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Sallivaara
Postijoki A night by Postijoki river Vaskojoki Jäkäläpäät Morgamoja Kultasatama and Ravadasköngäs Oahojoki Karvaselkä |
We arrived at Repojoki at 18.30. We packed our rucksacks and sledge about in an hour. We headed for a weak track which disappeared in some places. It was rather easy to ski as there was hard snow below the layer of new soft snow. There were some pines and birches growing around. At denser forest the snow begun to sink if we weren't on the old track. The sun tried to shine through the clouds and it snowed lightly. It was almost calm and 3 - 4 degrees below zero.
We came to a narrow swamp were we found marked path leading to Sallivaara. Soon we saw a sign with text "Sallivaara 3". We were half way and it had taken 45 minutes. After a while we came again to a small swamp and we lost the path. We skied for a while in a forest where the snow begun to sink at some places. Then we turned a bit to the left and found the path again. We saw a hut behind a small swamp. It was one of the reindeer herder's hut at Sallivaara. We skied to look at the hut. It was small tidy but locked. We skied back to the marked route where we saw some kind of guidance picture. We had still half a kilometre to the round-up place. The wilderness hut and a guidance huts were behind the round-up place.
Sallivaara
There were three huts at the place. The first one was a guidance hut. There was guidance material about the reindeer round-up site and about the national park. The wilderness hut was quite low. To the left from the door in the corner there was a fireplace which is made out of natural stones. The chimney was straight and without a damper plate. The fireplace didn't heat very well. There was small window in the left side wall and a table in front of it. On the right side wall and the rear wall there was bunks in one level. The third building was locked. There was a woodshed too.We changed dry clothes on and hung the damp ones to dry. Then we melt water out of snow by the fireplace and cooked it with the camp cooker. We drunk tea and ate some sandwiches. The hut was peaceful. According to the guest book only two people had visited the hut this year before us. I fetched some firewood from the woodshed. There were no tools but fortunately we had an axe with us. Then we washed our tooth and went to sleep. Seppo put some firewood to the fireplace and put out the candles. The hut was still cool. The temperature had risen only five degrees above zero. It was almost midnight but I hadn't fallen asleep. The firewood burned out quickly.
I woke up at half past five and didn't fall asleep any more. I was a bit cold and I begun to feel hungry too. I got up after six. The temperature in the hut was 0°C. I set a small fire to the fireplace. It wouldn't warm much but I could melt snow in the bucket. Then I begun to write my hiking story. At half past seven I woke up Seppo and started to cook porridge for breakfast. At ten we were ready to continue our journey.
We skied past the round up site towards Sallivuoma valley. It snowed moderately although it had been clearer in the morning. The wind was blowing from south east. It was easy to ski at the open swamp area. The snow sunk only about ten centimetres. From Sallivuoma we skied a little upwards to forest terrain of Urakkselkä ridge. We met a small downhill. Seppo searched a more gently sloping place but I decided to ski straight down. There was soft snow down there and I fell down. It was difficult to get up. I managed to unhook the sledge and I get rid of the backpack. Seppo unlock my ski bindings as I was in difficult position skis under my body inside the snow. The snow moistened my clothes but fortunately nothing more serious happened. Soon after this event we crossed a small brook.
The forest was rather dense and the snow was sinking 30 - 40 cm. We skied in this heavy terrain at least tree hours. We were rather sweaty because the temperature was about zero and there was no wind in the forest. After the forest we came to more open terrain somewhere at the edge of Puornajänkä and Lemmenjänkä swamps. It was difficult to define our position on the map. The snow begun to grasp a bit to our skis. At the eastern edge of the swamp we found some kind of brook-bed which we begun to follow. It was late afternoon and we stopped for a pause to eat sandwiches by a tall pine. It was only one degree below zero but the wind was nasty. Fortunately it wasn't snowing any more. I begun to doubt if we could reach Postijoki hut by night. We weren't even half way and we had spend much strength.
