Austurland Freeride Festival 2022
If you’ve seen photos from Austurland, you likely know that Iceland’s eastern region is home to some incredible mountains. Snow-lovers rejoice: two of the best ski areas in Iceland are here. One is at Stafdalur, close to Seyðisfjörður, and the other is in the peaks above the town of Eskifjörður.
Eskifjörður’s ski area is known as Oddsskarð, named after the Oddsskarð mountain pass. It’s one of the country’s most scenic skiing sites, earning it the nickname ‘the East Iceland Alps’. It’s a gateway to some impressive backcountry skiing, and from this a new festival was born in 2020.
What is the Freeride Festival?
The Austurland Freeride Festival is an annual mountain skiing and snowboarding event headquartered in Eskifjörður and using the Oddskarð ski area as its base. It was created by local enthusiasts: mountain guides and skiing pros who know these mountains well and could see the potential of a winter festival with a difference.
The festival began in 2020, and this year is its third edition. It will be held from March 3 to 6, 2022, giving snow-lovers the chance to enjoy stunning Austurland scenery and slopes, with guidance from experienced local mountaineers.
Photo: Þráinn Kolbeinsson
Who can participate?
‘Freeride’ refers to snowboarders and skiers who choose freedom of movement on the mountains, heading off the groomed slopes to natural, ungroomed terrain.
The Austurland Freeride Festival welcomes skiers and snowboarders who are beginners in freeride skiing, and also more experienced freeriders. Over the weekend, 3 options are available for different skill levels.
The first is a course from mountaineer Jón Gauti Jónsson, designed to give participants more understanding and experience, with instruction given in route-finding, mountain safety, and avalanche danger.
For skiers and snowboarders with more experience on backcountry terrain, there will be hiking, snowboarding and mountain skiing tours led by experienced local guides.
Never fear if you’re not a freeride pro – the groomed ski runs at Oddsskarð ski resort will be open to all, and the festival après-ski is well worth the visit! As well as the action on the slopes, there are events planned that highlight village life and local flavors, ranging from movie screenings to live music, plus food, local craft brews, and DJ sets from Icelandic legends, FM Belfast. The setting for most of these events is the hugely atmospheric Randulffssjóhús (Randulffs seahouse) on the shore at Eskifjörður.
The guides
There’s an impressive roll call of guides for the festival, all with excellent mountain pedigree. You’re in very good hands!
Sævar Guðjónsson is the festival organizer. He’s an experienced local mountain and hunting guide, and together with his wife Berglind he runs the highly regarded accommodation and guiding service known as Mjóeyri, in Eskifjörður.
Jón Gauti Jónsson is a mountaineer, mountain guide and survival specialist, a registered nurse, and published writer and photographer. He founded Fjallaskólinn (Mountain School) and will be teaching a course at the festival.
Skúli Júlíusson has worked as a mountain guide since 2009 and climbed hundreds of mountains all over Iceland. He is the founder of Wildboys, an Austurland company specializing in hiking tours.
Leifur Örn Svavarsson co-founded Icelandic Mountain Guides back in 1994. With his guiding experience dating back to 1985, he is probably the most experienced mountain guide in Iceland. He was the first Icelander to climb Mt Everest twice (in 2013 and 2019).
Rúnar Pétur Hjörleifsson hails from Naskaupstaður (just over the mountain pass from Eskifjörður) and is Austurland’s only pro snowboarder and an ambassador for Korua Shapes. Want to see some of his skills? Check out the Fjörd Lines short film made by Viðir Björnsson.
Guillaume Kollibay is an experienced mountain and ski/snowboard guide from France, who has been working in Iceland for a number of years. He is a Wilderness first responder and member of the Icelandic search and rescue team.
Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson and Ívar Pétur Kjartansson from FM Belfast.
The entertainment
Local legends FM Belfast headline Saturday night’s entertainment with a DJ set at Valhöll, and will also have DJ sets on Saturday afternoon and evening at Randulffs seahouse. This is almost every Icelander’s favorite party band: when they perform, a good time is guaranteed!
More information
The best source of information is the Austurland Freeride Festival Facebook page.
The event’s Instagram account will give you some idea of the impressive peaks.
For more details, contact Sævar Guðjónsson and Berglind Ingvarsdóttir from Mjóeyri Travel Service in Eskifjörður.
Oddsskarð ski area. Photo: Gunnar Freyr Gunnarsson
About Oddsskarð
The ski area usually opens in December and is in full operation until April or early May, depending on the snowfall.
There are 9km of slopes available, and 3 lifts.
One lift begins at 513 meters altitude and ends by bringing the skier to a height of 840 meters, with a fabulous view over the fjords. There is also a children’s lift, and a ski lodge with a small cafeteria.
When conditions are favorable, the opening hours are 4pm to 8pm on weekdays, and 10am to 4pm on weekends. Oddsskarð’s Facebook page reports on conditions and status on the mountain.
Stafdalur ski area. Photo: Ingvi Örn Þorsteinsson
Other skiing in Austurland
There are other opportunities for snow fun. Just 10 minutes outside the picturesque town of Seyðisfjörður, on road number 93 from Egilsstaðir is a ski area is known as Stafdalur, with 3 lifts, plus cross-country and snowmobiling opportunities.
See you on the slopes!
Event information and schedule
Words: Carolyn Bain