2016.03.18 - Urho Kekkonen, Finland. D6: Monte Sokosti desde Luirojärvi
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 7.64 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,588 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 1,588 ft
- Max elevation
- 2,455 ft
- TrailRank
- 48
- Min elevation
- 884 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 5 hours 34 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1152
- Uploaded
- March 21, 2016
- Recorded
- March 2016
near Korvanen, Lappi (Suomi)
Viewed 2060 times, downloaded 32 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
|
Duration: 5:30 hours
Departure / arrival: Refugio 5 - Luirojärvi autio-varaustupa (286 m)
Highlight: Sokosti Peak (718 m)
Distances and cumulated altitude: 12.3 km; +485 m / -485 m
Difficulty: 3/5 - Great exposure to the wind.
Full route: 2016.03.13-20 - Urho Kekkonen National Park, Finland (8 days)
Friday 18.03.2016 - Sokosti Peak from Luirojärvi
Sixth day in the heart of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, Finland. Today, Friday, we get up a bit later than normal: our purpose is to attempt the ascent of the highest peak of the massif, Mount Sokosti, with a height of 718 m. When I look out the window I am surprised to discover the clear sky: a few hours before, around 4 o'clock in the morning, I was still making a good snowfall. I stay a while looking at the pink lights of dawn: soon the sun will rise on the horizon. It was 12 below zero, with a strong wind. We take breakfast and calmly, we dress with good warm clothes: T-shirt and thermal socks like first layer, thermal T-shirt then, polar, balaclava and hat, with trousers and short wind jacket. Blizzard glasses, good gloves and neoprene cover to cover the boots.
At about 9:30 am, we left the refuge towards the lake that we went up in a northeasterly direction to the Sokostinoja river. Tonight 10 cm of very cold powder snow has fallen, so in the approach to the peak (about 3 km), we do not wear the seal skins. The skis slide lightly and in a short time, we reach the river. A little before the mouth of the lake we find a small wooden bridge completely covered by snow that helps us cross it. Soon after, we enter the forest. In gentle slope at the beginning, always in northeast direction. We open a path between the trees and, in order not to deviate, we frequently control our orientation with the GPS. When the slope becomes stronger, little by little, the trees become rare and we take advantage to rest: outside the forest we will be whipped by the wind, so we put on the seal skins. And so it is: little by little, we gain altitude with a strong lateral wind. It is cold: the thermal sensation easily is of 25 / 30ºC below zero. Above, the snow becomes scab and we advance with more difficulty; the skins, fortunately, provide a sufficient grip. In the fog above we see the top: with huge blocks of frozen snow, sculpted by the wind. Marta, Kim and Francesc stop to put on the crampons while Valentí and I decided to continue with the skis. At 12: 30h we meet to, together, make the top. We are excited; the view from the top is spectacular, from the snowy basin of Lake Luirojärvi to our feet, as far as the eye can see. A strong wind gusts hit the summit but the sun, from the attack to the top, has come out of the fog. Immortalize the moment with the cameras and Kim and Marta, fleeing the cold as the wind, begin the descent. Francesc, Valentí and I want to continue a little more until the antenna that is a hundred meters beyond the top. The pillar that constitutes it, as well as the small hut that is next to it, are totally covered by snow and ice: this material really has to be strong to function in these conditions!
Next to the antenna we have coverage and we take the opportunity to contact Barcelona. We took a couple more photos, before starting the descent. Without the skins, the descent is fast, pleasant. In a short time we reached the first line of trees and quickly, we are in the lake. In the shelter, the rest of the companions wait for us with hot drinks; some lentils with ham are cooking in the kitchen that will taste like glory!
After eating, I stay behind and lie down to take a nap. I will wake up at 6pm! Have I really slept so much? ... The light has gone down and the sun has gone behind the mountains. There is a sauna in a cabin away from the shelter that the companions have been feeding in wood all morning to warm it. It is a very Finnish pleasure to relax in a hot sauna, then wallow in the appeased, clean snow! A space of peace and warmth in the middle of the mountain, away from civilization ... To think that it is so cold outside!
