Winter Hike Guide

General about Winter Hiking

SOOPA Winter Hike is organized every year at New Year’s time. Every other year we head in the direction of Kilpisjärvi and every second year to Saariselkä. The places have been chosen on the basis that they both have plenty of wilderness huts for a large groups. The characteristics of winter hiking usually includes fairly short days of skiing and spending the evening in tents and huts. There are not many hours of sunlight per day, so we try to use it as efficiently as possible for skiing.

Skiing will be done in independent groups of 4-8 people. Most participants sign up without peers or friends so SOOPA divides participants into groups according to fitness level, experience and wishes. The groups themselves plan the route according to their fitness and skill levels and also plan the food. The groups can use the wilderness huts if there is room, and they will also sleep in a tent for a few nights. Winter hiking is often fun, but it’s inevitably cold and miserable from time to time. The purpose of SOOPA’s winter hikes is to bring together winter hikers. The hikes are organized by volunteers, and there are no outdoor guides. However, all groups include more experienced hikers. Each participant is responsible for himself and also a responsible part of the group.

You shouldn’t go on a ski hike in bad shape, it’s neither fun nor comfortable. Various injuries are also likely to occur. However, no top fitness is required. Normal basic fitness is enough for a ski hike. If you can walk 10-15 kilometers without carrying a load and 10 km with a 25 kg backpack, then your fitness is sufficient. You also need some basic outdoor skills such as being able to keep yourself warm, dry and fed and hydrated while hiking, as well as being able to read a map and use a compass. In addition to these, you should have experience(s) of staying in a tent in the cold and snow, and at least basic skiing skills.

Most groups eat breakfast and dinner in a tent or wilderness hut. Lunch is often made into a thermos bottle and eaten during a ski trip. It is common for the group to split into cooking pairs that cook together. When it comes to lunch, we operate in such a way that the food is in one thermos bottle and the water/drink in the other. Some groups prepare breakfast and dinner for the whole group and divide into food pairs only for lunch.

Drinking water is very important on a winter hike and it can easily be forgotten. Even if you don’t sweat, a lot of liquid evaporates, e.g. along with breathing air. It’s a good idea to carry a water bottle under your jacket, so it stays liquid better and is easily accessible. In addition, drinks should also be carried in a thermos bottle. When in the wilderness hut, you should always boil everyone’s thermos bottles full of water. In addition, it is also a good idea to fill the pots and buckets so that water is always available to everyone (remember to empty the water bucket when you leave the hut). In the terrain, water is obtained either from openings or by melting snow, and when camping, melting water is often a continuous process.

There is a hiking meeting before the hike. Its purpose is for group members to meet each other and plan their route. At the same time, dining practices and carriers of common equipment are decided. It is definitely worth coming to the meeting! Maps of the hiking area are always available.

We go on the hike by chartered bus. More detailed instructions on packing are given with each hike. The goal is to fit more than 40 people’s belongings into a small trunk. In general, the bindings are removed from the skis, the skis and poles are tied into a package and the items are arranged on the bus according to the instructions. Inside the bus, you should take what you need during the trip and a change clothes for the return trip. On the way back, we visit the sauna and eat dinner. Both are included in the hiking fee. You can leave your belongings on the bus for the duration of the hike, so you don’t have to carry spare clothes, sauna suits, etc. the whole way. Remember not to leave bus anything that will damage when they freeze!

Participants are always sent an email with more detailed information about the arrangements for the hike. You should read the message carefully and if you have any questions, you can always contact the organizers.

Gear for winter hiking

The list is not the last word, but you can also deviate from it. However, don’t leave anything out unless you really know you don’t need it. If necessary, ask your own group leader, hike organizers or other experienced winter hikers for help. If it says that the item is essential, it means that the item is necessary, and without it there is no entry to the hike. Those hikers who have forgotten essential equipment have cried, stayed up all night, frozen, wounded, or all of these at the same time.

Your own gear for winter hiking

The gear you need on a hike.

