Leifur Örn Svavarsson

Lead Guide

AIMG Level 3 ski guide

Leifur is one of Icelands most experienced guides, with 35 years of experience. During his mountain guide career he has guided Mt Everest, as well as all the other 7 continental peaks and ski expeditions to both the North- and the South pole. Leifur is the first person in the world to finish a double Adventure Grand Slam – climbing the 7 summits and reaching both poles twice.

Leifur has played a huge role in the development of tourism and guiding in Iceland. To name a few of his achievements – he was one of the first guides to bring skiers to the Troll Peninsula, helped establish the guide training and qualifying systems in Iceland, and has been a member of the Technical Community of Association of Icelandic Mountain Guides for years.

Leifur has a degree in Geology and is the former director of the National Avalanche Forecast Center in Iceland, as well as a former avalanche instructor for the Canadian Avalanche Association. All of this personal and professional experience makes us proud to have Leifur as our Lead Guide at Summit Heliskiing.

Ólafur Þór Júlíusson

Ski Guide

AIMG Level 3 ski guide

Ólafur or “Óli” is an experienced ski guide that has been leading groups all over Iceland and Greenland for decades.

Óli is a man of many talents – between running the luxury hotel Kleif and operating “Inside the Volcano”, he always makes sure to reserve some time for his passions of heliskiing and rock climbing.

Óli is good a companion and fun to be with.  The skiing season with Summit Heliskiing would not be the same without him.

Jón Gauti Jónsson

Ski Guide

AIMG Level 3 ski Guide

Jón Gauti is an experienced mountain Guide with over 30 years of experience, as well as the author of outdoor education and photography books on Iceland and the former editor of an outdoor magazine.

He is sought after as an instructor both for public mountaineering training and within the mountain guide training programs. Jón Gauti has a number of returning clients that have been with him him for decades. By his clients he has been called “one of the most likeable persons on the planet” – and we agree!

As well as being a mountain guide, Jón Gauti is also a certified nurse. During Covid-19 Jón was asked by the health authorities to use his “guide skills” to organise the vaccination of the Icelandic nation.

Helgi Jensson

Ski Guide

Helgi is an all around mountain and ski guide, with several years of guiding experience from Iceland, Canada, and Japan. He has a diploma degree in adventure guiding from Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia, Canada.

Helgi has been living around the Troll peninsula for a few years, enjoying the mountains and the many activities that the mountains have to offer.

In his free time he enjoys mostly being out with great friends up in the mountains, floating down whitewater rivers, climbing beautiful rock formations and sipping on a good cup of quality tea early in the morning whilst planning the next adventure.

Sara Hlín Sigurðardóttir

Ski Guide

AIMG Level 1 ski guide
AIMG Level 1 Alpine Trekking
AIMG Level 1 Hard Ice

Sara competed in alpine skiing during her childhood and teenage years, up until she switched to coaching for her ski club. She earned diplomas as a ski instructor and coach and headed to Austria to work as a ski instructor for one winter. When she started flying as a pilot for Icelandair and having her own kids, she moved to the sideline and took up a role as a ski parent – mastering the art of making good cocoa and cheese sandwiches!

In order to become self sufficient in skiing on glaciers and off piste, Sara gained mountaineering education and was soon guiding others in the mountains.  As if that weren’t enough, she also works full time as a captain flying for Icelandair as well as being a lawyer, which she uses working for the Icelandic Airline Pilots’ Association.

As a lover of both skiing and flying, heliskiing is Sara’s absolute favourite!

Guðmundur Arnar Ástvaldsson

Ski Guide

CAA Level 1
AIMG Level 1 Ski Guide
AIMG Alpine Trekking Guide (Fjalla 1)

Arnar is a multi-talented member of our team – not only an excellent guide, but also a professional software engineer.

Arnar has skied almost his whole life, and from the age of 8 took part in ski racing. His love of skiing and the outdoors continued, leading him to join the Search and Rescue team in Reykjavík in 1992, where he has been an active member ever since.

For over 15 years now, Arnar has guided skiing, biking and hiking trips, and also guided the inaugural Sea to Summit ski touring trip to Hornstrandir.

Smári Stefánsson

Ski Guide

AIMG Level 3 Ski guide

Growing up in the Troll peninsula, Smári learned to ski at about the same time as he learned to walk and has skied ever since.

After finishing a degree in sport science, Smári moved to Norway to study outdoor education. Ever since Smári got his degree in 2006 he has been guiding and teaching outdoor education at high school and university level in Iceland and Norway.

Smári´s favorite activity is skiing so he tries to spend as many days as he can with skiis under his feet. During the summer when this is not possible he spends his time on a mountain bike or a stand up paddle board.

Ólöf Ýrr Atladóttir

CEO Summit Heliskiing, Managing Director Sóti Summits

Ólöf Ýrr has been involved with tourism for over three decades, at all levels of the industry. She served as Director-General of the Icelandic Tourist Board 2008-2017 and has been involved in international tourism ventures for a number of years. She has served on national and international boards and organizations for tourism, where she has focussed on the development of sustainable and responsible tourism.

She is a licensed hiking guide and has led tours in the highlands of Iceland, as well as guiding cross country horse treks and various private tours. Previously, she managed an educational tourism activity center at Lake Mývatn, as well as working as a ranger at Lake Mývatn, Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, and the Kverkfjöll geothermal area in Vatnajökull glacier.

With her husband, Ólöf owns and manages Sóti Summits, an Icelandic Travel company.

Megan Iley

Operations Manager

Meg manages bookings and enquiries for Summit Heliskiing throughout the year, and on flying days she is responsible for heli dispatch and logistics.

A newbie skier, Meg has more enthusiasm than ability on the slopes. Nevertheless, she enjoys mellow ski tours around her adopted hometown Siglufjörður and is generally happy spending the sunny spring days outside in the Troll Peninsula mountains.

During the summer, you’ll find her running many of our outdoor activities over at Sóti Summits.

Nicolas Gomes

Head Chef and Hotel Operations Manager

Sóti Lodge has gained a reputation for serving its guests excellent, tasty food that warms the soul. This reputation rests on the capable shoulders of our head chef Nicolas, who also ensures that our guests get the cheerful, professional service we aim to provide.

After learning his chef skills at Lycée Flora Tristan, Nicolas moved to Iceland six years ago and worked at Hótel Siglo in Siglufjörður before joining us.

Nicolas’s meals at Sóti have recieved high praise from our guests – even his packed lunches are extraordinary. He is an invaluable member of the Sóti team.