Romsdal Academy

May 28 – 31

I went to romsdal to learn about mountains

I went to Romsdal thinking I would learn a few new mountain skills. Instead, I kept finding small pieces of a life I seem to be looking for.

I was scared on skis, tired before climbing, slightly injured and at one point secretly hoping someone would tell me I should sit the day out. Then I found myself halfway up a rock face, discovering that one centimetre under a toe can apparently be enough.

What stayed with me wasn’t becoming good at any of it. I wasn’t. It was how present I became when there was an actual problem in front of me. Find the next hold. Trust the foot. Stay calm. Move.

There wasn’t much room left for emails, targets or whatever I normally manage to make important.

During those days I also met people who had changed their lives to bring them closer to what they believed in. I heard the word Agathodaimon — a good or guiding spirit — and carried it with me through the week. I started thinking again about work, money, nature, making things with my hands and how much of my life I actually want to spend doing each of them.

I came home with climbing gear, a swollen foot and considerably more questions than answers. That seems like a fairly good result from a week in the mountains.

Romsdal Academy is a one-of-a-kind festival dedicated to the love of mountaineering. The transition from spring to summer is a magical time in Norway’s coastal mountains, and if you love mountain sports, it’s nothing short of paradise.

The idea behind Romsdal Academy is to improve your mountain skills while having a great time doing it. The event is packed with activities, workshops, new skills to learn, new people to meet, and breathtaking outdoor experiences.

The atmosphere is great, with cultural events alongside plenty of learning and knowledge sharing. Most importantly, the goal is to help participants become better at making their own decisions in the mountains.

You can build your own festival program, and from the long list of workshops and seminars, I chose:

  • Avalanche and improvised rescue

  • Mountain climbing / peak scrambling

  • Sport climbing

  • Mountain swimming

A group of five hikers resting on a rocky mountain slope with gear around them, some sitting and one standing and using a phone, in cloudy weather.
A person wearing a helmet and sunglasses skiing on a snowy mountain slope, carrying skis on their back, with a bright sky and mountain landscape in the background.
A person holding a climbing rope tied in a knot with outdoor gear and shoes on the ground below.
Cloud-covered mountain peak with patches of snow, obscured by thick gray clouds.
Hiker in yellow jacket and helmet resting on a grassy hillside with rocky terrain, while another hiker stands on a large boulder above, under a cloudy sky.
A black wooden house with white-framed windows, surrounded by grass, with mountains and a cloudy sky in the background. Cars are parked nearby, and skis and outdoor gear are leaning against the house.
Two people sitting on a wooden bench outside a dark wooden house with white-framed windows, with mountains and greenery in the background.
Two skiers in red and black gear standing on snowy mountain slope with a scenic view of snow-covered mountains, a lake, and cloudy sky in the background.
A rural scene with a red wooden house, green grass, trees, a utility pole, and a mountain range with snow-capped peaks in the background under a cloudy sky.
Cloud-covered mountain range with snow patches on dark rocky peaks, under an overcast sky.
Group of people sitting at a long wooden table inside a rustic wooden lodge during daytime, with some holding drinks and engaged in conversation, with decorative string lights and paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling.
Ski equipment and gear including a pair of green ski boots, a white backpack, a pair of ski poles, and a pair of skis leaning against a dark wooden fence, with small gravel on the ground.

Romsdal Academy '26 · Coming Soon

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