If you’re an avid skier, you know how to read the snow and adapt to its constantly changing conditions. But if you’re not, it’s all a bit mysterious—the snowflakes that sculpt the landscape, the drifts that pop up overnight, the snowcats that cut through the deepest powder. So where do snowdrifts come from? Basically, snowdrifts are a natural consequence of the human desire to ski. Ski-area operators try to make sure there’s snow on the ground every winter, which means snowmaking machines, in addition to Mother Nature, are responsible for making snow. These snowmaking machines blow snow over ski runs, which some wind is bound to push into drifts at some point.
We show you the sunny and bright Lapland of early spring. In April Lapland is bathed in light, and the snow masses make it sparkle even more. Bright sunshine, long days and mild temperatures make spring in Arctic Lapland the exact opposite of the gloomy winter season.
March and April are the ideal months for skiing on the snowy slopes of Lapland in the vastness of the Arctic.
Springtime in Lapland: Sun, snow, skiing and arctic landscapes
How about sitting in front of the fireplace after a sauna session and waiting for the northern lights to appear in the night sky?
Lapland Evening 200 km north of the Arctic Circle
Yes, we did all this and more during a week in April in the beautiful North.
We take you on a journey to the snowy forests and rounded slopes of Lapland to ski in the natural snow inside and on the vast cross-country trails.
Skiing on the soft white snow of Lapland
First, a few words about the Arctic winter: Dark and cold is what most people think of winter in Lapland. This is not the whole truth though, an arctic winter means many different things.
Winter in Lapland and trees covered with snow
Winter in Lapland is long, with six or seven months, each with its own peculiarities.
Winter begins while Southern Finland still shows its most beautiful autumn colours. Soon the polar night begins, when the sun no longer rises above the horizon. It is a time when darkness and twilight alternate, so it is not always dark.
A blanket of snow illuminates the landscape, and during the day there is a blue moment at the beginning and at the end and a whole palette of pink tones in between. Christmas and New Year fall in the darkest part of the polar night.
Then it’s the middle of winter and the sun comes out again. In the middle of winter it is very cold again and half a meter of snow falls. Even the trees are covered in perfect snow. The winter nights are clear and starry, and the northern lights illuminate the mountains.
Arctic spring in Lapland – time for snowdrifts and sunshine
In March the sun comes back very quickly. The snow jungles reflect the sun’s rays and make the whole world sparkle. Then, in April, the snow starts to melt, but since there is still a lot of snow, summer is still far away. April is an ideal time for ski trips in Lapland.
Where to go with Arctic Spring in Lapland
With all the melting snow in the south this spring, we needed to have more fun. Since Finland is a long and narrow country, the grass is green in the south while it is still winter in the north.
So we went to the highlands of Lapland, to the ski resorts of Levi, Pallas and Yullas:
Where to go in the spring in Arctic Lapland : Levy, Pallas and Juillas
Levi, Jullas and Pallas together form the most important tourist region of Fell Lapland. It is located in the northwestern part of Lapland, close to the Swedish border and almost 200 km above the Arctic Circle.
To see where Lapland is, zoom out on the map and you’ll see Rovaniemi in the south, where the Arctic Circle is. In the north you can see the north of Norway and the Arctic Ocean.
In the region of Jullas-Pallas there is a national park, one of forty in Finland:
Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park
Arctic spring in Lapland: Jerisjärvi. Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park
Arctic slopes, low-growing taiga forests and vast nature reserves make Pallas Illyastunturi National Park a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors all year round.
These mountains are numerous and form a chain that stretches over more than a hundred kilometers from Yullas in the south to Hetta in the north. This means that there really is a lot to choose from.
If there is no snow, you can take the old deer trails and conquer one peak after another. In winter there are runs for all levels on clean white snow!
Pallas-Jullastunturi National Park, Lapland
The highest hills are in the northern part, where Pallas has seven hills. Most of them exceed 700 m, the highest is Taiwaskero with 809 m :
Pallas Arctic Source
Skiing on the snowy slopes of Pallas, Lapland
Pallas is a traditional wilderness area with very little development. The views from the hills are beautiful and there is plenty of room for cross-country and off-piste skiing. In spring, the seven slopes of Pallas are the ideal place to ski in the open, treeless landscape.