Personal gear

forest or nordic skis + bindings	Test skis, condition of bindings and adjustment before departure. The wooden skis should be well tarred.
sticks with big baskets	In winter, there is thick snow, the tops of the ski poles do not stay on the surface.
ski rubber boots + felt linings + spare linings	Or, alternatively, monos suitable for bandages. Adjust the ski bindings to fit your boots before you leave.
backpack + backpack cover or pulka	volume at least 60 l, preferably 70 – 80 liters	2-3 kg (pulka approx. 10 kg)
sleeping bag	A good winter sleeping bag or two that overlap, you must be able to sleep in a sleeping bag at 20C degrees below zero.	2-3 kg
sleeping platform	Winter version or two thinner ones. At least 2 cm of insulation, preferably 3 cm.	0.5-1 kg

Clothing

It is important to protect the body from the wind, which is very freezing at twenty degrees below zero.
A good protective hood in a hiking jacket is an important wind protection. If the hood is bad or not there at all, a windproof beanie is essential. Note that you don’t need a lot of clothing when skiing, instead you need to add it immediately when you stop for a break or at a campsite. So pay attention to the fact that you can put on your break clothes quickly and that you can put all your clothes on top of each other in very cold weather if necessary.

	windproof, hooded jacket	A well-breathable windbreaker or anorak is a better choice than a waterproof shell jacket.
	windproof pants	preferably also moisture repellent fabric
	base layer	man-made fiber or merino wool (not cotton)
	warm beanie	wind protection is recommended
	mittens	windproof
	socks	snug shank, no worn ones that rub (no cotton)
	warm break jacket	down jacket, thick top coat, (overall) etc. essential
	underpants	to be worn over other clothes
	sweater or fleece
	wool pants, etc.
	spare base layer	eg microfleece or merino wool (no cotton)
	scarf or collar and helmet cap
	spare gloves
	spare socks, spare underwear

Personal small items:

Everything you need for a hike. Total weight about 1.5 kg.

	Passport, identity card or Kela card	In case of illness in Sweden and Norway, by showing the card, you are entitled to free essential treatment or Kela compensation for the treatment. Without a card, you may have to pay the costs yourself and later claim the costs from the insurance.
	scout scarf
	toilet paper	watertightly packed, even in two batches just in case
	toothbrush, toothpaste	a face towel maybe
	newspaper pages	for bedding in boots
	garbage bag	at least for my own, but hopefully also for a friend’s trash
	compass	Essential
	map	From SOOPA
	map bag or map plastic	Keeps your map available on the go and in readable condition.
	knife	sharp, for making lighters, etc.
	headlamp	Essential, it’s dark in disguise time. You will probably have to ski by the light of the lamp (100-200lm). The minimum requirement is that you can find your belongings in the hut (lamp 5-50lm). So you need lamp with two modes or two lamps.
	spare batteries/batteries/ powerbank	For a headlamp, the cold freezes the batteries faster than usual.
	ski creams	grip and glide for different weather
	Climbing ski skins	mainly needed for skiing uphill and cross-country, especially if the soles of the skis are made of smooth plastic. Essential with pulka.
	matches	Watertightly packed. Just in case, you should have several packages with you and packed in different places.
	small candles	To boost Trangia or as a slip cream
	candles	to lighten up the dark wilderness huts
	reflector	Attach it to the backpack so that it is visible backwards. This way, it’s easier for someone coming behind to spot you with their lamp.
	detachable straps	for attaching a tent, shovels, etc.
	ski goggles	Essential, for the storm
	face mask	against severe frost and wind
	own permanent medication
	lip balm
	patches and blister patches	everyone has their own Compeeds, etc.
	pain medication
	wet wipes	or hand sanitizer (no litter!)
	health bandages	Surprises happen, be prepared for them.
	handkerchiefs
	comb

Groceries

During a hike, you usually eat breakfast at the overnight stay, lunch on the way from the food thermos bottle, dinner after reaching the next accommodation, and a snack right after dinner. In addition, you need to bring a lot of snacks that you can eat on the way while skiing or during short breaks. Find out more about food on the food page.
Food weighs approx. 0.5 – 1 kg / person / day.

plastic plate, mug, spoon	eg in a cloth bag	less than 0.5 kg
drink bottle	2 x approx. 1 l, somehow to be hung under the coat. You can also replace the second drinking bottle with an additional thermos.	2 kg full
steel thermos	Essential, each at least 0.75 L per person.	1-1.5 kg full
food thermos	0.75l large food thermos container for lunches. A 1L liter thermos container might be enough for a couple with small meals.	1-1.5 kg full
food	porridges, soups, stews, breads, etc.	total 4-5 kg
own little snacks	raisins, nuts, chocolate, cookies, dried fruit	100-200 g/day
spices	salt, sugar, additionally e.g. chili, garlic, pepper
own drinks	eg milk powder, cocoa, coffee, tea, etc.

