Sweden

Backcountry Ski Adventure FAQs

Travel

  • The Navar valley and our remote wilderness lodge is located northwest of Mora in the Dalarna region. This is the land of boreal forests, mountains, lakes, mires and folklore. Our rustic wilderness lodge is an hour's drive through deep forests from Mora train station, close to lake Orsa in the lowlands, Rännkölen and Anjosvarden nature reserve at semi-high altitudes and the alpine plateau of Fulufjället national park. We choose where to head for the day depending on weather and snow conditions.

  • Whilst we want to give you as much information as possible to make this a simple and stress-free process, you are responsible for your travel arrangements to Mora train station, where we will collect you and take you to the first night's accommodation.

    We've put together some information for you, but pretty please do the research for your own peace of mind too. Gutsy Girls are responsible for you once you reach us and not before. 

  • This tour is timed so that it’s possible to fly in on the first day and fly out on the last day. Fly into Stockholm Arlanda, Sweden’s main airport, served by direct flights from many UK airports.

    On arrival, you will need to take a train from the airport (Arlanda Central) to Mora for a 17.40 pick-up. The train takes 3 hrs 25 mins and can be booked here: sj.se.

    The best train to take leaves Arlanda at 14.06 and arrives in Mora at 17.32, direct. There are other options involving changes - you can find all the information at sj.se.

    Combining with a visit to Stockholm? Take the Arlanda Express to the city, which takes 20 mins. The train from Stockholm Central to Mora takes 3 hrs 45 mins. bookable at sj.se.

    As long as you are at Mora train station for the transfer time of 17.40, you can get there however you like.

    On the last day, you'll be dropped at Mora station for 10am.

    The best train to take for an evening flight out of Stockholm leaves Mora at 10:24 and arrives at Arlanda (airport) at 13:54, with a change at Borlänge. There is a later option which is direct - you can find all the information at sj.se.

    Please note we can only do one transfer on arrival and departure. Due to long distances, private transfers are expensive to arrange.

  • Information on ticket release dates is on the sj.se website here.

  • We will collect you from Mora train station at 5:40 pm on the first day of the trip.

    The best train to take leaves Arlanda at 14.06 and arrives in Mora at 17.32, direct. There are other options involving changes - you can find all the information at sj.se.

    You will then be driven to our wilderness base. This will take about an hour. We'll have some dinner and discuss what will happen over the next week.

  • You will be transferred to Mora train station for 10:00am. The journey will take about an hour.

    The best train to take for an evening flight out of Stockholm leaves Mora at 10:24 and arrives at Arlanda (airport) at 13:54, with a change at Borlänge. There is a later option which is direct - you can find all the information at sj.se.

  • We will connect you with others on the trip via WhatsApp, so you may be able to arrange to travel together. 

Accommodation

  • For all nights except one we stay in a remote rustic off-grid wilderness lodge that will act as a base for our excursions. Rooms are shared between two people.

    The Navardalen Wilderness Lodge is a really special place. It's off-grid, deep in the forest on the shores of Lake Navar. We have the whole lodge area to ourselves and it’s a lovely rustic and cosy atmosphere. Wood-fired heaters will keep us warm. Lanterns and candles give us light. There are no showers, instead we’ll use the sauna and heated up water in a bucket as a shower (and icy dips in the lake if you dare) to keep us fresh! There are five rooms in the grand cabin, a large kitchen, hang-out area and a little cottage.

    Please note that the toilets are in shared outhouses, there is no electricity or running water and no bathroom (except for the sauna) and that single rooms are not available.

    For one night on this tour - and what we’re working towards - we head up the Fulufjället mountain plateau for one night of winter camping!

    Each of us pull a sled with everything we need to stay warm while winter camping. A lightweight yurt gives us a sheltered place to cook, hang out & be merry in the evenings, protected from the elements. Light up some lanterns and candles, put down some sheep skins and we have a cosy living room on the snowy wind-swept plateau.

