Polar History Weekend

Program

6th of November (Friday)

From 15:00
Check-in
Welcome to Finse! Settle into your room and get excited for the weekend.

Location: Hjerterommet

19:30
Welcome dinner
Our weekend begins with a delicious shared three-course dinner. Take this opportunity to relax, meet fellow explorers and settle in.

Location: Jøkulsalen

21:00
Welcome to Polar History Weekend with AK Teigland
AK Teigland welcomes you to Finse and officially opens the weekend with a short introduction to the programme and the adventures and stories ahead.

Location: Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

21:10-22:00
Jan Morten Ertsaas | Greenland 1986 – 40 Years On
In 1986, three young North Sea divers, Børge Ousland, Jan Morten Ertsaas and Agnar Berg, set out on a ski expedition that, in many ways, marked the beginning of a new chapter in Norwegian polar history.

The idea was born while they were working in the North Sea: they wanted to cross the Greenland ice sheet on skis, from the east coast to Uummannaq in the west. After 37 days on the ice, they reached their destination. At the time, very few people had crossed Greenland since Nansen and his team made their legendary crossing in 1888.

The expedition came at a turning point between the traditional Norwegian expedition culture of wool, cotton and sextants, and a new era of lighter equipment and, eventually, electronic navigation.

The journey attracted considerable attention and became Børge Ousland’s first polar expedition, launching what would become an extraordinary career. Agnar Berg also went on to take part in numerous Arctic expeditions, while Jan Morten Ertsaas followed Nansen’s route across Greenland in 1988, together with Agnar and others. His career later took him into the business world, including serving as CEO of Store Norske on Svalbard.

Forty years later, Jan Morten shares the story of how it all began, 37 days on the Greenland ice sheet, and a time when crossing Greenland was still a truly great adventure.

Location: Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

7th of November (Saturday)

07:00-07:15
Optional Morning Swim & Coffee
We’ll break through the ice and start the day with a refreshing swim. We'll have the fire pit lit, reindeer hides laid out to keep you warm, and fresh coffee served outdoors. Towels will be available by the fire pit.

Location: Framheim

08:00 - 10:00
Breakfast buffet
Enjoy a hearty breakfast with a selection of hot and cold dishes, freshly baked bread, local toppings, and something sweet.

Don't forget to collect your packed lunch for your guided hike from the reception between 08:00 and 11:00.

Location: Jøkulsalen

10:00–10:50
Pernille Klem-Hvistendahl | Andreas Klem at Finse
Pernille grew up in Bergen, in a family where outdoor life was always an important part of everyday life. With a cabin at Geilo, her childhood was filled with cross-country and downhill skiing in winter, and summer hikes across the mountain plateaus and up to the peaks. As the great-granddaughter of Andreas Klem, former director of Finse Hotel, Finse and the Hardangervidda plateau hold a special place in her family history, a connection she now shares with her own children.

Andreas Klem was director of Finse Hotel from 1916 to 1933. Pernille will share the stories that have been passed down through the generations, her family’s connection to Finse, and Andreas Klem’s role in the training and preparations of explorers including Fridtjof Nansen.

Location: Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

11:00–12:00
Harald Sævereid | Antarctica 1986–87 with Monica Kristensen
During the winter of 1986–87, polar researcher Monica Kristensen led one of the most widely discussed Norwegian expeditions to Antarctica in modern times. The goal was to follow Roald Amundsen’s historic route from the Bay of Whales towards the South Pole — 75 years after Amundsen and his team first reached the Pole.

Journalist Harald Sævereid accompanied the expedition from Oslo to New Zealand, onwards into the Ross Sea and up onto the ice shelf, where he watched the expedition team set off.

Harald offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at one of Norway’s most ambitious polar expeditions, with personal encounters, everyday life and moments of drama in a story set at the meeting point between the old and modern eras of polar exploration.

Location: Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

12:15–13:30
Walk around Finsebyen
Meet in our reception area and enjoy a relaxed walk through the historic surroundings of Finse.

Location: Hjerterommet
Language: Norwegian

14:00–14:45
Kjartan Bergsvåg | Traditional Craftsmanship on Svalbard
Traditional craftsman Kjartan Bergsvåg from Voss takes us on a rather different kind of cabin adventure.

Through stories from summers spent working for the Governor of Svalbard, restoring Norway’s polar cultural heritage, Kjartan offers a fascinating glimpse into life and solitude in the High Arctic. We will discover some of Svalbard’s distinctive trapping cabins and the remarkable, often hidden stories they hold.

