Home-cold-home

Getting the lowdown on Pitkäjärvi

So Christmas in the UK was pretty chilly by British standards, but arriving back in Finland it was good old proper cold. So I could hardly not go out and see how the ice was forming. Thanks to Nora for taking some pics, and Timo for belaying.

Timo and me umming and ahhing over whether the ice is thick enough for ice screws

At Nuuksionpää there was enough ice to climb - just, but not really enough to get any gear in. It was also -10 so the ice was brittle and fracturery (which should be a real word, even though it isn't). Hence a route that I've soloed many times before was, umm, quite exciting even with a rope on.

The answer: it's not

It's weird as there is no snow at all, but everything is very frozen as the temperature has been below -10 for much of the last week. This has made perfect skating conditions on the lakes.

Skaters on Pitkäjärvi

It's almost enough to make me go and buy some hiking skates, although more outdoor equipment might not make too popular with my family. The ice is so clear, you can see into the lake as well which is pretty neat.

Bubbles and pressure cracks