SNOWBOARDING

Snowboarding is a fast and energetic pastime that is also combined with active interaction with friends. If this very popular relaxed lifestyle and winter activity interests you, Lapland is just the right place for you.

This sport was first developed in North America in the late 1970s and reached Finland around the mid-1980s. This Olympic sport is still very popular and still fast on the increase.

On the slope, on the street, or in the forest
If you like downhill skiing, no matter which Lappish ski resort you choose, you will get to enjoy at least five (Hetta’s Hiihtomaa 5 slopes) and a maximum of 60 slopes (Ylläs has 61 slopes).

In addition to slopes, most Lappish downhill skiing resorts have a half-pipe and street. As its name would suggest, the half-pipe is the shape of a pipe that has been split in half lengthwise forming a snow chute of around 100 metres in length, which snowboarders use to perform a variety of different jumps. The street, on the other hand, is a slope reserved for snowboarders that has a number of jumps of different shapes and sizes.

More experienced snowboarders can practice snowboarding through the snowy forests at, for instance Suomutunturi. Before trying forest snowboarding, you should check the snow conditions and ask for some advice from the ski resort staff if you want to know how challenging skiing the forests will be.

Are you beginning snowboarding?
Every ski school provides instruction in snowboarding and all Lappish ski resorts provide the opportunity to hire snowboarding equipment. The easiest way to learn the secrets of snowboarding is to get instruction from a ski school. The ski resorts in Lapland that currently best cater to the needs and desires of snowboarders are Levi and Ylläs, but the other resorts are also constantly developing their snowboarding facilities.

Snowboarding from October to May Day
You can start snowboarding as early as October as the snow cannons guarantee snow cover for the first slopes. The skiing season lasts through to May Day. Due to the difference in heights of the fells, you can ski down the upper slope areas in mild conditions while the deep winter temperatures lower down can be well below zero.