{"id":1748,"date":"2020-01-23T15:48:07","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T15:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naturetravels.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1748"},"modified":"2022-11-03T10:31:25","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T10:31:25","slug":"why-ski-touring-is-the-new-hiking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naturetravels.co.uk\/blog\/why-ski-touring-is-the-new-hiking\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Ski Touring is the New Hiking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bob from the Nature Travels team discusses why hiking enthusiasts should be taking to their skis in winter.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you a keen hiker? Do you love exploring wild and beautiful areas under your own power, feeling the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, and the freedom and joy of outdoor life in your heart?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the answer is \u201cyes\u201d, then we have some good news:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to wait for summer!<\/em><\/strong> A ski touring holiday<\/a> may be just what you need!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you\u2019re an experienced walker or trekker, you may never have considered that many of the things you love about hiking can also be enjoyed in wintertime, when nature not only looks very different but offers a whole new set of challenges, experiences and adventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ready
Ready for an adventure? Shoulder your pack and let’s be off! Photo: Valerie Reynaud.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Not convinced? Let\u2019s see if we can change your mind\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I need to be able to ski to go ski touring?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yes and no. Yes, of course you\u2019ll need to ski, but you don\u2019t need to have much technical skiing experience to be able to join a tour. We offer a range of tours aimed at those new to ski touring and even one suitable if you\u2019re completely new to skiing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isn\u2019t it cold?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Yes and no! Many feel the \u201cbest\u201d time for ski touring is during the \u201cspring winter\u201d, from March to early May (if you\u2019re never thought of a winter holiday in April, think again \u2013 it\u2019s the perfect time for ski touring and also for dog sledding).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this time of year, the hours of daylight are long, with a real spring feeling in the air and warmth to the sun, and temperatures are normally (though not always of course) milder than earlier in the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By April, temperatures will usually still drop below freezing at night but will often be around or even a few degrees above zero during the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Into
Into the great wide open. Photo: Catherine Kelham.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

That still sounds cold to me….<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As the air is so much drier in the Nordic countries than you may be used to, you may also be surprised how \u201cwarm\u201d you feel even in sub-zero temperatures compared to a cold day in the damp air of the UK, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personally, I find -10 degrees C in Lapland much more pleasant than +3 degrees here at Nature Travels HQ on the south coast of England. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can take a cold day of hillwalking in the UK in May, you\u2019ll be feeling toasty on a ski tour in the Sweden, Finland or Norway in April!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, experiencing the cold is one thing that makes winter adventures so appealing \u2013 provided you\u2019re properly equipped to stay comfortable and safe, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"There's
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. Photo: Roland Meier.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

While most of our ski tours take place earliest from February onwards, the Halti and Lemmenjoki tours in Finland mentioned below run all through the winter from December onwards. When I did the Halti tour in early February<\/a>, it was -32 degrees C at times. And for our guests doing the Lemmenjoki tour the same week a few hundred kilometres to the east, it was -40! That\u2019s pretty cold \u2013 but I wouldn\u2019t have missed it for the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I like camping when I hike. You can\u2019t do that on a ski touring holiday, can you?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You most certainly can! The majority of tours are based on skiing between simple cabins, but if you have a taste for camping, see the Halti and Lemmenjoki tours below. Camping in the snow adds a whole new dimension to spending a night under canvas. On the Lemmenjoki tour, you even get a chance to build your own \u201cquinzee\u201d snowshelter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t like downhill skiing \u2013 there are too many people, too much noise and machinery. Why would I like ski touring?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Because it\u2019s completely different! No ugly metal towers scarring the hillsides, no lift queues, no overcrowded restaurants playing accordion music, no chance of being flattened by an out-of-control teenage snowboarder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ski touring is not an adrenalin sport (though it\u2019s certainly an adventure). It\u2019s a way to enjoy the tranquillity and beauty of nature in winter, a means of transport to access wild and remote areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sunshine
Sunshine and snow – what’s not to like? Photo: Mark Schofield.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you choose the most popular times (Easter, for example), and of course depending on the location of your tour, you will certainly see other users of the mountains during your tour and in the cabins at night, especially locals. This can be a wonderful opportunity to strike up some conversations with people you\u2019d never normally meet and is another wonderful aspect of outdoor life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But go at other times and you may not see anyone at all! For our ski group in Halti in February, we had the mountains completely to ourselves for the week apart from meeting a couple of park rangers one day and having some company at one of the cabins on our last night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To spend an extended period \u201calone\u201d (in the company of your group and guide of course) in such a remote area is a real privilege, and not an experience you\u2019ll get on a ski holiday in the Alps!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I really don\u2019t want to ski. What about snowshoeing?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely! Snowshoes aren\u2019t as commonly used for extended tours because you can\u2019t cover the same distance as you can on skis, and skis allow you to move much more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, snowshoes offer their own attraction \u2013 they don\u2019t require any experience at all and allow you to access terrain that might be difficult to reach even on skis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019d like to give snowshoeing a go, see the information on our Snowshoeing in Hossa National Park tour in Finland<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OK, so I haven\u2019t done any ski touring before, but I\u2019d like to give it a go. What are my options:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re glad you asked! Here we go\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction to Backcountry Ski Touring in Langsua National Park (Norway)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve never been on skis before, this tour is still a possibility for you. You\u2019ll certainly have an advantage if you\u2019ve done at least a little skiing before (downhill or cross country) or if you get a little practice before your trip on a local dry slope, etc, but even complete ski beginners can join this tour, provided you have suitable general outdoor experience, level of fitness and are willing to pick up a few bumps and bruises when you fall!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Introduction
Introduction to Backcountry Skiing in Langsua National Park. Photo: NF.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The tour is divided into two parts. You begin with some days based at mountain lodge, where you can take day tours with light pack. This \u201ctraining\u201d period gives you the opportunity to gain confidence and stability and improve your technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second half of the week is then a mini-expedition, skiing between mountain cabins, when you\u2019ll be carrying a heavier pack and developing your skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover Mountain Ski Touring in Lapland (Sweden)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll need to have some basic downhill and\/or cross country ski experience to join this tour, but don\u2019t need any previous experience of ski touring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting from mountain station, you are transferred to a wilderness cabin (by snowmobile, with the option to ski some of the way). From here, you\u2019ll be taking day training tours into the surrounding wilderness, allowing you to ski with just a daypack and practise on a range of different types of terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Discover
Discover Mountain Ski Touring in Lapland. Photo: Maurice Strubel.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the week, you\u2019ll then be ready to ski back to the mountain station carrying a full pack \u2013 a great culmination to the week and a chance to show yourself how much you\u2019ve learned!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backcountry Skiing and Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland (Finland)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for a challenging wilderness expedition and to get a real feel of what it\u2019s like to be an Arctic adventurer, this is the tour for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two itineraries to choose from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n