Ounasvaara Outdoor Resort

Ounasvaara Ski Resort is located almost in a centre of Rovaniemi city. From the Northern side of Ounasvaara mountain, you’ll find a modern ski resort where you can downhill ski, snowboard, or ski while enjoying the international atmosphere. Ounasvaara’s slopes are suitable for both beginners and professionals. You can easily get to Ounasvaara Ski Resort by plane, by train or by car. Santa Claus also likes Ounasvaara.

There are many accommodation options around the ski resort both on top and bottom of the hill. You can choose from cottages to hotel accommodation. At the city center there are even more options and other services for after-ski. Distance from the Ounasvaara Ski Resort to the city center is only few kilometers which makes it easy to enjoy the whole Rovaniemi experience during your stay.

Ounasvaara area has 100 kilometers of Cross Country Tracks, from which 50 kilometers has lights. In addition, Rovaniemi area has another 100 kilometers of XCountry tracks so the total number of skiing tracks kilometers goes up to 200. The first snow ski track just next to ski resort is opened during October with the help of stored snow. That means Rovaniemi is among the very first cities in Finland to open it’s ski season. Diversity of routes and breathtaking scenery, that’s why people love Ounasvaara!

The top of Ounasvaara is over 200 meters from sea level. The biggest height difference is 140 meters. The longest of the maintained slopes is 600 meters long. There are diverse spots in the areas suitable from beginners to professionals. Ounasvaara Ski Resort has been the training ground for professionals like Antti Autti, Kalle Palander and Tanja Poutiainen.

Summer is also a great time to visit Ounasvaara. You can ride marked downhill cycling tracks and trek along the marked paths.

Travel company Lapland Hotels & Safaris offers northern experiences for all senses. It consists of Finland’s largest private hotel chain, Lapland Hotels, the largest event service company in the Nordic countries, Lapland Safaris Group Oy, and Lapland Ski Resorts. Lapland Ski Resorts comprises five ski centres located in Rovaniemi, Luosto, Olos, Pallas and Ylläs – a total of 70 slopes and 30 ski lifts!

 

Sustainability

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, PEOPLE AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

The north is our home, and we nurture it in all our operations. Sustainable operations are close to our heart. We value the fragile nature of Lapland and our local communities. In addition to the environment, it is important to us to look after people – our staff and customers alike. We develop our corporate responsibility continuously and seek new ways to improve our operations

 

LOOKING AFTER OUR STAFF

To us, skilled, engaged, motivated, goal-oriented and satisfied personnel are the key. We invest in good management and measures designed to promote commitment to our operating culture. Our HR management is based on compliance with laws and regulations, and we determine our wages on the basis of the applicable collective agreements.

It is important to us that our personnel enjoy a sense of well-being at work and in their free time. We promote our employees’ professional skills through extensive workplace induction and training. We invest in our staff’s well-being by supporting sport and other leisure activities.

 

LOOKING AFTER OUR CUSTOMERS

To us, responsibility for the safety of our customers is the cornerstone of our operations. We also believe it is important to enable our customers to act in a responsible manner and to make sustainable choices when they use our services.

We continuously develop safety in our operations and implement new services to improve it.

In terms of slope services, the safety of our customers is safeguarded by our employees, who attend annual safety training. We develop our snow and slope safety continuously. On the slopes, our customers’ safety is ensured by safety instructions and signs.

 

BALANCED RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE

We look after our natural surroundings and strive to foster a balanced relationship with nature by protecting the Arctic environment. We continuously develop new, environmentally friendly ways of operating.

As our ski slope services operate in extremely sensitive natural surroundings, the significance of sustainable operations is emphasised. The fuels and lubricants we use are the most environmentally friendly options available. We use oil separation equipment and oil-free air compressors in our snowmaking operations. We optimise the runs using our snow groomers and minimise the use of lights on the slopes. In addition, we participate in the Green DMN and Motiva’s Energy-Efficient ski centre projects.

 

APPRECIATING LOCAL HERITAGE

We have been in operation since 1965 – and have always operated locally. We value the local culture and communities. We are one of many operators in the area. Promoting year-round operations creates the foundations for sustainable development – it enables us to create permanent jobs in the long term, thereby contributing to the region’s tax revenue and well-being.

We show our appreciation for the region by paying our taxes in the area where we operate, by hiring locally and by using local service providers and raw materials. We belong to several local organisations and protect our cultural environment by maintaining and repairing old, existing buildings.

 

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE ECOCOMPASS CERTIFICATE

The Ecocompass certificate awarded to Ounasvaara Ski resort in May 2022 is proof of comprehensive development of environmental responsibility and commitment to it.

Certificate requires a commitment to saving natural resources, increasing positive environmental effects, and their accurate annual monitoring and reporting. The certificate is issued for three years at a time. Ecocompass is an industry-independent environmental organization based on the international ISO 14001 standard. The system is owned by Finland’s oldest and most influential environmental organization, the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.

For example, all of the group’s locations switched to using 100 % green electricity two years ago. The most visible measure for customers has been the improvement of waste management in ski resorts.

Read more about EcoCompass  

TOWARDS RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL INDUSTRY

Sustainable Travel Finland is a sustainable tourism program developed by Visit Finland. Companies that have completed the program and meet the demanding criteria are recognized with the Sustainable Travel Finland label. The label takes into account the economic, ecological, social and cultural sustainability of tourism companies and destinations.

Read more about STF