After the pause we found a line which could be seen also on the map. Now we knew rather well where we were. We skied still for a while in a dense birch woods before we came to the river-bed of Lemmenjoki river somewhere on the northern side of Lemmekäsjärvi lake. Then we had a clear route to the north and we were heading towards Naukusoja brook. It was quite easy to ski on the open swamp terrain but soon I became hungry and my feet begun to get tired. We were still skiing a long time. At seven we stopped for a pause at a sheltered river bend. We ate sandwiches and filled up our canteens from the river. It would have been time to make a proper meal but it would be much easier at the hut which was not very far any more. However, it took surprisingly long time to reach even the west edge of Naukusjänkä swamp. Fortunately it wasn't snowing and the weather was rather clear that we could orientate to right place. At last we came to the headwaters of Postijoki river and soon we were at Postijoki hut.
Postijoki
The river was streaming in a small valley where the snow was rather soft. We were skiing downstream still at least a kilometre and came to the hut at half past nine. It was not snowing any more but there were thick clouds on the sky and it was already a bit dusky. The hut was tidy. There were a common Upo stove but no gas stove. As Seppo was fetching water I set a fire to the stove. Then I changed quickly dry clothes on. My stocks and the felt inner footwear in rubber boots were very moisten almost wet. We ate a heavy meal and drank some tea. I fetched more water for morning. As I was out I heard a loud voice of a ptarmigan near the hut. The stove warmed the hut quickly and the temperature was soon 26°C. We went to bed just before midnight.I slept till half past seven. The temperature in the hut had cooled and it was only 15°C. I set a fire to the stove and wrote my hiking diary almost an hour. Then I started to prepare breakfast. When we at last were ready to leave the hut at half past twelve we decided to head for Vaskojoki hut. It was snowing and the temperature was probably a little above zero. After a while I noticed that I had forgotten my canteen in the hut. I left my rucksack and the sledge on the snow and went back to fetch the canteen. We continued our travel which was now monotonous skiing in a cheerless terrain. The wind was blowing snow unpleasantly against our faces.
After a while we moved to the opposite shore of Postijoki river. First it seemed that the journey progressed well. I thought that no later than four o'clock we could reach the reindeer fence which was about ten kilometres to the north from the hut. However we weren't that far even after four. We decided to have a break as soon as we could find a suitable sheltered place. Soon we came to a dense forest area and stopped under a pine with long branches. We made a pit into the snow, put our skis on the edge of it and sat on the skis. Our rucksacks were on both sides of the pine to give shelter from the wind. It blew rather hard from the north and it was sleeting heavily. The pause coat begun to get quickly wet. We ate quickly sandwiches.
It was already five o'clock as we continued our journey. Seppo was pulling the sledge in turn. I skied ahead and made track. After the pause the skiing was rather easy. It didn't took any more long time to reach the reindeer fence. The snow had covered almost completely the fence so it was easy to cross it. At times we skied on open swamps and the wind blew snow unpleasantly against our faces. In forest the wind wasn't so hard but the snow was sinking.
We crossed the river again. I felt that a short rest would be good idea. Fortunately I wasn't hungry yet. As we came to a sheltered palace we stopped for a pause. It was almost eight o'clock and we had still a long way to Vaskojoki hut. We discussed should we continue and try to reach the hut or camp somewhere. We didn't knew exactly our position but we estimated that we had still at least seven kilometres to the hut. It would take more than three hours. And soon we should have a meal brake which would take at time too. Probably we wouldn't reach the hut before midnight. We thought that it would be wise to stop and camp.
A night by Postijoki river
We skied still for a while and searched good camping place. Then we crossed the river again because there the slope sheltered from the wind. Soon we came to tall pine forest and we stopped there. I begun to dig place for the tent and Seppo went to the river to fill canteens and thermos with water. As Seppo came back I took the saw and went to get some firewood. When I came back Seppo had begun to pitch the tent and I went to help him. Then I light the campfire. It was almost ten o'clock so we wouldn't have much time to sit by the fire but we could try to dry our gloves and footwear by the fire. Seppo made a meal with the camp cooker. Then we ate and drank some tea. After we had eaten I fetch my gloves and felt footwear from the campfire to the tent. We went to bed shortly before midnight. It was five degrees below zero outside but inside the tent it was five degrees above zero. The base was good and it was warm inside the sleeping bag.In the morning I woke up first time at five but I continued sleeping. At eight I got up and begun to cook breakfast. As I visited outside I had noticed that the sky was almost clear! Soon the sun started to shine. After eating the breakfast we packed and continued our journey to the Vaskojoki hut. The terrain was almost alike as day before but now the sun was shining! At places the snow was very soft and at places more open terrain with almost bearing snow. Unexpectedly we found a fresh motor sledge track. We followed the track across Postijoki river to its eastern shore. Then the track followed a reindeer fence towards north east. On the track our journey continued faster.
