Ice Climbing Korouoma, December 2025

Once again this year, the first cold spells that hit Lapland as early as November transformed the valley into a spectacular winter landscape, with waterfalls gradually beginning to form.

Conditions evolved week after week. At the beginning of December, the ice was already well established, although some lines were still forming. This allowed us to focus on introductory outings, centered on movement technique, reading the ice, and safety.

Temperatures were not always cold and stable throughout December, which has not been unusual in recent years. As a result, some waterfalls such as Mammutti or Ruskea Virta were not always climbable.

Indeed, these falls are fed by water from a vast plateau made up of forests, swamps, lakes, rivers, and streams. When temperatures rise, meltwater from snow and ice is channeled toward the main waterfalls of Korouoma.

The Jaska Jokunen ice wall was the most stable and particularly well formed at the start of the season. With my clients, we enjoyed calm days in the valley, often alone at the base of this waterfall.

Between pitches, the beauty of the snow-covered forest, the low light of the Arctic winter, and our shared moments gave each outing a unique atmosphere.

December is a special month: everything falls into place, the ice builds, and sensations return. It is also a privileged time to slow down, adapt to conditions, and share the first ascents of the season in a wild and unspoiled setting.

At the end of December and the beginning of January, an extreme cold wave forced us to cancel our ice climbing outings in Korouoma, causing disappointment for some clients and for myself. These decisions are always difficult to make, as for most of my clients, the opportunity to climb in Lapland, in Korouoma, with an IFMGA/UIAGM-certified guide is unique and unlikely to happen again.

We make these decisions together, after discussion and consultation of several weather forecasts. We make them in warmth, in front of computer and phone screens. They become obvious and reasonable once we step outside for a few moments and face reality.

This is the reality of life in the Arctic, and it must be accepted—because it is also what makes this place so unique and so different.