ICELAND
Backcountry skiing
Guided Backcountry Skiing on the Tröllaskagi Peninsula of Iceland
Discover the quiet beauty of Iceland’s backcountry on a small group ski adventure designed for experienced yet relaxed skiers who prefer earning their turns at an enjoyable pace. This is not a “hard-charging” expedition — it’s a thoughtfully guided journey for those who value comfort, scenery, and authentic experiences as much as great skiing.
Your skilled guides will lead you through Iceland’s stunning fjords and volcanic valleys, where gentle glaciated slopes and long spring days offer perfect conditions for backcountry exploration. Each day is tailored to the group’s interests and energy, with time to savor panoramic views, enjoy hearty Icelandic meals, and unwind in cozy guesthouses.
Whether you’re a couple or a small group of friends, this trip combines the thrill of ski touring with the tranquility of Iceland’s wild landscapes. It’s an ideal balance of adventure and ease — a chance to explore, connect, and make lasting memories in one of the world’s most magical mountain settings.
Highlights
- Moderate backcountry routes chosen for safety, scenery, and enjoyment
- Experienced guides focused on comfort and pacing
| Date | Arrival/Departure Location | Lodging Location | Tuition |
| Akureyri, Iceland | Siglufjörður, Iceland | $3,500.00 (up to 4:1 ratio) |
Above trip is presented and priced with a max ratio of 4 clients per guide with 3 clients being required for the trip to run.
Perfect for Individuals or Small Groups – Join others to share costs and experiences.
More Affordable for 1–2 People
Group Dynamic – Expect to match the pace and skill level of the group—an opportunity to learn, share, and meet fellow backcountry enthusiasts.
Limited Flexibility – Availability can fill quickly, so register early.
Private Backcountry Trip Benefits
Custom Scheduling – Choose the dates that work best for you and build the trip around your availability. Minimum 4 days, maximum based on guide availability
Tailored Experiences – Every itinerary is customized to match your goals, experience level, and fitness. Private trips can be designed around your goals (bigger days, lighter days, avalanche training, steep lines or gentle lines. even a heli bump may be possible).
Best Value for Larger Groups – Private programs are typically the most cost -effective option for groups of three or more.
Premium Flexibility for Small Parties – For one or two participants, private programs offer ultimate flexibility but are more expensive per person.
AIARE Courses – An avalanche course can be incorporated into any course.
If you would like to book your own private or small group, our base guiding rates are listed below. Lodging, meals, car rental, guide travel are added to the base rate.
>4:1 ratio $450.00 per day per person (max 6:1 ratio)
3:1 ratio $450.00 per day per person
2:1 ratio $500.00 per day per person
1:1 ratio $700.00 per day
If you are interested in a private trip during our scheduled time or on different dates, send us an email or give a call an let’s see what we can put together.
- Two home cooked/family style meals daily (Breakfast & Dinner)
- Transportation from Akureyri airport to lodging, during trip, & returning to Akureyri airport
- Ratio: maximum of 4 clients per guide
- Personal ski touring gear and avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel
- Airfare
- Lunch snacks
- Evening beverages / pub visits
- Guide gratuities
This trip is an 8 day trip travelling to the northern part of Iceland along the Tröllaskagi peninsula. Two of the seven days will be travel days. Of course you can stay longer if you like.
Fitness, clothing, and equipment to ski or hike up to 8 miles round trip with a 10-pound pack. Particpants should be advanced enough to ski ungroomed intermediate terrain at major northeast ski resorts safely.
Comfortable skiing/riding around/above 35 degree snow slopes.
Specific Info
General Info
This is a guided backcountry skiing trip intended for skiers and riders who have limited backcountry travel and avalanche experience and are seeking to further their personal development.
Fitness, clothing, and equipment to ski or hike up to 8 miles round trip with a 10-pound pack. Particpants should be advanced enough to ski ungroomed intermediate terrain at major northeast ski resorts safely.
Comfortable skiing/riding around/above 35 degree snow slopes.
Our guides will lead you through beautiful terrain overlooking the fjords of northern iceland. Ski terrain will vary from large alpine faces, tight couliors, and expansive bowls.