    Staying warm while winter camping is all about equipment and knowledge. We use Hilleberg Staika free-standing tents (one tent shared between two people), Exped’s inflatable Downmats and Fjällräven Polar down sleeping bags, which are all made for way colder temperatures than you will experience on this trip.

    Our wilderness chef will prepare an array of hearty soups and stews for us to reheat.

  • We will provide bed linen.

    Hairdryers and towels are not provided!

  • No - you could bring some soap flakes / travel wash to wash your base layers if you think this will be necessary!

Food

  • All your meals are provided.

    You’ll enjoy delicious food on this trip. We cook some items ourselves in the lodge. We might grill toasties over the fire while we're out, but we also bring hearty soups and stews prepared in advance by our wilderness chef. In sub-zero temperatures, it’s nice to mostly be able to keep your gloves on and it’s a great way to still enjoy filling great tasting meals.

    Swedish products are always our first choice.

    Please bring your own snacks (energy / muesli bars, nuts, raisins etc) if you might need these during the week.

    We can cater for most dietary requirements. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements at the time of booking.

  • We can cater for most dietary requirements and we will request information prior to your arrival.

Activities

  • No! This trip is designed for complete beginners. We can’t wait to share the joys of nordic skiing with you! Working with fantastic ski guides, we'll take our first steps on touring skis in a low altitude area with small variations in altitude and actual tracks to follow. We'll build up our skills daily to finally explore incredible remote and snowy landscapes off the tracks.

  • Have a read of our blog post here for why we have chosen cross country skiing!

     For cross country skiing we use light-weight skis and boots. There are no ski lifts and instead we glide across the snow, powered by our own effort. The terrain is gently rolling, for the most part. We will teach you the techniques you need to travel across the snow, and up and down gentle gradients.

    This trip will mostly be away from prepared tracks (this is what we call backcountry skiing, as cross country skiing often involves groomed tracks), exploring the wilderness at a gentle and appropriate pace, to suit the group. Some of the time we will be carrying our equipment with us on sleds (pulks) which we drag behind us.

    Cross country skiing is an activity enjoyed by a variety of people and for different reasons: it can be a way to explore and take in the winter landscape away from the crowds and it is also an exciting sport which combines learning ski technique with great exercise.

  • In classic cross country skiing, we are skiing on pressed tracks which make for a faster and more technical, sporty type of skiing, like "running on skis".

    In comparison, most of our skiing on this trip will be backcountry skiing - which means off the tracks and more in the wilderness. The skis are likely to be wider and more stable, and our speed will be slower - as we will be breaking trail and on some days, pulling a sled with everything we need to stay warm while winter camping. The skis have built-in “skins”, which gives them a good grip when going uphill and it’s surprisingly easy to make progress, but strenuous. It is still cross country skiing, but this variant is often called backcountry skiing and can be more compared to "hiking on skis".

  • We’re here to support you out of your comfort zone as you learn something new, by creating fun and supportive environments. We believe cross-country skiing is a fantastic sport for beginners with no previous skiing experience, but it may not be the sport for everyone.

     The Movement & Terrain

    Cross country skiing is a gliding and sliding motion. If you do not like the sensation of sliding or are nervous about falling, this winter sport might not be for you.

    Cross country skiing does have downhill sections, they aren’t super steep, but you will learn to go down them and control your speed. If you do not like the sensation of going downhill, maybe from previous skiing experiences, then you may not enjoy cross country skiing. 

    You need to be prepared to fall over a bit while learning! Usually, the soft snow makes these falls relatively painless.

     Fitness

    Cross country skiing is a physically demanding sport at times! It does get described as ‘running or hiking with skis on’. In as far as cardio fitness goes, this is true - it can be hard work! We do recommend you have a good base fitness level to get the most out of the experience. 

    If you do physical activity that gets your heart rate up a minimum of 3 times a week for at least 45 minutes, you’ll have a great time on skis!

    We encourage you to be kind to yourself when deciding if this is the sport for you.

