 Poster: A snowHead
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We are thinking about a trip to ski in Finland next season, all of us being either true-blue or red skiiers. We are all interested in doing a mix of Alpine and cross-country skiing. Levi jumps out at me as it stands. Any thoughts, preferences, recommendations?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We skied Ruka 5 years ago and enjoyed the whole experience. We were there for 4 days with 3 alpine days and one Nordic day.
Ruka village was also much better equipped then we had expected. We were there in November which was early but they still had over half the lifts open. the pistes were well maintained and there were a few parks being prepared. A few places on the hill to eat but the village is so close it was easy to access for lunch if one needed to come in for some warmth.
We felt that there was a good variety of pistes considering the size of the resort.
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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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isnt Levy full of drag lifts?
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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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I haven't been to Levi, but was in Yllas in January and I would classify it as a winter holiday with some skiing. Weather impacted the uplift quite a lot (late openings, limited openings) and a lot of drag lifts made alpine skiing more tiring but the slopes were really quiet and very well maintained and groomed.
The cross country skiing tuition and trails were excellent - beyond my expectations and I'd be tempted to go back just for that. Fat biking and walking were fantastic - you feel like you're a very long way from civilisation.
The food in (off mountain) restaurants wasn't as expensive as I expected although not cheap but was of a good standard.
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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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| Mr.Egg wrote: |
| isnt Levy full of drag lifts? |
Aren’t most of the Scandinavian resorts? Helps keep them open in high winds and what with the need for social distancing now. Clever prescient people these Scandis.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| ster wrote: |
| Mr.Egg wrote: |
| isnt Levy full of drag lifts? |
Aren’t most of the Scandinavian resorts? Helps keep them open in high winds and what with the need for social distancing now. Clever prescient people these Scandis. |
or maybe they just dont like snowboarders 
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Nah. They love everyone now. Not like in the old days when they slaughtered all and sundry.
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| Mr.Egg wrote: |
| ... or maybe they just dont like snowboarders ... |
The Mountains of Serena (it's a joke) were famous in the early years of snowboarding for producing a number of world-class riders.
Stockmann had more snowboard gear that downhill stuff for a while back there.
Finnish people would assume that anyone, child or adult, who couldn't ride a drag lift (!) was simply drunk,
so don't take offence if they laugh at you. Actually the same's probably true at ski Rossendale although I've not been back recently.
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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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| Quote: |
or maybe they just dont like snowboarders
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or maybe they only have good snowboarders
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Never done Levi, though want to (just because no direct flights from the north).
Done Ruka several times, and love it, would go back again. Not done xc though, just downhill ski & board. Lovely & quiet in January, less so as the season goes on, I hear - but every time that I've been the snow's been very hardpack too (as opposed to deep & lots of which I've experienced in the much smaller but more northerly resorts at the same time of year). Enough to occupy you for a day (and then repeat...), some very pleasant, some blinking steep. Many runs served by gondola or chairs, but some still drag only.
If you want as big a resort or pistes as possible, it's got to be Ruka or Levi, I believe (Yylas maybe) - but there's experience to be had in many smaller places, many served by the tour operators (well, used to, anyways). They might have equally good or better xc?
Oh, BTW, it's a lovely and very different place, especially in January /early Feb, but it can be really, really windy, and it can be really, really cold. But that's half the fun of it... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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What's the snow/weather like in theses places around end of November?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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20 years ago the answer was almost always cold, dark, and snowy. More recently... dunno, I think they've had some warm winters recently.
I love the place, but you have to realize that even in the south at that time of year the sun will kind of peak over the hills by about 11:00 and be back down below them by early afternoon. The lights at the hills will typically be on all the time - it's kind of dark and cold.
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Finland ski resorts are tiny, flat, dark, and freezing cold.
Very friendly people.
Cr*p resorts.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thanks all. Ruka or Levi sound the best bets then.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I went to Levi over New Year and its a really nice resort with some new chairs but still a lot of t bar lifts and drags. It's mostly flood light as it is dark at New Year, but could ski until 6/7pm. It is small but the couple of blacks were really good fun and they have some long blues that my beginner kids loved. We were getting to the bottom in minutes and then chairing up to the highest point again. It's a great resort for beginners or those who like a sit down/rest every 5 minutes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Also for a January it was not that cold, we took tons of extra layers and never used it - I ended up wearing the same as I do in Avoriaz or La Tania.
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