Back in Tromsø: Ullstinden and Stortinden

Bergen is a nice place, but Tromsø is nicer and it is good to be home. Here there is still about 50 cm snow around the house and skiing conditions in the mountains are good, so with sunny weather in the weekend we went out for some ski touring. We decided on Ullstinden on the mainland on Saturday and Stortinden on Ringvassøya on Sunday. Ullstinden is always a nice trip with fantastic views to the Lyngen Alps from the top, and this time with good snow for skiing down. 

We had never been up Stortinden before, and although the top has good views and easy skiing, the start and end are a bit messy through low trees and big rocks. We also left it a bit late in the day and an icy crust had already formed on the spring snow, making skiing a bit harder for us. But it was a good afternoon trip nevertheless.

Start to Ullstinden

Up through the forest

Heading to the top

View to the Lyngen Alps, in the clouds

View to Sunday's top Stortinden (in the middle)

Ptarmigan tracks in evening light

Start to Stortinden

Awkward forest at the start

First view of the top of Stortinden

Me heading to the top

View towards Saturday's top Ullstinden (middle) with Lyngen in the background

View towards Tromsøya in the middle and Tromsdalstinden to the left

Crusty snow