Day 3, Rakitsanoja

This is partly written during the actual date and partly three days after as the weather and how exhausting the tour actually was made it pretty much impossible to write down day to day events.

I woke up around 6 am and started immediately to melt snow for water, cook breakfast, boil water, melt more snow, wash dishes, boil and melt more water and cook lunch ready to be eaten during skiing to Korvatunturi.

At around 8 am I hadn't even yet prepared my tent for the evening, ready clothes and skis for the day and God knows what else.

Thinking that I need to do all this and more in the evening coming from Korvatunturi and then next morning all above plus take down my tent I decided that I will rest at the camp while others go to Korvatunturi.

I'll go some other time.

I just want to enjoy a bit and not be doing something constantly which basically is what winter hiking with skis and pulkka is all about. There's no time to sit around. Everything just takes so much time that you won't believe it until you experience it.

Others headed to Korvatunturi around 9:15 am. I made myself another cup of coffee and just listened to the silence around me which is the thing that originally fascinated me with winter hiking, the total silence.

Other than that I modified my gear a bit, cleaned tent from snow and ice and took a one hour nap!

I also went skiing on my own to the nearby Rakitsanaapa. I could see Korvatunturi in the distance. It was nice to ski alone in the big swamp. And enjoy the total silence.

I also admired the short duration that sun appeared. Basically sunrise and sunset happened at the same time.

Others arrived to camp around 4:30 pm having skied closer to 20 km in 7 hours. By the time they arrived I had gathered and melted snow and boiled a huge pot of water for them!

Weatherwise the morning started around -10 degrees Celsius but towards evening it dipped closer to -20. Generally speaking the weather forecast has been nearly useless. It just is not accurate at all here. Weather can be anything and you have to be prepared for that.Read more