The weather in April is sunny and warm with daytime temperatures between +5 and +10. If it freezes at night, the snow will be hard enough to support your weight in the morning. Because the snow gets softer in the afternoon, it’s best to ski off-piste in the morning.
Skiing in the fresh air of Pallas :
Pallas Hills Hotel
Pallas has only a few ski slopes and only one hotel in the area – the traditional Pallas Hotel, the first autumn hotel in Finland.
From Pallas to Juillas: Lake Jerisjärvi
In the southern part of the national park lies the Yullas area, which also has seven peaks, the majestic Yullas being the highest at 719m:
Jullas ski area, Lapland
The southern part of Arctic National Park is much more developed than the northern part. The unspoiled nature and beautiful slopes make Ylläs a popular ski resort for Finns and attract winter visitors like a magnet.
Thanks in part to Jullä’s ski tourism, the Arctic National Park Pallas-Jullästunturi is Finland’s most popular park, with more than half a million visitors each year. And yet we don’t often see these visitors, except on the ski slopes. They are found in forests and wooded areas.
In addition to the 63 ski slopes, Jullyas has 330 km of cross-country ski trails, 50 km of snowshoe trails, 100 km of winter cycling trails and just as many winter hiking trails.
The two ski slopes in Ylläs are three kilometers long and therefore the longest in the country:
Arctic spring in Lapland: climbing up and down a snowbank
Two villages in Ylläs
There are two villages in Ylläs, Äkäslompolo in the north and Ylläsjärvi in the south. The scenic road connecting the two villages allows for easy travel between them.
You can also do what the locals used to do: ski between villages. That is exactly what we did, and that is exactly what we will do next year. And meet some reindeer in the forest.
The two villages in Ylläs are local villages with a large number of reindeer.
The seven rugged slopes of Yllas are a jewel. And the valleys, lakes and rivers below. In addition to the ski season, the autumn color season attracts many people to Juillas. Summer, on the other hand, is very quiet, for no reason. Summer in Yullas is wonderful, but spring is the best!
For more information about Ylläs, visit the Visit Ylläs website. Discover Pallas-Jälastunturi National Park, one of Finland’s oldest national parks, on nationalparks.fi.
Further outside the national park lies Levi, the most popular ski resort in the region:
spring of Arctic Lapland Levy
The popular ski resort of Levi in Finnish Lapland
Levi is the largest ski area in Finland, and the nearby Kittilä airport is the most popular destination for international tourism in Lapland.
Pal Levi, which rises to an altitude of 531 m, has 43 descents suitable for all levels. For fans of cross-country skiing, the resort offers an extensive network of trails in the surrounding nature.
Levi has the best offer of winter tourism activities in Lapland: Reindeer and sled dog safaris, Lapland lunches, family outings and you might even meet Santa and Rudolph:
Levi amusement park with Santa’s sleigh and reindeer
The village itself resembles an alpine village, a pleasant and dense built-up area that is easy to explore on foot. Bars, restaurants, shops and spa.
Levi is the only ski area in Lapland where you can easily spend your holiday without a car. All other destinations are rural and the distances between them are long. To get around, you have to walk, ski, bike or take the bus.
Levi, the most popular international destination in Fjäll-Lappland
For more information about Levi and activities in the area, visit Levi.
The snow is calling! It’s time to go skiing!
Ski trail and huge collection of road signs
But now we have to go skiing. That’s what we’ve come for – skiing in all its forms.
In the backcountry and wilderness without trails and on a beautiful network of well maintained trails. Sometimes we followed snowshoe or dog sled trails, fath bike or snowmobile trails, and even deer tracks to get to our destination.
Even in the spring, when the snow is soft and the trails wet, there are many ways to get around. In these places you can see Siberian jays, friendly birds asking for food crumbs:
Arctic spring skiing in Lapland
Windbreaks and cat teepees along the trails are a Lapse asset. These are great places to stop, sit and warm up by the fire. Bring a warm cup and a sandwich in your backpack and listen to the polar silence, that’s all! And even better if you bring sausages.
