What Is Cross-Country Skiing with a Pulka? We at Pihka Outdoors know it best!
Shortly, it is the most perfect way of exploring Scandinavian nature in winter time. And if someone knows, we scandinavians know! You pack your gear in to the pulka and start hauling it while skiing. Much more efficient way to carry your camping gear than a backpack!
1. The Basics – What Exactly Is a Pulka or Pulka Trekking?
A pulka (or ahkio in Finnish) is a strong fiberglass or hard plastic sled designed to carry your gear during a winter expedition.
The bottom surface is slick and glides easily on snow, which minimizes friction and makes it surprisingly effortless to pull with a harness.
A typical pulka holds around 200L of volume and comes with a protective cover fabric to keep your equipment dry and away form snow. The pulka is attached to a pulling harness with a shaft or a rope that you wear around your waist. You can pull it either while cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
In short, it’s your mobile gear carrier — simple, reliable, and perfect for Lapland’s snowy landscapes.
2. Why Use a Pulka on a Cross-country ski Trek?
Let’s compare: imagine carrying a 30 kg backpack versus pulling the same 30 kg load in a pulka.
After several hours, your shoulders and back will feel the strain of a backpack, while the pulka’s weight glides smoothly behind you on snow. Your hips and abs will do all the work.
The pulka distributes weight more efficiently and saves your energy. There’s no downward pressure on your spine or joints, which means you can ski for hours without discomfort.
The harness system is wide and padded, giving a stable, ergonomic pull. When climbing uphill, shoulder straps or side belts provide extra leverage — it actually feels powerful, not painful.
That’s why all skiers use pulka on their Winter expeditions: they’re efficient, balanced, and built for real winter wilderness traversing.
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3. How a Typical Pulka Expedition Works with Pihka Outdoors
A typical day on our Lapland ski trekking adventures begins quietly in a wilderness hut.
After breakfast, you pack your gear into your pulka and get ready to move. Once everyone in the group is prepared, we set off — gliding calmly through snow-covered forests or open fells.
We move at a comfortable pace, stopping for short drink breaks and snack pauses.
Lunch is often a longer rest, where we prepare a hot meal together outdoors wearing big and warm down jacekt. The day usually lasts between 5 to 8 hours, depending on weather and terrain.
In the afternoon, we reach a new hut or camp. You take care of yourself, dry your clothing, and rest for the next day.
The guide leads the group, sets the rhythm, and ensures everyone stays safe — but teamwork makes the journey smoother. We look out for each other, share the effort, and enjoy the adventure together.
This is slow travel at its best — moving quietly, surrounded by pure Arctic nature.
4. Do You Need Previous Experience to Ski with a Pulka?
Not necessarily!
At Pihka Outdoors, we offer several levels of ski trekking and snowshoe expeditions designed for beginners and moderate adventurers alike.
Skiing with a pulka isn’t about complex technique — it’s about steady movement and stamina.
You don’t need to be an experienced skier, but a fairly good level of physical fitness is recommended.
Your guide will teach you how to move efficiently, use poles correctly, and pack your pulka so it glides perfectly behind you.
Before joining, it helps to prepare your aerobic and core endurance, but don’t worry — we start gently and adapt the pace to the group.
Conditions vary: sometimes we ski on groomed tracks, sometimes on snowmobile trails, and sometimes through untouched snow.
The snow’s texture also changes daily — on one day you glide effortlessly, the next day you might push through soft powder. That’s part of the Arctic experience — real, raw, and rewarding.
5. Where to Try Cross-Country Skiing with a Pulka in Lapland
If you ever visit Ylläs or Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park in northern Finland, come meet us at Pihka Outdoors.
We have all the gear and can arrange a short test session to give you a feel for real ski trekking.
If you’d like to simulate the experience at home and don’t have winter conditions, you can even try this simple exercise:
- Wear a sturdy backpack
- Attach a long rope to the pack
- Tie the other end of the rope to a car tire (or two)
- Find a quiet gravel road or frozen lake and walk with trekking poles, pulling the tire behind you
It’s not quite the same as gliding through the Arctic, but you’ll quickly understand what it means to move with weight efficiently — just like on an expedition.
The Essence of Ski Trekking with a Pulka
Cross-country skiing with a pulka isn’t a race. It’s a slow-paced Arctic journey — one that connects you deeply to nature.
You move through silence, surrounded by clean air and endless snowfields, your breath forming small clouds in the cold air.
Far away from civilization, every sound feels meaningful — the crunch of snow, the whisper of wind, and your sled gliding behind you.
That’s when you realize: this isn’t just a skiing adventure.
It’s a way to experience Lapland’s wilderness authentically, the same way Arctic explorers have done for generations.