Our ski tours will not only prioritize descents but also multi drainage traverses with multiple ascents and descents enjoying the beauty of the Tröllaskagi penisula mountains.
Tours vary and are dependent on the weather and snow conditions presented to us on the given day.
Acadia Mountain Guides has been traveling to Iceland since 2016. With expansive lodge of the terrain and connections with local guiding services we have honed the craft of providing an out of the park expierence for guest looking to expierence Iceland for the first time or the tenth.
Acadia Mountain Guides is led by IMFGA guide Jon Tierney all of our lead guides and tail guides have been trained under his tutelage. Lead guides for all trips have been trained to the AMGA Ski Guide standard and carry themselves as knowledgeable proffesionals and stewards of this beautiful land.
Acadia Mountain Guides prides itself on offering a well rounded guest experience. Our stunning and cozy lodging allows for evenings around the fire with well prepared meals, a perfect atmosphere for meeting new friends or connect with old ones. The expierence offered by AMG is something like that of what you would find when visiting a world class heli skiing lodge, except we spend almost all of our time touring through the landscape.
Personal Equipment
Any gear you may need can be purchased ahead of the course from our gear store – Alpenglow Adventure Sports – where you get a 25% off purchases made prior to the course and up to a week later as well as 15% discount off MSRP for life!!! Purchases may be made in-store or online. Gear purchased in advance of course can often be brought to you on the course. Alpenglow will also price match any in stock inventory if you find a better deal on the web for the same item. Simply send a link when you are ready to order to shop@alpenglowgear.com.
Travel
- Passport
Ski Clothing (at a minimum)
- Soft shell
- Soft shell pants
- 1 R1 top or similar mid weight base layer
- 1 light top or similar baselayer
- Base layers
- 2 prs of ski socks
- Heavy gloves
- light gloves (soft shell, windstopper)
- Ski hat/helmet
- Down coat/puffy/insulation layer
- Goggles
- Sunglasses
- Balaclava
Lunch Food, Snacks and Drinks (as desired)
- Guests will be taken food shopping upon arrival.
In the lodge
- Shoes or slippers to hang out in the lodge/walk to hot pot
- 1-2 sets of town clothes
- 1 set of lounge clothes
- Personal Items – Toothbrush, toiletries etc.
In the field
- Skis, poles, boots or split-board
- Probe, transceiver, shovel (required)
- Ski crampons (required)
- Skin wax glob stopper
- Skins
- Ski pack (30 L or bigger)
- Thermos
- Compass with baseplate
- Sunscreen / lip balm
There is always the opportunity to learn while on a trip with Acadia Mountain Guides. While the primary focus of this trip is to ski or ride some of the best snow in the world there is plenty of skills to be learned depending on your interests such as:
- Developing backcountry tour plans both digitally or with tried and true map and compass
- Practicing effective companion rescue
- Skinning skills – kick turns, edging, etc
- Carrying it all – how to set up you ski pack
- Improving downhill ski technique
- Practicing travel skills in avalanche terrain
- Any number of winter travel skills
- Improving your avalanche awareness
- Each day we will choose appropriate ski objectives based on weather, snow and avalanche conditions, and personal interest.
(2 travel days and 6 ski/ride days):
Day 1 – Arrival Day: Clients arrive at the Akureyri Airport no later than 1600 (4pm) local time either by air or personal vehicle from from Reykjavik. Dinner and appetizers will be served upon arrival to our lodging accommodations.
Day 2 – 7: Wake up, breakfast served. Prepare appropriate gear for the day ahead. Drive to the trailhead of the day and begin the day’s ski tour. Group energy management is a priority of our guides, we will make time for rest days/late starts/early end days. However, we do aim to ski as much as possible.
0700 – 0800: Breakfast & morning guides meeting
0800 – 0830: Guides present clients with a plan for the day and the final bags are packed. Van loaded by 0830 for departure.
0900 – 1600: Ski touring with lunch and snack breaks multiple stunning ski descents and awe-inspiring views.
