I save two minutes in the morning by not scratching ice from front window. It will melt by the time I reach the big road.
Besides, I managed to sit in the car half an hour earlier than yesterday and will so be in the park when planned. Only counted hours of light here this time of year.
It’s all white under the trees and the ice on the window does not help. At some point the car moves smoothly off the road. Since snow covers half the door on my side I have to get out from the passenger’s side. So the half an hour that I was faster getting on the move are spent shovelling snow around the car. In the starting position the car has two left side wheels in snow and the two other ones on the road. After a while two front wheels are in the snow and the back is on the road. It is an unpleasantly steep roadside. Finally all wheels are on the road and I leave just some messed up snow. Also get rid of the ice once I’m already out of the car anyway.
Today is a lot warmer than yesterday, only minus 20 and later even less. It is suitably cloudy with faint snowfall since I’ve planned to go on a longer ski tour. The slow trail takes about 9 km to Ahmatupa and the same lenght another way back. Let’s see how long I cover almost the same distance on trail that would of been to Ahmatupa in Riisitunturi. They don’t bother much with names here.
I dive into forest, no-one has used the trail today but a snowmobile has been here yesterday. Down the hill, over some swamps, then curved trail under trees. Surroundings are black and white, trees look like drawn. Windless and quiet, only some animal traces hint on other beings.
In two hours I’m at Ahmatupa. There’s a young couple with skis and sledges, they have been touring around the park for almost a week. If I’d known better these trails and huts then a 2-3 days trip would have been nice. An older couple arrives from the fast track. After some picnic everyone leaves in different directions.
The way back goes easily and effortlessly. There’s a big risk to re-learn skiing that way. Snowing stops for a while, only to start again with especially large snowflakes. When I complete the circle I see that a fat bike has been driving on my traces. No other traffic visible. Soundless forest, falling snow. Almost sterile.
With snack and photo stops it took five hours. So I didn’t overestimate myself but underestimated the landscape in Riisitunturi by thinking that the summer trail would be usable in the winter.
It seems that the Laplandic forests are worth a visit in winter, especially during workdays and before Finnish ski vacations have started.
It’s all white under the trees and the ice on the window does not help. At some point the car moves smoothly off the road. Since snow covers half the door on my side I have to get out from the passenger’s side. So the half an hour that I was faster getting on the move are spent shovelling snow around the car. In the starting position the car has two left side wheels in snow and the two other ones on the road. After a while two front wheels are in the snow and the back is on the road. It is an unpleasantly steep roadside. Finally all wheels are on the road and I leave just some messed up snow. Also get rid of the ice once I’m already out of the car anyway.
Today is a lot warmer than yesterday, only minus 20 and later even less. It is suitably cloudy with faint snowfall since I’ve planned to go on a longer ski tour. The slow trail takes about 9 km to Ahmatupa and the same lenght another way back. Let’s see how long I cover almost the same distance on trail that would of been to Ahmatupa in Riisitunturi. They don’t bother much with names here.
I dive into forest, no-one has used the trail today but a snowmobile has been here yesterday. Down the hill, over some swamps, then curved trail under trees. Surroundings are black and white, trees look like drawn. Windless and quiet, only some animal traces hint on other beings.
In two hours I’m at Ahmatupa. There’s a young couple with skis and sledges, they have been touring around the park for almost a week. If I’d known better these trails and huts then a 2-3 days trip would have been nice. An older couple arrives from the fast track. After some picnic everyone leaves in different directions.
The way back goes easily and effortlessly. There’s a big risk to re-learn skiing that way. Snowing stops for a while, only to start again with especially large snowflakes. When I complete the circle I see that a fat bike has been driving on my traces. No other traffic visible. Soundless forest, falling snow. Almost sterile.
With snack and photo stops it took five hours. So I didn’t overestimate myself but underestimated the landscape in Riisitunturi by thinking that the summer trail would be usable in the winter.
It seems that the Laplandic forests are worth a visit in winter, especially during workdays and before Finnish ski vacations have started.
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