Newsletter from Arctic Adventure dated October 4, 2020

During many of our expeditions, we move around on touring cross-country skis. I regularly get questions about exactly what kind of skis they are and how difficult that cross-country skiing is. High time for some more information about touring cross-country skiing.

The favorite pastime of many Scandinavians

Just as in the Netherlands everyone learns to ride a bicycle, in Scandinavia everyone learns touring cross-country skiing. Indeed, it is the way to move efficiently through the snowy highlands. Touring cross-country skiing is a favorite pastime for many Scandinavians. At the end of the long winter, many Norwegians, Swedes and Finns, make multi-day treks through the forests and mountains from hut to hut.

Glide and drop off

Tour langlauf is done using special tour langlauf skis, boots, poles and ascenders. The skis are longer than your own body height. The bottom of the ski consists of a front and rear sliding section, and a drop-off section in the middle. Shifting your weight allows you to alternate between pushing off and sliding. In this way, the skis are suitable for covering long distances over flat to hilly terrain with relatively little effort.

You master it quickly

Tour langlauf boots can be compared to sturdy hiking boots. Only the nose of the boot is attached to the ski with a binding. This allows you to make a natural walking motion. It may take some getting used to with those long slats, but you’ll soon get the hang of it after that. In a climb, you can use short or long ascenders. During our expeditions, we provide skis, ski poles, ski boots and ascenders.

Cross-country skiing or ski touring?

Touring cross-country skiing is similar to (classic) cross-country skiing, but it is something completely different. Cross-country skiing is basically a sporty variant of touring cross-country skiing. You cross-country ski on groomed trails making conditions much more uniform.

Tour langlauf and tour skiing are more similar. At both, you’ll trek through pristine mountain scenery. Yet there are also differences. In touring cross-country skiing, the terrain is not as steep and avalanche hazards are avoided. With tour skiing, on the contrary, you seek out the high peaks and challenging mountain slopes where you are in avalanche-prone terrain.
Choose adventure, peace and freedom!

Touring cross-country skiing in the Arctic

The highlands in the Arctic are ideally suited for wonderful touring cross-country skiing. Indeed, the landscape is wide and vast, the valleys long, wide and fairly flat. Compared to a high mountain range like the Alps, the elevation changes are much lower and the slopes around the passes are much less steep. The mountains of the north are barely cultivated and you can go almost anywhere you want.

The best of the Arctic

With the Arctic Grand Slam expedition we make a three-day trip on touring cross-country skis. The luggage goes with us on a sled that we pull behind us. For three days we are far from civilization. We cross frozen lakes and head further into the woods. At night we sleep in a tent and prepare our own food. We have ample time for good conversation and reflection. Sleep in the expedition sleeping bag. Wonderful.

Far from civilization in
a wide and vast landscape

On Day 5, we reenter civilization, at the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi. Each room of this hotel was created by an artist just with ice and snow. At the Ice Hotel the next adventure also starts; a sleigh ride of several days with huskies. At the end of this multi-day hike visit the wooden church of Kiruna. An icon of northern Sweden.

Will you join us?

The Arctic Grand Slam expedition is from Feb. 21 to 28, 2021. In the meantime, a number of people have already signed up for the expedition. This means that this trip is definitely going ahead, when you book for this expedition. Of course, we take into account Covid-19. Should travel ultimately not be safe, we won’t leave you out in the cold.
Guaranteed Departure – Arctic Grand Slam Book Now!