This past weekend I had the pleasure to be a part of High Camp Turtagrø which is a ski touring event taking place in Jotunheimen West, a mountain range located in Norway. Technical Norwegian brand, Norrøna, was the main sponsor for this year’s event which unfolded fantastically and was enjoyed by many ski-goggle-tanned faces from around the area and across the sea.
Before heading out of the city and making our way into the mountains for High Camp, we made a quick stop at the Norrøna headquarters located in Oslo. Of course it wouldn’t be Norway without a waterfall and the Norrøna headquarters wasn’t about to stray from that persona. Located behind the building was a rushing waterfall flowing into a river that is often stocked with Salmon and is simply a beautiful backdrop to any office.
For those feeling motivated at lunch, you can head outside and catch your own grub or settle in for the delicious meal of the day served up by the chef in house.
Turtagrø was the third and final destination for the High Camp festival and we couldn’t have had better weather to cap off the event. Blue skies, sunshine and +10°C temperatures foreshadowed an unreal weekend full of memorable moments yet to come.
The road to Turtagrø had only been cleared a few weeks prior to the event and ominous walls of snow bordering the road towered over the van as we meandered through the snowy landscape. We drove along in awe, taking in the breathtaking landscapes, picture-perfect mountain views and stopping whenever we could to snap some unjustified photos. We were, in the middle of nature and it was so calm, so quiet and so incredibly beautiful.
Smiling faces and upbeat attitudes greeted us as soon as we jumped out of the van at camp and we all couldn’t be happier to be right there in that atmosphere at that very moment; the vibe was beaming. The passion for life in the mountains couldn’t be more evident at High Camp as delighted friends set up tents in the snow welcoming their new neighbours, sharing a laugh or two and maybe even a celebratory gulp of Aquavite to make the new friendship official.
That night we got the run down for the next few days after sitting down for one of the many delicious meals served at the Turtagrø Hotel by their friendly staff whom majority were rocking very impressive goggle tans. Each night would follow a similar layout with a meeting after dinner to organize the following day’s adventure. There were guided groups and self guided groups, tours leaving by shuttle bus and others leaving directly from camp. Each group had two guides and the route was planned catered directly to the to those within it.
Summed up simply, High Camp is what ski-tourers and split-boarders dream of. Unreal ski terrain staring you smack-dab in the face as soon as you unzip your tent door or pull aside the window’s curtain. Norway is home to breathtakingly beautiful landscapes that will have anyone, nature-lover or not, standing wide-eyed in awe and admiration.
The next few days were filled with flawless, snowy landscapes that looked too good to be true and thriving new friendships that would last a lifetime. High Camp Turtagrø was an experience for the books and I can’t thank enough the team at Norrøna, the crew behind the festival and of course, our noble viking himself, Frode Sande, for making it happen.
Photos don’t always do justice and the scenery at High Camp Turtagrø is so beautiful it’s better seen with your own eyes. For those interested in seeing a little bit more of what the camp is about, check out the recap video located below which was shared by Fri Flyt project manager, Brynjar Åmot and created by the talented Bård Basberg who is a photographer working with Fri Flyt. With mountain scenery this breathtaking and an event venue so rugged, why wouldn’t you want to check out High Camp 2018?
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