FL-1000: Blizzard and a lot of snow

A blizzard was raging between Levajok and Tana, where the mushers in FL-1000 are located.

The trail crew is on the trail between Levajok and Tana. Today, the weather has been considerably worse up there. (Photo: Ronny Lukkari)

– It is crazy how much snow is up there, says trail breaker Ronny Lukkari. He has traveled the distance on snowmobile today. – Normally that stretch will take us about 3,5 hours. Today, it took us three times longer!

Lukkari and a colleague started from Levajok at 06:30 a.m. this morning. They did not arrive in Tana Bru until 3:30 p.m.

 

This is not the first blizzard in the area between Levajok and Tana. (Archival photo: Kjell O. Brun)

He confirms that there is a lot more snow in the mountain now compared to what is normal. – I think it has been seven-eight years since I have seen such amounts of snow in the mountain, he says.

The trail crew has made some challenging trips over the mountain before, but the trip today beat most of these experiences. (Photo: Ronny Lukkari)

He talks about three meters visibility, intense crosswind and a lot of snow. – We got stuck at least fifty times, says Lukkari. – I thought it was bad last night, but it is worse now!

In other words, it is not an ordinary Sunday trip the participants in FL-1000 are out on right now.