This is a question we get all the time. It’s also a question we wrestled with when our kids were young.
If you’re looking for a short and quick answer, here it is: It is too cold to ski when you think it is too cold ski.
Temperatures are relative. 5° F (-15° C) on a sunny day can feel warmer than 20° F (-7° C) on a windy, snowy day. There is no definitive temperature telling you when it’s too cold to ski.
So our best advice is to bundle up and try skiing. If you or your kids feel cold, return to the lodge or a warming hut. Eat some soup or drink some cocoa and then try again.
Want to dig a little further into this topic? Keep reading for specific “stay warm” tips and suggestions.
Additionally, since cold weather can cause serious health issues (also covered below), if anyone is complaining of the cold, respect that and call it a day.
Stay Warm Tip #1: The Right Clothing
Wearing the right ski clothes makes a big difference when it comes to staying warm.
This doesn’t mean you have to buy the most expensive brands. It does mean dressing yourself and your children in the best coat, pants, mittens and layers you can afford.
Look for well-made, basic ski clothes.
Ski pants and jackets should be waterproof and insulated (ideally with natural or synthetic down, like PrimaLoft).
Socks and baselayers/long underwear should be synthetic or wool, never cotton.
Fleece pullovers, down sweaters and down vests are excellent mid-layers.
Mittens and gloves should be waterproof and insulated.
Add Another Layer
Even on temperate days, a good rule for parents skiing with young children is to dress your kids exactly as you are dressed and add one layer. I learned this handy tip (she’s got 10!) from my friend Alyssa at The Kid Project.
Children get cold more quickly than adults and if your child gets too warm, it’s easy to shed a layer.
The same holds true on the coldest days. Double up on baselayers and don an extra fleece or down vest. If you get too warm, take off a layer.
On a frigid day at Welch Village, Minnesota, we all bundled up. The less exposed skin, the better.
Avoid cold hands with wool or synthetic mitten liners and/or disposable hand warmers.
Close the vents on your helmet and add a thin beanie underneath. Or better yet, pull your jacket’s hood up over the helmet. Instant relief!
Balaclavas, neoprene face masks and neck gaiters also add warmth.
The only thing you should never layer? Your ski socks. One thin pair of good ski or snowboard socks is all you need.
Stay Warm Tip #2: An Electric Boost?
If you or your kids are chronically cold you might want to try an electric coat heater.
It’s very well-designed, easy to use and provides steady heat for approximately four hours.
A shot of the Torch electric coat heater installed with velcro in a jacket. Photo: Torch.
Stay Warm Tip #3: Stay Dry
Cold and damp ski clothing and ski boots will make you feel cold and damp. Especially when skiing with kids, bring along extra socks, mittens and long underwear, just in case something gets wet.
Also, dry your boots thoroughly, after each ski day. We use fans or hot sticks, but if you don’t have these, remove the boot liners from the shells and drop disposable hand warmers into the liners. Leave them to dry overnight.
Tip from my local ski shop: If you have a hard time putting liners back into your boots, invest $10-$15 on a Ski Boot Horn. It’s a slick piece of plastic shaped like the back of a ski boot. Stick it into the shell and slide the liner in.
Easy-peasy.
Stay Warm Tip #4: Eat and Drink
Hunger and thirst make everyone cold. Take frequent breaks to refuel, rehydrate and warm up. Never skip lunch.
Cold Weather Safety
Extremely low temperatures can cause serious conditions like frostnip, frostbite and hypothermia.
Children are more vulnerable to these conditions than adults, as they lose heat more rapidly through their skin.
Additionally, when kids are having fun, they may not realize that they are cold. If you can, bring your kids in to get warm before they complain of being cold.
Frostnip and Frostbite
Frostnip happens before frostbite. It usually affects exposed skin, turning it red, tingly or numb. Frostnip is best treated by coming inside and warming up.
Frostbite happens when ice crystals form in the skin and deeper tissues. Frostbit skin is completely numb and looks white, grayish-yellow or grayish-blue and waxy.
If you suspect frostbite, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when body temperature drops a few degrees below normal.
Hypothermia symptoms are shivering, having to go to the bathroom, confusion and sleepiness.
These symptoms are broad and general. So, when skiing with kids come inside if your child shows any of them.
Life-threatening hypothermia symptoms include tight or stiff muscles, blurry vision and slurred speech. Seek immediate emergency care for anyone with these symptoms.
For More Information
If you have questions about taking your children into the cold, or their safety in cold weather, please consult your pediatrician.
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Great Post BSM – I have definitely learned that a good fitting boot does not need to have the lower buckles cranked down – since i learned this my feet are much warmed and feel great all day long which makes me a better person to ski with!
Also, re: the cold-is-relative issue. I’m not familiar with humidity in Norway, but I think it’s true that humidity is also important here. More humidity generally makes things feel colder: 32 degrees F on the East Coast feels colder than 32 degrees F in Colorado or Utah and that’s because of the greater humidity. I once read up on this and scientists aren’t exactly sure why this is. They know that greater humidity makes heat feel hotter in summer because you can’t release heat via your skin (and, thus, perspire) as easily as when there is lower humidity. But there are, apparently, several things going on with humidity in the cold weather months that could cause it to feel colder when there is higher humidity.
the hills of minny start considering shutting things down when i gets circa -20/25 degrees windchill. We (girls included) have endured -25/30 degrees windchill. Not fun, but makes CO skiing feel like a perpetual blue bird spring day.
Spot on on tips on layering. We also keep the folks that make toe and hand warmers in business.
I have skied in Minnesota when it was 8° with no wind chill. I thought it was cold, but bearable. I can’t imagine the conditions you’re describing! Maybe I’ll experience them when I come up there in February! LOL