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Arctic Gold Rush

The Saariselkä bikepacking route

By Erik Plankton

September 1^st, 2020

Ride premium single track above the Arctic Circle and go back in history to find clues of the late 1800s gold rush. Experience ancient forests, forgotten gold mines, alpine lakes and rewarding views of the open tundra. Enjoy the absolute silence of the wilderness within easy access from Saariselkä located in northern Finland. The Arctic Gold Rush offers an unforgettable bikepacking experience for a long weekend which can be combined with other activities like hiking, paddling, fishing or more riding around the extensive trail network.

The Route

The loop strings together some of the best trails and forest roads in the area. Most parts are rideable with enjoyment, but there are a few rocky and steep sections that require pushing. They are rewarded with great views of the open tundra and exhilarating descents. This is a true mountain biking route and it is not recommended to attempt with a gravel bike. The loop can be started at almost any place, but the easiest logistics are from Saariselkä that has all services and easy transport from the airport or by bus. A fit person with light gear can ride this route in two days, but I recommend using three days so you have time to explore the various side trails a bit and just relax in the calming silence of the wilderness.

Distance: 100+ km (62 Mi.)
Days: 2-3
Unpaved: 97%
Singletrack: 50%
Rideable: 95%
Total ascent: 1900 m (6233’)
High point: 456 m (1496’)

About half of the route is within a National Park, so some special rules apply:

Wild camping is forbidden. You can only camp in the vicinity of day huts, lean-to-shelter or other places marked on the map.
Making a fire is only allowed in the designated fire pits adjacent to day huts and lean-to-shelters.
Zero trash policy - leave nothing behind.

Route difficulty

I would rate this route 6 out of 10. It is a true mountain bike route. Some parts are rocky and steep and require pushing. Weather can be unpredictable and change rapidly. The river crossing can be demanding in June depending on winter snow conditions. Be prepared to meet some mosquitos. Water is easy to find and clean. Food and other supplies available at Saariselkä. Limited cell phone coverage in the wilderness areas.

Saariselkä to Luttojoki

Starting from Saariselkä you will eat up almost all of the routes paved surface at once with a nice climb to Kaunispää fjell. A nice place to have lunch on the top before a beautiful fast gravel downhill takes you almost 3 kilometers without having to put in a pedal stroke. A cool little hut by a river before the next climb followed again by a nice descent towards Moitakuru dayhut and the adjacent dog kennel, which can be a bit noisy...

More pleasant gravel until you reach the Luttojoki day hut, which is a great place to have a break or camp. The river bend makes the place special. Please note that the day huts are not meant for cooking and drying clothes if the weather is wet. You should pitch a tent outside if staying over night.

Note: This is the easiest and only part of the route that is enjoyable with a gravel bike. After this a mountain bike is recommended.

Luttojoki to Rautulampi

After Luttojoki the gravel path turns into a quad / ATV doubletrack trail and gets progressively more challenging with some roots and rocks. Vellinsärpimä hut only a few kilometers from Luttojoki and offers a good place for shelter or a break. Fun singletrack leads to Taajoslaavu lean to shelter, which is a nice place to have a break and fill your bottles from the river. Next up is Luulampi day hut, which surprisingly had service (summer 2020): I bought a sandwich and delicious pancakes with fresh cloudberries. Note: No cell phone reception at Luulampi, so you can pay with cash only.

After Luulampi the trail diverts towards Rautulampi (and the other fork goes to Kiilopää, where you can find a sauna, restaurant and accommodation). The last 5 km to Rautulampi are a bit tough for a loaded bike. You will have to walk some rocky sections. Nice views with alpine lakes on open tundra. Rautulampi used to have a day hut, but it burnt down in the winter of 2019. A new one will be built, but as of summer 2020 there is temporary yurt for emergency shelter in bad weather.

Rautulampi to Kutturantie

After Rautulampi you will encounter a climb that starts out so steep it will need a little bit of a push with a loaded bike, but soon it evens out and is rideable. If the weather permits you can enjoy spectacular views from the top of the fjell before a nice descent towards Suomunlatva river, which is a good place to fill up on water. Then it is time to tackle an epic rock garden before one of the best flowing downhill segments of the route. From Niilanpää day hut you have several options: Take the main trail to Kiilopää for lunch a beer and sauna and return refreshed, or continue towards Kakslauttanen on a high speed dowhill gravel forest path.

