Only 10 Weeks Until Ruka, Finland, Opens for 23/24 Season

Ruka Ski Resort, Finland, announced that its opening day will be October 6, 2023 — only 10 weeks away. Ruka is one of the first non-glacier ski resorts to open in the Northern Hemisphere. Ruka’s ski season lasts more than 200 days, making it the longest season in Finland and one of the longest non-glacier seasons in the world. The season in Ruka is expected to last until May 5, 2024.

Ruka Ski Resort and the town of Kuusamo are located on the southern edge of Lapland near the Arctic Circle, where temperatures regularly drop to -20°C (-4° Fahrenheit) during winter. This location ensures that there is natural snow on the ground for at least 200 days of the year. Ruka is located slightly to the north of Kuusamo in the northeast of Finland, close to Lapland.

Ruka offers 19.1 km (12 miles) of groomed slopes serviced by 22 lifts. Apart from alpine skiing and boarding, Ruka has a huge cross-country ski area with over 500 km (313 miles) of cross-country tracks as well as 600 km (375 miles) of snowmobile routes (of which 100 km (63 miles) are private snowmobile-safari routes). This entire winter sports wonderland in the Rukatunturi mountains is situated between 291 – 492 m (955 – 1,614 ft) of elevation, which is relatively low compared to ski areas in other countries.

Ruka Terrain Park is popular with Freestylers and features different lines from beginner to pro and even boasts a pipe. It is one of the most popular terrain parks in Finland. A wide range of other activities, such as dog-sledding and snowmobile rides and tobogganing, round out the attractions.

Given the massive size of cross-country trails, Ruka has a particular reputation for Nordic disciplines with international ski jumping and cross-country skiing competitions but is also well known as the annual host to the FIS Moguls & Aerials World Cup Opening in early December. On December 2-3, 2023, Ruka will host the FIS World Cup this year for the 14th consecutive time.

Kuusamo can be reached by plane — the Kuusamo International Airport is located 7 km (4.4 miles) from the city center and 30 km (19 miles) from Ruka Ski Resort. Ruka is about 800 km from Helsinki (the capital of Finland), and flying time is just one hour. Alternatively, there are two other international airports less than 300 km away, Oulu and Rovaniemi (home to Santa Claus village).