SAARISELKÄ | WINTER 2015-2016 | WWW.SAARISELANSANOMAT.FI
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SAARISELKÄ • IVALO • INARI • UTSJOKI
• WWW.SAARISELANSANOMAT.FI •
WINTER 2015-2016
The rapture of snowmobile driving Veli-Tapio Harju from Sipoo has been driving on snow mobiles in Lapland for several years. In Southern Finland, snow is sometimes very scarce, so most people go to Lapland for snow mobile driving. Veli-Tapio Harju has led several snow mobile safaris for his clients alongside his actual job. Harju always rents the snow mobiles from local entrepreneurs. ”It’s the easiest way. Sometimes a local guide has come along, they’re always experts in their areas.” In Harju’s opinion, a suitable snowmobile safari lasts a couple of days and has 5−8 participants. ”It is typical of each safari that someone falls off the tracks and gets stuck into the snow. If eight snowmobiles drive in a safari and every other one slips from the track every once in a while, you can guess that it takes a long time to travel and it’s slow.”
A successful snow mobile safari V-T Harju’s tip number one for a snow mobile safari is that you need to have enough warm clothes. Driving equipment can be found at local snow mobile renters as well.
A SAARISELKÄ
PHOTO: RAIMO HEKKANEN / NUORGAM HOLIDAY VILLAGE
The ski bus tours around the Saariselkä district The Saariselkä ski bus will once again transport tourists between Ivalo and Kiilopää this winter. The regular daily departures will continue until the spring season. The bus departs from Ivalo in the morning and returns there in the evening. In the day, the bus tours various locations in Saariselkä, Kiilopää, Kakslauttanen and Laanila. There are many stops along the route, especially in Saariselkä. A day ticket costs €5. Children under the age of 6 travel free of charge. The tickets are paid for in cash on the bus. Tourists are advised to carry enough cash with them. The timetables are available at the bus stops, on‑line and on hotel notice boards. PHOTO: MINJA SUNI
On a snow mobile safari, it is good to leave stress behind and focus on watching and enjoying the scenery. Spare hoods are always good to have with you because your head always sweats under the helmet. The helmet should be chosen from a rental place. It is obligatory for both the driver and the passenger. A spare set of gloves is also good to have. ”And it’s also good to keep a good distance to the person driving ahead of you.” Rear-end collision is the most common accident for snow mobile drivers. The fastest allowed speed for snow mobiles on tracks and
in the wilderness is 60 km/h on ground and 80 km/h on ice-covered lakes. If a sled is attached to the snow mobile for passengers, the fastest allowed speed is 40 km/h. ”It’s good to remember that you should not hurry on a snow mobile ride. Remember to watch the scenery. And enjoy!” When driving on roads meant for snow mobiles and other vehicles indicated in the law, the driver needs to have at least a T-class driver’s license. Outside the roads
in the wilderness and on the ice, a driver’s license is not needed as long as the driver is at least 15 years old. ”Sometimes the weather can change quickly while driving on a snowmobile or the snow mobile could get broken. It’s good to be prepared for anything. It’s also good to remember that your mobile phone’s range doesn’t reach everywhere in the wilderness”, reminds Harju.
No two snowflakes are alike Snow is one of the states of water. In order for water to turn into snow, the
PHOTO: INGA-BRIITTA MAGGA
air temperature needs to drop below 0 degrees Celsius. When the temperature drops sufficiently, ice crystals begin to form around the dust particles in the air as moisture – i.e. water – freezes around them. The ice crystals merge into sixangled sheets, stars, needles and their combinations. They become snowflakes. The form of the snowflake created is determined by the humidity in the air and the temperature. There are no two identical snowflakes.
Snow changes form constantly On its way down to the ground from the cloud, the snowflake might make it
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– or melt on the way. A snowflake that has just fallen looks like a six-pointed star. Your moments for admiration are limited, because the mere warmth of your breath is enough to melt the snowflake back into moisture. If you could observe the snowflake for a little longer, you would notice that, even after a couple of hours, the points would not be as distinguishable and fine. The form of a snowflake is in a constant state of change. In just a couple of days, the snowflake you saw would be much simpler in form with more resemblance to a round mass. The points and edges of the particles that formed the snowflake keep retreating back inward.
Lappish delicacies with inter national flavours Page A 4.
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IVALO - INARI UTSJOKI
Local Reindeer and Game Page B 11. Travellers chasing the northern lights found Finland’s northernmost holiday village ......................13 Winter forests are full of activity................................................13
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