Urho Kekkonen National Park fells (18.07.2025)

On July 18, 2025, I set off on a 3-night solo hike to Urho Kekkonen National Park from Kiilopää Gate to summit fells. There was no exact route, but the source of the peaks marked on Calazo's map was the peakbook.org map and I quickly routed through the peaks in between.

This turned out to be a fun but demanding 118km and 4000m ascent hike, mostly off-trail. On the way, I crawled under a reindeer fence in a swamp. I got lost twice while walking on trails, but never in trailless terrain. I fought against loss of appetite, dehydration and heat exhaustion in the heat (+30 except on the 2nd day around +20), when many streams marked on the map were just rocks. I survived the horseflies and mosquitoes and the gnats that wanted me for food. I walked through rocks, coniferous forests, mountain birch and swamps. In the heat, in the wind, in the calm and in the middle of thunderstorms. During the three days in the remote zone, I encountered people twice.

I returned from the terrain tired, hungry and dehydrated.

The peaks of the first day were Vahtamapää, Vellinsärpimäpää, Kivipää, Hirvas-Lassin Karhuvaara, Taljapää and Lankopää. I spent the night on the shore of a pond in the direction of Kivinokka from Lankopää. Distance 30km and 1009 meters of elevation gain.

The peaks of the second day were Kivinokka, Puilakkapää, Peurapää, Lupukkapää, Pälkkimäpää, Siliäselkä, Ukselmapää and Lumipää. The water was high so I had to descend for the night under Skoaltoaivi in the upper reaches of Pälkkimäoja. Distance 34km and 1507 meters of elevation gain.

On the third day, I summited Riitelmäpää, Sokostin and Ampupää. Due to the drought and predicted thunderstorms, I descended and ended up at the Kotaköngäs lean-to for the night to hold off the thunderstorms. Distance 36km 974 meters of elevation.

The last day was Raututunturit, Rautupää, Niilanpää and Kiilopää. There was still 18km 595 meters of elevation to cover.