Finland: Time to take out the skis in Lapland
As the weather cools, the first skiing tracks in Lapland are being laid down with artificial snow in Ounasvaara and Saariselkä.
At Saariselkä, in the northern region of Inari, snow cannons started blasting the white powdery stuff on Monday. With the advent of sub-zero temperatures, the work was progressing well, according to Ski Saariselkä ltd chief Lea Kontturi.
”We snow [the track] in three shifts, meaning from morning to evening. It looks good now, but much depends on whether freezing weather will continue,” Kontturi said.
According to the entrepreneur, the Saariselkä track will open to skiers early next week. Before this skiing is not recommended, as the snow canons may cause dangerous situations. Yet a few over-eager skiers have already tried out their skis on the canon snow, Kontturi noted.
Snow canons are also operating full-blast at the ski resort of Levi.
Ounasvaara tracks open Monday
Some 15,000 cubic meters of stored up snow is being used to fashion a seven-kilometre track at Rovaniemi’s Ounasvaara hill. The work started on Tuesday, and the snow will be spread out on the track from Friday.
A short track will open for skiers on Monday, while the full Ounasvaara route will open on Wednesday.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: The environmental and social impacts of Arctic tourism, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Nature tourism in North Finland drawing Chinese tourists, Yle News
Greenland: Greenland inspires Arctic Bay, Canada tourism strategy, Eye on the Arctic
Iceland: Rejected by Iceland, billionaire sets sights on Arctic Finland for tourism project, Yle News
Russia: Creating links across the Arctic – A look back on the Beringia Arctic Games, Eye on the Arctic
Sweden: Is space tourism coming to Sweden’s Arctic?, Radio Sweden
United States: Passport troubles keep some athletes from Arctic Winter Games in Alaska, CBC News