We turned left and went thorough a gate in the fence. The sun was shining warm and at places the snow was wet. Seppo skied ahead along an old track towards the hut. We lost the track and came to the shore of Vaskojoki river a little north of the hut. The we had to climb the steep shore slope up because the hut was not quite close the shore. The climbing was hard with the sledge. Fortunately we found the hut just on the river bank. It had taken three hours to ski from the camp to the hut. As tired and without the fresh motor sledge track it would have taken at least four hours. So it had been very wise decision to overnight in the tent.
Vaskojoki
The Vaskojoki hut was in good place on western slope in a fine pine forest. The sun was shining warmly to the porch of the hut. The hut was tidy also inside and according to the hut book it had been prepared last summer. In front of the window on the end wall there was a table and benches. There were windows also on the both side walls so the hut was rather light. Seppo begun to set fire to the stove so I went to fetch water in turn.We ate and after that I rested for a while on the bunk. Then we hung the tent canvas to dry. I begun to write my hiking diary and Seppo examined the map. Later in the evening I chop some firewood at the woodshed. Before going bed we drank tea. We went to bed early at half past nine. As I was just falling asleep two motor sledges buzzed to the yard of the hut. One man came into the hut. He told that they had seen our deep track to the hut and he advised us to rest well. He told also that weather forecast promised sunny weather. When the motor sledges had gone I had to wait for a while to fall asleep.
In the morning I slept till eight. Then I set quickly fire to the stove and begun to cook porridge for breakfast. The morning tasks were quickly done and before ten we begun to pack our supplies. The sun was shining brightly. Earlier in the morning it had been -10°C but the temperature was rising quickly. We were on the track at half past ten and Seppo was pulling the sledge in turn. We skied to the reindeer fence along our own track. We continued from the gate of the fence to north east aside the fence. After a kilometre we turned to the east. In the open terrain the snow was bearing and the weather was excellent.
We came to Roavbejohka brook and we started to ski upstream aside the brook. We saw weakly an old sledge track and tried to follow it. On the old track it was lighter to ski even the snow was also elsewhere almost bearing. We were going towards big fjells but the slope was still rather gently sloping. We saw many tracks on the snow made by elk, ptarmigan and even fox. Finally we came to the crossing of two brooks. We continued on the eastern shore of the brook leading to the south east. Soon we stopped for a pause. I went down to the brook and filled my canteen. It was half past twelve and we had skied only about five kilometres. However I had on purpose skied ahead rather slowly. The planned day trip was long but with slow speed we wouldn't get tired and we had still several hours daylight.
Jäkäläpäät
After the pause the slope became steeper. The bottom of the gorge seemed to be hard to ski so we headed for the upper slope. There were growing densely small pines. Then we skied for a while on the bottom of the gorge. Soon it became wider and ended so we came to more open terrain. The weather was still good and the snow was good to ski. We saw several groups of reindeers which escaped when we approached them. We stayed on the slope and bent to the west. Then we came gradually downwards on a slope growing some tall pines. The terrain changed a little hilly. Finally we stopped for a lunch break under a tall pine at ten to four. The sun was shining warmly but in shadows the temperature was clearly below zero.We continued our journey twenty to five. Soon we found a motor sledge track leading to the south east. We were still skiing downwards but gradually we begun to climb towards Jäkäläpää fjell and Karunkorvenkuru gorge. The slope was moderate and on the hard track skiing was rather easy. We turned away from the track towards the gorge. Then we went down to the bottom of the gorge. The slope and the gorge became quickly more gently sloping. We were up at the end of the gorge before six. It was still warm and calm weather. We saw a lot of reindeers up there.
