Northern Finland's natural beauty, plentiful snow, and flat-to-gently-rolling topography make it a cross-country skier's paradise.
For those with a desire for adventure and physical challenge, the region's Rajalta Rajalle-hiihto, which translates literally as “from border to border cross-country ski,” is hard to resist.
Getting to the start of the Rajalta Rajalle is an adventure in itself, however, the real adventure begins with the first kick and glide of the week.
What follows is seven days of Finland: endless forests, snow, frozen lakes and streams, nightly saunas, huge quantities of traditional Finnish food, and accommodations ranging from a rustic country schoolhouse with an authentic outdoor wood heated sauna, to a swanky hotel on the last night.
However, the event is defined in large part by the mental and physical challenge of seven long days on skis. This provides the participant with a sense of accomplishment as well as with new friendships that inevitably form with skiers from all parts of the world. In my group, the participating countries were Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
The first day's ski is 38 miles and begins with a short jaunt to the Russian border, followed by some of the week's most idyllic cross-country skiing terrain, with the highlight being the mid-day journey through the densely snow-covered forest of Valtavaara hill near the downhill ski resort of Ruka.
On 40-mile day two, skiers follow a railroad grade made by Germany when it occupied Finland during World War II. Although this portion of the ski is monotonous, toward the end of the day participants are rewarded with beautiful scenery, and some of the best terrain of the week.
Day three provides a wide variety of terrain. Much of the 33-mile route weaves through pine forests, with a long climb and then descent to an old timber-framed house. Then, after a rolling and weaving ski through an area of summer cottages and old forests, the day ends at a T-bar lift that takes skiers to their mountaintop hotel.
The biggest test of the week is day four's 54-mile trek. After climbing in the first few miles through a beautiful, densely snow-covered forest, skiers come out upon the flat swamp country of central Finland, where the majority of the day is spent. In the last miles, mental and physical exhaustion merge to make the lake crossing to the hotel in Ranua seem never-ending.
The organizers smartly put the shortest day of the week (27 miles) on day five. For us, the day was characterized by ideal weather: crystal clear and calm. The topography is flat, making for a mellow excursion. Moreover, there are many interesting things to see along the way: a lunch stop where skiers roast sausages around a fire, an old school and reindeer farm, and gorgeous colors and scenery. The day's excursion ends at an old country schoolhouse where the evening sauna, meal and sleep are taken.
The terrain of the final two days is similar, with winding and undulating track through the pine, spruce and fir forests of western Finland and distances of 35 and 40 miles respectively. The week ends with a ski into the border town of Tornio, where the nicest accommodation of the week makes for a comfortable end to the trip, and where the Swedish town of Haparanda is only a short walk away.
Something unexpected, for me, about the Rajalta Rajalle was the average age of the participants - somewhere in the 50s - and that several of the most competitive and fit individuals were in their 60s. In fact, although I am 33, in good shape, ski moderately well, and like to push myself, I had no hope of keeping up with the fastest 60-plus-year-old men, who were at or near the front all week, and I was never as fast as 62-year-old American Sally Swenson.
A number of good stories came from a Canadian who raced for first-to-the-finish each day, battling it out at the end on separate days with the two fastest 60-somethings: a former member of the Italian cross-country national team and a stern-looking German skiing machine.
The Rajalta Rajalle has taught me that the 60s don't have to be old.
It is natural to ask, why would a person choose to take a vacation in which so much time is spent in an elemental struggle with physical and mental exhaustion?
Well, when every ounce of energy goes toward getting through each day, when you're not sure if you can do it and then you do, when all you are able to do is eat, sleep and ski, you forget all else, and somehow find yourself full and refreshed, if not rested, at week's end.
It's like a summer camp for adults, with sleep deprivation replaced by excessive amounts of skiing. And just as with summer camp, deep friendships form between the participants during the seven days of the event, even between those who don't share a language.
While skiing, much can be communicated without words.
About the author
John Bardsley, a native of Butte, is a mathematics professor at the University of Montana. He is currently in the middle of a faculty exchange to the University of Helsinki in Finland, from which he will return in July of 2007. Until then, he lives with his wife, Jennifer, and two children, Alex and Elli, in Helsinki, Finland.
Getting there
After flying to Helsinki, one can get to the start of the Rajalta Rajalle most efficiently via a direct flight to Kuusamo. However, it is typically more economical to take either the train (www.vr.fi) or the discount airline Blue 1 (www.airbotnia.fi) to the bustling northern city of Oulu - worth half a day's exploration in itself - and then a bus to the starting point at Oivanki, near Kuusamo.
Other options do exist, however, if one is willing to piece together a ticket to mainland Europe or the UK with flights into Finland on the discount airlines Blue 1 or Ryan Air (www.ryanair.com), which fly from a variety of European destinations to Helsinki and Tampere respectively. Oivanki can also be reached by bus from the town, and Blue 1 destination, of Rovaniemi, which sits within a city bus ride of the Arctic Circle and contains the excellent Arktikum Museum.
Oh, and of course you will first have to register for the event, which can be done at the event Web site, rajaltarajallehiihto.ranua.fi.
Equipment
Throughout the Rajalta Rajalle route, skiers follow a diagonal track made with a snowmobile and track sled. Thus a set of skinny cross-country skis in the classic style are a requirement. Also, appropriate clothing, and some expertise in the application of cross-country ski wax, for a wide range of weather conditions is a necessity; participants can encounter temperatures ranging from minus 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
A bus carries skiers' luggage from start to finish each day. Thus since food is provided along each day's route, only a small pack, or big pockets, is needed for carrying wax, extra snacks, and water. Other than that, a sleeping bag for the two nights in the schoolhouses, some clothing for lounging around in the evening, and a towel are all that is needed. Most likely, you'll be too tired and too busy eating to do anything productive, like read a book, when you're not skiing. See the event Web site, rajaltarajallehiihto.ranua.fi, for more logistical information.
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