Hlidarfjall - Akureyri Ski Resort Iceland
Hlíðarfjall near Akureyri is arguably the best lifted ski area in Iceland. The ski resort provides a respectable skiable vertical of over 540m off the lifts, plus easy access to vast backcountry ski terrain.
A new quad chair was being installed for season 2019/20 increasing the ski terrain within the resort, but for reasonjs unknown, it failed to spin. The new chair was all set for season 2020/21 ......... which didn't happen for most travellers (cursed covid.)! The chairlift finally opened in the 2021/22 season forever improving an already handy ski area. Woohoo!
Pros & Cons for Hlíðarfjall Ski Resort
Pros
- It is in northern Iceland which is pretty cool for a start!
- Best ski lifts & inbounds terrain in Iceland.
- Decent skiable vertical from the top of the new chairlift.
- Access to endless backcountry powder skiing & snowboarding options.
- High adventure near the Arctic Circle.
- Amazing coastal mountain & fjord landscapes nearby.
- Access to heliskiing nearby.
- Interesting culture & cuisine.
- Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) viewing possible.
Cons
- Weather can be seriously blah!
- Shortish skiable vertical off the lifts by world standards
- On weekdays, opens at 2pm (if it opens at all!).
- Relatively expensive lift pass.
- Too bad if you don't like fish (the fish soup is soooo good & they have loads of lamb too, but best avoid the baked sheep heads)!
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Short days & dark in mid-winter.
- Long days later in the season with glorious afternoon / evening light.
- Iceland can be an expensive country to travel through (mainly restaurant food, fuel & lift tickets), but you only live once!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Even though we never got to ski it (a mix of bloody awful weather & the beginnings of COVID-19), we like the look of the Hlidarfjall ski terrain. The resort base facilities present like rubbish, but the lifts extending up to 1,014m provide a level of high alpine access unique in Iceland. The 15km of piste trails & 540m of skiable vertical doesn’t seem like much, but there appears to be more to it than at first meets the eye.
The main alpine ridge is only 100m elevation higher that the top lift. To the west are the peaks & small glaciers of Bunga, Strýta (1,456m) & Kista (1,474m). From there, long backcountry descents or over 1,300m are possible on north-aspect terrain into the Horgàrdalur to Baegisa. Now that is a great way to end a day on the lifts!
Check out the ski trail map for Hlíðarfjall below.
The ski lifts in the resort include the usual mix of surface tows but the entire skiable vertical and all groomed trails can be skied from the two chair lifts. Oh, the pleasure of riding up an Icelandic mountain on a chairlift!
As with all ski areas in Iceland, Hlidarfjall is geared toward the local skiers. Weekday opening times of 1400hr are normal, but this limits its utility for uphill transport to access the backcountry. Weekend times are longer, generally starting earlier & finishing later.
Where is Hlíðarfjall Iceland?
Hlidarfjall ski resort is situated above a fjord on the north coast of Iceland. The closest town of Akureyri , also happens to be Iceland’s second largest & is only 8km away (or 10min drive). The capital of Iceland, Reykjavik & its nearby Keflavik International Airport (KEF) are around 400km by road to the west of Hlidarfjell. Flights to Reykjavik are available from major North American & European airports.
From Reykjavik, one can either fly directly into the airport at Akureyri (AEY) (recommended) or rent a car & enjoy the drive. Note that winter driving in Iceland has its challenges & roads accessing the north can be closed for days on end. Flying to Akureyri avoids the worst of the road closures, with domestic flights leaving from the Reykjavik (RKV) airport. Search & book flights to Reykjavik & Akureyri.
Driving to Hlíðarfjall opens a world of ski touring possibilities on the nearby Troll Peninsula, but in reality, for a short visit, most will be better off on a hosted tour with one of our partners. If hiring a car in Iceland, try & get all-wheel drive with studded tyres. 'Studded tyres' I hear you say. Yes, get them. You will need them! Rentals are easy to get at Keflavik airport near Reykjavik, but Akureyri has a good selection too. Search & book here for a rental car.
Once in the region, the drive up to the ski area is straight forward from Akureyri. It is a reasonable climb to the base area and the road, whilst not difficult, can be covered in snow & ice. Car parking is ample and free, directly opposite the resort’s base area.
For more information on getting to & around the region, plus driving tips, see our Travel to Iceland page.
Hlidarfjall Accommodation
The town of Akureyri, at the end of the Eyjafjörður below Hlidarfjall, provides all the local accommodation near the resort. The largest town in northern Iceland, Akureyri has everything you need for a comfortable stay.
The compact town centre is lively at times & has all the best bars & restaurants nearby. Centred on Hafnerstraeti, there are several high-quality accommodation options in the immediate area, each providing something different. For the budget conscious & young at heart, the Akureyri Hostel looks to be a superb option in the centre of town. The associated bar & café are excellent. Next door, A few doors down, the Centrum Guesthouse is more like a quality hotel. It has lovely rooms & suites, and convivial restaurant & bar. A few more doors down the street, Town Square Apartments have fully self-contained rooms for groups of up to 10 people. The 4-star Hotel Kea completes the accommodation picture in the centre of Akureyri, providing a full-service hotel experience with a quality restaurant.
Search & book all Hlíðarfjall accommodation in Akureyri.
Further up the coast on the Troll Peninsula, the village of Dalvik is a 40min drive from Hlidarfjall & provides a more traditional, quiet Icelandic escape. Between Akureyri & Dalvik, the superb Guesthouse Baegisa is a working farm providing awesome lodgings with gracious hosts & backcountry ski access direct from the door.
Review
The Powderhounds attempted to visit Hlidarfjall during an Icelandic road-trip in March 2020, but were thwarted by wild weather, road closures & then the dreaded COVID19 worldwide panic set in so we caught the last plane out of Reykjavik. We checked out the base area on a lovely cold, snowy day, but sadly it was closed due to covid protocols, and we had to depart the country soon after. We will visit again as soon as the world becomes normal (but not too normal we hope!).
See how the rest of the Icelandic & European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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