Kick butt Nordic trails, 265km north of the Arctic circle, Sami culture

Plans changed last minute today because of the high wind forecast. Mountain biking through snow drifts and driving wind would be suboptimal. A plan was hatched to Nordic ski and check out the Sami museum.

The hand knit socks that were complementary during our stay at Arctic Sky- so warm.

We made oatmeal in the communal kitchen every day at Arctic Sky. On the kitchen table was a funny comic book about Finnish nightmares. It actually helped us to understand Finnish culture much better. The main takeaway was that Finnish people like to keep to themselves.

The group kitchen at Arctic Sky.

This illustration helped me understand why no one was asking any skaters if they were ok after they took a big digger in the Finland Ice Marathon.

My Dan "substitute" made an appearance.

A "kota" is the traditional tent of the Sami cultur- Finland's indigenous people. This is a modern day kota.

Inside a kota at Arctic Sky 

He popped up again (inside the kota).

After switching around our gear reservations, we headed off to get our Nordic skis. Because we wanted enough time at the Sami museum, we truncated our skiing time. I made a last minute decision to rent skate rather than classic skis so I could go a little faster and further. Sarah and Fallon rented classic skis which meant we parted ways at the trailhead. There was a look of relief on both of their faces knowing that I would be getting my wiggles out without them. I gather that I can be a little much to travel with 🥴

Once out on the ski trails, I was in 7th heaven. There are hundreds of kilometers of beautiful free groomed Nordic trails throughout this area. The trail system boasts huts and cabins with fires burning for getting warm or grilling sausages. These trails are widely used by people of all ages. Skiing is everywhere around here. In fact, if there happens to be a TV in a public place, there is usually skiing on it. The Finns invest significantly in their trails which I will share more about in the next blog.

Right before we parted ways for skiing.

So many families with young children were out on the trails and they all seemed to be happy - I didn't see one crying kid.

A hut along the Nordic trails.

Siberian jay

Some kids waiting patiently for the Siberian jays to eat out of their hands.

Grilling sausages inside the hut.

There is signage at every trail junction.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Fallon were having a fun skiing adventure of their own. I think they encountered some big winds as well, but we're happy as clams to be going at their own pace.

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Fallon enjoying the trails. Who would have thought that we would have ended up skiing in Finland together when I was teaching Fallon how to ski a few years ago on the trails at my house?

Another hut along the trails.

I didn't have much time to get back to meet Sarah and Fallon, so I took the most direct route. It happened to go across a fell above treeline. With over 40mph winds, the wind chill temps and big snow drifts were something with which to contend. I was hoping that I would not become a statistic about dumb tourists' decisions. 

Skiing up on the fell with big wind. Skate skiing through snow drifts was a challenge.

I made it back from skiing on time and Fallon, Sarah and I compared our experiences. Everyone was pleased with what they skied. Our next stop was the Siida Sami Museum which is 265km north of the Arctic circle. The Sami are Finland's indigenous people that can be traced back 10,000 years. There was an open air museum (which got a little cold) and an excellent exhibit indoors as well.

The museum is comprehensive about the Sami culture. It emphasizes the importance of the connection the Sami have to the land and how they have adapted to live in such a harsh climate. In the open air museum, you could see the many ways in which they hunted, fished, and lived off the land. Inside, there was a lot of history, but it also focused a lot on present day Sami. The museum provided us with a much better understanding of this unique culture.

Outside of the Sami Museum 

The open air museum.

A Sami house from the 1800s.

Large sleighs that were pulled by reindeer. Reindeer are an important part of Sami culture. 

Old boats - fishing was and still is a big part of their lively hood 

Each family had many different kinds of sleds.

A semi-permanent shelter

A food cache for keeping out animals 

A wolverine trap

An ermine trap

The entrance to a snow theater 

Inside the snow theater.

The Sami have traditional clothing that they are trying to preserve as part of their culture.

Cloud berries are super delicious.

Many Sami still herd reindeer.

We walked out of the museum ready to eat, but the options are limited when you are 265km north of the Arctic circle. We ended up getting some take-out food back in Saariselka. Obviously, we hit the sauna after dinner and then went to bed. We wanted to be well rested for our fat biking tomorrow.