Dinner time quickly arrives. There have been lentils of the midday as several things to chop: fuet, ham, cheese ... And since today we have achieved the goal, with what better to celebrate than a good bottle of Ribera del Duero that we have protected days in the backpack, side of a bottle of warm water so it does not freeze! What: today is Aurora? Throughout these days, we have learned that to observe them, it is not so much luck, but patience: every night or almost, sooner or later, they appear in the north; the sky is then animated with different forms: arcs of light, snails, or structures that resemble rays of light very elongated and thin that fall to the vertical of the sky. During one night, an aurora can begin as a very long isolated arc that extends on the horizon, usually in an east-west direction. Near midnight the arch can begin to increase its brightness and waves or curls appear in its path. Suddenly the whole sky can be filled with bands, spirals and rays that tremble and move quickly over the horizon. Their activity can last from a few minutes to hours and in places like Finland, the chances of seeing an aurora borealis are very high because they say they can make an appearance up to 200 nights a year (for photos and details / videos ). As dawn approaches, the whole process seems to subside and only a few small areas of the sky appear bright until morning.
Regarding the taking of photos, we have also been learning: Four basic settings for photographing Auroras
Tonight I stay as late as possible in the shelter, accumulating heat, before positioning myself in the lake where I can enjoy a wide view all around. It is 14ºC below zero, a light wind blows, but I'm well wrapped. Depending on the intensity of the aurora shot between 2,000 and 4,000 ISOs, between 1.6 and 14 sec with the lowest focal length of my lens, in my case: 4 (Nikon 24-120mm f / 4 VR G). Too many ISOs and the snow will burn; too few and it is all the landscape that will go gray, or with little life. The more seconds, the more diffused the dawn will come: we must not forget that an aurora borealis is a phenomenon in constant evolution. Today is of low intensity, very blurred on the horizon, so I opt for greater sensitivity and a shorter exposure time: 3,200-5,000 ISOs / 1.4-1.6 sec. After half an hour it is all the sky that finally lights up and rays that until now had remained on the horizon suddenly pierce the space above my head, like green and lilac arrows ... All a show! When I can not take it anymore, I shoot a last show and I run back to the shelter. Upon entering, the mist immediately freezes on the screen and on the target. It's 11:15 PM and the classmates are already in bed. I blow the last candle: good night Finland ...
- - - - - - - - - -
Note on reservations: The mountain center of Kiilopää, 250 km north of the arctic circle and half an hour from the city of Ivalo, ensures reservations in the National Park shelters and delivers the keys to the varaustupa (closed shelters) . It is also the main information point in the Saariselkä.
Mountain Center of Kiilopää
Kiilopääntie, 620
FI-99830 Saariselkä - FINLAND
Tel: +358.16.670.0700
Mail: kiilopaa@suomenlatu.fi
Connections by plane, train and bus
.
Departure / arrival: Refugio 5 - Luirojärvi autio-varaustupa (286 m)
Highlight: Sokosti Peak (718 m)
Distances and cumulated altitude: 12.3 km; +485 m / -485 m
Difficulty: 3/5 - Great exposure to the wind.
Full route: 2016.03.13-20 - Urho Kekkonen National Park, Finland (8 days)
Friday 18.03.2016 - Sokosti Peak from Luirojärvi
Sixth day in the heart of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, Finland. Today, Friday, we get up a bit later than normal: our purpose is to attempt the ascent of the highest peak of the massif, Mount Sokosti, with a height of 718 m. When I look out the window I am surprised to discover the clear sky: a few hours before, around 4 o'clock in the morning, I was still making a good snowfall. I stay a while looking at the pink lights of dawn: soon the sun will rise on the horizon. It was 12 below zero, with a strong wind. We take breakfast and calmly, we dress with good warm clothes: T-shirt and thermal socks like first layer, thermal T-shirt then, polar, balaclava and hat, with trousers and short wind jacket. Blizzard glasses, good gloves and neoprene cover to cover the boots.
At about 9:30 am, we left the refuge towards the lake that we went up in a northeasterly direction to the Sokostinoja river. Tonight 10 cm of very cold powder snow has fallen, so in the approach to the peak (about 3 km), we do not wear the seal skins. The skis slide lightly and in a short time, we reach the river. A little before the mouth of the lake we find a small wooden bridge completely covered by snow that helps us cross it. Soon after, we enter the forest. In gentle slope at the beginning, always in northeast direction. We open a path between the trees and, in order not to deviate, we frequently control our orientation with the GPS. When the slope becomes stronger, little by little, the trees become rare and we take advantage to rest: outside the forest we will be whipped by the wind, so we put on the seal skins. And so it is: little by little, we gain altitude with a strong lateral wind. It is cold: the thermal sensation easily is of 25 / 30ºC below zero. Above, the snow becomes scab and we advance with more difficulty; the skins, fortunately, provide a sufficient grip. In the fog above we see the top: with huge blocks of frozen snow, sculpted by the wind. Marta, Kim and Francesc stop to put on the crampons while Valentí and I decided to continue with the skis. At 12: 30h we meet to, together, make the top. We are excited; the view from the top is spectacular, from the snowy basin of Lake Luirojärvi to our feet, as far as the eye can see. A strong wind gusts hit the summit but the sun, from the attack to the top, has come out of the fog. Immortalize the moment with the cameras and Kim and Marta, fleeing the cold as the wind, begin the descent. Francesc, Valentí and I want to continue a little more until the antenna that is a hundred meters beyond the top. The pillar that constitutes it, as well as the small hut that is next to it, are totally covered by snow and ice: this material really has to be strong to function in these conditions!
