"Gunnar Hildonen, of Finnish and Sami stock, is certainly the kind of man you'd want with you on an Arctic adventure; burly, knowledgable and effortlessly charming, while equipped with a set of survival skills to rival Bear Grylls..."
- by Chris Peakcock / National Geographic Traveller UK, 2011.
GuideGunnar
– Working as a guide, I love nature, life and to share - and hopefully inspire people through my passion for travel and exploration. Gunnar Hildonen, guide and owner operator at GuideGunnar AS, Tromsø, northern Norway.
"I was born and raised on the coast of Telemark county in the south, but with Finnish and Sami blood in my veins, which pulls me to the Arctic areas up north, I guess I feel best up here. As I used to say to new acquaintances: "Then right after I was born, I was dropped down into the bilberry heather, and since then I've stayed there..."
I have always been fond of nature and, unlike others, I don't need an activity like angling or hunting to be out there. If I just can be out in the open, enjoy some good food and be alone with the silence, then it's good enough for me. I received an education to become a cabinet maker in the 80's, and I've been a member of the Boy Scouts half my life, and it was on that track I took off, so to speak: "working for and together with people, close to nature.."
I worked on my last piece of wood furniture in 1994 and made a decision to dedicate myself to nature, full time. I was accepted by a 2-year mountain guide education program in Northern Sweden in 1996 - and with that, the road signs pointed in the right direction for my career".
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GuideGunnar's Jobs and Experiences from 1997
Summer 1997: Cycling guide, the West Coast fjords & Rallarvegen
Winter 1997 / '99 / 2000 / '01 / '03 / '06: Ski guide, Venabu Fjellhotell - Rondane National Park
Summer 1998 / '99 / 2001 / '05: Glacier guide, Briksdalbre, the West Coast fjords
Winter 2000-01: Ski instructor, Beitostølen Ski School
January 2003: Headhunted to Tromsø by the owner of Lauklines Kystferie
Easter 2003: Ski guide for Waymark, UK at Sjusjøen, Lillehammer
Summer 2003: Hiking guide, Venabu Fjellhotell - Rondane National Park
Winter 2003-04: Ski guide for Exodus, UK at Rondablikk / Rondane National Park
Christmas 2004 / '05 / '06 / '07: GuideGunnar's Hotel to Hotel Ski Tour, Rondane / Espedalen
Winter 2006: Ski guide for XCUK at Høvringen / Rondane National Park
