Senja – Polar Circles

Once more, I feel stuck between heaven and hell. One ice axe in my right hand, one in my left, frantically driving my aluminum crampons into the fragile ice surface, skis attached to my backpack. The view down is oppressive; and above me is the seemingly never-ending chute. It's hard to breathe in a shower of loose snow, raining down on me together with small ice particles. In a distance, the cold waters of the Atlantic are pushed by the high tide into the quiet, frozen looking fjords. Their silence is too far, my heart is pounding, not only because it's exhausting, but also because of my respect for the upcoming descent down this impressive chute on the western slope of the Krokelvtinden; a couloir so perfect that Thor, the Nordic god himself could have carved it into the rock.

When I met Martin last summer in Friedrichshafen, we could have arranged to meet for coffee and cake at a retirement home because at that point, both our bodies felt rather ancient. Martin had just barely survived a major accident when he was out ski touring; half a year later, his gestures and movements looked more like those of a heavy-weight boxer after lasting ten rounds against Mike Tyson than those of a top athlete. I myself had just recovered from a complicated knee surgery, with the projection that the following winter would be busy with physiotherapy and building snowmen, certainly not going anywhere with skis on my feet.

Nevertheless, Martin shared his idea with me to head to Northern Norway next spring in a mobile home and taking kayaks to search for some ski routes straight from the water. Toni, a very experienced ski and mountain photographer, would join in. Half a year later, we were in fact having coffee east of Tromsø eating Kanelbullar, a kind of cinnamon roll, and planning the upcoming days. We had to drop the idea of exploring the Lofoten. In early May, there wasn't enough snow left on the islands for any reasonable ski touring. The fact that the sun was out 24 hours a day caused the snow cover in lower altitudes to melt tremendously, additionally limiting our options.

On our first day, we did a wonderful tour onto the Lemelfjellet in Tamokdalen south of the Lyngen Alps, experiencing all four seasons within five hours. Unstable conditions were to be expected in Norway. Following a down day with weather conditions no less insecure, we attempted to climb the Sapnstinden near Elvenes. Due to heavy fog and a perceived visibility of less than five meters, we decided to dig a snow cave to wait for the weather to clear. The treeless terrain and the rudimentary map material and GPS data finally forced us to surrender not far from the summit. Whenever the clouds would open up to allow us a better view, we were able to see the jaw-dropping beauty and vast openness of the wild Norwegian landscape.

We decide to head west to explore the fjords. According to Fryflit's ski touring guide, the island of Senja offers countless possibilities including several routes starting right from the water. The island's west coast is known for its archipelago shape and several tourist guides advertise the coastline with images showing white sandy beaches. Later that evening – the sun still high in the sky – we arrive in Straumsnes, our base for the next days. We had already defined our destination for the upcoming tour: Driving towards the Skaland tunnel, this incredibly perfect chute with 400 extremely steep vertical meters was suddenly standing right in front of us.

Martin and I immediately knew that this would be our reincarnation into the world of ski adventure and Toni had already found a spot in the opposite mountain face that would be perfect for taking some epic shots. With the alarm clock set early, we stand at the foot of the chute a little after five in the morning. The first 60 vertical meters are almost impossible to overcome with snow far too soft and deep. We are close to surrendering when we finally reach hard pressed, almost icy snow. The ascent takes roughly two hours. The key section turns out to be a passage of about 30 meters with glare ice and no more than three meters in width. We continue to the summit, well aware that we won't be able to ski this piece.

Upon arrival at the summit, strong gusts almost blow us off the mountain and fuel the already theatrical atmosphere. Here we are, both still recovering from our injuries and far from being in top shape, just minutes away from skiing one of the steepest and narrowest chutes of our lives. Fear and respect alternate with adrenaline and delight. We agree to descend to the key section on foot and to strap on our skis just below. The stand is so exposed and narrow that the smallest carelessness would mean plummeting down into the deep. A thin layer of fresh powder on the icy base does not ease any of our movements. Once Martin is ready to go, he bows out with a quick "alright" into the radio – the signal for Toni – and drops in.

I suddenly realize the difference between a regular skier and a former World Cup downhiller. Martin confidently sets his turns, always propelling off his uphill ski in the very manner of big mountain skiing's pioneers Toni Valeruz or Heini Holzer. My run is far less technical as I try to simply arrive at the bottom in one piece. Toni later teases me asking whether my skis know how to do turns. After this highlight the following days and tours pass in a flash. Due to the high temperatures that force us to start our days early and the insufficient amounts of snow in lower altitudes, we do not use the kayaks once to approach our chosen routes.

Instead, we use them to relax in the afternoons, paddling across the fjords to explore the diverse landscape and wildlife around the island of Senja. And it's one of those late-night kayak trips that became a lasting memory: Total silence and a bright sun that would refuse to set all night, creating a surreal wonderland that we had never seen before. The contrast between this moment and our action-packed skiing and hiking made the entire trip so memorable; an experience leaving an overwhelming tranquility and satisfaction in both my heart and soul.