1800 – 1900: Appetizer hour, hot bath time, and dinner preparation
1930: Dinner and sunsets are commonly enjoyed in stunning fashion and are the perfect way to cap off an amazing day. Off to bed and we do it all over again the next day
Day 8 – Departure Day: Wake up, breakfast served. Pack personal items, assist with clean up, and pack up. Begin travels back to appropriate individual locations. All flights should be departing from Akureyri Airport unless you have arranged personal transport to Reykjavik.
Our lodging is in a beautifully renovated family home from 1919, situated in the centre of Siglufjörður with a beautiful view over the fjord. Couples may have a private room. Singles may share double occupancy depending on final numbers.
On-site at our house is WIFI, washer/dryer, dishwasher, dining area and ample outdoor space.
“Sigrun’s house was absolutely charming. It has everything you could need, a phenomenal view, close to everything in town (a walk away from everything), and it feels cozy and sweet, like visiting your childhood friend’s family’s cabin.”
Dinner is prepared by our guides and each dinner consists of an appetizer hour and then a full family-style meal. We serve locally sourced fish dishes, paired with roast vegetables, and salads. Post-dinner is a great time to sit around and enjoy a beverage of your choosing and reflect on the day’s adventure./
All guides are certified Wilderness First Responders or greater. Outside rescue is unpredictable in the mountains and we assume that we will need to be responsible for our own evacuation.
The closest major hospital is Akureyri Hospital, located in the city of Akureyri about an hour away. Akureyri Hospital is the second-largest hospital in Iceland, offering a wide range of services including emergency services, intensive care, and surgeries.
Spend your season out skiing and riding, a good amount of uphill travel throughout your season will help you be prepared for this trip.
A generally good level of fitness is required for this trip. You can expect to spend the majority of your day out in the mountains ascending and descending.
If you are interested in talking to one of our guides about training for a trip to Iceland they would be more than happy to chat with you and go over any concerns.
Email us at climb@acadiamountainguides.com
Traveling to Iceland from the east coast of the United States is incredibly simple, you will find ample flights departing from Boston at reasonable prices.
If leaving from Boston, arrange your flights to depart from Boston the evening before your trip begins. You will land in Reykjavik and transfer to the regional airport, from here you take a short flight to the town of Akureyri where you will be greeted by our guide team in the late afternoon and shuttled directly (and most importantly) to the cafe and onto the house to settle in. From the cafe and airport pick up our team will take you to the lodge and help you settle in. It is possilble to drive to Akureyri from Reykjavik (about 5 hours) and back if you like.
Upon departure you simply repeat the process, our team will bring you to the Akureyri airport where you will fly to Reykjavik, transfer to the international airport, and fly home to the United States.
We advise that flights be booked through Iceland Air and encourage all clients to contact us after booking their trip for any help with booking airline accommodations.
Enjoying the outdoors necessitates a certain degree of risk-taking. You are participating in this trip and entering the winter backcountry environment at your own risk. You are choosing to engage in an activity in which participants have been injured and killed. While such accidents are rare, they may occur at any time and be out of our control. Our guides draw upon solid guide education coupled with extensive experience to manage significant hazards inherent to mountain travel. Some of the hazards that can lead to injury or death associated with this trip include but are not limited to extreme weather, demanding physical travel, avalanche, vehicle transportation and falls or collisions while skiing or snowboarding. Please be sure that you are fully aware of such risks. It is our goal to interpret the environmental, situational and group variables and to make educated decisions to minimize dangers to you while at the same time providing an enjoyable and memorable experience.
Ultimately, it is your responsibility to minimize various hazards through the application of good judgment gained from a foundation of education and experience. On this course we ask that you ski or ride with good control at all time.
Self-reliance in the face of adversity is expected on the part of the wilderness traveler entering the wilderness. Rescue is not automatic. For all practical purposes, our party is alone and must depend upon our own resources for self-rescue and be equipped for an extended emergency. Cellular phones and radios should not be relied upon in an emergency.
Finally, this is a group trip and good expedition behavior is critical. Participants are asked to stay with the group until everyone has safely exited the backcountry.
Full Payment is required upon registration.