As the weather was good and our journey had progressed well we decided to go around the summit of Jäkäläpää fjell. We saw the modest grey airport building. Then we begun to ski downhill. At places the slope was rather fast. After the downhill we begun to climb to the Pellisenlaki hill. Soon we came to a marked route where we saw signs guiding the places in the neighbourhood. The uphill continued and after a while we saw the valley of Morgamoja brook ahead. We saw still a lot of reindeers. From the summit of Pellisenlaki we skied fast to the Morgamoja brook. We were at the hut at eight.
Morgamoja
There were three pairs of skis leaning the wall of the hut. We went inside greeting an old couple and an younger woman. Then we made a meal and ate it. There was a gas stove in the hut but water had been melted out of snow. After eating I decided to go out and try to get water from the brook. In addition to the wilderness hut there was an old shed, a dike, a locked sauna and a woodshed. I could easily break the ice in the brook with a shovel so I went back to the hut and fetched water with a bucket. In the evening I wrote my hiking diary till half past ten. Outside it was still almost light but in the hut it was dusk. The temperature had dropped to ten degrees below zero but inside was very warm as the old couple added often more wood to the stove. As I went to bed the thermometer shoved almost +30°C.After seven I couldn't sleep any more. The other group begun to cook breakfast at half past seven. I heard that it was -8°C outside. I visited outside and took a photo of the hut from the opposite slope of Morgamoja brook. We left the hut at eleven. The weather was sunny, mild frost and weak wind. We skied along a motor sledge track downstream. At places the terrain was hilly and we had to climb some steep slopes. The area was growing very tall pines. We skied at times downwards and at times on even terrain. The pines turned into even more massive. We were skiing all the time downwards and at places the slope was so steep that it was safer to ski on unbeaten snow. In an hour we came to Kultasatama (=Gold Harbour).
Kultasatama and Ravadasköngäs
At Kultasatama we stopped for a pause and visited the wilderness hut. From the hut we skied a steep slope to the ice of Morgamjärvi lake. On the lake the wind was blowing behind our backs but the sun was shining warmly. We saw a big herd of reindeers, about 40 heads, crossing the lake and climbing up quickly the north western bank. The lake turned into a narrow river and widened soon into another lake; Ravadasjärvi. The eastern shore was steep and rocky and the western more gently sloping. We turned to left and skied to Ravadasköngäs waterfall. The waterfall was frozen but below it there was unfrozen water streaming. There was small area bare ground without snow and we sat down on it to have lunch break. We left Ravadasköngäs at ten to three.We skied across the lake and then we had very difficult climbing to the opposite bank. However, there seemed to be so gently sloping place that we probably could manage it. Unfortunately the snow on the slope was soft unlike I had thought. Seppo was skiing ahead making a deep track. We were climbing up obliquely but it was hard to get upwards because of the soft snow. We had to try to climb steeper up to get on the top of the slope. Seppo begun to ski straight up and I followed with the sledge. The climbing with the skis was hard. Seppo found a weak path in the snow. He tried if he could walk on it without skis. Surprisingly the snow was so hard that walking was possible. The slope became even steeper and the last step was difficult to climb as the snow didn't bare hard efforts. At last we passed the steep slope and could ski normally. That about 30-40 m high slope had taken almost an hour to climb up.
The uphill continued and we skied on soft snow in a small gorge. Soon the slope turned into almost even terrain. We continued skiing gradually upwards to the south. There was growing rather tall pines and the snow was almost bearing. After a while we saw three elks escaping us. Then we came on the edge of a steep gorge and begun to follow it upwards. There were lot of traces of elks in the snow. The trees turned into smaller and the wind begun to blow against. The sun had gone behind clouds. As we came more open terrain we stopped and put coats on. During and after the hard climbing we had skied without coats. The wind begun to blow even colder. We followed a small gorge or valley up to the slope. Then we skied for a while downhill and crossed a small bog. After that the terrain was gently sloping uphill with some alpine birches and small pines. We came to the headwaters of Oahojoki river and continued downstream on the eastern shore. A willow grouse took off in front of us. Before half past seven we got the hut in sight. We crossed a brook and climbed on the bank. The hut was same model as at Postijoki.
