Day 4, Vuorhasalmi - Kuoppajärvi

Strong wind was blowing through the night. In the morning the average wind speed was somewhere in the 12 m/s vicinity and fiersom gusts of 22 m/. I wondered how am I going to get the tent down in one piece or so that the wind won't blow it to the other end of the lake.

Thankfully the wind eased a bit when the time to take the tent down came. When we reached the lake it was a different story. Strong wind blew on our backs and made any idea of a longer brake impossible. So we skied really fast across the lake and finally in the shelter of the forest we took a lunch break.

I've been cursing my pulkka as on the snowmobile tracks that we are sking it's constantly upside down due to the uneven ground. One of our group members has the same pulkka and same problem.

I haven't been taking much pictures on this trip even when the weather has been really good and picturesque. Our group just skis so fast that there's no time...which is as insane as it sounds...

I mean what's the hurry in the wilderness?

Of course I could stop and take pictures, but when others are already so far ahead then there's a pressure to keep up. My own pace and philosophy when I'm solo hiking is just so very different. No need to be anywhere. You are already there. I know I'm not the fastest skier and to be honest I don't want to be. I'm here in the wilderness because I want to leave all that "best", "fast", "more", "quick" crap into the city.

We reached our familiar campsite at Kuoppajärvi already around 2 pm. Considering that the sun doesn't set until around 6:30 pm we could have taken the journey a lot slower and still be early at camp. It's not the destination, but the journey...

The weather forecast is promising really heavy winds tomorrow. Over 20 m/s is promised. That's a lot!

We will stay at Kuoppajärvi tomorrow too and do few smaller journeys to the nearby fells.Read more