Hardangervidda Crossing: Finse - Haukeliseter
Read about our 7-day, 135km ski tour across Norway’s Hardangervidda plateau in February 2025, from Finse to Haukeliseter.
Learning from last trip
After last year’s unsuccesful attempt to ski from Geilo to Finse, we decided it would be a good idea to attempt a full crossing of the Hardangervidda. This time however, we came more prepared. We met with Henk-Jan Geel, owner of Arctic Adventure, polar- & expedition guide, so we could absorb some of his his hard-won knowlegde. We opted for the Southbound route, since this would let us ski down at the and, instead of having a steep climb at the start of our trip.
As for our gear, we upgraded our sleeping bags, that proved too cold last year, to a Helsport Spitsbergen. Unlike a most down bags, this bag consist of 2 bags: a down bag with a synthetic bag around it, which keeps the down bag dry. We made our own pulk bag & arctic bedding, due to the poor quailty of the ones from Rab that we used last year. The good thing about making your own gear is that you can choose the materials and make it exactly the way you want it to be, the downside, however, is that it takes a shitload of time..
Perfect conditions
Since we’re Dutch, the weather can’t be left out. Easy to say, we were blessed! The weather could not have been any better. We purposely chose to start our trip in February, since the weather conditions would be tougher. Upon arrival the sun was already shining and the weather pretty much stayed this way throughout the entire trip, making navigation a lot easier. Fun fact: We were told that we dutchies are known for our navigation skills, reason being the lack of landmarks in the Netherlands.
One night we went outside to take a last pee, when all of a sudden we saw a green light appear, the aurora! For the next 20m we stood outside, gazing at the dancing aurora, forgetting the fact that it was -20 degrees. Our trip couldn’t get any better, and this was only the start of it!
Sad to leave
Before this trip, I could barely imagine myself crossing this Hardangervidda plateau, mainly because of last year’s struggle. Back then, we managed to ski 7 km a day, after 5 tiring days we only skied 35 km. To complete this year’s crossing, we had to ski at least double that daily distance. After doing some research we decided to take a total of 7-9 days to finish. To my surprise, and thanks to the amazing weather, we ended up only using 7 days, which meant we had some spare time!
We took our time to relax at Haukeliseter, our ending point, and that’s where we met some very kind Norwegians. Not only did they offer us a free ride back to Oslo, but they even told us we could use their apartment, for free! We were amazed by their trust and hospitality.
With a few extra days in Oslo, we decided to visit the Well Spa, the biggest spa in Scandinavia, and the Fram museum, which tells the story of polar exploration, both are absolutely worth a visit!
Usually, trips like this leave you exhausted and ready to go home. Not this one. If it wasn’t for our schedule and the high expenses, we would’ve stayed longer. Norway we’ll be back!
