll tell you, it took me some time to get used to a green world instead of a white one!