1,300-Year-Old Skis Found on Norwegian Glacier Are the Best-Preserved Ever, Say Researchers

In a stunning reveal that bridges modern freeride stoke with ancient mountain grit, archaeologists have uncovered the most intact pair of skis ever found—crafted over 1,300 years ago and buried deep in the ice of Norway's Digervarden mountain. It's not just history—it’s a revelation in how humans have long carved paths through snow-covered peaks.

The two skis, discovered five years apart but just 15 feet from one another, are straight out of the Iron Age and still sport their original bindings. Crafted from birch and pine, they tell a tale of survival, adaptation, and early innovation in alpine travel—long before chairlifts and carbon fiber.

This groundbreaking find comes from the Secrets of the Ice project, a high-elevation archaeological initiative born from melting glaciers. As the ice recedes under the pressure of a warming climate, it’s coughing up ancient treasures—arrows, tools, and now, these skis—that rewrite our understanding of how people moved and thrived in brutal alpine environments.

“This is the best-preserved pair of prehistoric skis ever found,” says archaeologist Lars Holger Pilø, co-director of the Secrets of the Ice team. “The preservation is phenomenal—these aren’t just artifacts, they’re stories.”

But it’s more than just a look back. This discovery adds weight to an emerging narrative: that ancient humans didn’t just endure cold climates—they charged into them, adapting to the extremes with a mix of ingenuity and grit. As glacial ice continues to vanish, we may just uncover more about our ancestors' backcountry pursuits—and maybe a little something about our own future, too.