If you didn’t already know, there’s a wild café in the middle of the forecourt that serves lunch and hot drinks.
Arctic spring in Lapland is the perfect time for skiing in the wilderness
It was cross-country.
Skiing in Lapland
Then we donned our gear for the descent, took the lift to the top of the waterfall and breathed in the fresh spring air on the way down:
Sunny days on the slopes of Lapland
So Lapland is a real winter land for us, and skiing is what we do there in winter and spring. Try the same thing. Don’t worry if you have no experience, you can ride the flat sections and take a lesson or two if you need to. We recommend you to put on your skis or rent one and give it a try!
But if you don’t want to ski, what can you do in Lapland?
More things to do in Lapland
Winter Fatbike in the snow in Lapland
You can ride an electronic fatbike through the snowy forest. Winter biking in the Lappish wilderness is an emerging trend, and more and more trails are being built to meet demand.
Just like skiing, fat biking allows you to discover a nature that is inaccessible elsewhere. Places that are far away on foot and places that cannot be reached by car.
Arctic spring in Lapland : Snowmobile trail
Or take a ride on a snowmobile. There are separate paths for them. You can also take a ride with a husky, huskies love to run, and they run at full speed, you will love it!
Another option is a reindeer sleigh ride, where you can watch the cute animals and feed them moss:
Reindeer are common in Lapland. You might even run into him on the ski slopes.
How about a snowshoe hike? It’s also a lot of fun. You can also do without snowshoes, it is ideal for walks on snowy paths:
Snow covered hiking trails
Even without skis, you can take a chairlift to the top of the waterfall, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the endless flora and fauna around. Then take the elevator back up.
Gondola ride to the waterfall
You can even try ice fishing on a frozen lake at the foot of a waterfall. First you have to drill a hole in the ice. Then just sit back, shut up, wait and hope for a catch.
Ice fishing is a traditional local pastime and was the only way to catch fish in the winter. If you catch a fish, you can cook it in your cabin. Yes, in your house!
Accommodation in Lapland Cottage
Lapland hut built of dead wood
There are some excellent hotels in Lapland, but many people prefer to stay in the typical Lapland huts that can be found everywhere, hidden in the forests. They are built in the original Lappish style, using dried dead wood as building material. You can rent a cottage like that.
What kind of tree is it? In the dry climate of Lapland, with its extreme winters, the trees wither, lose their bark and still remain standing for a hundred years. In the forests of Lapland you see many dead or still standing trees. Most of them are pine trees, very old.
In Lapland a pine tree can become 500 years old. Then begins a drying process that will take about 50 years.
Dry pine is a valuable building material. It looks great and has good insulating properties, so you don’t need more than you need for a house wall! So convenient, same single wall outside and inside.
On you. We’re in a cottage in Lapland.
Sauna is an integral part of Finnish culture, and each cottage has its own sauna, as well as a fireplace and a veranda, possibly with a view. At least you can see the snow.
I said above that you can rent this kind of house. Where to find : Lomarengas, Gofinland, booking.com
Another traditional Lappish building style is the kota-tipi, which was originally used in Sami houses. Simple, hut-like teepees were conveniently carried as they followed the reindeer from place to place.
The teepee is still used for camping and as a windbreak, and if you put a glass roof on it, you can watch the northern lights with it!
How about sleeping in a teepee with a glass roof?
Viewing the Northern Lights in a glass-roofed cabin
Stop under the glass roof to see the stars – and maybe a nightlight show?
An aurorian hut or an igloo with a glass roof, what do you call it? There is a whole village of them between Levi and Pallas.
They all face north, where the northern lights shine, and you can watch it from your bed.
When we arrived in Lapland, we wanted to see the Northern Lights and we set up in Levi Northern Lights Village, hoping for a clear night and great activity in the sky. It wasn’t perfect, as there was a thin layer of clouds after sunset, but we finally arrived before 3am!
The aurora flashed, danced in the sky for a while, and then disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Below you will find our images of the northern lights. Technically, it’s nothing to be proud of, but it’s an example of what the night sky of Lapland has to offer in terms of light.
