My Northern Home

Due the big snow amount, we have had this winter in Lapland, snow surfing has been the thing to do. As many people I know, has been snow surfing, as many people has been asking me "What is snow surfing?" This always little bit confuse me. For first because it is weird that somebody doesn't know at least one person who has done it. And for second, What can I say to explain it? It is just what it sounds like, snow surfing a.k.a surfing on the snow. You know surfing right? Big influence for snow surfing coming so popular here at my living zone, is my dear friend, who taught himself to build a snow surf board and then helped all of us who wanted to build our own. The man is genius with his DIY skills and the most kind person I have ever met. So, before heading out to my next adventure, I built my own equipment, like a hardcore adventurer would do. And I'm so proud of myself! Plus it was super fun to de...

"Why go further into the sea for fish?" We had a lot of expectations from our adventure. As it was our only common day off during seemingly a long time period. We bought one-way tickets to the top, as always. I was happy I didn't need to stay on the slopes today either. The lift station was packed with Finnish winter holiday tourists. We heard one of the staff members guiding a group of tourist where they would find the best powder near the lifts. That was our usual spot. But obviously not today. There wouldn't be too much powder left. So we took a risk. And would head out to the more open areas of Luosto. There would be steeper hill sides and the snow would be more exposed to the wind and sun. And there would be a higher risk of avalanche. This would be definitely an adventure. Arriving to the far back side of Luosto, the wind was hard and sun was warming our skin. The view was spectacular. This was goi...

I'm super great full for the crazy friends in my life. My life would be so much more duller without them. And after all, the best side-kick for an adventure is a person, who says "Yes, it's a good idea to walk over 4 km in dark forest after full working day!" "Let's do it!" So about 9.30 pm we started walking with snowshoes from Perhe-Luosto parking area towards unknown. Our goal was to reach the Yli-Luosto wilderness hut for the night. 4 km of walking. Piece of cake! We just follow the forest side between the swamp and the fell and will arrive to the hut about in two hours. The weather was really mild, only little bit below zero. The snow was deep and sinking to knee beside our snowshoes. Our whole world was the size of our headlamp spotlight. The "forest" was newly cut and the trees small and bushy. So there was only bad choices to go. We were sweating and cursing and changing t...

Pyhä-Nattanen or Nattaset is a place that has been on my to-do list for a long time. Now, finally, with a little push from my friend, we went to explore the fells. It is impossible to not have heard about the place, as in Some looks like everybody has been there. This was obviously for me a reason to go there at off-season, as I don't want to be there with everybody else. First time I came across with the place in Samuli Paulaharju's book about Sompio wilderness area history (Sompio, 1939) . He is writing that Sompio is an area between two Pyhä. I knew the southern Pyhä as I had lived there for four years, but I was curious about this other Pyhä. What is it? Where is it? So we hopped in my car and started to drive north from Sodankylä. We knew that the place should be some kilometers away, but still in Sodankylä commune. As we drive more and more north and 100 km and a bit more than one ...

Here is some of discoveries from Kiimalaki, Kaarestunturi. Same as with Sattasvaara, I wanted to separate them in to their own blog writing. As I have been trying not to make these writings too long! I manage again find some Palleroporonjäkälä ( Cladonia stellaris ), which like wikipedia says is an important lichen for reindeers to eat in wintertime. Now days though when there is too many reindeers, you can't find this lichen anywhere else, but the places which are so rocky and deep, that reindeers can't go there. I'm always so happy to see this little guy. Back in Eastern-Finland we had this a lot everywhere, but there is no reindeers so no wander why. I found also from the top of the hill a place where a lightning had struck. And then this guy. For me it little bit looks like a dragon's head with big mustaches, like with the Chinese dragon. The most interesting thing I found though, was this weird piece of bone. It was super light, s...

Kaarestunturi is a wide mountain with many peaks. Both times when i have been sitting on top of Sattasvaara, I have been looking over here and promised to myself to explore this mountain also. Now it came time to keep this promise. Like said, it's a wide mountain with many peaks, so i decided to cut this adventure in smaller pieces. From the map, I realized that I actually live now super close to Kaarestunturi on it's southern side. My plan was just to drive on bumpy little dirt roads and see, where would be good place to ditch the car and start hiking. When I found the road that was leading to the foot of the most southern peak of the mountain, I parked the car and thought, I will take just a little look while I'm here. Well, we all know what "just a little look" means. I spend nearly three hours (of course without water or any other supplies) on the field and actually climbed on top of the first peak called Kiimalak...