Picture Galleries & Stories from my Hiking Trips and Journeys
Just a few kilometer North of Hetta is Pahtajärvi, a worthy detour on the foot- or bike way to Näkkälä; or also a possible round trip via the Fell Lapland Nature Center Skierri – or Jyppyrävaara respectively.
In winter an easy skiing track, in summer mainly for hikers; but it is also possible to ride a mountain bike (most of the way), even though the trail is very demanding! Continue reading “Pahtajärvi – The Secret Shelter of the Mighty Mosquito”
For approximately two months, the sun does not sink below the horizon in Hetta, peaking around the 20th of June. Looking forward to the 21st of July, when the night finally should start its fight for a comeback in the Enontekiö region, a short trip to the lake on Pyhäkero was supposed to utilize some advantages of the (still) continuing brightness. Continue reading “Swimming Under the Midnight Sun – Bike & Hike to the Pyhäkero Summit”
As I wrote in the last entry, with the beginning of May the poles for marking the skiing tracks were removed, signalling the end of the winter – and the way too short skiing season. This fact however, let my girl friend and me decide to cross the lake Ounasjärvi for the last time this winter and to go on a small skiing trip into Pallas-Ounas national park, to stay over at the autiotupa Sioskuru. Continue reading “Sioskuru – The Last Skiing Trip This Winter”
The day before yesterday – or presterday, as I would call it – the poles marking the skiing tracks unfortunately have been removed; the unmarking of the tracks is marking the end of the skiing season, leaving the (ex-)pistes open for (noisy, smelly and polluting) snowmobiles to ruin the rest of the tracks even quicker than the warm spring sun is doing it. This altogether leaves some icy and rough traces in the snow, that still shows you, where once the tracks have brought comfort to the cross-country skier. Continue reading “Rautujärvi Again – The Quick Retreat of the Snow”
Recently I was feeling like having a late dinner at the Rautujärvi laavu. Since I usually enjoy it pretty much to ski (only) in the atmospheric night light, I was wondering how much night there still is at this time of the year. In the cities and villages this is always a bit tricky to figure out, since the light pollution even in small places are interfering quite much with the natural light situation. Continue reading “The Night Has Gone – Dinner at Rautujärvi”
Recently, on the way with the car in somewhere in Lapland, I discovered how connective the Lappish winter can be: some border villages along the Muonio river only have a road connection in the cold season of the year. On the first two images you can see the road connection over the frozen river between Saivomuotka (SWE) and Sonkamuoatka (FIN). The next regular bridge is about 40 km away. So that’s how winter is (physically) connecting the Northern countries :-) Continue reading “Short Roadtrip in Lapland. Or: The Connective Character of Winter”
On the Easter weekend we took advantage of the warm spring weather and well maintained skiing tracks, to carry a pulk with our backpacks and some food to the open wilderness hut Pahakuru, to stay there for one night. On the next day – on the way back – it was much more windy, though still sunny at the beginning. However, after Sioskuru there was no sight anymore, so heavy winds and strong snowfall kept me away from taking more pictures .. Continue reading “Skiing to Pahakuru – in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park”
