A Wild Start of the Season 25/26

1. The bay dotted with holes created by the excess water that submerged the ice sheet

The first month of the winter season at Inari Lake is behind us — and let’s just say it didn’t ease us in gently.

Mid November: Winter made its intentions clear right from the start. A powerful storm rolled in and dropped about 25 cm of snow onto a thin, freshly formed ice cover in the bay. The worst possible recipe.

Beautiful to look at, but not exactly helpful. The weight of the snow pressed the ice down, and also inulated it, preventing it to grow. Luckily after that even temperatures have been pretty cold, but taking machines onto the lake was yet off the table. Nature: 1. Us: 0.

2. Ivalojoki delta. The river location

So, we adapted. Instead of waiting, we packed up and moved all the equipment and the skates to a different location to get the season started. And honestly? We couldn’t have picked a more magical place. Tucked away in the Ivalojoki delta, a small stream became our temporary home for the first 2 weeks. A narrow winding track, quiet surroundings, and that special winter wonderland atmosphere made it an unforgettable way to begin — even if it wasn’t part of the original plan.

As soon as the bay on the lake finally gave us the green light, we moved back. Out came the pumps, and almost the entire track was prepared and shaped into what was heading toward perfect ice. Spirits were high… and then came the plot twist.

3. Finally ATVs could go on the ice

The first warm spell arrived, +3 degrees for over 30h and somehow water found its way on the ice sheet, leaving 5–10 cm of slush across the track. Just like that, all those hours of careful pumping were washed away.

4. pumping water on the track

This only motivated us to make the track better, and we even added another portion around the second island, reaching over 2 kilometers in lenght, the longest one we have ever had.

It’s been a start full of surprises, quick decisions, and plenty of patience. But that’s the core of the Arctic lifestyle — you work with the conditions, not against them. The challenges are part of the story, and they make the good days on the ice even sweeter.

The season is officially underway, and after a beginning like this, we’re ready for whatever comes next!

5. The edge of the ice track after the warm spell which exposed in a dramatic way the limit of the snow ice and the black ice