The village itself was in a taiga forest where we went skiing. The hotel has a main building with a lobby and restaurant where we had lunch, and a separate area with a sauna and hot tub outside. The cabins have a private bathroom, a seating area and an electric fireplace.
Northern Lights Village Levi in the Arctic Taiga Forest
If you can see the northern lights
When can I see the northern lights?
The northern lights season in the northern hemisphere lasts from August to April. This is the time when the nights are dark. The optimal latitude for observing the northern lights is north of the polar circle.
There is more activity in the sky during the spring equinox, which occurs in March, and during the autumn equinox, but there is usually a good chance of seeing them throughout the winter, provided the night sky is clear.
To make it easier, there is an app called Aurora that tells you when you can observe this phenomenon. I’ve been using this app for a few years now and it predicts exposure very well: My Aurora Forecast & Alert in the App Store and on Google Play.
To learn more about the Northern Lights in autumn, read our other article about an autumn trip to Lapland: The reindeer, Ruska and Aurora
After the day, you can observe the lights of the night
For more information about the Northern Lights huts between Levi and Pallas, please visit the Northern Lights Village Levi website.
There is also a similar igloo village with glass roofs in Saariselkä, quite far to the north: The northern lights village of Saariselkä. For more information about the Saariselkä region, see our article Saariselkä, Finland : Ski tours in the wilderness of Lapland.
Arctic spring in Lapland shows incredible night lighting at dusk
That’s right, a snowy and sunny spring in Lapland, skis, huts and northern lights. What are your impressions of Lapland?
More information about the trip to Lapland
Other reports about Lapland and the rest of Finland:
This source has been very much helpful in doing our research. Read more about lapland temperature and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much daylight does Lapland get?
Lapland’s winters are long, and the daylight hours are short. During December, daylight hours in Rovaniemi can be as low as 7 hours. This means that, even though Christmas is a festive time of year, the nights can be darker than usual for this time of year. As a result, it can be hard to tell when sunrise has arrived, and the Northern Lights are best seen just before sunrise. The northernmost inhabited area of Finland, Lapland has long been a popular destination for holidaymakers looking to experience the country’s coldest temperatures. While the region’s popularity has waned over the years, the introduction of the Lapland night-train has made it more accessible than ever for those willing to brave the long journey. ^ Top of Page ^ The aim of this post is to provide an easy and effective way to quickly get your blog up and running with a high quality of content.
How much sunlight does the Arctic get?
In the summer months, the sun never sets over the Arctic. For a week or two in the summer, the sun circles the horizon for 24 hours straight. With such long days, it’s no surprise that the Arctic is a major tourist destination. In fact, the tourism industry is one of the biggest in the region. Most tourists come to the Arctic to experience the sights and sounds of a midnight sun. They come to experience the midnight sun in the Arctic. The Arctic gets a lot of sunlight, but not as much as you might think. Every place north of the Arctic Circle (66.5 degrees north latitude) gets at least one continuous “day” of sunlight each year. Anchorage, Alaska, is the largest city above the Arctic Circle and has more than three months of continuous daylight each year. However, there is less daylight in the winter, since the sun is (obviously) lower in the sky.
How many hours of sunlight does Finland get?
Finland is known for its long summer days and short winter nights, but the country is so far north that winter lasts for half the year. The sun rises again in mid-March, when the Easter festival is celebrated with bonfires and special foods. Daytime hours vary depending on location. During the summer, the sun doesn’t set in the northernmost Finnish regions, while those more to the south get at least 20 hours of summer daylight. In the winter, even the northernmost areas get only as little as two hours of sunlight at a time. While many Finns are rightfully proud of Finland’s long history of celebrating the winter solstice, there’s one thing that’s irksome about the event: the short days. In the dead of winter, the sun barely rises above the horizon before setting again and, in December, the days are short no matter how far north you are. How short? In the south of Finland, the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon from December 6 to January 30. If you’re planning a trip to Finland, you needn’t worry about not seeing the sun, however. In fact, Finland’s northerly latitude means the sun never really goes away—it just keeps getting lower and lower on the horizon, until it looks like it’s
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