Pitsusköngäs

Understand

History Like the other wilderness areas Käsivarsi was established in 1991, but it had been a popular destination long before (a hostel in nearby Kilpisjärvi was built 1937, a hotel 1948). With its 2206 km² it is the second largest of the areas. The area has probably been inhabited since soon after the ice sheet of the Ice Age withdraw. There was fish in the rivers, reindeer in the fells, other game, and plants and berries in the summer. Stone age dwelling sites have been found. Pieces of earthenware from 4500 BC have been found by Lake Kilpisjärvi. Tamed reindeer have been used for two thousand years, but large scale reindeer husbandry was introduced in the area in the 17th century and remains important. Some Sámi families still live in the Raittijärvi Lapp village (with no road connections) for most of the year.

Landscape Many fells in the Käsivarsi area belong to the Scandinavian mountain range, in contrast to fells in the rest of Finland. Most of the area – more or less all the northern part – is above the treeline.

Flora and fauna Fauna includes lemming, root vole, grey red-backed vole, least weasel, stout, red fox, Arctic fox, lynx, wolverine – and of course reindeer. Wolves and bears sometimes visit the area. 89 species of bird nest here, including peregrine falcon, snowy owl and lesser white-fronted goose, but only few stay all year, such as willow grouse, rock ptarmigan, gyrfalcon, willow tit and Siberian tit.

Climate The climate is harsh. The area is at quite high elevation much north of the polar circle. Weather can change drastically in little time. Snow and freezing temperatures are possible also in midsummer. Above the treeline there is little natural shelter against storms. There is polar night for about two months in winter and midnight sun most of the summer. The peak seasons are in August and April, the latter by ski. Snow and ice mostly melt in May–June; there may still be some ice in the lakes in Midsummer.

Getting there

You may enter the park from anywhere. If passing the border from Norway you should not have any goods needing customs checks (you might be able to clear before your trip). The obvious starting point is the Kilpisjärvi village at E8, with daily bus connections from Rovaniemi, in summertime also connections from Skibotn by E6 (and thus from Alta and Tromsø) in Norway. There are two main trailheads in the village, in the south and north ends of the village. The official visitor centre is at the southern one (closer to the wilderness area). At the northern one (closer to Malla) there is a private tourist centre, Kilpisjärven Retkeilykeskus. For carrying canoes for the Poroeno-Lätäseno route, a passage through Norway may be easier. There is an ATV track from Saraelv on Reisaelva to near Somasjärvi (near the Kopmajoki hut; see Nordkalottleden#Get in). Valtijoki from Somasjärvi down to Porojärvi may be more challenging than most of the rest of the route. You can get local businesses to transport you and your belongings to somewhere in the area by snowmobile, seaplane or other motorised means. Some would take this as the obvious solution for staying at a cottage or going down the river, some would frown at the mere thought. Off-road driving requires landowner permission (Metsähallitus), which may be hard to get for a visitor, other than for the snowmobile tracks in winter.

1 Kilpisjärvi Nature Centre (Kilpisjärven luontokeskus), Käsivarrentie 14145, ☏ +358 205 64 7990, [email protected]. 1–26 Mar: Tu–Sa 09:00–16:00; 27 Mar–8 May and 15 Jun–30 Sep: M–Su 09:00–17:00, closed off season. Information on the wilderness area, the Saana fell and the Malla nature reserve by the tripoint. Maps (also for nearby areas in Norway and Sweden), fishing permits, snowmobile track permits, reservation and key of reservation huts, information on available service in the region and general advice. Exhibition about local nature and culture. Short AV slideshows. Local handicrafts, products, b

Getting around

The Nordkalottleden trail through the northern part of the area, with an optional side trip to the Halti fell, is the main hiking trail. Most hikers on this leg use it just for a return trek from Kilpisjärvi to Halti. The trail is intended for use in summer; markings will not be visible in wintertime. There are some bridges, but minor streams need to be forded. There is also a shorter hiking trail from Peera (at E8) to Ailakkajärvi at the border of the wilderness area. Otherwise you have no markings helping you to find your way. The terrain is rough at many places. You should have sturdy footwear. In winter you need proper cross-country skis, suitable for both loose and hard snow, the former at least in midwinter. There are marked and maintained tracks in the Kilpisjärvi area, but not in the wilderness area itself. There are snowmobile tracks leading to Halti Fell, Lake Somasjärvi and Lake Lossujärvi, marked with twigs. They can be used by ski, but their maintenance is irregular. In wintertime there are two Metsähallitus snowmobile tracks through the wilderness area, one between Hetta and Kilpisjärvi, one connecting to this, from Saarikoski parking area to lake Raittijärvi. There are also tracks maintained by local tourist businesses, e.g. to Halti, but driving along these may be restricted to local businesses (tours can be booked). Driving outside the marked tracks requires special permissions (allowed for reindeer herding).

See

The wild barren landscape has a special charm. The main sight for the Finnish is the 1 Halti (Sámi: Hálde) fell, some 55 km (34 mi) from Kilpisjärvi. The highest point in Finland (1,365 m, 4,478 ft) is at a border mark on the fell side. There is a guestbook to sign. Ridnitšohkka peak (1,317 m) close by is the highest peak in Finland and some other of the highest fells of Finland are in sight. 2 Pihtsusköngäs Falls (Bihčosgorži), 17 m high, some 40 km from Kilpisjärvi along the Nordkalottleden trail. 3 Toskaljärvi cave. A cave with an underground stream through paleotsoic dolomite, thought to be about 150 m long. Exploring the cave is dangerous because of the water. (updated Jun 2016) Palsa bogs, i.e. bogs with frost mounds. Prehistoric trapping pits at several locations. The deep and wide pits were dug in chains along reindeer routes. Now they are much more shallow, but with some imagination you may be able to reconstruct the hunt.

Do

Hiking See Hiking in the Nordic countries for general advice. Nature trails outside the wilderness area proper:

500-m nature trail to the Iitto mire reserve, with palsa bogs, i.e. bogs with frost mounds. Start at E8 50 km south of Kilpisjärvi. 5-km nature trail from Kilpisjärvi showing nature at the west side of Saana 8–12 km nature trail leading from Kilpisjärvi to the top of Saana and back, optionally via a day hut. Shorter hiking trails, mostly outside the wilderness area proper:

Hiking trail Tsahkaljärvi–Saanajärvi–Saana Salmivaara Trail (2 km) Hiking trail to Ailakkajärvi (11 km). The trail goes mostly above the tree l