  • Most people find learning to cross country ski much easier than alpine skiing. If you are active in daily life and have a reasonable fitness level, then you'll be making great progress over the snow in no time!

    Cross country skiing does have downhill sections; they aren’t super steep, but you will learn to go down them and control your speed. If you do not like the sensation of going downhill, maybe from previous skiing experiences, then you may not enjoy cross country skiing. 

    You do need to be prepared to fall over a bit while you’re learning! Usually the soft snow makes these falls fairly painless.

  • This style of skiing is slightly different from our Norway trips. In Norway, we are skiing on pressed tracks which make for a faster and more technical, sporty type of skiing, like "running on skis".

    In comparison, most of our skiing on this trip will be off the tracks and more in the wilderness. The skis are likely to be wider and more stable, and our speed will be slower - as we will be breaking trail and on some days, pulling a sled with everything we need to stay warm while winter camping. The skis have built-in “skins”, which gives them a good grip when going uphill and it’s surprisingly easy to make progress, but strenuous. This can more more compared to "hiking on skis".

  • For the first few days we will be learning to ski and working towards our winter camping expedition. We ski around 3.5 to 5 hours each day with breaks.

    On the expedition to the Fulufjället mountain plateau we ski for a max of about 10km, with a 3km ascent, to an expansive plateau of wind-swept snowy plains. The skis have built-in “skins”, which gives them a good grip when going uphill and it’s surprisingly easy to make progress, but strenuous. 

    Coming back down is the tricky part of tour skiing but we’re not expecting you to master any fancy manoeuvres. We take our time and move as slow as we need to, zigzagging down to the valleys below.

  • For the first few days, you will just need a daypack that has plenty of space for a water bottle, snacks and layers that you need to peel off and put away. We recommend a backpack of about 25 litres. 

    For our wilderness camping expedition, each of us will pull a sled with everything we need to stay warm while winter camping. This will include more than just your own luggage as we will have to carry tents, warm sleeping mats, down sleeping bags and a group yurt, a circular tent traditionally used by nomadic people on the steppes on Central Asia which will be our group eating and hanging out area! Your sled will weigh between 10 - 15 kg.

  • This holiday is rated moderate.

    This cross country skiing trip is designed for beginners. No previous ski or winter sports experience is required, but you’ll need a good level of fitness to get the most from this experience.

    Fitness Requirements

    You take part in medium to high-intensity cardio exercise 3 times a week, for around 45 minutes each time.

    What That Might Look Like

    Your weekly routine regularly includes activities like running, HIIT sessions, crossfit, cycling, or spin classes. While you don’t need to be a world-class athlete or breaking records, you're accustomed to workouts that raise your heart rate and leave you breathing heavily for about 45 minutes each time. Engaging in low-intensity activities, like walking, yoga, and pilates will be beneficial, but these alone won't be enough to meet the cardio demands of this trip.

    What to Expect

    Duration: Each day you’ll be active for around 5 hours.

    Distance: We'll cover around 8 - 12 km daily. Consider if you can comfortably walk these distances on consecutive days.

    Intensity: Backcountry cross country skiing feels like hiking with skis on. The day we pull the sledges behind us will be more demanding.

    Balance: You’ll be skiing off track, the wide skis with hard metal edges will give you stability. You’ll need some balance to stay upright though!

    Downhill: The trails are not overly steep, but you will need to be comfortable gaining speed on a slope.

    Sliding Motion: Being comfortable with a gliding sensation is essential.

  • Working on your cardiovascular fitness will help you with endurance and stamina. Walking at a good pace (where you feel slightly out of breath) is really useful, or of course, running or cycling or performing other higher intensity exercise.

    Improving your strength, core stability and balance really helps with cross country skiing too. Good balance is essential for weight transfer from one ski to the next. We will be balancing on one ski as it glides – so if standing one one leg is a challenge then practising will help! You could stand on one leg every time you clean your teeth! Activities and sports that challenge our balance can help us develop our balance in a progressive way, including Pilates, yoga and dancing.