Next to the antenna we have coverage and we take the opportunity to contact Barcelona. We took a couple more photos, before starting the descent. Without the skins, the descent is fast, pleasant. In a short time we reached the first line of trees and quickly, we are in the lake. In the shelter, the rest of the companions wait for us with hot drinks; some lentils with ham are cooking in the kitchen that will taste like glory!
After eating, I stay behind and lie down to take a nap. I will wake up at 6pm! Have I really slept so much? ... The light has gone down and the sun has gone behind the mountains. There is a sauna in a cabin away from the shelter that the companions have been feeding in wood all morning to warm it. It is a very Finnish pleasure to relax in a hot sauna, then wallow in the appeased, clean snow! A space of peace and warmth in the middle of the mountain, away from civilization ... To think that it is so cold outside!
Dinner time quickly arrives. There have been lentils of the midday as several things to chop: fuet, ham, cheese ... And since today we have achieved the goal, with what better to celebrate than a good bottle of Ribera del Duero that we have protected days in the backpack, side of a bottle of warm water so it does not freeze! What: today is Aurora? Throughout these days, we have learned that to observe them, it is not so much luck, but patience: every night or almost, sooner or later, they appear in the north; the sky is then animated with different forms: arcs of light, snails, or structures that resemble rays of light very elongated and thin that fall to the vertical of the sky. During one night, an aurora can begin as a very long isolated arc that extends on the horizon, usually in an east-west direction. Near midnight the arch can begin to increase its brightness and waves or curls appear in its path. Suddenly the whole sky can be filled with bands, spirals and rays that tremble and move quickly over the horizon. Their activity can last from a few minutes to hours and in places like Finland, the chances of seeing an aurora borealis are very high because they say they can make an appearance up to 200 nights a year (for photos and details / videos ). As dawn approaches, the whole process seems to subside and only a few small areas of the sky appear bright until morning.
Regarding the taking of photos, we have also been learning: Four basic settings for photographing Auroras
Tonight I stay as late as possible in the shelter, accumulating heat, before positioning myself in the lake where I can enjoy a wide view all around. It is 14ºC below zero, a light wind blows, but I'm well wrapped. Depending on the intensity of the aurora shot between 2,000 and 4,000 ISOs, between 1.6 and 14 sec with the lowest focal length of my lens, in my case: 4 (Nikon 24-120mm f / 4 VR G). Too many ISOs and the snow will burn; too few and it is all the landscape that will go gray, or with little life. The more seconds, the more diffused the dawn will come: we must not forget that an aurora borealis is a phenomenon in constant evolution. Today is of low intensity, very blurred on the horizon, so I opt for greater sensitivity and a shorter exposure time: 3,200-5,000 ISOs / 1.4-1.6 sec. After half an hour it is all the sky that finally lights up and rays that until now had remained on the horizon suddenly pierce the space above my head, like green and lilac arrows ... All a show! When I can not take it anymore, I shoot a last show and I run back to the shelter. Upon entering, the mist immediately freezes on the screen and on the target. It's 11:15 PM and the classmates are already in bed. I blow the last candle: good night Finland ...
- - - - - - - - - -
Note on reservations: The mountain center of Kiilopää, 250 km north of the arctic circle and half an hour from the city of Ivalo, ensures reservations in the National Park shelters and delivers the keys to the varaustupa (closed shelters) . It is also the main information point in the Saariselkä.
Mountain Center of Kiilopää
Kiilopääntie, 620
FI-99830 Saariselkä - FINLAND
Tel: +358.16.670.0700
Mail: kiilopaa@suomenlatu.fi
Connections by plane, train and bus
.
Waypoints
Waypoint
Intersection
894 ft
Cruce del río (273 m)
Wilderness hut
930 ft
Huoltotupa (284 m)
Wilderness hut
931 ft
Rajankämppä autiotupa (284 m)
Mountain hut
Summit
You can add a comment or review this trail
Comments