PKS Ounasjoki (english)

Ounasjoki

Length: 320 km
Rapids: More than 40 rapids, class I-III
Maps: Road Map of Finland, GT 14 and 16

Ounasjoki begins from Enontekiö (Hetta) and ends to Rovaniemi. It is a very good choice for a canoeing trip. If you like to paddle whole the river you will need two weeks or more time (23 km/day). Where to begin?

You can begin the trip from lake Ounasjärvi in Enontekiö. The level from sea is +287 meters and you will have more than 300 kilometers to Rovaniemi. You will find a Hotel and a Camping Place in Hetta. From village Hetta you should paddle three kilometers to east. After that follows a one kilometers part of river which contains one rapid, Perilänkoski (length 400 m/height 2,8 m/class I). After that follows lake Perilänjärvi. To east end of Perilänjärvi brings river Näkkälöjoki more water from north. Three more kilometers river and you are on a small lake called Joentekijäisensuvanto. From east comes river Vanhajoki. From Joentekijäisensuvanto you will take the rout to south—Ounasjoki begins.

The rapids and still waters of Ounasjoki

Nuutinniva 700/1 m
Upper part 200/0,8 m
Still water 450 m
Down part 50/0,2 m
Markkasuvanto 1750/0 m
Kuivakoski 900/2,3 m I
Pielisensuvanto 280/1,5 m
Haarakoski 1500/6,4 m II
Käkkälöjoki comes from east to the end of upper part of Haarakoski. There is 500 m still water before the second part of Haarakoski-rapid. Pallas-Ounastunturi Natural Park lies on the west side of the river.
Polasuvanto 1250/0 m.
Rovakoski 1400/3,7 m I
Onnaskoksi 700/2,8 m I
Onnaskosken suvanto 1500/0 m
Sioskoski 600/3,2 m I
Ketosuvanto 6 km
Ketokoski 1200/5,3 m II
Kaalamankoski 300/1,0 m I
Kaalamansuvanto 5 km
Suaskoski 250/0,8 m I
Saarikoski 100/0,4 m I
Lassinsuvanto 5 km
Vähäkoski 300/1 m I

Village Raattama

Raattamankoski 1800/9,6 m II!
Salankikoski and Salankiniva 1300/3,4 m I
Small rapids 7 km
Mertakoski 1500/ 3,6 m I
Small rapids 1,5 km
Kurkkio 1200/3,6 m II Kurkkio 500/3 m II!
Take a look.
Suvanto 1 km
Puksukoski (5 rapids in row) 4300/15,8 m I
River Syvä-Tepasto from North-East
Tepastonsuvanto 4 km
Tepastokoski 700/2,6 m I
Tuomisuvanto 4 km
Tuomikoski 4000/8,8 m I
Kuortanonkoski 700/2,6 m
Small rapids 3 km
Pierkhukoski 1700/4,2 m
Kirnuniva I
Bridge
Stop on the left side before the bridge.
Köngäs 400/2,0 m II!
I recommend you to take a look before shooting the rapid.
Still water 15 km
Hirvasniemi sand beach, village Hossa and Sirkka, Levi, river Loukinen from east. After that comes a serial of small rapids.
Torajaisennivat
Riekonmuotkanniva
Lonnakonkorva
Lonnakonsuvanto
Riikonkoski 2600/7,0 I
Small rapids and still water.

Village Kittilä
132 km from Hetta and 170 km to Rovaniemi, +172 m from sea level.

Village Kaukonen

Särestöniemi
Reidar Särestöniemi Art Museum. Someroköngäs

Village Alakylä

Neitikoski
Pahtakoski
Mouluskoski
Kimppukoski
Kiurusuvanto
Molkonköngäs 200/2,7 III
The most difficult rapid of Ounasjoki. Take a look and don´t paddle it if you are not sure you can handle it.
Jalkakoski I
Rouvastenkoski I
Katikoski I

Village Jääskö

Village Tolonen

Niva I
Varpuniva 30070,7 m I
Meltaus
A village, bridge and a rapid in three parts.
Petäläiskoski 3700/6,0 m I
Patosuvanto
Patokoski 1300/3,3 m
Uurtamonkoski I
Marraskoski 1500/5,2 m II
Take a look.
Still water 7 km
Aapiskoski
Tapinkylä Rapids
Still water down to Rovaniemi

City Rovaniemi
The Capital of Lapland.

