Skiing is one of the most popular winter sports out there, but being able to shred down a mountainside safely requires you to be able to stay warm. Extreme cold can pose serious risks to skiers and snowboarders alike.
Sure, there are certain things you can do to help manage your body heat and to keep yourself from turning into an icicle, but these measures only go so far. At a certain point, Mother Nature will win out, and you’ll have to set your skiing gear aside for a warmer day. So, how cold is too cold to ski?
How Cold Is Too Cold to Ski?
While individual tolerance to cold varies, skiing in temperatures below 0°F (-18°C) is considered extreme, and wind chill can make it much colder. Ensure no skin is exposed, and wear appropriate clothing to combat the cold. Ski resorts may close their slopes if temperatures go below -20°F (-29°C).
What is Wind Chill and How Does it Affect You Skiing?
The wind chill is how cold it feels when the wind is factored into the current outdoor air temperature. Wind chill takes into account the drastic cooling effect that the cold wind has on exposed skin.
This therefore makes it feel much colder than it technically is. The cold temperatures combined with the wind chill cause the body to lose heat much faster than it otherwise would.
Even if the outdoor temperature is 20° Fahrenheit (-6.7°C), an extreme wind may make the temperature feel like 5° Fahrenheit (-15°C) or even colder! Not only does this make you feel much colder when skiing, but it also increases your risk of developing hypothermia.
Although not directly related to your warmth, extreme winds can also cause other hazards on a ski slope that need to be approached with caution, such as snow drifts and icy patches.
Is it Dangerous to Ski in Cold Weather?
Yes, it can be dangerous to ski in cold weather, especially if you are not adequately prepared for it. For instance, one of the biggest threats is hypothermia, which occurs when the body temperature drops below 95° Fahrenheit (35°C).
Hypothermia can occur with prolonged exposure to temperatures below 50° Fahrenheit (10°C). Temperatures when skiing are usually always below 50° Fahrenheit (10°C), because snow doesn’t stay frozen unless temperatures are below the freezing mark.
Extreme cold can also result in frostnip or frostbite (frostnip is the precursor stage to the far more serious frostbite). This is essentially when your extremities get so cold that they literally freeze, which can result in the loss of limbs. If the temperature is below freezing, this is a very real threat.
Something else to watch out for is that skiing in extreme cold can cause breathing difficulties. Extremely cold air can quite literally burn the inside of your lungs, therefore causing severe pain and breathing difficulties.
How Do You Stay Warm Skiing in Very Cold Weather?
If you’re planning on going skiing in the extreme cold, there are some measures you can take to ensure that you stay warm and safe.
1. The Right Clothing
Staying warm all starts with the right clothing, and several layers of it. Several thinner layers are shown to help retain more heat than one thick layer.
Therefore, you should aim to wear a first interior layer, something like thermal cold-weather clothing, with Thinsulate long johns being a prime example.
This inside layer should be designed to retain heat and wick moisture away from the skin. You can still get moist and sweaty when skiing, which will end up cooling you down even more, thus making a moisture-wicking layer against your skin very important. Wearing a thick, wind-proof balaclava is a great way to protect your face in cold conditions.
You should then have a second layer designed to retain heat, so something like a thick fleece sweater and you can choose to bundle up pants if you want. I often just wear my base thermal underwear that is designed for cold-temperature use. Feel free to wear 2 pairs of thermal underwear for extra protection, you still want to be able to move comfortably.
The outside layer should be for warmth, as well as wind and moisture protection. You don’t want wind and snow cooling you down and getting you wet, so a wind and waterproof outside layer is called for. Choose how quality ski jacket and ski pants, these will be rated to protect you against snow from getting you wet and the wind cooling you down.
A Pro tip is to avoid cotton as it absorbs and retains too much moisture!
2. Warming Equipment
There are plenty of special shoe insoles and hand warmers that you can use for this purpose as well. These generally feature some kind of chemical reaction that creates heat, and usually lasts for several hours. These can be put inside of gloves, boots, and coats too.
3. Regular Breaks
If you’re feeling cold, the best way to warm up is to go inside. Ski resorts should all have chalets that are full of hot drinks and warm air for you to recover in. There’s no sense in toughing it out when you could have a hot cocoa inside.
4. Stay Hydrated and Eat Right
Eating and drinking right, particularly hot foods and beverages, should also help keep you warm. They can warm you up from the inside out! When I go skiing, I will often drink a hot chocolate and have a hot bowl of chili. Most ski resorts offer these meals because they know how important the heat is!
5. Watch the Weather and Temperatures
It is also recommended that you keep an eye on the weather and the temperatrues. If conditions are to be extremely cold, it may be wise to postpone your ski trip. And don’t forget to consider the wind chill as we discussed above.
Can a Ski Resort Close if it’s Too Cold?
Whether or not a ski resort closes when it is very cold is left to the discretion of the owners. Some ski resorts may close if temperatures are below -22°F (-30°C), as this is considered extreme.
Most ski resorts close due to the lack of snow, but sometimes cold temperatures can cause them to close up for the day. Heli-skiing tours are also known to be canceled due to extreme temps and poor weather.
Here are some examples of ski resorts closing due to temperatures:
- Various New England Ski Mountains Closed Due to Cold Weather
- Showdown Montana Closed Dec 21st – 22nd, 2022 (Highs -20F, lows -60F)
- Some BC ski resorts temporarily closed lodges and lifts (-23 Celsius)
Tip: Use a Thermal Phone Case to Prevent Cold from Killing Battery
Your phone is always a go-to tool in an emergency, and it’s wise to have one on you when skiing. However, extreme cold saps battery life, which means that your phone might be dead when you need it the most.
Therefore, having something like this TREQA™ Arctic Thermal Phone Case or this PHOOZY Apollo Series Thermal Phone Case can come in very handy. It will keep your phone warm and preserve the battery life in the event that you need to make an emergency call.
Can You Ski During a Heavy Snowfall?
Skiing during a heavy snowfall won’t necessarily make you colder, but it will reduce visibility, sometimes to zero visibility. Skiing when you can’t see where you are going is very unsafe and should be avoided.
Know When to Stop Skiing in the Cold – Final Thoughts
If you’re feeling like no matter what you do, you just can’t get warm, then it’s probably time to call it a day and trade in your ski boots for some cozy slippers and a hot cocoa. Although there are great ways to keep warm when temperatures are low, risking your own safety is never worth it.
Jamie is the founder of Action Sporter. He is the chief zipline writer and the lead editor. He has 5 years of zipline experience being a tour guide in Newfoundland. Most of the time you can find Jamie adventure traveling, hiking, skiing, skateboarding, or anything action related!
