5 days and about 110 km
I started to walk from Kilpisjärvi around 17:00 on Monday August 25 and reached the wilderness hut at Saarijärvi just before 21:00. The distance was about 12 km, which is not a lot on a jogging trail but situation is quite different with about 20 kg of clothes, tent, sleeping bag and food on the back and walking on wilderness trail.
On Tuesday morning hiking first to Meekonjärvi hut for lunch and then walking up to Meekonvaara 1019 m OH/KI-006. The weather was warm and nice. DF5WA replies to my CQ at 17:57 or 1457 UTC on 14062 kHz. Then several regular chasers. I try 30 m too but nobody there. I have to hurry up to reach the Lake Vuomakas for camping before sun set. After about 23 km finally camping just before 21:00. During the night rain drops on the tent.
Wakeup around 7:00 on Wednesday morning. An other long day is waiting. After breakfast start walking to Lake Pihtus. I reach the Halti hut at around 15:00 and eat my lunch there. After 16:00 I start to walk to the Ritnichohkka 1315 m OH/KI-002. The summit is inside a cloud and antenna wire becomes wet in the wind. At 18:30 I get report from DL2HWI at 14062 kHz. No other contacts from this summit and I tried shortly 30 m too. Since I want to be back to the hut before 21:00 I have to give QRT already at 19:00. The orienteering is a little more difficult now since I can not see any landmarks any more. The compass needle does not seem very stable either, but then that can not be due to a magnetic storm?
Thursday wakeup 7:00 again. The weather becomes soon clear after sun rise and I reach the Halti 1328 m at about 10:30. Now DL7VKD replies at 11:12 on 14062 kHz and then three more QSOs. Since I have more time I try 30 m, 40 m and 17 m bands too, but nobody there. Lunch at Halti hut and walk to Lake Pihtus hut for the night.
Friday walk from Lake Pihtus hut to Kuonjarjoki hut for the night.
Saturday wakeup at 6:00 and start walking to Saarijärvi at about 8:00. After lunch at Saarijärvi climb up to Muurivaara 842 m OH/KI-012. I can hear DL/PA0SKP/P but he does not hear me. Then I realize that the switch for the 10 ohm series resistor between the battery and ATS3B is in wrong position and I have been sending QRPp so far from this summit. Finally DL8DXL at 15:55 on 14062 kHz and a few others. From Muurivaara I try to take the shortest and fastest route to Lake Cahkal, but the terrain is not so easy with boulders and marsh. I arrive back to Kilpisjärvi just before 20:00 on Saturday evening.
Map: Ritniroute
Radio: ATS3B, 8 x AA batteries, link dipole
Space weather was not very stable August 27 - 30.