In addition to being a traditional craftsman, Kjartan is a polar traveller, adventurer, sawmiller and farmer.

Location: Framheim
Language: Norwegian

15:00–15:50
Nils Käding | Across Svalbard 2026
Nils Käding is one of Norway’s emerging adventurers, and we are delighted to welcome him to autumn at Finse.

No stranger to extremes, Nils has built a career as a craftsman in Ny-Ålesund. During the winter and spring of 2026, he travelled the length of Norway — first from Lindesnes to the North Cape, followed by a traverse of Svalbard from north to south.

The latter was completed in record time, setting a new benchmark for polar travel and breaking a record that had stood since 1993.

Join us for stories of extreme adventures in Norway’s mountains and polar wilderness, and a life lived beyond the comfort zone. Expect a talk filled with remarkable experiences, humour and inspiration.

Location: Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

16:00–17:00
Sigurd Hammerstad | Across Svalbard, 1993
With the motto “For life’s happy-go-lucky boys, the sun never sets,” a group of young and energetic friends set off on an adventure in 1993.

They moved so quickly that ski straps and fibreglass skis were pushed to their limits, completing a record-breaking journey across Svalbard from north to south. It became an epic adventure — and an “unbeatable” record.

Until 2026...

Join Sigurd Hammerstad for an entertaining story of youthful dreams, achievement, the joy of adventure and friendship. Through photographs and stories, Sigurd looks back on the journey he shared with Lars Ebbesen, Odd Harald Hauge, Espen Thorn and Knut Halvor Hansen.

Location: Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

18:00
Apertif
Gather for an aperitif before dinner, a chance to enjoy a drink, mingle with fellow explorers

Location: Hjerterommet

19:00–21:30
Polar History Festive Dinner
Welcome to a culinary expedition featuring a selection of dishes inspired by historic menus, each served with a story from the past.

During dinner, the annual Polarhistorisk Finsepris will also be presented.

Location: Jøkulsalen
Language: Norwegian

21:30-22:15
Johan Jørgen Petersen | Around the World with Sorgenfri, 1990–1994
In 1990, Peder, Johan, Thomas and Terje bought the sailing boat Sorgenfri together. After barely six weeks of preparation, they set off on what would become an extraordinary journey.

Their 33-foot Hero 101 sailing boat carried them around the world, taking them to places few, if any, long-distance sailors ventured at the time. Antarctica and the Arctic, Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, Micronesia, the Philippines, Borneo and South America all became part of their voyage.

Four years. Seven seas. Six continents.

Along the way, they fulfilled their dream of experiencing unfamiliar people, cultures, countries and vast stretches of open ocean. By the time the little Sorgenfri returned home, she had completed a circumnavigation remarkable both in its scale and the daring route the crew had chosen.

Johan J. Petersen is a sailor and seaman, teacher, journalist and author. He has sailed around the world and through both Antarctica and the Arctic, crossed the Hardangervidda plateau and Greenland using ski sails and kites, and travelled the entire Norwegian coast aboard a traditional sailing vessel without an engine.

He has recently returned to the mainland after yet another extended voyage aboard the 33-foot Sorgenfri, more than 30 years after the round-the-world adventure he will share with us at Finse.

Location: Blåsalen
Language: Norwegian

8th of November (Sunday)

07:00-07:15
Optional Morning Swim & Coffee
We’ll break through the ice and start the day with a refreshing swim. We'll have the fire pit lit, reindeer hides laid out to keep you warm, and fresh coffee served outdoors. Towels will be available by the fire pit.

Location: Framheim

08:00 - 10:00
Breakfast buffet
Enjoy a hearty breakfast with a selection of hot and cold dishes, freshly baked bread, local toppings, and something sweet.

Don't forget to collect your packed lunch for your guided hike or train ride home from the reception between 08:00 and 11:00.

Location: Jøkulsalen

10:30
Check out
Before heading out on one last adventure, you're welcome to leave your luggage in the hotel's entrance hall so it's ready and waiting for you when you return before your train departs.

Thank you for spending the weekend with us. Have a safe journey home, and we hope to welcome you back to Finse again soon. ❤️

Location: Hjerterommet

11:00-14:00
Optional Hike
Round off the weekend with some fresh mountain air and a walk in good company. The route and destination will be decided according to the weather and conditions.

Location: Hjerterommet
Language: Norwegian