After eating a meagre breakfast I try to take as much electricity into the forest as possible.
Russian is spoken in the kitchen. Again.
The car makes weird noises but starts after some hesitation. Wonder what will happen after it has spent three nights on the parking lot. I park so that the front of the car looks outside, just in case.
Many cars in the car park. Trail is well trodden and heads right into this packed snow forest. Unbelievable. Firs stand still with their heads bowed under the heavy load. No rush, all the time I need to stop, look and wonder. So this landscape really exists. A woman with a sledge, skis and dog comes from the other direction.
Up the hill, there is a different view. And swiftly down from the other side. The cabin is already visible. And a pair of skis and a young woman cutting firewood. She stayed here last night and makes wood ready for next visitors as is the custom. That would be me. Nice. Take my bag inside, there’s a guy. Only some snacks and the camera come with me to a short tour to Soilu lean-to shelter.
Up the hill the trees are lower and more sparce. Wind has blown away the trail. The trail marks have gathered so much snow that they are three times thicker than normally. Further away is dense forest with sharp tops and the lake covered in snow.
Blinking starts to feel weird. I suppose that I’ve aquired whimpers of snow. If I’d stand here a bit longer then I’d probably soon look like the trees.
The trail goes down on the other side of Small Riisitunturi. It goes quite fast. Good that Siggi and Rakel forced me to practise skiing downhill last winter. I have to use bum-brake only once. People with snow shoes have walked zig-zag and the skis don’t quite fit into the trail.
A crossing. Only way markers to the right. I go to check out what’s there. More trees under snow. It is good to slide back down along my own trail.
The other way goes to the lean-to shelter. Again zig-zag and very steep. My biggest fear is to hit a tree and get a ton of snow on my head. The radio warned about that yesterday. Not hitting a tree but the falling snow. At the shelter are firs up to the sky and an incredible view. No wind. I improvise a fast picnic and go back.
The hut is full of people. At least it’s warm. A foreign tour group just gets ready to leave. That leaves only the guy who was here before. He’s a nature guide and photographer. A local girl with her foreign boyfriend arrive. She makes fire, chats with us and off they go. The guide-photographer also packs his bag. An elderly couple comes, they drink tea and go leaving all the hut to me.
I have fun melting snow. Mouse comes to check out the garbage bin. I’d better hang my food up for the night. Keep the fire going, light a few candles, read. Cozy.
Well, the pictures. These have to wait for the nearest WiFi.
The car makes weird noises but starts after some hesitation. Wonder what will happen after it has spent three nights on the parking lot. I park so that the front of the car looks outside, just in case.
Many cars in the car park. Trail is well trodden and heads right into this packed snow forest. Unbelievable. Firs stand still with their heads bowed under the heavy load. No rush, all the time I need to stop, look and wonder. So this landscape really exists. A woman with a sledge, skis and dog comes from the other direction.
Up the hill, there is a different view. And swiftly down from the other side. The cabin is already visible. And a pair of skis and a young woman cutting firewood. She stayed here last night and makes wood ready for next visitors as is the custom. That would be me. Nice. Take my bag inside, there’s a guy. Only some snacks and the camera come with me to a short tour to Soilu lean-to shelter.
Up the hill the trees are lower and more sparce. Wind has blown away the trail. The trail marks have gathered so much snow that they are three times thicker than normally. Further away is dense forest with sharp tops and the lake covered in snow.
Blinking starts to feel weird. I suppose that I’ve aquired whimpers of snow. If I’d stand here a bit longer then I’d probably soon look like the trees.
The trail goes down on the other side of Small Riisitunturi. It goes quite fast. Good that Siggi and Rakel forced me to practise skiing downhill last winter. I have to use bum-brake only once. People with snow shoes have walked zig-zag and the skis don’t quite fit into the trail.
A crossing. Only way markers to the right. I go to check out what’s there. More trees under snow. It is good to slide back down along my own trail.
The other way goes to the lean-to shelter. Again zig-zag and very steep. My biggest fear is to hit a tree and get a ton of snow on my head. The radio warned about that yesterday. Not hitting a tree but the falling snow. At the shelter are firs up to the sky and an incredible view. No wind. I improvise a fast picnic and go back.
The hut is full of people. At least it’s warm. A foreign tour group just gets ready to leave. That leaves only the guy who was here before. He’s a nature guide and photographer. A local girl with her foreign boyfriend arrive. She makes fire, chats with us and off they go. The guide-photographer also packs his bag. An elderly couple comes, they drink tea and go leaving all the hut to me.
I have fun melting snow. Mouse comes to check out the garbage bin. I’d better hang my food up for the night. Keep the fire going, light a few candles, read. Cozy.
Well, the pictures. These have to wait for the nearest WiFi.
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