See cancellation policy below in regards to cancellations.
Cancellation:
When you book a course with Acadia Mountain Guides you are agreeing to our cancellation policy. Please realize that if your travel does not go according to plan in any way and for any reason, we are unable to provide credits or refunds outside of what is described below. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance to protect your activity purchase against unforeseeable circumstances which include but are not limited to:
- Anticipation of Inclement Weather
- Flight and Travel Delays and Conditions
- Personal or work schedule changes
- Injury or illness of self or family member
Inclement weather is to be expected at this time of year. Snow is what we want. Please adjust your travel plans to accommodate weather and travel conditions.
We aim to ski for five days but do not promise five days of skiing, the weather in Iceland can be such that visibility or avalanche conditions do not allow for safe skiing. On those days we aim to provide you with other experiences in Iceland exploring the land and the culture.
Tipping is never expected but always greatly appreciated. Like many in service industries, instructors and guides supplement their income with tips generated from satisfied clients.
There are several potential summits we can reach and areas we could potentially travel in. We will make every reasonable effort to reach desired summits and provide great lines of descent, however, extreme weather, avalanche conditions, inadequate personal fitness, difficult terrain, or park weather / travel closures may make it impossible to achieve our desired summit or descent objectives.
A minimum of three (3) participants are needed to run this program and there is a maximum of six (6). The decision to run the program will be made at four weeks prior to the start date. In the case of low registration, you will have the options of joining another trip, receiving a refund or possibly paying an additional amount to allow the trip to run with low numbers.
Are you part of a college organization, ski club, etc.? We are happy to schedule a customized course for organizations, small groups, and individuals through New England and Eastern Canada. Of course, if you would like to schedule a course or trip in Iceland, Colorado, or Japan, etc. we would be very pleased to work with you.
Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School is certified through the American Mountain Guide Association and the Professional Climbing Instructor Association. Acadia Mountain Guides actively supports furthering their guide’s development throughout their career. That means our guides are constantly taking steps to progress their skills and will provide you with an exceptional experience. AMG is also a proponent of helping clients reach their goals, whether its having an epic day in the mountains or gaining skills to get into other terrain, Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School can get you there.
A History of
Leading the way…
Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School is the preeminent frontrunner in climbing instruction and guiding in Acadia and across Maine. Since 1994 we have specialized in designing customized experiences or training for you, your family, your group or company.
IFMGA/AMGA International Mountain Guide | AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guide | AMGA Alpine Guide | AMGA Rock Guide | AMGA Rock and Alpine Instructor / Examiner 1997 – 2007 | AIARE Level III Avalanche Certification | AIARE I, II & Resccue Course Leader | Flight and Critical Care Paramedic | Professional guide since 1983, climber and skier since 1975 | American Avalanche Association and AMGA Professional Member | Registered Maine Guide AIARE Pro 1 Avalanche Certification | AIARE I, II & Rescue Course Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | Professional Ski Patroller American Avalanche Institue Level III Certification | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Leader | Canadian Avalanche Association AST-2 | Senior Outdoor Emergency Care Certified | Proffesional Ski Patroller AIARE Professional Level 2 | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | AMGA Ski Guide Apprentice AIARE III Certification | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Leader | AMGA Rock Instructor | AMGA Ice Instructor | AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Ski Guide | Ph.D. in Education AIARE Pro 1 Avalanche Certification | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | B.A. in Sports & Recreation Management | M.A. in Sports Psychology | AMGA Ski Guide Apprentice
AMGA ACCREDITED
• Since 1994 •
AMGCS is one of 32 AMGA accredited programs in the US and was one of the earliest to pursue and achieve accreditation. AMGCS is the only climbing school in Maine to remain continuously AMGA accredited. We have had one or more full time AMGA rock guides on staff each year since 1994.
PCIA Accredited
• Since 2007 •
AMGCS has the distinction of also being accredited to the highest standards of the Professional Climbing Instructors Association. The PCIA requires all staff to be individually trained and certified.
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AMGCS also rents outdoor equipment for your convenience. All clients receive 25% off rental equipment for use on our courses.
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