Skálafell is one of the two ski areas serving Reykjavík, a small, wind-swept hill in the hills east of the Icelandic capital run by the city's ski association. It is a purely local, weather-dependent day-ski rather than a destination resort.
- 380 m Base
- 665 m Top lift
- 285 m Vertical
- 4 Lifts
Best known for
Après & vibe
A basic day-lodge for warming up; all real dining and nightlife are back in Reykjavík.
The resort
Skálafell is a modest municipal ski area in the treeless hills east of Reykjavík, operated alongside nearby Bláfjöll by the capital's ski association. The terrain is short and gentle, with rope tows and drag lifts serving beginners, families and locals looking for a few hours on snow. There is no village, no lodging and few frills, just a day-lodge and lifts in a raw, open Icelandic landscape. Its defining feature, and its frustration, is the weather: fierce winds and fast-changing conditions mean it opens only when nature cooperates, so operating days can be unpredictable. When it runs, it is an inexpensive and characterful taste of skiing under Arctic skies.
Snow & weather
Live conditions from the mountain, plus the average snow you can expect month by month.
- Feels like
- —
- Conditions
- —
- Wind
- —
- Fresh snow (3-day)
- —
Live data © Open-Meteo.com
Snow does fall, but ferocious winds and shifting weather make opening days highly unpredictable, with the season concentrated in the depths of the Icelandic winter.
Average monthly snowfall
Snowfall climatology unavailable.
Terrain & aspect
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Slopes mostly face SE — 8% on snow-holding, poleward-facing slopes.
Aspect derived from run bearings · OpenSkiStats / © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Skiing & terrain
Gentle slopes and simple tows suit first-timers and children.
A few short, easy pitches for relaxed turns.
Very limited; not a hill for challenge-seekers.
No expert terrain; the appeal is novelty and convenience, not steeps.
Skiing under Arctic skies near the capital
Skálafell offers Reykjavíkers a rare chance to ski within easy reach of the city, in a stark, open landscape where the mountain opens only when the notorious Icelandic weather allows.
On the map
Legend
Run difficulty
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced / Expert
- Freeride / Extreme
- Unknown
Run types
- Downhill — groomed
- Downhill — ungroomed
- Downhill — gladed
- Nordic (groomed)
- Ski tour
- ☾Lit (night)
- △Not patrolled
- →One-way
- ❄Snowmaking
Lifts
- Operating
- Operating (private)
- Non-operating
- Lift station
Slope-gradient grading
Downhill / ski tour
- Flat<3°
- Easy3–14°
- Intermediate14–22°
- Advanced / Expert22–45°
- Freeride / Extreme>45°
Nordic
- Easy<6°
- Intermediate6–9°
- Advanced>9°
Aspect (sun exposure)
- N — least sun
- E — morning
- S — most sun
- W — afternoon
Legend after OpenSkiMap
Stay in Skálafell
There is no accommodation at the area; visitors stay in Reykjavík and drive out for the day.
Lifts and pistes from the door — the point of a high, purpose-built resort.
Self-catering residences, the bulk of the beds and the flexible-budget option.
Catered and self-catered chalets for groups wanting the whole place.
From simple to high-end, with pools and spas to thaw out in.
How to get there
Keflavík International Airport (KEF) is the country's main gateway, with Reykjavík itself around half an hour from the slopes.
A short drive east from Reykjavík into the hills; check the forecast and opening status before setting out, as the area closes in bad weather.
Best time: Deep winter, roughly January to March, offers the best odds, though everything hinges on the day's weather.
Nearby resorts
Other resorts within reach.
Tindastóll
- Vertical
- 222 m
- Lifts
- 3
Faces east © sergejf / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Hlíðarfjall
- Vertical
- 465 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 13
- Lifts
- 7
Faces east © Forbes Johnston from Winchester, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Siglufjordur
- Vertical
- 306 m
- Lifts
- 4
Getting to Skálafell
Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at RKV — search and compare without leaving the page.
Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.