I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays and dreaming of big snow. Most places around the globe are considerably behind schedule this year—perhaps everyone was spoiled last winter but that doesn’t do much to placate the angst.

Late last week Switchback put up a new piece on Northern Norway, one of my favorites to date. This region, the northernmost on mainland Europe, is rugged and remote but as inspiring as anywhere in the world. When putting the article together, I was fortunate to find the photography of Lars Tiede, a Tromsø resident who spends much of his free time exploring and capturing images of the area. Not only was he kind enough to provide his incredible photographs, the product of countless days on the trails, he also wrote an informative section on Tromsø and the nearby island of Kvaløya. Thanks again Lars.

It was quite an experience working with Lars, with me being in Seattle and him across the world in the Arctic Circle of Norway. At one point it was early evening here and the wee hours of the morning in Tromsø, but he assured me that sleep schedules go out the window during the polar night (when the sun never goes above the horizon!). What a trip to wrap my head around that concept, and also that somebody in the winter darkness of Arctic Norway was spending his time writing and organizing photographs strictly based on his love for that region.

In other news, I keep brainstorming on ways to make Switchback Travel the community I would want as a reader. Outdoor enthusiasts all know that nothing is better than free gear, so on Christmas Day we will be gifting a new pair of Crescent Moon snowshoes. The shoes are among the best on the market, recommended by Outside, Backpacker Magazine, Trail Runner Magazine, and the New York Times, among others. Crescent Moon is also on the cutting edge of snowshoe manufacturing—their factory in Boulder, Colorado is 100% wind-powered, recycles all scrap material, and uses no PVC. Fans of Switchback Travel can opt-in to the drawing from the ‘Christmas Promo’ tab on our Facebook page. And there’s more to come on the gear front.

For the Christmas Break and New Years, Samantha and I will be heading to Wisconsin and the North Woods for family time and cross-country skiing. I may be the slowest of this veteran group but that's nothing a well-placed pole can’t take care of.

Enjoy the season—there's more great content to come on Switchback.

David Wilkinson