From: au143@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Mikael Niku)
Subject: Finland hike report
Date: 15 Apr 1993 13:55:25 GMT


Litokaira 92/3
 
This is an abbreviation of the journal of a skiing trek in 
northern Finland. I and 5 other Explorers (2 boys, 4 girls, 
ages from 15 to 20 years) skied through Litokaira, a 
wilderness of swamps, rivers and islets of forests at the 

turn of the year. We pulled our gear in sleds and stayed 
overnight in the local reindeer owners' old shelter cabins 
typically equipped with a door, a window, a table, a bunk 
and an iron stove.
 
28th December, 1992
      We reached the southern edge of the
      wilderness area in the evening. The sleds were still 
      OK, despite the accident on a slippery road, the 
      trailer having swung around and everything. Didn't 
      start skiing yet but stayed at the first cabin.
 
29th December, 1992
      We woke up at 8. I had forgotten to take
      my toothbrush and had to make one of needles. Before 
      noon we got on skis and started to the north in 
      excellent weather: slightly below zero, bright sky, 
      enough snow and slide. One could ski fast across open 
      swamps, but it wasn't easy to orientate surrounded by 
      countless islets of forests. We took a snack at an 
      ancient cabin, then continued towards the planned 
      lodging for the night. It got dark before we reached 
      the cabin and we had trouble finding it only guided by 
      the compass bearing.
      
30th December, 1992
      Fresh skiing weather, -15 C. After solid
      rye porridge with blueberry fool and cleaning the 
      cabin we continued our trek. It was difficult to 
      determine our exact location, so we developed a new 
      orientating method: why not go that way... Pausing on 
      a border of a wide swamp expanse, the expedition was 
      about to freeze. Running and playing in the deep snow 
      helped to keep warm. Crossing the expanse, a magic 
      word occurred to someone: declination ! That's why the 
      compass bearing had taken us slightly past the 
      targets. We added some correction ever since. We 
      reached a lake, then followed a creek to find the next 
      cabin. That is, we tried to. The channel disappeared 
      under the drifts of snow and the course was lost. 
      Night was falling, temperature already below -25 C. 
      Another innovative method was introduced: we found 
      another creek, not quite like the one on the map. One 
      of the girls said: "Why not pretend it's the right one 
      !" We did, and found the cabin. It would have been a 
      cool night otherwise as it was blowing rather icily. 
      The cabin rewarded the day's 15 kilometers of skiing. 
      Why, there were even some mattresses ! We made a 
      potful of great risotto - and a layer cake to add 
      luxury. Had hard time digesting all that...
 
31st December, 1992
      We didn't manage to leave before the
      noon, so the sun was already going down as we got on 
      skis. -13 C now. Fine ! In the dusk we reached an old 
      cabin again, but decided to ski another 8 km to an 
      abandoned farm, where it might be nicer to celebrate 
      New Year. We skied on a frozen river going to our 
      direction first, then took a shortcut through a 
      thicket area. It wasn't a wise choice with the sleds 
      sticking to the bushes all the time. We found the farm 
      at last, everyone being pretty tired. It didn't seem 
      too comforting a place at first: ruined sheds and 
      barns and a haunted-looking house. Besides, we had 
      forgotten our only rocket somewhere. However, the 
      night was enjoyable. We had sauteed reindeer with 
      mashed potatoes and lingonberries, then a boxful of 

      candies, and casted New Year's charms using an old 
      separator. In fact, the house was very interesting. 
      All the things from horseshoes to diaries had been 
      left there like in a museum.  There were some ghosts 
      there all right, but it didn't matter.
 
1st January, 1993
      We left for the village of Ranua in cloudy
      weather and were surprised by a snowstorm on an aapa 
      bog. No use trying to orientate, so we went wherever 
      the wind brought us. One of us was carefully observing 
      his compass, but it turned out that it was just the 
      air bubbles he was interested in... Anyway, we found 
      our way and reached a road to Ranua in the evening, 
      even saw a human being again (I don't know why, but he 
      ran away). We set up a lean-to in a clump of spruces, 
      made a good fire of snags we found under snow, then 
      snuggled in our sleeping bags again. A little sultry - 
      the greenhouse effect, I suppose...
 
2nd January, 1993
      Five more kilometers to Ranua. The trek
      was over, after a wonderful week and 60 kilometers of 
      skiing.