 Poster: A snowHead
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Going to see Santa,
Has anyone boarded/skied at SAARISELKA. We're going for 5 days. Was wondering what the board hire is like or should I take my own. I'm thing we will only get may be two days max skiing in. Anything else we should try there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Roughneck, I've not been to Saariselka, but did go to Jukkasjarvi inside the Swedish North Pole/Lapland region a few years ago (well, 10).
Definitely recommend a skidoo trip at night through the forests - magical. Might be combined with an Aurora Borealis trip?
If there are any organised trips to indigenous population villages (Sami in Swedish Lapland), then that can be quite interesting - was certainly authentic when I went.
I'm sure you've considered it, but it can be bone-numbingly cold - it was -26 or so when I went and can be colder. The provided all-in-one over normal ski wear just about sufficed with 2 layers of socks and big mitten gloves over normal thermal skiing gloves!
Of course, some of these things can feel a little manufactured, but a morning trip out to the woods to lasso a (relatively tame) reindeer which one then harnesses to a sleigh was also quite entertaining.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi
We went to Saariselka in Dec 2009 and all the (ski) hire equipment seemed quite new and OK - back then. Not sure about boards though. It's not a vast ski area by any means!! The skiing is great for kids to learn on, wide 'fells' but I don't think there is much for an advanced skier.
If nothing has changed, I think there was a chair lift or T-bars.
We took the kids, who were then aged 4 and 8, for a week and we stayed in the log cabins. We skied in the mornings and did 'Christmas' stuff in the afternoons.
The skidoo ride, which we took the kids on with us, was fab and the husky sled rides are completely mad. They just untied the sled and off you went into the woods - you do all stop in a line in the woods but we had no idea what was going on when they let the mad huskies loose and we shot off!
It is VERY cold though. the first day we were there it was -32 - even the ski school says it may close if it gets below -25.
We hired a thermal suit for my 4 year old which he put on over the top of his usual salopettes.
You MUST have balaclava of some sort to wear under your normal hat, not to mention good mits etc...
Assuming you are taking kids to see Santa (and it's not just you feeling that you missed out when you were a child...) stock up with fleecy PJ's from Primark - they are cheap and work really well as extra layers over normal 'proper' ski thermals.
There are plastic sledges littered around the village, so when you are out and about you can tow your kids home. We took a fleece blanket, folded into a cushion & wrapped up in plastic bags, everywhere we went in the evening so that the kids could sit on this when in the sled.
Hope you have a wonderful holiday 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi, we had a little trip to Lapland last Dec, we stayed in LEVI, so i cant really comment on the Skiing in SAARISELKA but what i will do is give you a few pointer that i wish i had known before we went. Firstly the Temp range can drop and fluctuate from anything between -15 to -35 you will notice the difference immediately and have to adjust your layers accordingly. Kit your children our with the usual layers, thermal then Tracksuit/PJ's then a good set of Ski gear as the tour operators issue you a thermal suit but it is pretty sub standard. The kids will need a full face Balaclava, we took a snood for our little one but it kept falling down and not offering the protection required. Whilst out on the husky rides/snow mobile rides children within the group got really cold, keep the kids moving, Snowball fights and plenty of sledging. A top tip is to take disposable hand warmers, decathlon do them pretty cheap. Take a torch as it gets dark mid afternoon. Here is a tip for the adults of the party buy your alcohol from the duty free in the UK as the prices are extortionate £11 for a pint!!! similar prices for a glass of wine! £32 for a bottle of red!!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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cold then 
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Or not - when we went just before Xmas a few years ago it never dropped below -5 deg and that was at night
During the day it was between -2 and 0 according to the big sign outside the Leviturni hotel
Everybody talking about global warming, etc
Dark though - couldn't get used to no daylight and very windy at the top of the mountain
Good experience skiing under floodlights - meant you could squeeze a few more hours in than normal resorts at the time of the year
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Don't risk it being warm (i.e. above -10). Weather almanacs (and also personal experience) will tell you that 3 out of the last 5 years the december average has been -17 and the lowest in the month -32 or so . If you have the right clothes it will be fine but if you don't it will be brutal and could potentially spoil your holiday.
I hope you get a good aurora display. They can be truly stunning.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Normal ski trip would be boarding/skiing jacket (no insolation) 2 base layers, boarding trousers / ski trousers (no insolation) buff and 2 part gloves. How much more do I need? I don't want to go over the top.
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At least for me personally, cold up north in Scandinavia is much easier to handle, then cold in Alps. Back in my racing days, I have been training up at -30c or -35c dressed much less then when it was -15c down here in Alps. So personally I wouldn't bother much. I admit I haven't been skiing in coldest period in Lapland now for some 15 years or so (nowadays my skiing time up there is in April, when it's nice and warm already), but I guess it didn't change much Only thing that is issue are lakes around. I don't remember how Saariselka is, as I haven't been there for years, but for example Levi has lake pretty close to finish of Levi Black, and it's still too far from ski place that it would influence this. But once you are near lake (for xc skiing tracks often go over lakes and swamps) -30c feels extremely bad. As soon as you go some 100m away, it's no problem anymore. So for alpine, this shouldn't matter much, as you can't really ski on lake
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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FAQ
Our skidoo trip was good too but it was during the day. We also did a reindeer sled through forests at night which was good. So I think the key theme here is that the activities in the dark are more magical! Enjoy it 
