Santa's Font
Posted by ANTTI LOUHI | | Posted On lauantai 3. syyskuuta 2011
Climbing trips have been on hold for some time now due to intensive projecting at local crags and other summer activities. This week I suddenly had a chance to escape the office and leave for my three-day summer vacation. I was well aware that most of my climbing buddies were busy on their money-earning projects during the week or just prevented from travelling. Or at least I thought so. Nevertheless, our polar friend somewhere in the northern tundra asked some time ago to pay a visit to the land of the Santa to try out some of the quality boulders in the area. I quickly managed to book a one-way ticket and a rental car for the next day just before the closing time of the rental company. I was back on the road!
I was a little worried about the arctic weather and tried to pack most of my warm clothing to ensure a certain of level of comfort while climbing. Immediatelly when I stepped out of the plane I was already cursing for not taking the down jacket with me. I was convinced when I called Miika and he mentioned about the chilly weather after leaving his home in t-shirt and flip flops.
We had only a few hours of day light left when Miika was ready with his football coaching and decided to try out his favourite problem in Toramo. The route looked promising and after a few tries we were one move away from victory. Unfortunately no skin was left in our fingers to top out the problem in darkness, so the problem remains unsolved.
Miika having high hopes on "Highlight".
We woke up early the next day and headed out for a place called Hiidenkirnut. Miika did the right thing and skipped all the classes in his school to devote the whole day for this amazing place. This is probably one of the best places for bouldering in Finland. Lot's of high quality problems situated very close to each other. Too bad that this area is 850 kms away from Helsinki. Anyway, if you have chance to climb in Lapland, this is the place. This is the Fontainebleau of Finland.
I was a little sceptical about our chances of sending anything above 4A when I saw Miika preparing his notes for the day.
Matches, fuel and beer.
We also enjoyed a healthy breakfast to give us strenght for the crux moves.
Even if the areas are situated in the middle of nowhere, these mad signs are everywhere. Pay 20 Finnish Marks to use the road.
Don't!
The only way to go around the closed gates is to enter the tundra - by foot.
It's worth the effort when you enter the playground and can't decide what to climb next. Miika working on "Los Cojones".
Los Cojones / Hiidenkirnut from Antti Louhi on Vimeo.
Bacon feast is the key to success.
Amazing rock formations!
Negotiating the moves of Rotanloukku.
This is the view if you decide to walk through a swamp and hike uphill for half an hour instead of using a gravel road.
Ei menny.
Now that I'm sitting on a night train back to Helsinki, the same thoughts come to my mind as every time when returning from a climbing trip. Next time I have more time. So many routes left to climb. Definitely a place worth visiting again.
Hopefully Miika will stay there at least until next summer. This place is the Olhava for boulderers. We'll return for sure. With all the buddies and more time.
I was a little worried about the arctic weather and tried to pack most of my warm clothing to ensure a certain of level of comfort while climbing. Immediatelly when I stepped out of the plane I was already cursing for not taking the down jacket with me. I was convinced when I called Miika and he mentioned about the chilly weather after leaving his home in t-shirt and flip flops.
We had only a few hours of day light left when Miika was ready with his football coaching and decided to try out his favourite problem in Toramo. The route looked promising and after a few tries we were one move away from victory. Unfortunately no skin was left in our fingers to top out the problem in darkness, so the problem remains unsolved.
Miika having high hopes on "Highlight".
We woke up early the next day and headed out for a place called Hiidenkirnut. Miika did the right thing and skipped all the classes in his school to devote the whole day for this amazing place. This is probably one of the best places for bouldering in Finland. Lot's of high quality problems situated very close to each other. Too bad that this area is 850 kms away from Helsinki. Anyway, if you have chance to climb in Lapland, this is the place. This is the Fontainebleau of Finland.
I was a little sceptical about our chances of sending anything above 4A when I saw Miika preparing his notes for the day.
Matches, fuel and beer.
We also enjoyed a healthy breakfast to give us strenght for the crux moves.
Even if the areas are situated in the middle of nowhere, these mad signs are everywhere. Pay 20 Finnish Marks to use the road.
Don't!
The only way to go around the closed gates is to enter the tundra - by foot.
It's worth the effort when you enter the playground and can't decide what to climb next. Miika working on "Los Cojones".
Los Cojones / Hiidenkirnut from Antti Louhi on Vimeo.
Bacon feast is the key to success.
Amazing rock formations!
Negotiating the moves of Rotanloukku.
This is the view if you decide to walk through a swamp and hike uphill for half an hour instead of using a gravel road.
Ei menny.
Now that I'm sitting on a night train back to Helsinki, the same thoughts come to my mind as every time when returning from a climbing trip. Next time I have more time. So many routes left to climb. Definitely a place worth visiting again.
Hopefully Miika will stay there at least until next summer. This place is the Olhava for boulderers. We'll return for sure. With all the buddies and more time.
Location:Rovaniemi
Tekstit
