Picture Galleries & Stories from my Hiking Trips and Journeys
A nice skiing track in the Hetta region is the Sammalvaaran latu (Sammalvaara skiing trail), which is a bit West of the main tracks from Hetta to Pyhäkero and Sioskuru, and which has two lean-to shelters along the trail: the Rautujärvi laavu, and the Postitupajärvi laavu. The latter one was the target for this short skiing trip, which we choose for having our lunch that day. Continue reading “On the Sammalvaara Skiing Trail to the Postitupajärvi Lean-To Shelter”
After a very busy December the idea came up, to find some relaxing days in the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park – or more precisely – to visit the Hannukuru area for a decent sauna turn in the middle of the wonderful nature, and in the middle of the polar night. The plan was to take our (borrowed) forest skiers to go to Hannukuru for a relaxing sauna evening, and to return back home the same way. Fortunately (I have to say), a heavy snowfall made us stuck in the beautiful Hannukuru valley, where we experienced a most wonderful night under the clear full moon sky – topped with some northern lights, just after the snowfall ended. Continue reading “During the Polar Night to Hannukuru: Skiing, Sauna, Full Moon, and Northern Lights in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park”
Recently, a few visitors and friends asked me, how often I have already walked through Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. Well – the truth is, never before. OK, I have often been in the national park, but never really walked through it. However, with two friends deciding to walk from Pallas to Hetta, I joined their decision and then them, to also get my premiere – at least for the part through the two Northern fell areas. The reason why I never did that before, was, Continue reading “Pallas-Hetta – Taking the “Highway” in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park”
In Winter it’s easy and comfortable to get to Rautujärvi from Hetta, by just crossing the lake Ounasjärvi and having a short distance skiing trip up to the lake. In summer however, reaching the very same destination becomes a bit more tricky: The trails that can be found in various hiking maps are all winter tracks (that cross different lakes and mires). In order to avoid getting wet feet, the idea was Continue reading “Rautujärvi in Summer – Without Getting Wet Feet!”
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”
