Finnish Lapland in Winter: Riisitunturi’s Snow-Crowned Forests

Few winter landscapes look as sculpted as the forests of Finnish Lapland. By midwinter, spruces on the higher hills carry so much frost and snow that they turn into rounded white figures, and a lone cabin among them looks like something from a fairy tale. The scenes in this gallery capture that season: heavy snow, low sun, pastel skies and the northern lights.

Finnish Lapland at a glance

Lapland is the largest and northernmost region of Finland, covering about 100,000 square kilometres and bordering Sweden, Norway and Russia. Around 176,000 people live there, roughly 3% of Finland’s population, which makes it the most sparsely populated part of the country. The regional capital is Rovaniemi, right on the Arctic Circle.

The northernmost municipalities form the Sámi homeland, where Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi are spoken. The reindeer is the region’s official animal, and you will see herds grazing by the roads in winter. Finland’s highest point, the 1,324-metre shoulder of Halti, lies on the Norwegian border in the far north-west.

Riisitunturi and the crown snow forests

Several of the most striking tree photographs are associated with Riisitunturi National Park in Posio, southern Lapland. Founded in 1982, the park covers 77 square kilometres of fells, forest and steep hillside mires, and its twin summit reaches 465 metres. It is managed by Metsähallitus and drew almost 59,000 visitors in 2024.

The Finns call the phenomenon tykky, or crown snow-load. According to the park service, it starts building in October: frost first coats each needle and twig, then new snow and freezing moisture add layer after layer. Humid Atlantic air meets the high ground of the Maanselkä watershed here, which is why the build-up is so heavy. Narrow, candle-shaped spruces cope best with the weight, which by early spring can reach thousands of kilograms per tree. In March the trees start shedding their loads with loud thumps.

From the top you look east over Lake Yli-Kitka towards the slopes of Ruka in Kuusamo. On the western slopes are Finland’s most impressive hanging bogs, among the steepest in the world. Siberian jays often come close to hikers, and the hawk owl is the park’s emblem.

Polar night, low light and the northern lights

Because the Arctic Circle crosses Lapland, the region has both polar night in midwinter and midnight sun in summer. Winter light is the reason these photographs glow pink and violet: the sun stays low on the horizon for hours, and on the shortest days in the north it does not rise at all. Snow then reflects whatever colour the sky holds, from pale blue to rose.

Clear, dark nights between autumn and spring are aurora season. Lapland has long darkness and little light pollution, so you get good chances of seeing the northern lights, especially away from towns. Glass-roofed accommodation such as Kakslauttanen’s Glass Igloos: A Room with a Sky View lets you watch from bed. For more on photographing the aurora further north, see photographing aurora in a different northern setting.

Skiing, reindeer and cabins

Lapland’s winter season is long. On the higher fells, the first snow falls in late August or early September, and permanent snow cover usually arrives between mid-October and late November. Snow is usually deepest in early April, and the record depth of 190 centimetres was measured at Kilpisjärvi in 1997. Late winter, from February to April, brings both deep snow and longer days, which suits cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The gallery’s skiing, reindeer and cabin photographs show the human side of that season. Ski tracks link many fell areas, reindeer sleigh rides are run by local herders, and simple log cabins remain the classic place to stay. Downhill riders head to the fell resorts; our feature on Snowboarding and Freestyle in Finnish Lapland covers that side of the region.

Getting to Finnish Lapland

Lapland has five airports: Kemi-Tornio, Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Ivalo and Enontekiö. Rovaniemi is Finland’s second-busiest airport, and the flight from Helsinki takes about an hour and a half. Tourism is a major industry, the United Kingdom sends the most visitors, and the Christmas and Santa Claus season around Rovaniemi is the busiest time of year. Riisitunturi is in Posio, in southern Lapland, close to the Kuusamo area.

Dress for real cold: layered wool, a windproof shell, warm boots and mittens make long days outdoors comfortable. To learn how the spruces survive months under snow, read how trees cope with winter.

Related reading: Niccolò Bonfadini’s Sentinels of the Arctic.

Sources