Skiing holiday above the Arctic Circle

My son had his annual skiing holiday week at school, so we decided to really go for it and fly a thousand kilometers up North. Kittilä Airport is located above the Arctic Circle. We took a bus to Ylläs ski resort to stay in one of the numerous chalets in the area. We used the excellent cross-country ski trail network daily and also went out to run, hike, kick sled and drag a pulk. The weather was mainly sunny, so it was an enjoyable internet-free vacation!

On top of Ylläs fell (718 meters) - the highest hill in the area. 

Skiing through the forests of Lapland was scenic and exciting.

Pisten Bully 100 cross-country ski trail groomer in action.

A well-deserved cup of hot chocolate at Sun Cafe.

The trails were maintained in good condition and the sun was shining.

A view to the West, towards Sweden.

Due to bright moon and light pollution from chalets and roads Northern Lights were hard to see in the night sky.  That couldn't stop us from trying though.

The information boards were difficult to read, but the main message was clear: beware of snow! There was an avalanche in a nearby freestyle off-piste slope a couple of days later.

Ylläs fell as seen from our chalet.

Nice sunset view.

Wooden bridges enabled cross-country skiers to cross roads safely.

Hiking in the forest. We had headlamps, but didn't really need them even after the sun went down. 

In front of one of the snow-covered chalets.

We saw an eagle chasing a rabbit near this spot in a more remote area. Other than that, we didn't encounter any wildlife. Luckily the bears were sleeping.