The day after they arrived, Sandra and David geared up for what they thought would be the run to kick off their trip, but they only made it a few meters before heavy winds and snow confronted them. Visibility was scarce, the cold bitter, so they decided to turn around without tasting the peak. Every athlete knows the pain, but every professional knows what is at stake.

The unexpected weather shifts persisted, and they remained cabin-bound. After a failed attempt of Kavringtinden, the duo started to doubt their decision to attempt the Lyngen Alps in the winter. Sure, the mountains were pristine and void of other adventurists, but who else was crazy enough to be out there?

“We both know that you can only push that much before it gets dangerous, so of course, safety is and always will be our primary focus, but then we were always eager to try it and helped each other stay sane,” Sandra said.

Finally, the weather took a turn for the better, and they gained momentum with a couple of successful summits, starting with an icy first run with a 50o vertical drop and continuing with an underexplored line on Trollvasstinden on a Kaiserwetter day. With the mountains at their backs and the sea on the horizon, everything started to align.  

David and Sandra were still determined to ski under the Northern Lights, so they finally mapped out a plan. They decided to go to the Lenangsbreen Glacier during the day, where they would bivouac for the night to wait and watch for Aurora. Without an ounce of doubt, they set off. Conditions were promising; the sun was shining, and their blood pumped as they reached their destination.

They arrived and set up camp, but by 6:00 pm, the sun had set, and the temperature had dropped below- 20o C. With cold toes and their camp cooker as their only source of fleeting heat, they watched the sky in anticipation. Finally, the Northern Lights seeped in, its green halo calling the skiers to the mountain, where they snaked their way down a slope with the polar light show as their guide.

“What mother nature delivers when everything aligns is magical, and this burnt itself into my memories forever,” Sandra said. “Setting my own goals and living my dreams will always make me go that extra mile and give me extra energy. It’s my life, and I am here and have the opportunity to create it, and I am grateful for that.”

Exhausted, they awoke puffy-eyed, cold-toed, and triumphant to a rising sun awakening the earth to a new day. The night before would never be forgotten. With know-how, reliable gear, persistence, and a little luck, the elements sometimes align to reveal the raw beauty of nature that can only be experienced when adventurists humble themselves to the elements.