Luxury goods

Luxury goods are not necessary on a hike, but if you know you need them and can carry them with you for the entire hike, feel free.

	camera with accessories	You should not forget the memory card and battery at home, even a small tripod helps to get better pictures, because the sun is behind the horizon.
	playing cards	if there is a gaming company in the group
	door / break slippers	Makes life easier if you don’t have to wear boots / overalls all the time.
	funnel / teat	Makes it easier to fill drinking bottles with small mouths. 1/group is enough
	dish towel	You get the dishes dry and packed faster. 1/group is enough
	snow brush	Handy to brush the snow off the backpack, pulka, tent, etc.
	laundry boys	You can dry the blankets / mittens on a string so that they don’t drip so easily.
	seat mat	For cold hut benches or on the porch to warm up.
	extra cup, spoon, etc.	If yours drowns, breaks or you need extra for cooking, etc.
	earplugs	for sensitive sleepers

Accessories for sauna bag

The hike usually includes a sauna and a meal, so for that it is good to have a new layer of clean clothes with you. The sauna bag can be left on the bus or in a similar place indicated by the organizers during the hike. You can also leave snacks for the return journey and other entertainment for the car journey in the sauna bag.

	Drink & food for the first bus travel day	DONE AT HOME, unless otherwise agreed between the group.
	clean laundry	’not necessary’, but also nice for a neighbor
	washing equipment (soap, towel, etc.)	can be the same as those included on the hike
	snacks for the return journey	Even if we go for lunch, the journey is long. Do not take something that will damage when frozen.

Group specific gear

Evenly divided, shared items weigh approx. 2 – 5 kg per person. If necessary, the weight can be equalized if someone can carry more. However, you must be prepared to bear your own share if necessary. In cases of illness, the goods may be redistributed in such a way that the patient’s goods are distributed to others.

	tent	Essential: A tent site is required for each member of the group. Even if the intention is to use the hut, a tent must be included, because there may not be room in the hut, or it may not be possible to get to the hut.
	stove	Usually one stove / 2 persons. In addition, a ladle, whisk, wooden spatula, dish brush, etc.
	shovel	1 – 2 light hiking shovels / group.
	first aid equipment	Bring only those that someone in the group knows how to use. You can go very far with plasters, disinfectant, support bandages, a couple of safety pins, painkillers, etc.
	repair supplies	Depending on what equipment is available. Jekkulanka and jesari are recommended.
	thermometer	Evaluating cold based on feel is difficult. Too much clothing in a sleeping bag, for example, is dangerous, because moisture can condense in the sleeping bag when sweating, and its warmth can therefore deteriorate significantly.
	pen	For writing the chronicle and guest book.
	chronicle booklet	From SOOPA. The purpose is for each group to keep a chronicle of their trip, which will be posted on SOOPA’s website. It is especially useful to tell about surprising things.
	spare rod	It is not impossible for a rod to break in the terrain, and not even terribly rare. Collapsible ones are handy.
	spare tip of the ski	From SOOPA if necessary. It is not likely that the tip of the wooden ski will break, but you should have a spare tip with you. Plastic skis are more durable (the base does not break), so if all the participants have skis with plastic bases, there is no need to bring a spare tip.
	GPS device	You can take a GPS device with you, and you should also know how to use it. However, it does not replace a map and compass!
	axe	To make openings to the ice (for a drinking water). There will also be crying if there is even an ax missing from the hut.
	dish brush and detergent	It’s also nice to do the dishes on a hike.

Borrowing gear

SOOPA has about a dozen winter-friendly tents for 3-6 people, as well as spare tips for skis, shovels and axes, which are loaned to hiking groups for free. In addition, ten pairs of Norwegian or Swedish army boots with ties, poles and felt boots can be borrowed for a small fee. Some warm down jackets are also available.
More about it on the varustusvuokraus page.

About the selection of gear

Backpack or pulka or combination

Pulka is an excellent transport device, but requires that the skis have grip. A good starting weight of the pulka is at most about half the weight of the puller. There is usually enough grip on wood-based skis (as long as they are well tarred and have plenty of grip cream). On the other hand, with lubricated plastic skis, the climbing ski skins are essential, or else the skiing will become difficult due to slipping.

A good basic bag for camouflage hiking is the EraPRO orange plastic pulka. You can’t get it ready-made in the store, so you have to equip it yourself. You can find instructions and videos easily, a good page to start is e.g. this. Other ones that are used a lot on SOOPA’s hikes are the self-made JR27 model and Savota’s Paljakka. Paljakka pulka works as long as there is not too much stuff packed into it. Fjellpulk, with its straight ridges, can be more difficult in forested or bushy terrain, but better than Paljakka in open hills. In the open terrain, a tow rope without poles has also proven to be effective.

