Both times I went on a longer mountain tour in Norway I got close to having an accident that could have led to at least a serious injury. Both situation involved rocks falling or sliding in my direction. Knowledge on mountain safety is important for mountain hiking. Having the proper first aid equipment with you,… Continue reading Mountain Safety
Finally! The short hiking season in the Scandinavian mountains is about to kick off. Time to let your boots get lost in the mountains and woods over snow-free trails, to enjoy summer evenings in absolute silence and to disappear of the grid for days or weeks on end. These mountain areas are wild. You can… Continue reading The Hiking Essentials
Deep inside Norway's rugged fjord country and right into its high alpine area lies Jostedalsbreen, covering almost 500 square kilometres of mountain terrain with ice. It is the largest ice cap on continental Europe and thanks to its remote location it offers excellent opportunities for hiking, ice climbing, glacier walking, kayaking, etc. The park caters… Continue reading Jostedalen National Park
A couple of months ago I found a job for the summer season in Norway's fjord country. So after finishing the winter season in Lapland, I packed up in Sweden and left for its neighbour. Living in one of the most beautiful countries on the planet was most certainly something on my bucket list. The… Continue reading Hello Norway!
A couple of days ago, I watched James Balog's documentary Chasing Ice. The film was made to provide visual proof of how climate change is affecting our continuously carbon powered planet, by showing breathtaking images of how our glaciers are disappearing at alarming rates. It reminded me of images I took during my walk through Sarek… Continue reading The Snow Meltdown
Tonight, it is the last night of the winter season. Tomorrow all guests will be heading home, followed by most of the staff on Friday. It has been an intense, strong and unforgettable experience. There have been ups and downs, but overall it has been great. I will miss being here, being out on tour,… Continue reading Season’s End
For most of our guests, having a chance to see the auroras is one of the main reasons to make the journey up here. But what exactly are these dancing night lights, and when exactly can you see them? The many questions I was asked this winter made it clear that many people don't really… Continue reading Aurora Borealis
Finally! After one month of non-stop clouds, grey skies turned blue again.The snow fell off the trees and sunny spring days cheered up all visits to the forests and swamplands. More than 4 weeks early, the winter ended and spring arrived. We've had days of +5°C and more. The end of the season is slowly… Continue reading Springtime
(photo by Karen Mitchell) There are three essential components of preparing for the cold. When you go out, you need to have the right mindset, the right equipment, and the right way of using this equipment. One of my colleagues reminds his guest that when you want to avoid being cold, 30% of your success… Continue reading Gear up for the Cold
About one week ago temperatures started falling drastically, first from between -5°C and -10°C to -20°C, afterwards further down to -30°C and below. All activities are continuing just as before, so there is suddenly much more to think about and to care about on every trip. Once under -25°C and especially under -30°C the risk… Continue reading Winter Finally Arrived: Guiding in Extreme Temperatures
Team Belgica 