Puukkos for sale ( SOLD! )

These 3 birch bark handle puukkos are looking for a new home. Blades forged of 80CrV2 carbon steel, handles have birch bark stacked between brass bolster plates. Dark brown leather sheaths with wooden liners for the blade.

Sold! Number 1: Blade 105 x 23,5 x 4,8mm. Handle 110 x 31 x 22mm Sold!

Sold! Number 2: Blade 103 x 22,5 x 48mm. Handle 111 x 31 x 22mm. Sold!

Sold! Number 3: Blade 102 x 22 x 4,8mm. Handle 111 x 31 x 22mm. Sold!

Ski touring.

In addition to day trips in April I did two longer skiing trips. 9 days in Lemmenjoki national park and 7 days in Hammastunturi wilderness area. Generally this winter we've had very decent skiing conditions. Way over one meter of snow, but not really powdery all the way through, which makes skiing much better. Here are some very random pictures from the trips.

Trip to Lemmenjoki started along snowmobile track of gold diggers. There's a gold digging area located in central area of the park. No road or such going there, so all the stuff needed during the season is transported there in winter. 

All the gear comfortably in a pulka.

Bridge on a hiking trail. With this much snow still we're not really close to hiking season yet. But it's the best time of winter for ski touring.

Stopped at a newly built hut along the summer trail.

And of the tracks we go for next 7 days.

On a nine day trip I stayed only one night in my tent. There was no one in any of the open wilderness huts along my route. I met only two persons during the trip, two skiers on the second last day. 

One simple way to get water from a creek running under a thick layer of snow.

 Fell scenery in nice weather.

 

 And in not so nice weather...

The old gold digging site of Morgamojan kultala , which now serves as an open wilderness hut.

 An interesting way to move forward? In April hunting season is over, so dogs need to be leashed.

Open wilderness huts with a wood stove are luxury for hikers in the middle of nowhere.

Last part of this trip was on the only marked winter route, along the Lemmenjoki river. 

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A few days after Lemmenjoki tour I started the trip to Hammastunturi wilderness area. Straight from home along non-plowed forest roads to the actual wilderness area. Snowing, like we wouldn't have enough already.

Also on this trip I stayed only one night in my tent, as all the wilderness huts I happened to visit were empty. During the whole week I didn't see any skiers, just few people on snowmobiles.

Time to take the tent down? Aha, ok....

 Moving across a fell area on a windy day.

 Ivalojoen Kultala, a historical site in the gold-digging area Ivalojoki river. This building serves as an open wilderness hut and other side is bookable.

Ivalojoki valley.

Rather steep hill to and from Ivalojoen Kultala, if you don't ski on the river. Skis and poles packed on the pulka when going up or down the hillside.

Hammastunturi wilderness area has quite many huts here and there. Some are open or bookable wilderness huts for skiers and hikers, some older buildings have already collapsed, and some like the one in this picture are locked reindeer herders' huts. 

Enjoying nice weather at one of the open huts. 

And a nice sunset.

Ice tea. Or melting snow for water....

Enjoying the silence.

A female capercaillie thinking hard if she has been seen....

Last week of April, still plenty of snow.

One of the open huts almost buried in snow.

White and blue moment.

White surroundings in the upper fell area.

And it's the end. Last few kilometers along a snowmobile trail.

Spring time.

That's what it is. Spring is here. We still have plenty of snow, about 1,2m average. Up here in the north daylight time is getting longer in big leaps. Nature has to get ready for the short summer and growing season.

 
We are lucky to have rather large wilderness areas and national parks in the region. Plenty of space for outdoorsmen, and women.

Birds are getting more active and starting their summer tunes.

 Willow grouse hunting ended March 31st. Population seems to have gotten fairly better, which is good news.

Same with pine marten hunting, season ended at the end of March.

 

 Air drying meat is common here in spring time. Reindeer, moose, beef, heart... As a hunter I have a good supply of moose, so that's what this is.

Hung out to dry.

 Some of the thin slices were ready already in a week and half, most will take quite a bit longer.

Sunny day out on the skis!

Almost a year has passed...

...since I updated anything here. In a year some things have changed, but some things definitely didn't change. Sometimes it's good, sometimes not so good. Well, I thought to start posting here again, in the same irregular way as before. So here's a start with some pictures from the year 2019. We all have moments and times when we really feel like being alive. For me those moments usually relate to doing something outdoors. Here are some of those moments in pictures.....

Hammastunturi wilderness area. Pastel colours a bit after polar night in January 2019.

At work, lake Inari, February 2019.

Skiing in Lemmenjoki national park, March 2019.

Urho Kekkonen national park, April 2019.

Urho Kekkonen national park, early May 2019.

Luttojoki, June 2019.

Ivalojoki, July 2019.

Hammastunturi wilderness area, August 2019.

Capercaillie hunting, Hammastunturi wilderness area, September 2019.

Late October in Hammastunturi wilderness area.

Hammastunturi wilderness area, November 2019.

Busy at work, December 2019, Saariselkä.