One place I absolutely wanted to visit during my trip to Finnish Lapland was the Kaunispää Triangulation Tower in Saariselkä, also known as Kaunispään Kolmiomittaustorni. Before my trip, I had already come across several photos of this lookout tower in Saariselkä online. It looked absolutely magical in the winter!
Kaunispää Fell
The Kaunispää Triangulation Tower is situated on Kaunispää Fell, the mountain that immediately catches your eye as you arrive in Saariselkä. Kaunispää Fell stands at 438 meters tall and borders Urho Kekkonen National Park. From the mountain, you can enjoy views of the tundra surrounding Hammastunturi Fell and the Sompio Nature Reserve. In winter, the mountain is a popular stop on snowmobile routes. You can also enjoy cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding and sledding on and around the mountain. While the ski area is small, with only 7 kilometers of slopes, how cool is it to say you’ve skied in Finnish Lapland? Or even gone sledding, as Kaunispää Fell is home to Finland’s longest toboggan run, definitely a must-try! In addition, you can explore the mountain on fat bikes during the winter. There are 80 kilometers of MTB trails available on and around the mountain, known as OFB (open fell biking). In the summer, over 230 kilometers of OFB trails are accessible.
Kaunispää Triangulation Tower
Atop the mountain stands the Kaunispää Triangulation Tower, which in Finnish carries the lovely name Kaunispään Kolmiomittaustorni. The current tower dates back to 2011. Before that, a triangulation tower served as a measurement point from the 1950s. Since the advent of GPS, triangulation towers have become obsolete. In many places, they are either removed or replaced with new towers that also serve as observation points.
The old triangulation tower in Saariselkä was burned down on-site in 2009. The condition of the wood was so poor that it was no longer suitable even for firewood. The new tower, which opened in the fall of 2011, was built to the model of a first-class triangulation tower from the Geodetic Institute. Alongside the Kaunispää Triangulation Tower, several information boards are available, providing insight into the history of mapping. At the top of the tower, you’ll find boards with the names of nearby mountain peaks. On clear days, you can see up to 50 kilometers and you can even spot the mountain peaks along the Finland-Russia border.
Restaurant Kaunispään Huippu Oy
Atop Kaunispää Fell, right next to the observation tower, is Restaurant Kaunispään Huippu Oy. It’s a busy place where there is often a wait for a table. Skiers, snowboarders and sledders enjoy stopping here to eat or warm up with a cup of hot chocolate between activities. Even if you’re not planning to eat, it’s definitely worth taking a stroll around the building. All the walls seem to be covered with a thick layer of snow and in the winter months, those sitting inside can just about catch a glimpse of the outside. Be cautious as it can be slippery around the area, especially where snow has been cleared. Snowsteps are always a handy item to have with you!
Accommodations on Kaunispää Fell
On and around Kaunispää Fell, you’ll find great accommodations. The highest place to stay on the mountain is the Star Arctic Hotel. From this hotel, you’ll have an incredible view, especially at night. You can look out over Saariselkä and on clear nights, you can even see the Northern Lights from your accommodation. A little lower down is the beautiful Lodge Peikonkolo, with the authentic Sielikkö Aurora Log Apartments not far away. There are also ice cubes for rent on the slopes of Kaunispää Fell, accommodations with glass roofs such as the Arctic Glass Cubes by Top Star Saariselkä. And what about the VALO Ice Cube, a villa with skylights in the bedrooms where you can gaze at the stars and Northern Lights from your bed? So many beautiful accommodations on and around Kaunispää Fell that it’s hard to mention them all!
How to get to the top of Kaunispää Fell
If you have your own car or rental car, the road to Kaunispää Fell from Saariselkä is easy to follow. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a car, the public bus stops at various locations in and around Saariselkä and will take you to the top of Kaunispää Fell. Additionally, you can purchase a ticket for the chairlift from the valley. This is convenient if you plan to go sledding or if you’d like to take the chairlift up and the bus down.
Booking Your Trip to Lapland
Have our Lapland adventures convinced you to head up north to experience all the fun things to do and see in Lapland? There are many ways to book your trip. If you prefer to arrange everything yourself, you can book a flight to one of the airports in Finnish Lapland, such as Rovaniemi or Ivalo. From there, you could rent a car to explore the area or simply stay in one place. That’s what we’re doing on this trip and I can say that I’m really happy with it. When there’s a car parked outside, I always want to go everywhere, but now I truly have the time to enjoy and explore the surroundings. We’re staying at Fell Centre Kiilopää, right next to the entrance of Urho Kekkonen National Park. We’re entertained here for days, hiking, sledding and just being in the snow. We take the bus to Saariselkä once and for activities, we’re picked up. It’s such a wonderful week!
If you’re staying for more than a week or plan to cover longer distances, renting a car might be useful. I personally always rent a car with an all-inclusive package. This way, you’re covered for everything and there are no surprises. For instance, if you cause damage, you’ll even get your excess refunded. It’s a comforting thought, especially on icy roads in the north of Finland.
Booking your trip to Lapland with a travel agency
Not keen on arranging everything yourself? Then consider checking with travel agencies that offer complete packages. These often include direct flights, transfers, accommodation and optional activities. While it costs more than booking everything separately, it saves you a lot of research time and provides peace of mind when it comes to issues like COVID, cancellations, rescheduling and getting your money back.