Joki=river, koski=rapid, niva=small rapid, köngäs=short and steep rapid, suvanto=still water, järvi=lake, lampi=small lake, saari=island, niemi=peninsula

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Ounasjoki
Length: 320 km Rapids: More than 40 rapids, class I-III Maps: Road Map of Finland, GT 14 and 16 Ounasjoki begins from Enontekiö (Hetta) and ends to Rovaniemi. It is a very good choice for a canoeing trip. If you like to paddle whole the river you will need two weeks or more time (23 km/day).	Where to begin? You can begin the trip from lake Ounasjärvi in Enontekiö. The level from sea is +287 meters and you will have more than 300 kilometers to Rovaniemi. You will find a Hotel and a Camping Place in Hetta. From village Hetta you should paddle three kilometers to east. After that follows a one kilometers part of river which contains one rapid, Perilänkoski (length 400 m/height 2,8 m/class I). After that follows lake Perilänjärvi. To east end of Perilänjärvi brings river Näkkälöjoki more water from north. Three more kilometers river and you are on a small lake called Joentekijäisensuvanto. From east comes river Vanhajoki. From Joentekijäisensuvanto you will take the rout to south—Ounasjoki begins.
The rapids and still waters of Ounasjoki Nuutinniva 700/1 m Upper part 200/0,8 m Still water 450 m Down part 50/0,2 m Markkasuvanto 1750/0 m Kuivakoski 900/2,3 m I Pielisensuvanto 280/1,5 m Haarakoski 1500/6,4 m II Käkkälöjoki comes from east to the end of upper part of Haarakoski. There is 500 m still water before the second part of Haarakoski-rapid. Pallas-Ounastunturi Natural Park lies on the west side of the river. Polasuvanto 1250/0 m. Rovakoski 1400/3,7 m I Onnaskoksi 700/2,8 m I Onnaskosken suvanto 1500/0 m Sioskoski 600/3,2 m I Ketosuvanto 6 km Ketokoski 1200/5,3 m II Kaalamankoski 300/1,0 m I Kaalamansuvanto 5 km Suaskoski 250/0,8 m I Saarikoski 100/0,4 m I Lassinsuvanto 5 km Vähäkoski 300/1 m I Village Raattama Raattamankoski 1800/9,6 m II! Salankikoski and Salankiniva 1300/3,4 m I Small rapids 7 km Mertakoski 1500/ 3,6 m I Small rapids 1,5 km Kurkkio 1200/3,6 m II	Kurkkio 500/3 m II! Take a look. Suvanto 1 km Puksukoski (5 rapids in row) 4300/15,8 m I River Syvä-Tepasto from North-East Tepastonsuvanto 4 km Tepastokoski 700/2,6 m I Tuomisuvanto 4 km Tuomikoski 4000/8,8 m I Kuortanonkoski 700/2,6 m Small rapids 3 km Pierkhukoski 1700/4,2 m Kirnuniva I Bridge Stop on the left side before the bridge. Köngäs 400/2,0 m II! I recommend you to take a look before shooting the rapid. Still water 15 km Hirvasniemi sand beach, village Hossa and Sirkka, Levi, river Loukinen from east. After that comes a serial of small rapids. Torajaisennivat Riekonmuotkanniva Lonnakonkorva Lonnakonsuvanto Riikonkoski 2600/7,0 I Small rapids and still water. Village Kittilä 132 km from Hetta and 170 km to Rovaniemi, +172 m from sea level. Village Kaukonen Särestöniemi Reidar Särestöniemi Art Museum.	Someroköngäs Village Alakylä Neitikoski Pahtakoski Mouluskoski Kimppukoski Kiurusuvanto Molkonköngäs 200/2,7 III The most difficult rapid of Ounasjoki. Take a look and don´t paddle it if you are not sure you can handle it. Jalkakoski I Rouvastenkoski I Katikoski I Village Jääskö Village Tolonen Niva I Varpuniva 30070,7 m I Meltaus A village, bridge and a rapid in three parts. Petäläiskoski 3700/6,0 m I Patosuvanto Patokoski 1300/3,3 m Uurtamonkoski I Marraskoski 1500/5,2 m II Take a look. Still water 7 km Aapiskoski Tapinkylä Rapids Still water down to Rovaniemi City Rovaniemi The Capital of Lapland.