Documentary about a 1,300-kilometre ski expedition by our guide Anniina Perätalo

Vita Bandet (“White Ribbon”) is a wintertime thru-hike route that spans over 1,300 kilometers, extending from the southern mountains of Sweden all the way to Kilpisjärvi. Our guide, Anniina Perätalo, spent 73 days skiing the whole journey in spring 2024.

This is how Anniina introduces the project:

“Initially, the idea of such an extensive skiing journey felt intense, as there was so much to choose from during the winter season. However, curiosity quickly took over. What would it feel like to embark on such a long trek? Self-irony also came into play – was I really stressing about missing just one snowboarding season while facing a climate crisis? Perhaps this tour would be my time to reflect on the sustainability (or lack of it) of my outdoor lifestyle. 

Skiing through the mountains didn’t provide simple answers, but at least I had time to reflect.

The journey began from Grövelsjön at the end of January 2024 and concluded at Treriksröset in Kilpisjärvi in April. I skied solo, camping in a tent and hauling all my gear in a pulka. In villages along the way, I replenished my food supplies and recharged batteries. As winter progressed toward spring, the cold occasionally caught me off guard, but I was more concerned about rising temperatures leading to rain.”

After the homecoming another journey began. Over 100 hours of footage became slowly together and formed short documentary for you to enjoy.

Get your popcorn ready — 25 minutes of stunning Arctic landscapes and reflections on a slow journey across them can be found on Anniina’s YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PekMOea_NJo&t=612s]

For the ones interested Anniina writes more about the project on her website [https://www.anniinaperatalo.fi/vitabandet]. 

You can follow her current adventures on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/anniinaperatalo/]. 

Or join her on skies – you can find Anniina guiding for Wild Hikes Finland in Kilpisjärvi and Lemmenjoki. Want to join?