Imprints of a wolverine in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, Finland, in 2023. These sightings are very rare, as there are only an estimated 160–180 of these fantastic animals in all of Finnish Lapland. In my 13-14 years of hiking, I have only seen one wolverine, and that was from afar many years ago.

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

Hiking through snowfall in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, Finland, March 2023, during my six-week solo ski tour. There’s something about bad visibility that really enhances the feeling of being completely alone.

#sonyalpha #tamron #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #photography #backpacking #snowfall #käsivarsi #skitour #winterhiking #landscapephotography

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. https://pixelfed.social/p/JakeHikes/791183662872251330) 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

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

My pulkas covered in snow after skiing in a blizzard during my solo winter hike in 2023 in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, Finland.

#sonyalpha #nature #mountains #fjells #hiking #landscape #lapland #outdoors #adventure #wilderness #winterhike #pulka #solohiking #skitour #blizzard #badweather #finland #käsivarsi #photography #backcountryskiing

Kolme Valtakunnan Rajapykki/Treriksröset/Treriksrøsa/Golme Riikka Urna
or just The Three Country Cairn, the spot where Finland, Sweden and Norway shake hands.

Well, the first picture is 'a' country cairn, the second picture is THE three country cairn. But I liked the sky in the first picture better, so... :)

These cairns are located in Malla Strict Nature Reserve, most easily accessible from Kilpisjärvi in Finland. As the title of the park suggest, it's a very special area with rare species of plants and therefore protected. Every Mans Right, the right to roam is not applicable here. However, according to regulations on the basis of cultural protection, the indigenous Sami people should have access to the land for the practice of reindeerhusbandry. Two worlds collide.

My Malla-story: I don't want to brag (I do, actually :P) but I think I saw a wolf here once. On my way back down, where the treeline starts, I sat down on the path, to drink my last bit of water. I heard some footsteps down below off the trail, which was weird, because you are not supposed to stray from the path. And the steps sounded too coordinated for reindeer. I waited it out quietly and then a big dog appeared. My heart jumped, but luckily the dog didnt hear that. To this day, I don't know if it really was a wolf, but if it looks like one, walks like one and quacks like a one.. maybe?..

#lapland #lappi #finland #suomi #norway #norge #sweden #sverige #Treriksröset #treriksrøysa #kolmekunnanrajapyykki #kilpisjärvi #malla #käsivarsi #käsivarrenerämaa #saami #sápmi #nature #landscapephotography
#nordic #luonto #clouds

The Poroharju esker in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, Finland. I captured this photo during my six-week solo winter hike. Esker is a large and extensive formation made of sand and rocks, and is quite common in Finnish landscapes. These eskers were formed during the Ice Age by melting water from glaciers.

#Nature #Photography #Esker #Harju #Fjell #Mountain #SonyAlpha #Käsivarsi #Wilderness #Finland #WinterHike #Solohiking #Outdoors #NatureLovers #Geology

A tiny rainbow over a fjell in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area, Finland, during my 6-week solo winter hike in 2023. It was one of the best hikes I've ever done, with great experiences and valuable lessons about hiking alone in the winter.

#Nature #Wilderness #Hiking #WinterHike #Finland #Käsivarsi #Fjell #Rainbow #Solohiking #Outdoors #Photography #fjells #mountains #sonyalpha

Kitchen with a view during my 6‑week solo winter hike through the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area and the bordering Norwegian fjells. The next day I skied to the peak of Halti fjell, which is on the Norwegian side at 1361 m. Ironically, the highest point in Finland is on a small peak below Halti, at 1324 m.

#kitchenview #6weekhike #solohike #winterhike #käsivarsi #norwegianfjells #halti #finland #highestpoint #adventure #norway #fjells #mountains #photography #hiking #nature