Make survival enjoyable – tips on how to dress for arctic ski touring
Text and photos: Rosa Vuorela
The weather forecast promises a brisk -30°C cold in March in Nikkaluokta, Sweden, just as I am participating in a week-long ski touring trip around Kebnekaise. The “feels like -38°C” temperature in the forecast makes me seriously consider every detail of my equipment, especially clothing. How should one dress for such cold conditions?
Strategy against cold
When it comes to layering, I prefer merino wool for layers closest to the skin. The properties of wool are known to be unbeatable, particularly in winter conditions. It is important that moisture is transferred away from the skin and movement feels light and comfortable. Merino wool’s thermal insulation properties are brilliant thanks to the curly texture, and organic wool contains no chemicals harmful to the skin or the environment. In addition, wool is naturally dirt-repellent and neutralises odours, which is pleasant in camping conditions. Even if you use a sledge to transport equipment when ski touring, the total weight matters, since you need more equipment and food anyway in the winter.
I always start planning by considering the problem points I have with winterwear. My thighs and buttocks get cold easily, so I decided to try Ruskovilla’s outdoor
baselayer pants because of the double-layer reinforcements from the knees up to the waist – extra warmth exactly where needed. I also choose
thermal shorts in merino wool, as I have heard that wool shorts over wool pants are an effective extra layer in extremely cold conditions.
For the top, I choose an
outdoor shirt, because the high collar and the wind flap under the zipper effectively protect the neck from the wind and also prevent the ice-cold zipper from touching the chin. The hem, longer at the back, provides additional protection when wearing shell pants with a normal waist, which always feels a little low in winter.
I am not familiar with wool fleece as a material, but the thermal properties of soft brushed wool knit sound good so I decided to test the
wool fleece jacket. It also warms my heart to know that wool fleece is a 100% natural product, so that no microplastics are released into nature, and no chrome dyes or heavy metal salts have been used.
Since my face is also sensitive to cold, I also take along a
merino wool beanie and a
tube scarf, as well as a
balaclava mask that seems like a good alternative to a neck warmer that gets wet easily.
Tour around of Kebnekaise
Our skiing trail runs counterclockwise around Sweden’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise. The trail is like an all-encompassing mini package of mountain hiking, where you can experience everything from mountain birch groves to the embrace of the fell at the altitude of 1,100 m and, from there, to the pass between the mountains.
The weather often changes unexpectedly and shapes the landscape in special ways. Sometimes it feels like skiing inside a marshmallow as the colour of the pink sky is reflected on the soft shapes of powder snow. On another day, everything is so white that you can only see subtle outlines of the mountain wall, but not where they start and end.
Then again, a clear and still frosty day lifts your mood as high as the sun that has finally emerged, but when the wind starts blowing the snow and turning the pass between the great mountains into a wind tunnel, you come to life in a completely different way. However, when you are dressed correctly, you can endure almost anything that nature wants to offer.
Day 1. The ski expedition begins from Nikkaluokta to Vistasvaggi
The merino wool beanie and tube scarf were practically worn all the time. On the first night, the temperature dropped to -32°C in Vistasvaggi. Northern lights were visible during the night, and the full moon was shining. As the morning dawned, the landscape was like marshmallow.
Day 2. In the morning, we put our sleeping bags out to air during breakfast. Ruskovilla's wool fleece is a functional break and camp garment. Under the wool fleece and down pants, I wear Ruskovilla's outdoor base layers, with a merino wool beanie on my head.
Extra layers
Outdoor baselayers work really well. Merino wool feels pleasant under the shell garments when skiing, and the long sleeves of the outdoor shirt, and hem at the back, protect my skin and I do not need to pull them down constantly.
On the fourth day, when we start to climb upwards from Nallo, and our route runs in the shade all morning, it feels like extra insulation for the thighs would be in order. I put on short underpants during the break and they provide extra warmth so well that I feel fine with them on, even on the next day as the wind goes up to 10 m/s. This is also the first time I put on the balaclava mask, which is a perfect fit and stays in place, even though I keep moving its opening over my face with thick gloves on. You appreciate such small details immensely when the conditions start to get challenging.
Day 3. During the break, Ruskovilla's outdoor base layer kept me warm without the need for additional layers under the down jacket. In the background, Nallo's 1585 m peak. The balaclava stayed snug on my head, and adjusting the mouth opening was easy even with thicker gloves on. Photos by Oskari Mylläri.
When the sun goes down, the temperature falls below -20°C on many evenings. Even though I wear the outdoor shirt and pants all day, I keep them on when sleeping – they feel comfortable to wear even at the end of the day. At night, I wake up to my nose feeling cold in the small breathing gap in my sleeping bag. I pull the high collar of the outdoor baselayer top up right under my nose and open the fold of the merino wool beanie to cover my nose. It is great when clothes are adjustable. I have taken the wool fleece inside my sleeping bag and use it as a small extra blanket that I move a little to warm my sides. Heat spreads in an instant and it is easy to fall asleep again.
Day 4. The terrain started to descend, and the peaks of the mountains were beautifully visible on the horizon. The sun was shining, but the air was still so chilly that it was time to put on thermal shorts.
Day 5. A strong wind picked up as we continued our journey through the mountain pass, and we found ourselves skiing against the wind. Each member of the expedition took turns leading the way, blazing the trail. The shift lasted for one leg, which is 50 minutes. Setting up tents in the stormy wind at 10 m/s.
Safe and comfy winter camping
When camping in winter conditions, there is no need to feel cold in the tent. Clothes dry quickly in the heat of the gas stove up in the tent where socks, gloves and beanies hang at the end of the day. Wool is an excellent material because it is more fire-resistant than synthetic fibres, it has a high ignition point and does not melt.
I air the outdoor baselayer outside one evening, but otherwise I let it dry on me. As soon as I arrive at camp I put on my wool fleece jacket. It is so warm that I don’t wear it under my shell jacket when skiing, except when the wind is really high, but otherwise I wear it all the time.
Wool fleece is a functional camp garment. At night, it's comfortable to bring into the sleeping bag as a small blanket to provide extra warmth. In Kuoperjåkka, the merino wool outdoor base layers were aired out in the crisp cold weather.
The merino wool beanie felt comfortable and was on my head for almost the entire journey, except for when drying in the warm tent. A scarf or balaclava is a must-have item for winter camping. It protects the face and warms the breath.
Trusted friends of merino wool
Our adventure around Kebnekaise takes a total of six days. Finally, we arrive at Sarri in Nikkaluokta, and it is time to start our journey home. On this trip, Mother Nature gave us a wonderful experience of winter hiking, and was generous with the weather conditions. It taught me to trust the equipment. Good hiking clothes become like trusted friends you can rely on even during your next adventure. You never know what conditions you will encounter on the next trip.
Day 6. After a stormy night, we woke up to a sunny but cold morning. The journey back home began. The last views from high up.
Even the highest quality garments need a little TLC after a trip. While airing out merino products often suffices to refresh them, for longer journeys, it's advisable to wash them. This also allows me to assess their condition for future outings.
For washing, I use
Sonett's gentle wool and silk detergent, as recommended by Ruskovilla. Its olive and rapeseed oil content keeps the wool feeling incredibly soft. The difference is noticeable, as garments washed with regular wool detergent can feel slightly rough. Since Ruskovilla products are organic certified and free from moth repellents, I pack them back into their resealable plastic bags and let them rest, awaiting the next adventure.
