Konttainen Kuhaus Trail in winter invites you to an incredible crown-snow heaven. Konttainen is almost as high as Valtavaara, the peak reaches 433 meters above sea level. At the top of Konttainen there are several viewpoints from which the scenery opens up to North Kuusamo and Ruka, Valtavaara and Lake Konttaisenjärvi.

Konttaisen Kuhaus Trail is located right in the northern part of the Valtavaara nature reserve. In the nature reserves of Valtavaara and Pyhävaara you can find breathtakingly beautiful hill and fell landscapes. There are many wonderful routes suitable for day hiking in the nature reserves, as well as the legendary Karhunkierros Bear’s Trail hiking route through the Konttainen peak. Konttainen is great for both summer and winter hiking.

Konttainen parking area and Siberian jays

The starting point of the Konttainen winter route is the Konttainen parking area along Virkkulantie road. The address of the Konttainen parking lot in Google Maps is Virkkulantie 43. Right next to the parking area, there is an information sign and a map of Konttainen trail and a sign for the route. Konttainen area has no fireplace or dry toilets.

Right next to the Konttainen parking area is the Kuusamo bird club's official winter bird feeding site. There are feeding points attached to the trunks of the trees, where the cute little birds eat the seeds. Siberian jays come to eat treats out of hand, and the place is perfect for taking classic Siberian jay photos.

Two stretches for the Karhunkierros 50 km wilderness trail also start along Virkkulantie road near Konttainen. A maintained cross-country skiing track runs from Virkkula to Ruka via Valtavaara for skiers only. There is a 14 km track from Virkkula to Juuma, which can also be used for snowshoeing and biking.

The Konttaisen Kuhaus Trail

The Konttaisen Kuhaus Trail is mainly a ring route, the short first stretch is hiked along the same route in both directions. You can hike the ring route in either direction, the recommended direction is counterclockwise. You can get a map of the winter routes free of charge from various places, such as equipment rental shops in Ruka.

Konttaisen Kuhaus Trail in winter is a popular outdoors destination, and the path often remains trodden. So, you don't need snowshoes, unless it has been snowing heavily just before your trip. With snowshoes and sliding snowshoes, you can go around the crown-snow trees off the trail as well. Biking is completely prohibited in the Konttainen area.

Konttaisen Kuhaus Trail is one of the easiest winter routes in Ruka, even though it is classified as demanding. Konttainen's route is also one of the shortest, the length of the circuit is only two kilometers. The estimated hiking time is about an hour, but in the incredible scenery it can easily take two.

The route is clearly marked with green and orange signs and signposts, and there is almost no risk of getting lost. When walking in nature in winter, it is always good to be prepared for navigating and to know the basics of winter hiking.

Description of the Konttainen winter route

From the parking area, you go directly to the route, at the beginning of which there is a sign "Karhunkierros" and "Konttaisen kuhaus 2 km". At first, you go up a gentle slope in a dense forest, meandering. If you're on the move before sunrise, it's pretty dark in the forest.

After a short section of the trail, you reach a crossroads with signs back to the parking area and to the right to Konttainen Kuhaus Trail and to the left to Karhunkierros. The actual circular route starts at the intersection, and you can choose the direction here. I walked counter-clockwise, which is the recommended direction of hiking.

From the intersection, it is only a few tens of meters to the first wonderful viewpoint. From the path, someone had continued along the track on skis or sliding snowshoes in the direction of Iso Kumpuvaara hill. At exactly 8:19 a.m., the burning orange sun rose above Lake Porontimajärvi and Virkkula, and as it rose, it colored Konttaisenhäntä's cold blue glistening tail with golden spots. Just to see this landscape at sunrise is worth coming to Konttainen!

The path continues up between the candle firs. Admirers of the morning sun should turn frequently to look at the views in the direction where you just came and to the right in the direction of Kumpuvaara. Stunning landscapes cut through the trees.

After a while, you will reach a sign again, which guides you to continue forward and up to Konttainen. The higher you go the thicker layers of snow cover the tall trees. The golden yellow spruce trees against the blue sky look like a fairytale.

Finally, the landscape opens completely in the direction of Kumpuvaara. The forests bath in golden rays far below and the sky glows in blue and pastel shades. The silence is amazing when there are no other hikers in sight.

At the top, there is a familiar sign from the Karhunkierros Bear’s Trail hike, with directions to Porontimajoki and Valtavaara. Just like on Valtavaara, on Konttainen you may also get nostalgic and remember the strenuous ascends and descends of the summer hike.

The top of Konttainen is a flat plateau, where the trail runs along the steep edge. There are incredibly beautiful crown-snow sceneries in all directions. Finally, you reach the highest point, the peak of Konttainen, where the frozen Konttainen 433 mpy sign stoods. If you got sliding snowshoes, you could easily go off-the-beaten-track into the crown-snow heaven.

The route continues to the viewpoints familiar from the summer. The snow-covered Lake Konttaisenjärvi shines in the middle of the forests. The trail begins to curve gently to the left right along the edges of the steep hillside. Before leaving the top, on the right side there is a nice viewpoint from where you can admire the scenery in the direction of Ruka. Here is the most wonderful place to take a snack break on a sunny morning!

The trail descends along the Karhunkierros Trail into the ever-thickening forest, with the crown-snow trees remaining behind. The return trip back to the parking area goes quickly through the forest. The birds greet the hiker again, chirping happily. A solo hiker who likes photography might decide to get a new bird-friendly lens at this point, because tame Siberian jays come close. Konttainen's parking lot is definitely the best place to see and photograph Siberian jays!

The Ruka-Kuusamo region has endless things to experience for winter hikers. In addition to Konttainen, the best winter hiking destinations include Valtavaara and Pyhävaara, as well as Oulanka National Park's wonderful routes such as Pieni Karhunkierros (The Small Bear’s Trail). Riisitunturi in Posio, popular with photographers, is also just a short drive away.

Ruka's ski slopes are among the finest in Finland, and cross-country skiers have a great network of tracks. For example, you can ski around Rukankylä village along a lighted track, and you will find more wilderness landscapes on the Valtavaara track and the Oulanka wilderness track.

Konttainen in winter in a nutshell

• Konttainen is a particularly great destination to go to admire either the sunrise or the sunset. If you're leaving early in the morning, I recommend watching the sunrise at the viewpoint at the easternmost corner of the route, where the trail starts going up. If you are hiking in the evening, the most amazing sunset views can be found at the top of Konttainen.
• The route is well marked, and there is really no danger of getting lost. However, it is always a good idea to be prepared for a winter trip with some kind of map.
• Bring at least: a fully charged mobile phone (keep warm), hot drinks and something to eat, and enough warm clothes.
• There are no very steep or slippery spots on the route. Normal winter shoes with grippy soles usually do well.
• Crown-snow landscapes are most beautiful in clear weather and either at sunrise or sunset, but Konttainen's crown-snow firs are worth visiting even on a cloudy day.
• Book extra time and take bird delicacies with you, and watch the birds chirping next to the Konttainen parking lot. With good luck, the orange-winged Siberian jay will first chirp on a branch and then rush to your hand for a treat!

Links

Nationalparks.fi – Konttaisen Kuhaus Trail and other winter routes