Happy camper

Linda Sandgren, a happy camper, after a day of freeriding, Storhaugen, Lyngen, Norway.

1/320s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 16 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

A white canvas...


A white canvas just waiting to be ridden, Johan Rydström leaving his tracks on Storhaugen, Lyngen, Norway.

1/500s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Storhaugen

Johan Rydström enjoying the incredible view and perfect conditions of Lyngen, Norway.

1/500s, f/10.0, ISO 100, 16 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Aussies!

I've met Aussies in Whistler but had no idea that they'd made it as far as Norway. I guess they've finally figured out that there's a bigger ride on the white stuff. Take a guess which group the Aussies are in?

1/500s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Tracks in the snow...

Johan Rydström climbing Storhaugen, Lyngen, with a half meter of powder just waiting. Needless to say, we weren't the only ones...

1/500s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Lyngenfjorden

Johan Johansson leading his group up Storhaugen with Lyngenfjorden in the background, Lyngen, Norway.

1/640s, f/7.1, ISO 100, 16 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Take a bite out of that!


Johan Rydström biting into way to much to ski in Lyngen, Norway

1/320s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Summit!


Johan Rydström after descending from the summit of Rombakkstøtta.

1/320s, f/9.0, ISO 100, 70 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Backcountry touring

Kalle Engström leading his group up the back side of Rombakkstøtta, Narvik, Norway.

1/320s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 105 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Rombakkstøtta

Linda Sandgren approaching Rombakkstøtta under deteriorating conditions.

1/500s, f/10.0, ISO 100, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Kaisepakkte


Bjarne making the most of good conditions on Kaisepakkte (Everybody else ended up skiing in the rain...). Thanks Kalle!

1/500s, f/10.0, ISO 100, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Herrklumpen


Linda Sandgren enjoying soft snow on the backside of Herrklumpen with the Sylarna massive in the background.

1/1000s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 17 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

When in doubt, go out.


Forced back once again by high winds, Kaj Söderin and I chose not to venture further due to the 100 km/hr winds blowing over Sylarnas summit.

1/640s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Racist!


STF, the Swedish Tourist Federation, is a non profit organization that runs the Mountain station in Sylarna. As such, STF is not a hotel or they would hold a monopoly being the only service provider on public land. I broached this issue with one of the climbing instructors from Girls Get Higher, a SKF initiative to encourage women to climb in the alpine. Catering, to me at least, seems to be an obvious move toward a for profit organization, it's just a stone's throw from flying in suits from Stockholm for an exclusive dinner in a mountain setting. The instructors response was beyond anything I could have expected, "If you don't like it here maybe you should go live in a different country."

I had no idea, even after the Swedish Democrats took 6% of the popular vote in the last election, that I was living in a country where there are people who seek out the mountains that are racists. I couldn't help but ask if she'd voted for the bigots...

1/100s, f/2.8, ISO 1600, 35 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

All that snow...


Morgan Englin pondering how he can continue to trudge on past all those incredible runs...

1/640s, f/7.1, ISO 100, 16 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Storsola, Sylarna


Linda Sandgren and Oscar Wahlund enjoying the view from the top of Templet, Sylarna, after climbing the Pinnacles.

1/640s, f/7.1, ISO 100, 16 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Templet, Sylarna


Linda Sandgren contemplating just how stable the snow is on the south face of Templet, Sylarna.

1/500s, f/9.0, ISO 100, 21 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Approach, approach, approach...


Just getting there, in this case to climb the Templet pinnacles in Sylarna, takes it sweet time in the Swedish mountains.

1/250s, f/9.0, ISO 100, 30 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye

Retreat!


Retreat, due to 100 km/hr winds on Pyramidan, during an attempted ski ascent of Lillsylen, Sylarna.

1/640s, f/8.0, ISO 100, 16 mm © 2011 Shawn Boye