Backpack also works really well in winter, as long as you can ski with it. It is important that the backpack did not weigh more than a third of the wearer’s weight. It is also necessary to pack the center of gravity lower than in the summer, and in addition the pack should stay firmly on the back. Large objects, such as a tent or sleeping bag, that are poorly attached to the backpack, make it difficult to stay upright.

Backpack and small pulka combination has worked for about one out of ten people, others think it’s a terrible and ineffective combination. It usually only succeeds in combining the bad sides of both. If you haven’t tried this before don’t try your luck now.

For a person in bad shape, both the backpack and the pulka are heavy, if everything you need is included. Only fitness helps with this problem, and training skiing with forest skis with the backpack or pulka is best before the trip.

Skis and poles

Good poles have big baskets and are durable. It doesn’t hurt if they are light. The length of a full-handle pole is longer than a traditional skiing-style ski pole. The rule of thumb for the length of the pole is to turn the pole over on the floor, so that the pole basket should be at the level of the hiker’s shoulder.

Three types of skis are used on SOOPA’s ski hikes, which can be further divided into subcategories according to the base pattern. The three types of skis are: forest skis, army skis and backcountry skis.

Forest skis are long and wide and originally intended for use by hunters. Forest skis are a good choice for a ski hike. A solo hiker needs long 260cm or more skis. A group hiker can do with shorter ones, because with the exception of the first skier, the others already have a track of what to ski. The suitable ski length for a group hike depends a little on the skier’s weight and is 170 – 210 cm. If you are short and have long skis, try and practice using them uphill beforehand. Forest skis usually always have traction patterned base. Traction pattern can be fish scale type or permanent waxing type. The fish scale base works well when new, but the grip of the worn scale base can be improved with grip cream or putty.

SOOPA has army skis for rent. The skis are wooden skis of the Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian armies or plastic skis of the Finnish army. The plastics have a traction pattern either fish scale or permanent waxing or no pattern on the base, in which case they must add a grip wax. Test the skis you rent well in advance, especially pulling the pulka and progressing uphill and downhill.

The army skis are a perfectly functional choice, as long as their condition has been checked well before the hike. Wood-based and fish-scale-based skis work well in freezing weather, as well as waxed plastic-based skis, as long as you have extra wax within your backpack and don’t get stuck behind. Especially when pulling a heavier pulka, the climbing skins are necessary, especially with smooth-bottomed plastic bottom skis. Even with wooden skis, you sometimes need quite a lot of grip wax when pulling a pulka. On the other hand, wood-based skis may start to accumulate snow in the spring, making travel particularly difficult. You can prepare for this by applying plenty of anti-slip cream on the tar and hoping for the best.

Backcountry skis (also called mountain skis, alpine skis, touring skis) are shorter and narrower than forest and army skis. They have edges made of steel. The purpose of the steel edge is to bite well into the icy fell and enable turns in downhill skiing and climbing up on a hard icy slope. These types of backcountry skis are not particularly suitable for deep snow skiing, but some hikers use them because they have acquired them, for example, for free skiing. On winter hike, backcountry skis are at its best in in the open fell areas around the Halti mountain. Elsewhere, you can use a snowmobile or a ski track opened by someone else.

Forest skis and army skis have heel binding, so only so-called ski boots. Typically this is a rubber boot model Nokian Naali or Kaira. You can rent these from SOOPA. Downhill skis have their own ski boots and numerous binding options.

Headlamp

A headlamp must be included. It also doesn’t hurt that there are two of them: the tried-and-tested system is a separate indoor lamp with a moderate power (5-50lm) and size – saving batteries and not blinding others’ eyes (some also recycle the main headlamp batteries that have gone bad into that indoor lamp). When navigating and walking in the dark, more light (100-200lm) is needed. Each hiker should be able to see at least 10m in the light of a headlamp. It would be good if the group had at least one more powerful headlamp (400-1000lm) and a spare lamp. It is recommended to borrow an efficient headlamp for the one who is advancing first in the group. The ski track will then be much straighter and easier to ski, especially in slopes or otherwise difficult terrain.

Lithium batteries are the best performing batteries. Especially in extremely cold, they are worth their expensive price. When using rechargeable batteries, you should choose the eneloop type, which work best in freezing temperatures, but a regular alkaline battery is also a good option for winter hikes. And you should always have spare batteries with you, because even if you don’t need them yourself, a peer in the group will need them.

