Frozen Toes Entertainment's video: Saana - the most popular mountain in Finland

One of Finland's best known fells, or barren and stony hills, is Saana, located in the small village of Kilpisjärvi. It is visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year, and about 25,000 of them climb to the top of Saana. It is an easy and fast hike, for the path leading to the top is only four kilometers long. The route starting from the Kilpisjärvi hiking center is marked with signs. Depending on the season, the beginning may be somewhat damp, but the wooden boardwalks help keep the shoes dry. From a distance, Saana’s landscape can look barren and lifeless, but there are many signposts along the route explaining the diversity of the northern nature. There are some very rare plant and insect species on the slopes, and therefore a part of the area is a protected as a nature reserve. To help with the ascent, stairs are built on the route. Here are Finland's longest stairs: 745 steps, or just over two kilometers. However, these wooden stairs are already history; During the summer 2019, new stairs with the granite stones will be completed. Saana's peak is over 1,000 meters above the sea level, so even in mid-summer there is snow and ice in the shadows. The weather can be windy and cold, so be sure to bring warm and windproof clothing with you. The scenery rewards a persistent hiker. Big and small lakes along with rivers glow in blue and the landscape opens in every direction wide and uninhabited. On the horizon one can see the snow-capped mountains of Sweden and Norway. From the middle of May till the end of July, midnight sun illuminates around the clock, so basically one can climb to the top at any time. However, it is good to remember that even if the sun does not fall, the temperature will easily drop below freezing, as the average temperature in the hottest month of July is just under 11 degrees Celsius. Around the area there are many different hiking trails. For example, the distance to the border of the three kingdoms is 11km, and the highest summit in Finland, Halti, is about 55 km away. There are also many waterfalls along the road leading to Norway, such as this Rovijoki waterfall, which is just under 30 km from Kilpisjärvi and is also worth a visit. (c) Frozen Toes Entertainment 2019