Level 1: Winter Adventure in Northern Dalarna

A silent snow-clad landscape of mountains, forests and frozen lakes. The air so crisp. The light so icy blue. Ski touring through a wild winter landscape is magical. Over the week, we gradually build our subzero skills towards our crowning achievement – a two-night winter camping expedition on skis.

It’s not difficult to cross-country ski, a few initial falls and we get the hang of it in a few hours. We stay close to our homey abode, skiing in, skiing out – learning how to break trail through untouched snow and pulling our sleds. There’s a wee bit more to winter camping than its summer cousin. We practice how to stay warm, put up our tents, and some other tips and tricks. A couple of days later, it’s expedition time!

Our remote cabin is tucked away along the shores of Lake Navar, surrounded by towering wooded hills. Candles and wood-fired stoves light up and warm our rooms. We collect water in the stream, and ”bathe” in a sauna and ice hole combo (not as brutal as it sounds, we promise). It’s a perfect blend of feeling immersed in the wild, but still having the comforts of a cosy home.

Mid-way through the week, we head off on our expedition. After a pretty short ascent, the expansive Fulufjället plateau awaits. These are true alpine conditions – white as far as the eye can see, snow-clad lowlands spreading below. Darkness falls early this time of year, and sometimes we ski with no head torches, just letting the moon illuminate our world. And it’s an otherworldly world indeed. Everything is black and white, it feels like skiing on the moon!

Well it’s actually your skis. The snow is deep out here, we’d be waist deep without them! We build a camp sandcastle style – the snow is ours to mold and do what we want with. Digging pathways where we can walk, and sculpting our very own cosy living room with couches, sheep skins and a candle-lit table in a yurt. We awaken to a sunlit white landscape, seeing what’s around us for the first time. Where we’ve been. Where we’re heading.