Oahojoki
The hut was clod so I set fire to the stove immediately. Seppo begun at once to read the guest book. I fetched water from the brook and made a meal. The temperature rose quickly above 20°C. After the meal I felt tired but I begun to write my hiking diary. I stopped the writing at ten and then I got ready for sleeping. I didn't fall asleep very quickly although the bunk was ok.I slept the night quite well and got up at twenty past seven. I set fire to the stove and put water to a kettle to warm. I visited the dike and chopped some firewood at the wood shed. Then I cooked the porridge and started to eat. At last Seppo got up too. Gradually I started to pack. Seppo read again the guest book. The temperature was inside already 27°C although there was only a small fire in the stove. It was few degrees below zero outside and at times it was snowing lightly. At times the sun tried to shine through the clouds.
We had tried to be on track little earlier than previous morning. However, it was already ten to eleven as we left the hut. We were heading almost straight to the east. We came soon to a rather large bog. The wind was blowing against but fortunately it wasn't very hard. It was snowing lightly.
The fen narrowed between Peurapäät and Lakiavaara fjells and soon we came to the border of the national park. The terrain was mostly open bog and the snow was bearing. We skied for a while downstream the head branch of Menesjoki river. At last the river turned to the east and we headed for a bog spreading to the east. After the bog we came to a hilly birch growing terrain. The snow was there clearly softer. As the birch forest turned into more dense I turned slightly to the left to more open terrain. There we met a river bed with very steep bank. We skied on the bank few hundreds meters ahead. When the bank lowered and became more gently sloping we skied downhill to the river bed.
We were still skiing downstream to the south. In the south west we saw a long and narrow open bog. We were wondering where we are. We should have met a reindeer fence of at least we must be very close it. We turned to the right to ski along the bog. Soon we saw the fence which we had been waiting for. We saw also again the river bed.
After the fence we stopped for lunch break between two pines where there was only thin layer of snow. The temperature was little above zero. Seppo was cold but I wasn't even if I wasn't wearing pause coat. After the pause we continued along the river and crossed a reindeer fence still twice. It was easy to cross the fences because they were almost totally snowed up.
We came to a large bog and skied quickly across it to the headwaters of Menesjoki river. There we met again a fence which wasn't marked on the map. There should have been also a pond in the bog but we couldn't saw it. The bog wasn't so open we had supposed according to the map. We turned to the left and skied between Palo-Karvaselkä and a smaller ridge to the west of it. There were first rather dense birch forest there. After skiing for a while upwards the birch forest changed into a pine forest. The bog narrowed and became again wider and open. One of head branches of Karvajoki river started its flow here. We crossed it and headed for Karvaselkä ridge.
We came from the bog to a spruce growing upland. Very many of the spruces were branched. We were skiing gradually upwards. The spruce forest changed into a young pine forest. There had been a forest fire some decades ago and we saw some charred stump sticking out of the snow. The forest changed dense thicket and it was hard to ski there. A wood-grouse was walking on the snow in front of us and the it too off. Then we skied to the south and a bit downwards. We got out of the worst thicket and could turn again to the west and towards the road.
Karvaselkä
Soon we heard sound of traffic and saw a line aside the road. Then we saw the hut in a forest near the road. We had been lucky to hit this place after twisting in the thicket. We passed an empty woodshed and were in front of to the hut at five to six. The hut seemed to be grey and decayed. We went inside and smelled musty air already in the entrance. Inside the hut was dark and dirty. There were no bunks and the floor was slanting. There was still a stove in the hut and some firewood beside it. Seppo ascertained that we wouldn't stay overnight there.However, we stayed for a while in the hut, made a meal and planned what
to do. We had to alternatives if we wouldn't stay overnight in the hut:
to go to Sallivaara or ski to the car and begun way home. We could easily
manage to Sallivaara before night but the hut was not tempting. We decided
to ski to the car and start to drive to the south. We left our equipment
at the hut and skied aside the road and partly along the road to the car.
Those eight kilometres took about an hour. It was good that I had noticed
to take the shovel with. A snow plough had ploughed a high bank around
the car. It took twenty minutes to dig the snow away and get the car out
of the snow. The car started with first try. Then we picked up our equipment
from Karvaselkä and headed for Kittilä.
Copyright © 1997 Esa Klemola
