Rab athletes Lisen Strøm and Thea Kopala Røhme have completed an ambitious four-day ski touring expedition across Arctic Norway’s remote Loppa region in spring 2024, covering 62 kilometers and 4,500 vertical meters in extreme Arctic conditions. The groundbreaking traverse, believed to be a first ascent, led the duo through unexplored terrain and rarely skied lines in the Arctic Circle, including a descent of Storfjellet’s iconic northeast couloir. What the film “Odyssey of Loppa” documents Lisen’s and Thea’s expedition.
Navigating temperatures as low as -30°C while carrying 30-kilogram packs, the team faced challenging conditions in an area with no official ski touring guidebook. “I guess that was the whole exciting part about this trip, we didn’t actually know if any of our route, or any of the couloirs would work”, Lisen says.
The traverse connected the remote regions of Tverrfjord and Bergsfjord, crossing multiple mountain passes in Finnmark county’s rugged peninsula. “You really have to draw on all your mountain skills,” notes Thea, emphasizing the technical demands of the self-sufficient expedition.
The expedition was filmed by Anders Vestergaard, a Danish-Norwegian photographer and videographer, who edited the project in co-production with Lisen. “Odyssey of Loppa” documents the adventure through one of Norway’s most isolated ski touring destinations, accessible only by boat and home to fewer than 900 people.
The film successfully premiered at Norway’s Fri Flyt film festival in 2024, marking two years since Lisen’s and Thea’s first meeting at the same event. It has since screened at prestigious venues including the BANFF Film Festival and Kendal Mountain Film Festival, attracting large audiences and exceptional feedback.
