Ski and fatbike overnighter

Well, sort of at least. I was on skis and Toni on a fatbike. March has been a really good winter month, something which doesn't happen every year. We've had night temperature of -20C and day temperatures just below freezing, and were it not for the snowfalls, we would surely have a crust strong enough to ride on. But skiing is very nice as well and especially with a pulk that eliminates the usual need to save weight.

I started skiing in Marttila at 18:00 and with only a half an hour before sunset it was clear that I would not make the mires in time. The sun had already disappeared below the trees when I arrived. The temperature was now about -7C and decreasing rapidly.

Suprised when checking the snow depth. 90 cm was a lot more than expected, but I tried another place and came up with the expected 40-50 cm.

The mire was nice. I had only visited a small part of it before, on duckboards with a bike.

Looks like a small rodent has fallen prey to a bird.

Me and myself.

More mire pictures.

Tracks.

After maybe one and a half hour I arrived at Hirvikallio, a rock that provided a good view over the mire. I erected the tent and took a few pictures while the dusk turned to darkness.

By now I was getting hungry and had the most noble of outdoor foods planned for the evening: Pancakes with strawberry jam.

While I made and ate pancakes, Toni arrived pushing his fatbike through the snow, after having some problems finding the place.

Poor Toni had to save weight and thus had to make do with a freeze-dried meal.

The air temperature was now -17C and the forecast for the night -25C. Eventually we entered the tents. Inside the sleeping bag the warmth soon returned to the body and especially to the poor toes. It was probably around eleven in the evening when we actually went to sleep.

Again the night was very silent, with only the occasional cracking noise from trees in the cold. Around five in the morning it started to get light and we got up a little before seven. It was a beautiful and cold morning.

Toni in the morning.

We decided to do a quick photography session before having breakfast. The early morning light lasts only for a short while.

My track from yesterday was firm enough for Toni to be able to ride on it.

The making of a "Fatbike in the morning sun" picture.

The rock with the tent.

A ski track made with a snowmobile.

When we got back from the photography session, the sun was closing in on the tent.

Toni's bike and some stuff.

Coffee in the making. The temperature was still -24C.

Eventually we were done with the breakfast and packed our stuff. I went a little ahead, since my toes were feeling rather cold and a little skiing would bring back the warmth to them.

The plan was for Toni to ride in my ski and pulk tracks from yesterday. A glorious plan, but the tracks were not firm enough and Toni had to ride in the machine made ski track instead, taking care not to ride in the actual ski track and thus destroy it. I waited were my own track crossed the machine track. The temperature rose quickly now.

And there he comes.

We consulted the map and found that the best route for Toni was to continue on the machine track, while I took another route.

I took a slightly different route back to the car through a forest and over bare cliffs.

Going downhill the pulk has a will of its own, but it works fine if there is enough room.

When I returned to the car the temperature was only -6C and arriving home after a forty minute drive it was barely below freezing. Classical great March weather!

Thanks to Toni for the company again! Toni's report is here.