The Golden Route of Laanila

You will encounter many gold fields on this single track section of the route. Some are abandoned ages ago, but many are still active with miners looking to strike the mother-load or just to spend time outdoors and enjoy the wildernerss. Please do not go into to claimed areas unless invited. If lucky, you might even get a chance to have a go at panning.

Digging for riches

The cabin of Jaakko Mäkinen is along the way. He lived in the small hut for three decades while digging.

Towards Kulmakuru gorge

The trail becomes smaller and a bit overgrown in this section. You will need to push your bike a bit in some parts and use the gps track to stay on course. The first crossing of Tolosjoki river is easy with water levels well below your knee. Pikku Harrijoki dayhut is a nice place to have a break and dry your gear.

Kulmakuru

A very nice single track leads to the Kulmakuru gorge, which is definitely a high light of the route. The gorge makes a sharp 90 degree turn with nice views from the trail. From there it is all semi rugged downhill towards the second crossing of the Tolosjoki river. The Kona Big Honzo was home on these trails.

Tolosjoki to Saariselkä

Take time to scout the best place to cross the river depending on water levels. There are two sets of islands in the river. At the northern island the river is not so wide, but the current is stronger and the water level is about knee deep. Crossing at the southern islands might be a bit easier with lower water levels and less current. The river is wider at this point. Depending on snow conditions in the winter the river might be uncrossable until mid June. Any time starting from July the crossing should be fairly easy and safe unless there has been a long period of heavy rain. After the crossing there is a very steep grade that requires a bit of an effort for a couple of hundred meters until you reach the trail again. From here the trail is mostly gravel forest road that takes you back to Saariselkä.

Need to know

Highlights:

- Kulmakuru gorge

- Views from Kaunispää fjell

- Historical gold mining sites

Must know:

- Part of the route is with in a National Park. Respect the nature and be courteous to hikers.

- Carry all trash with you. Leave no trace.

- The route is pretty well marked for the most part, but a gps device with the track is highly advised.

- 29” rigid or front suspension mtb with beefy tires is ideal, a full suspension would be fun! A fat bike would be great too.

- You can rent a bike from Saariselkä or Kiilopää. MTB, eMTB and fat bikes available.

- The area has tons of good trails. Mix and match to create your version of the route or spend a couple of days extra riding awesome trails after completing the loop. Excellent hiking, paddling and fishing opportunities too.

Camping:

- In the National Park you can only camp in the vicinity of huts or lean to shelters. Logistically there are plenty to choose from and they are all located near a water source.

- In the wilderness area part wild camping is also allowed.

- Do not make a fire anywhere else than in the designated fire pits at the huts, which have free high quality fire wood available.

When to ride:

- Depending on winter snow conditions the trail usually opens around mid June, but the river crossing can be difficult. July - August is the best time with daily temperatures around 10° - 25°C. In the middle of summer you can experience the midnight sun. September can also be spectacular when the fall colors kick in, but expect the night time temperatures to drop a bit below freezing.

Food/H20:

- Well stocked grocery store, restaurants, bars and hotels at Saariselkä.

- Restaurants at Kaunispää and Kiilopää fjells.

- Partioaitta outdoors store at Saariselkä sells camping gas (threaded bottle type).

- Flowing river water is available constantly along the route and rarely needs filtering. No need to carry more than 1-2 liters at a time.

Logistics:

- Plane: fastest and easiest is a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Ivalo airport (1:40, price €100–250 depending on the season), and then a connecting 20-minute bus ride to Saariselkä. Finnair robs 55€ for one way for your bike bag (max 23 kg). E-bikes are not allowed on board even with the battery removed. Car rentals are available at the Ivalo airport.

- Train: Overnight train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi + 3 hour bus ride to Saariselkä. Price of the train and bus tickets combined can be close to flying. For a little extra you can book a sleeping cabin with a private toilet and shower on the train. Actually a quite relaxed way of travelling and you don’t lose that much play time since it is a night train both ways.

- Bus: You can also take a bus from Helsinki via Rovaniemi to Saariselkä. Takes over 20 hours and would not recommend it unless you have a fixation for long periods on restricted movement.