Sleeping bag or sleeping bags

It will be cold on a ski hike, -20 °C is likely and -40 °C is by no means impossible at night. Even on a cold night, you have to sleep in a tent, so the sleeping bag must be warm enough. That is, a thick winter bag. Since those extreme colds are by no means every night, you can often also prepare for them by taking two sleeping bags that fit on top of each other. A little less bulky, for example a 3-year-old sleeping bag and a good summer bag (that mean the ones that are suitable for Lapland, not any central European sleeping bags). It would be good for the inner bag to be down and the outer bag to be synthetic fiber.

With two bags, it is easier to adjust the temperature in the hike. Because the temperature in the hut is usually on the plus side, so it is too hot to sleep in a thick winter bag, but due to the drag of the hut, it can be difficult to sleep without a bag. On a cold night in the tent, you can put those bags on top of each other. The temperature in the tent is a few degrees or even ten degrees warmer than outside.

If you don’t have a sleeping bag suitable for winter use, read these instructions before getting or borrowing one (use Google Translate):

Guide to choosing a sleeping bag

A combination of two sleeping bags for frost

Sleeping matress/pad

Decent sleeping matresses are a very important piece of equipment. Good sleeping matresses are not very expensive, so it’s worth investing in them. About 3 cm of cellular foam is a good amount. In addition to air-filled winter-ready pads, at least 1 cm of cellular foam is recommended. A couple of 1.5 cm cellular foam matresses is a functional solution, the only negative side is the large size. Since they weigh almost nothing, it’s worth taking them with you just in case.

A sleeping often affects sleeping comfort more than a sleeping bag. Almost always, a person who is freezing in a tent has a bad sleeping pad. The best part of inflatable platforms is the comfort of sleeping on the hard wood bench of the hut, on the other hand, filling and emptying them in the tent is frustrating and they can break during the trip.

Tent

The tents must be suitable for winter in the target area. If you don’t know if your tent is winter-proof, ask the more experienced. In the fells, good wind resistance is essential. Skis and poles should be used as tent pegs. If only 2 people can stay in the tent, a few snow tent pegs are a necessary addition when setting up the tent. Smaller summer tent pegs can be left out of the trip entirely.

SOOPA tents are tunnel tents with a large apse. The apse is the ”hallway” of the tent, where you can place your backpack and take off your shoes and outer clothes. The size of the tents is mainly 3 or 4 person tents. Get to know the tent preferably before the hike, so that you can set it up without any problems.

In the apse of the tent, you can cook food carefully with alcohol or gas stove. The use of a petrol stove in the SOOPA tent is prohibited. In your own tent, you can use the stove you know well, if all the members of the group allow it. In all cases, the user compensates for all damages caused to the tent.

Stove

For example, a alcohol powered stove / Trangia (see video introduction of Trangia) or a gas cooker can be used. Take enough fuel for the stove. Note that most of the fuel is used to melt water from the snow if no melt water is found. You can use the fireplace and a possible gas stove in the wilderness huts for melting too.

We do not recommend gas stoves for winter use. The use is possible if it is a model equipped with preheating or pure propane gas is used as gas (Even so-called winter gas does not work below -15C temperatures). Please note that gas consumption is also high , if the snow has to be melted with gas.

The petrol stove works well in freezing temperatures, but requires familiarity and experience. Of the types of cookers, it is definitely the most dangerous and therefore not suitable for beginners.

Fuel required at least per kettle: alcohol approx. 2 liters, petrol approx. 2 l, propane gas approx. 2 * 450 g. It is typical that less than half of of the amount is consumed by winter hiking, the consumption depends a lot on the water places (pancake frying also takes a lot) and the cooking equipment of the huts. With bad luck these quantities may also remain scarce.

The winter suitability of the alcohol stove/trangia can be greatly increased by taking a suitable heat-resistant plate under the Trangia and small candles. The plate prevents the trangia from sinking into the snow, and candle can be burned under the Trangia’s burner to enhance combustion.

Using a gas stove is more affordable when, in addition to pure propane, you bring summer gas with which you can cook indoors.

Repair supplies

For repair supplies, you should pack at least thin iron wire, strong thread and a needle, duct tape, screws that fit the ties, a decent multi-purpose tool, some nails and epoxy glue. The spare tip of the ski must be included at least if there are people moving on wood skis in the group. SOOPA has spare tips that can be attached with a saw or a drill, but the duct tape probably works for lack of a better one. Users of inflatable sleeping pads should remember the fixing accessories.

Especially those who move with self-made pulkas should have good spare parts and tools with them.