Breaking through the ice is one of the most dramatic events that can happen in tour skating — and at the same time one of the least serious if you are prepared. The pack with a waterproof change of clothes provides buoyancy so that you float high in the water. The ice claws around your neck let you pull yourself up onto the edge of the ice. The throw line in your fellow skater’s pack gives extra safety. With complete equipment and training, breaking through is typically an event you climb out of yourself in 1–2 minutes, change clothes in 5 minutes, and then continue a shorter trip.

Without equipment and training it is something else entirely. Without ice claws it is nearly impossible to get up onto bare ice — you grab with fingers that slip off, you burn energy in cold water, and hypothermia sets in quickly. Without buoyancy from the pack you slide deeper into the water and use more energy. Without a throw line, fellow skaters cannot help.

For anyone who wants to take up tour skating it is therefore mandatory to practise self-rescue and buddy rescue before the first real trip. Foreningen Turskøyting and DNT Oslo organise fall-through practice evenings and rescue courses before each season starts. This is not training you do once and forget — it is a skill that must be maintained.

Self-rescue — breaking through the ice

If you go through the ice, do the following in this order:

1. Breathe out, stay calm. Cold water triggers a cold-shock response — sharp breathing and hyperventilation for 30–60 seconds. That is normal. Breathe deeply and in a controlled way. You have 1–2 minutes of good function before the cold begins to affect your fingers and coordination, and 5–15 minutes before hypothermia becomes serious.

2. Turn towards the direction you came from. That side of the ice is stronger than where you fell through. If you carry on forwards the ice may give way in the same manner.

3. Use the ice claws. Hold them out in front of you, drive them into the ice, and use them as ‘claws’ to pull yourself up onto the edge of the ice. The ice claws are the key — without them it is nearly impossible on bare ice.

4. Throw yourself forwards onto the ice. Once you have come up with the ice claws, throw your whole body forwards so that your weight is distributed outwards. Do not try to stand up immediately.

5. Slide/crawl like a seal along the ice a couple of metres before you stand up. This makes sure you are on stronger ice.

6. Stand up, communicate with your fellow skaters, and get to land or a safe place.

7. Change into dry clothes as quickly as possible. Hypothermia sets in faster than you think — even 5 minutes in wet clothing at -5 °C can be serious.

For anyone who has practised this at a fall-through practice evening: the procedure takes 1–2 minutes for the first part (out of the water), 5 minutes for the change of clothes. Total stop on the trip: 10–15 minutes.

Why the pack is life insurance

The pack with a waterproof change of clothes is not only for keeping a dry change — it is a buoyancy aid in the water:

A waterproof bag traps air and provides buoyancy
You float higher in the water than without the pack
With higher buoyancy it is easier to use the ice claws and pull yourself up

Why the attachment points matter:

A chest strap stops the pack from sliding up over your head in the water
A hip belt keeps the pack steady on your back
A crotch strap gives extra security against the pack coming loose

Without these attachment points the pack can slide into the wrong position or slip off — and you lose the buoyancy just when you need it.

Pack for a quick change of clothes:

A complete change of clothes in one bag, not several
Packing order: underwear on top (you put this on first), mid layer in the middle, outer shell at the bottom
A bag that opens quickly with stiff fingers

You should be able to open the bag and change completely within 5 minutes with cold fingers. Test this at home before your first tour-skating trip.

Buddy rescue with a throw line

If someone in the group goes through the ice, do the following in this order:

1. Stop and assess. Never rush towards the edge of the ice — you too could fall through. Keep a distance of 5–10 metres while you assess.

2. Communicate. Call out to the person in the water — let them know you are coming with a throw line, and keep them in focus.

3. Get the throw line from your pack. It should be easily accessible — in a side pocket or on the outside of the pack.

4. Throw the line towards the person. 20–25 metres is a typical length, so there should be room. Aim slightly past the person so that the line lands where they can grab hold.

5. The person in the water fastens the line to their body — or just holds on. If they already have a chest strap, the line is more effective if fastened there.

6. Pull them up onto stronger ice. Not too fast — a moderate pull to avoid tearing the line out of their hands if they lose their grip.

7. Help them up and away from the edge of the ice. The slide-like-a-seal principle applies here too.

8. Change clothes as quickly as possible. Help if they are chilled.

For a long distance: if the person in the water cannot throw the line back, you can pull yourself forwards on the ice while holding the end of the line. But: never throw yourself onto the weak ice that gave way — you will go through as well.

