Destinations // 29 January 2023
Kiilopää fell center is located near Kakslauttanen and Saariselkä, Lapland. Kiilopää is managed by Suomen Latu - The Finnish Outdoor Association.
From the Kiilopää fell center starts one of the most beautiful cross-country skiing track routes in the area, the "Luulammen lenkki". Luulampi cross-country skiing track is a loop route, that runs mostly through Urho Kekkonen National Park. The approximately 19-kilometer journey includes challenging ascents, long and fast downhills, wonderfull winter fell scenery and several nice rest places.
On the cross-country skiing routes of Kiilopää and Saariselkä you can find Finland's biggest ascents and descents in open fell scenery. It's easy to go to the skiing tracks starting from Kiilopää for both shorter and longer day trips. Fell skiing on a sunny, frosty day is a great experience in pure nature.
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Luulampi cross-country skiing route Kiilopää
- Destination: Saariselkä/Kiilopää, Urho Kekkonen National Park, Lapland, Finland
- Length: 18.5 km
- Difficulty level: moderate/demanding (ascent and descent of Kiilopää fell)
- When to go: from February to April (check the skiing track situation in advance)
- Duration: 3-4 h (cross-country skiing at a leisurely pace)
Winter is a great time to go hiking. Sometimes, it is just hiking in cold, when the trails are free of snow and ice. Sometimes, winter hiking is enjoying snow drifts and freezing temperature. With the right gear and mindset, you are ready for amazing winter experiences.
Winter hiking requires a bit more preparing than hiking in summer, when you can just throw on your hiking shoes and head to the woods. Once you get the basics right and have confidence to try winter hiking for the first time, you may find the magic and fun of winter outdoors.
In this blog post you will find everything you need to know for wintry excursions and hiking in snow. Here are my best tips to stay warm and safe in the Northern Latitudes (and in any other winter wonderland as well)!
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Destinations // 6 January 2023
Soutaja fell is perhaps the most beautiful fell in the Pyhä-Luosto area in Lapland, Finland. Soutaja fell is a great year-round outdoors destination, suitable for snowshoeing, fatbiking and skiing in winter. Due to its magnificent powder snow Soutaja (373 m) is especially popular among snow surfers and off-piste skiers.
Pyhä-Luosto winter trails offer wonderful opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Soutaja fell is considerably smaller than Pyhä's highest and most famous Kultakero fell, but on a sunny frosty day the fell’s beautiful crown-snow scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Soutaja is uncrowded even in the middle of the busiest skiing season.
Pyhä-Luosto National Park is Finland's southernmost great fell area. Pyhä has been a sacred place for the Forest Sámi people, which can still be seen in the place names of the area. Peaceful Soutaja on the shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi is perfect for a quiet mindful day trip in the midst of everyday hustle and bustle.
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Pyhä Soutaja Winter Trail
- Destination: Pelkosenniemi and Kemijärvi, Central Lapland, Finland
- Difficulty: easy
- When to go: winter trail from December to April, year-round destination
- Duration: a day trip
Trail Run // 20 December 2022
Dressing for running in winter can seem like a challenge if you haven't done any similar type of winter exercising before. During my first winter trail running season, I wasn’t sure if I could even run in the winter. In this article I tell you everything about my winter running favorites and what I wear trail running in the winter.
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Destinations // 17 December 2022
Sipoonkorpi National Park in Finland is a green oasis in Eastern Uusimaa. It lies within easy reach of Helsinki. Sipoonkorpi may be the most forested forest in Finland, and the area consists of wilderness and traditional rural landscapes. Sipoonkorpi National Park is the last wilderness area of the capital region of Helsinki.
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Trail Run // 12 December 2022
Freezing weather or dark, slushy scenery may not look optimal for running. But there’s no need to toss your trail running shoes in the back of the closet for many months. Running in the winter is really fun and beneficial, when you learn a few basic things about winter running.
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Destinations // 7 December 2022
Pyhätunturi is located in Pyhä-Luosto, Lapland. The largest and most famous peak of Pyhätunturi is called "Kultakero". In winter, the summit of Kultakero and the crown-snow trees on the slopes, as well as the vast fell scenery, are a delight for skiers and hikers alike.
The Pyhä ski resort is located in the southernmost large fell area of Finland, in Central Lapland. People often go to Pyhä for skiing, but Pyhä offers great opportunities for all kinds of winter activities.
Conquering the peak of Pyhä on foot or by a scenic lift is a great experience in the winter fells. It's worth going to the top in good weather - the winter sunset on the top of Pyhä is fabulously beautiful!
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Pyhä Finland Peak Hike
- Destination: Kemijärvi, Central Lapland, Finland
- Difficulty: easy
- When to go: in winter, check the scenic lift opening times
- Duration: a half-day trip
Trail Run // 4 December 2022
It is common, that athletes and people doing fitness sports go see a doctor when they experience troubles in breathing or just difficulties in running. One thing explaining the symptoms may be asthma.
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Adventures // 2 December 2022
Koli National Park is a nature gem in North Karelia, Finland, which charms all year round. The view from the peaks of Koli to Lake Pielinen is one of our most beloved national landscapes. Koli has about 80 km of marked trails, with a few kilometres of winter trails for snowshoeing. To reach the best viewpoints and photo spots, you have to climb steep cliffs and traverse through dense forests.
In winter, the peaks and moorlands are best reached on snowshoes, there are fifty kilometres of trails for skiing adventures, and Ukko-Koli offers downhill skiing. A tour of the Koli peaks is the most spectacular day trip in the national park. Right next to the Koli National Park is Ryläys, with its slopes overlooking stunning forested hillsides.
I did a winter hike in Koli snowshoeing in the darkest time of the year in December. I also tested the Ikolanaho rental cabin.
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Merino wool is a great natural material that is at its best in outdoor sports clothes. I have used different merino wool clothes mostly on hikes, in trail running I have preferred more technical materials. However, merino wool has superior properties compared to technical materials, so I have increasingly turned to merino wool on the running side as well.
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