  • There is a traditional sauna available at our wilderness lodge. Swedish people traditionally go to the sauna in single sex groups without wearing swimming costumes. Feel free to wear yours though if you prefer!

    You can wash yourself in the sauna – there is hot water, buckets and scoops available.

Packing

  • Please see our blog about cross country ski clothing here.

    In a nutshell, when we are cross country skiing we are very active and generating heat while out in the cold. While moving we get hot (and sweaty!) but then when we stop in the cold, we cool down quickly. The mistake people often make is overdressing, getting too hot and sweaty whilst moving and then cooling off quickly and then feeling cold and damp at every stop. In addition, when we’re skiing with a group we may stop more frequently or for longer than you would if you were alone. Cross country skiing does NOT require the same sort of clothing as downhill skiing because the warm, padded clothing for downhill skiing takes into account long stretches sitting still on chairlifts at the mercy of the weather - not needed whilst cross country skiing!

    We recommend a variety of wool or synthetic base layers, topped by a lightweight, windproof, breathable waterproof hiking jacket (shell) with a hood, with a warm, insulated jacket in a backpack to put on at rest stops. On your legs, we recommend windproof, water repellent, breathable soft shell type fitted trousers or leggings.

    We recommend avoiding cotton clothing as it gets wet and cold and doesn't dry fast.

    Other vital items are warm socks, sunglasses, sunscreen, waterproof and insulated gloves, a buff and hat.

    Winter clothing rental

    On this adventure, we offer winter clothing rental. You have the option to rent at the time of booking or up to two weeks prior to your trip. Rest assured, your attire will be ready and waiting for you in Sweden, and once your journey concludes, you can simply leave it with us. The clothes are maintained and cleaned between use.

    It's worth noting that the gear we provide is sourced from Houdini Sportswear – a premium Swedish brand celebrated for its exceptional outdoor apparel quality.

    For more information, please see "Can I rent winter clothing for this adventure?"

  • Yes! The trip price includes the hire of touring skis, ski boots, gloves, goggles, sled, snowshoes and all camping gear.

  • Yes! For this adventure, we offer winter clothing rentals.

    You have the option to rent at the time of booking or up to two weeks prior to your trip. Rest assured, your attire will be ready and waiting for you in Sweden, and once your journey concludes, you can simply leave it with us. The clothes are maintained and cleaned between use.

    It's worth noting that the gear we provide is sourced from Houdini Sportswear – a premium Swedish brand celebrated for its exceptional outdoor apparel quality.

    CLOTHING BUNDLE RENTAL £140

    • PowerHoudi – Polartec® fleece hoodie

    • Mrs. Dunfri – Primaloft® lightweight synthetic down (mid or lighter reinforcement layer)

    • RollerCoaster Jacket – Fully featured mountaineering shell jacket.

    • RollerCoaster Trousers – Waterproof and breathable 3-layer shell pants for skiing and mountaineering

    Extra Thick Reinforcement Jacket £65

    If you are a very cold person it might be worth getting this Houdini jacket for extra insulation when we are standing still, cooking or in the evenings.

    • Bouncer Jacket – Padded with Primaloft® synthetic insulation that provides incredible warmth.

  • Yes! You can find it here.

Other

  • Of course we cannot predict the weather on any given week, but temperatures normally vary between -5 and -20 ° C, and we may sometimes have temperatures of more like -30°C or even above zero. For most of the winter in Sweden it is a “dry” cold which tends to feel less cold than “damp” cold (which we have in the UK!).

    The weather can be cloudy or sunny and we can also see wind and snowfalls.

  • We won't be very far north so chances are lower on this trip than some of our trips closer to the arctic circle. Having said that, they do appear at this latitude and we will be in the wilderness where artificial light pollution will not interfere, so if they do appear it will be easy to observe them. However, just like the weather, the Northern Lights are completely unpredictable and their appearance can never be forecast with certainty, so we can never guarantee this!

  • The tour price includes full board but you may want some cash for drinks or snacks. Shopping possibilities are limited.

    ATMs are not available during the tour.