If you go through alone

Foreningen Turskøyting advises against going alone on natural ice. But if you do and you go through:

Self-rescue is the core — as described above. The pack and ice claws are indispensable.

After you have got up: change into dry clothes, call for help if possible, and get to land.

A phone in a waterproof bag is critical for emergency communication. Call 113 (the medical emergency number) in the event of a break-through, drowning risk or hypothermia.

Local emergency response — in popular tour-skating areas (Mjøsa, Tyrifjorden) ambulance cover is relatively close. On remote mountain tarns or in Femundsmarka you are more on your own.

For anyone considering a solo trip: do not do it in the first few seasons. Build skill and company first, and keep solo trips for later when you have systematic experience.

Fall-through practice evening and rescue courses

A fall-through practice evening is a classic event where you practise breaking through and climbing out under controlled conditions. Typically:

Known ice conditions — assessed in advance by an instructor
A dry spare pack ready on land
Warm clothes and a warm drink ready
Experienced instructors who guide each person

You deliberately go through the ice, practise climbing out with the ice claws, and learn the feel of it in your body. After 2–3 times the procedure is set — you have it in your muscle memory, not just in your head.

A rescue course is more comprehensive — typically 1 day covering:

Self-rescue (plumping)
Buddy rescue with a throw line
First aid for hypothermia
Communication in an emergency
Prevention and risk assessment

Foreningen Turskøyting has run rescue courses every season for about 15 years. DNT Oslo is expanding its offering from the 2025/2026 season with its own guide team.

To find a course in your area: turskoyting.no or a local Facebook group.

Hypothermia — what to do

If someone develops hypothermia after breaking through:

Signs of mild hypothermia (core temperature 35–32 °C):

Strong shivering
Cold hands, fingers, lips
Confusion or impaired judgement

Signs of severe hypothermia (below 32 °C):

Shivering stops (paradoxically — the body is conserving energy)
The person becomes sluggish, speaks unclearly
Loses consciousness

Treatment:

Get the person out of the cold environment — a tent, a building, a vehicle with heating.
Remove wet clothes — warmth in dry, insulating material is critical.
Put the person in a sleeping bag or warm blankets — body heat transfers better with several layers.
A warm drink if possible — if the person can swallow.
Do not rub the skin — it can trigger cardiac arrest in a severely hypothermic person.
Call 113 for severe hypothermia.

For anyone who does tour skating in remote areas: pack first-aid equipment that covers hypothermia treatment. Extra warm clothing, a sleeping bag in the pack (for longer trips), a flask with a warm drink.

Preparation — practise before it happens

The most common difference between good and poor self-rescue is not knowledge — it is practice. People who have practised 3–4 times at a fall-through practice evening manage the procedure with cold fingers. People who have only read about it panic and take twice as long.

To build skill:

A fall-through practice evening before your first season — not optional
A repeated fall-through practice evening every 2–3 years — maintain the skill
A mental run-through — visualise the procedure regularly
Throw-line practice — at home in the garden, or before each season

For groups: make the fall-through practice evening a social event. Foreningen Turskøyting and local groups typically organise this in November–December before the main season.

What can go wrong

Classic mistakes in self-rescue:

Forgotten ice claws — the most common. People have them at home or in the car, but not around their neck. Without them, climbing out on bare ice is nearly impossible.

The pack fastened wrongly — without a chest strap or hip belt the pack slides about in the water. You lose buoyancy and function.

Too many clothes under the pack — this makes the pack sit too tightly and it cannot provide optimal buoyancy. Layer on layer directly under the pack is better.

Panic and hyperventilation — a natural response, but it can drain energy. Breathe in a controlled way, and know that the cold shock passes within 1 minute.

Trying to stand up too soon — leads to going through again. Slide like a seal a couple of metres first.

Forgetting the change of clothes — coming up wet, trying to warm up without changing. Hypothermia sets in faster.

No throw line — you cannot carry out a buddy rescue. Even if you go alone you should have a throw line so you can help others.

For anyone who wants to avoid these mistakes: attend a fall-through practice evening at least once before your first season, and a refresher every 2–3 years.

Next steps

If you do tour skating and have not attended a fall-through practice evening: sign up for next season’s event through Foreningen Turskøyting or a local DNT chapter. It is the single investment that most directly increases your safety.

If you attended a fall-through practice evening several years ago: go again. Skills disappear without practice.

For groups: consider organising a local fall-through practice evening for beginners. Foreningen Turskøyting has materials and experience in helping.

For related topics: ice safety covers prevention — reading the ice correctly before you go through. Tour-skating equipment covers what you need.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).

Self-rescue and buddy rescue