The local sun set time is 12:22 December 3 2011 and sun rise time 12:06 January 9 2012. The visible day time without sun is now from about 10:00 to 14:00. The Saariselkä is quite popular ski and outdoor tourist area with many ski tracks, some downhill ski resorts and hotels. It is close to the Urho Kekkonen national park for hiking in wilderness. On Friday for Palopää 417 m I used cross country skis, about 9 km one way, to reach the summit. The ski boots are cold when you have to stay longer in one place. It is not so much the temperature -6 C, but the wind that make you feel cold.
On Saturday I went to Vahtamapää 471 m. The wind was blowing strongly on the summit and I had to come down about 15 m vertical to find some cover from the wind and put up the fishing rod. The activation was about 14 km trip with snow shoes. Most of it I could follow the ready made tracks, which is fairly safe when it starts to become dark. It is also much faster than walking in the powder snow.
Today I walked to Kiilopää fell center. The summit is 2 km from the center. About 300 m from the summit I could not see anything any more and decided to cancel the activation. Any way about 15 km of walking with snow shoes today.
Thanks to G4SSH and HA7UG for spotting.
Photos: later
Radio: ATS3B, lithium batteries, link dipole
Map: Hammastunturi Saariselkä 1:100 000
APRS: aprs.fi - live APRS map