The most demanding ski tour I’ve ever done was in April 2019 at Paistunturi Wilderness Area, Finland. Everything started well, but the weather took a quick turn, with temperatures rising well above freezing, causing the snow to melt rapidly. Our initial plan was to hike through the area and end up in Utsjoki, a small village just 100 km north of our starting location. However, we had to turn back midway through the tour as it seemed we would not have enough snow to ski on. We rushed back to our starting location in a frenzy, wading through melting snow and icy streams of water. It was the toughest hike, but at the same time, one of the best!

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #backpacking #mastodon #landscapephotography #pixelfed #photo #naturephotography #nordic #arctic #finland #skitouring #paistunturi

I hate when my pulkas fall over, especially when I’m hiking alone. I have to take off my backpack, unstrap my harness, remove my camera (which I usually carry ready to use), and ski to the pulkas to turn them over. It takes time, is annoying, and can be frustrating. Luckily, this time it happened on level ground, but it has occurred on slopes, making it not only more annoying but also potentially dangerous, with a risk of losing gear.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #backpacking #mastodon #landscapephotography #pixelfed #photo #naturephotography #nordic #arctic

Blue hues of Varangerhalvøya National Park during our two-week ski tour in 2024 to this isolated area in Norway.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #backpacking #mastodon #landscapephotography #pixelfed #photo #naturephotography #nordic #arctic #bluehues

Open wilderness hut Korsatupa in the Pulju Wilderness Area, Finland—October 2023, during my two-week solo hike. This is one of the rare wilderness huts in Finland that has a sauna, which felt like pure luxury on a longer hike. It was especially welcome on this trip, as I got caught off guard by early snowfall and was basically hiking in summer gear—no snowshoes, skis, or proper winter equipment with me.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #finland #backpacking #wildernesshut #sauna #pulju

These gulches, or "kuru" in Finnish, are potential death traps in the winter. Snow gets packed into thick and heavy patches on the sides, and when a skier enters, they might collapse on top of them. I always avoid these like the plague, though they are very pretty to watch. I once met two ski tourers who claimed that they always ski through these and their granny taught them to do so. In my opinion, it's just a disaster waiting to happen.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #skitour #winter

More windy fjells in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, Finland, during my six-week solo ski tour. I was hesitant to leave the safety of the wilderness hut where I stayed during a blizzard that had winds over 20 m/s and lasted three days. (I’ve posted a pic earlier of that same hut in the storm.) Once the storm wound down, I left but was still on alert that it might gain more power again.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #skitour #blizzard #finland #skitour #käsivarsi

Misty Storelva in Norway, August 2023. We had to cross this river on a cold, wet day. Luckily, we found a shallow—but wide—spot to get across. If we hadn’t, we might’ve had to take a pretty long detour, possibly even retrace our old tracks back toward civilization—something I always try to avoid.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #rivercrossing #finnmark #norway

Fox chilling near Bastevárri in Norway during my six-week solo ski tour in the spring of 2023. In some parts of Finland and Norway, red foxes are hunted because they compete with the endangered Arctic fox. It’s a way to help protect the Arctic fox and give it more space to live without pressure from its larger cousin. In certain areas, there are feeding stations set up that only Arctic foxes can access, and their locations are intentionally kept secret. So if you ever come across one in the wild, please don’t tamper with it—or share its location.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #wildlife #fox #norway

One of the best times of year in the Nordics is late summer, fall, or spring—when the days are still bright, but the nights are dark or just beginning to fall. That’s when you experience these striking lights and long shadows dancing along the sides of the fjells. This photo was taken on August 6th, 2023, at 22:17 during our two-week hike to the Gaissene area in Finnmark, Norway

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #nordics
#norway #finnmark

On a break, trying to figure out where we actually are in the Kemihaara Wilderness Area, Finland, during Christmas and New Year's Eve 2023/2024. We got pretty badly lost on this hike and for five days, we only had a vague idea of where we were. But since we always pack food for a few extra days, we didn't have any other emergency except that it started to become mentally exhausting. I would say I'm pretty good at navigating, but in forests, sometimes my inner compass just gets overwhelmed, or I get lost in my own thoughts and forget to be on alert for landmarks.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #kemihaara
#finland #xmas #newyear #skitour #navigation #maps #compass #winterhiking

Can’t quite remember the exact spot where I took this, but it’s somewhere in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area during my six-week solo ski tour. Fun fact: Käsivarsi means ‘arm’ in Finnish—because if you look at a map of Finland, it kind of looks like the country has one arm reaching out. We used to have two… but then WWII happened.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #skitour #solohiking #winterhiking #winter #finland #käsivarsi

Landing strip marks left by either a Willow Grouse or a Rock Ptarmigan. These marks are quite common in Lapland. Willow Grouses typically inhabit lower areas with downy birches, while Rock Ptarmigans are usually found higher up in rocky areas. They are close relatives and can be easily confused, as can their tracks.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #wildlife #birds #skitour #winterhiking #birdwatching

Another photo from our 12-day excursion to Varangerhalvøya National Park, Norway, in April 2024. We enjoyed stunning vistas and fantastic weather throughout the trip. As seen here, the partly cloudy and snowy conditions, combined with the sun peeking through, created a very photogenic environment with incredible lighting.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #varangerhalvøya
#skitour #norway #finnmark #winterhiking

My friend acting as a pathfinder in the Kemihaara Wilderness Area, Finland, in January 2023. When hiking with multiple people, it's always nice to take turns opening the tracks. If it's really deep snow and conditions are difficult, we take very short turns. This way, you can preserve your energy, focus on your well-being, and avoid frostbite or other injuries.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #teamwork #skitour #forest #finland #kemihaara #winterhiking

Windy fjells in the Valtijoki valley in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, Finland, during my six-week solo ski tour.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #skitour #photography #solohiking
#winterhiking

A crisp October morning in the Pulju Wilderness Area, Finland, in 2023. I was surprised by snowfall during this hike and didn't have skis with me, which made movement sluggish and difficult. There was approximately 15-20cm of snow.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #snowfall #solohiking #finland #pulju

Opening a path for my pulka in the Pulju Wilderness Area, Finland, in 2024. Sometimes leaving your gear—especially in the winter—can be nerve-wracking. Even though the chances are slim, you never know if there might be a sudden storm or low visibility, leaving you stranded without your gear.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #pulka #winterhike #skitour #photography

There was supposed to be a nice view of the valley here, but instead, I got rolling fog for the whole day. It made navigation a bit more difficult and dangerous. From my two-month solo hike in the Gaissene area, Norway, in 2024.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #fog #gaissene #solohiking #thruhike #norway #fog

Sometimes getting fresh water requires a bit of work! This example is from my solo ski tour in the Pöyrisjärvi Wilderness Area in January 2025.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #freshwater #wilderness #skitouring #winterhike #solohiking #finland

It always surprises me how much open water you can find, even in the middle of -30°C temperatures. Somehow, these small streams stay open for long periods, even in extreme cold. For us hikers, they always present a challenge, as crossing them over snow bridges or even ice is always an unknown danger.

#mountains #fjells #sonyalpha #hiking #winterhike #openwater #extremecold #snowbridge #icesafety #wilderness #arcticadventure #solohiking #finland #pöyrisjärvi #pulju