The Big Freeze

Markus Stitz has to throw all of his gear, experience and resolve at surviving a sub-zero, 700km tour of Norway in January.

WORDS AND PHOTOS MARKUS STITZ

Sitting at a bus stop next to the road, I make use of my handwarmers for the first time on this trip. Among the multiple pairs of gloves, hats and socks, they are my last resort before bailing. I am on my way from Hageseter near the Dovre National Park to a small hut south of Alvdal. You have possibly never heard of any of those places in Southern Norway. Although one thing you can imagine about being here in the middle of January, around 350km north of Oslo, it is cold.

I can’t tell you exactly how cold the air is when I pull my handwarmers out of my panniers and attach them to the inside of my lobster gloves, but the last thermometer reading I did in the morning was -16°C. Cold air sinks into valleys, and for most of my day I have been descending. So, currently, I’m experiencing something around -20°C with no warmth in sight for a while.

I hold on tight to my thermal flask while I take a selfie with my tripod. The coffee is lukewarm but tastes like the best coffee in the world. My eyebrows are covered in ice, and so is the rest of my face. My eyes are, as normal, protected by ski goggles; my face is covered by a merino balaclava. My ears and upper head are additionally protected by a thick merino hat. And while I love my lightweight bike helmet in any other conditions, right now, a more insulated ski or snowboard helmet might be the more appropriate choice.

My eyebrows are covered in ice, and so is the rest of my face.

When it’s too cold to grit the road, you need some specialist rubber… with studs.