Ski Touring and Winter Camping
Nordic ski touring and winter camping look harder from the outside than they are. Here’s how it works, what actually makes the difference, and what we’ve learned from our winters in the forests and mountains of northern Dalarna.
Do you need experience?
Not for the skiing. If you’re comfortable on a day hike and reasonably fit, you have what it takes. Nordic ski touring is much closer to walking than to downhill skiing. You slide your feet forward instead of lifting them, and most people find their rhythm within a day. If you already ski cross-country or downhill, you’ll recognise the balance, but expect a slower pace and longer days outside.
Touring skis are not racing skis
Nordic touring skis are wide and sturdy, with metal edges for grip. They’re nothing like the skinny cross-country skis you see at the Winter Olympics, which are built for speed on groomed tracks.
Touring skis are made for leaving the tracks behind, through forest, across frozen lakes and over open mountain terrain. They’re wider to stay on top of loose snow, heavier for stability, and most have a short skin or a grip zone under the foot for the climbs.
What about the hills?
Most ski touring in Scandinavia happens on flat or gently rolling ground. Climbs tend to be gradual, and the steeper bits are usually short.
Nobody expects fancy downhill technique. We take the descents slowly and zigzag our way down, which is less elegant than a slalom turn and a lot more relaxing. With a pulk behind you, a descent is more about controlling the sled than your skis, so a gentle line beats a direct one.
Pulling a pulk instead of carrying a pack
For trips of more than a day, most ski tourers in Scandinavia pull their gear in a pulk, a sled attached to a harness at the hips. Ours weigh around 15 kg packed. Pulling keeps your back free and your centre of gravity low, so it feels more like a bit of resistance than a load. Pack the heavy things low and in the middle, and the pulk tracks much better behind you.
Is winter camping cold?
Less than you’d think, as long as the equipment and the routines are right. Four things make the difference.
A proper expedition tent
One built for strong wind and the weight of snow, pitched with its back to the wind and properly anchored. A three-season tent is not the place to find out how windy a winter night can get.
A properly warm sleeping bag
Choose one rated well below the coldest night you expect. Ours are rated to −30°C, which sounds excessive until about three in the morning. Getting into the bag dry, and with something warm to eat inside you, helps more than most people think.
An insulated sleeping mat
The mat keeps the cold of the snow away from your body, and it matters almost as much as the sleeping bag. A common winter setup is two mats, a foam mat under an inflatable one.
Somewhere sheltered to cook and eat
Cooking and eating together out of the wind makes the evenings far more comfortable. We use a communal yurt for this. Melting snow for water takes longer than most people expect, so start early.
The habits that keep you warm
Beyond the equipment, it comes down to a few habits. Manage your layers so you don’t overheat on the move. Warm up your hands and feet before they get cold, not after. And practise pitching the tent before you actually need it, preferably with your skis on.
None of it is difficult, but it is easier to learn from someone who has done it many times. Even experienced winter campers usually pick up a trick or two.
If you’d like to try it with the gear, the route and a few practice days sorted for you, that’s what our Winter Adventure in Northern Dalarna is for.
Staying warm starts with the right clothing. How to layer for minus twenty is in Dressing for winter activities