ruka ski resort review

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Even though the slopes are. Filter Reviews. Resort Review. (1) The staff at Ruka are rude or unhelpful, (5) lift staff at Ruka are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help. great ski board resort pedestrian village both sides of the hill varied runs for beginners and intermediate ski boarders virtually no queues at the lifts Tanja Seferis reviewed Ruka Ski Resort — 5 star (1) No places to stay in/near Ruka, (3) a few places to stay in the resort, (5) a wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets. Situated in Ruka Ski Resort, 100 metres from the ski lifts, Holiday Club Ruka Village offers apartments with balconies, kitchens and free Wi-Fi. Plenty of off-piste and wooded area's to play in and children are well catered for. - Quiet apres-ski scene. Ruka's young crowd keep it lively right through the season, and unlike many ski resorts, right through the week. (1) the resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues, (3) it is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays, (5) it is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare. Little or no indication of which lifts are open in main resort, although typically at least the T-bars will be available. 4 . The … Ruka This modern ski-in/ski-out property is conveniently located right next to the slopes of Ruka in Finnish Lapland, just 60 metres from the nearest ski lift. The runs are limited although perfectly groomed and some challenging reds and blacks. (1) Ruka relies entirely on natural snow, (3) there are just a few snow cannons, (5) there are snowmaking facilities on all pistes. Don't forget to submit your own Ruka review! Facilities include dog sledding, snowmobiling and a huge indoor … The runs are quite short though and I think after 1 week you would of. Almost 250 skiing days a year - from October to June! Sort By: Voted Most Useful. And every apartment has its own private sauna and log fire. 3 . We found out they didn't open it until the peak season for them in Feb onwards, which is something to be aware of. Arriving late into the night was no problem as we had been given the keycode to the apartment by text several day before. (1) there is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut, (3) there are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close, (5) Ruka is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close. Each time we say we'll go somewhere else, but we keep getting drawn back. Occupying a third of the country’s territory, the region has a lot to offer, on and off the slopes. Ruka, near Kuusamo on the southern edge of Lapland, gives an added dimension to 'cool' as temps drop to 20 below (Celcius) in the dark months of mid-winter. Second year in Ruka, stayed in the new Ruka Valley hotel, which is literally right on the doorstep to the ski school on the opposite side of the hill to the town. The ski-hire was free and really good for beginners. Leigh. Copyright © 1995-2020 Mountain News Corporation. (1) No intermediate terrain at Ruka, (3) intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days, (5) vast areas of cruising runs. Ruka resort is located in Lapland. They have quite a good snowpark with some big kickers. They had a good selection of rails too which is all good. You can see every bump(although not many) on the run in to the kickers. For this bargain price, the accommodation is second to none. Arriving to Kuusamo we were. Ski resort review - Ruka Ski Resort in Finland sits at 291m and has a vertical drop of 201m and 20km of runs . (1) Nowhere to buy food by the pistes, (3) some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive, (5) there is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets. Saarua is Ruka’s most popular ski area for a good reason. By clicking on the "Submit" button below, you agree to follow the guidelines in our Posting Policy. Having to only share the piste with established national ski teams and ridiculously talented juniors, it could be said we were easily the worst skiers on the hill which was a small price to pay for never once having to queue. Skiing in Ruka - Kuusamo - located 25km north of the small town of Kuusamo, Ruka is one of Finland's largest and most modern ski resorts.In recent years, visitor numbers have started to grow significantly thanks to significantly lower lift pass prices when compared to mainstream European resorts… Soooooo much more space for your money than in the Alps. However, they are currently expanding the resort and building a whole new village, so the above might not be true in a couple of years! (1) The ski area is located far from any accommodation, (3) a free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip, (5) Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available. There is a small supermarket in the village centre, and a bigger one a bit further out. Started at -36 but warmed up to -5 although with significant wind chill. Write a review.
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    • Bliss! Fantastic place, will book again for next year!! The context of our ski holiday was for early turns at a ski resort that was guaranteed snow cover. (1) Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders, (3) enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste, (5) Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week. Ruka's 29 slopes provide something for everyone. Reviews about Ruka. 7 - If you book an apartment, go for the bigger one where possible. Self-catering accommodation was top-notch which included wood-buring fire and an awesome sauna. Our apartment was warm and spacious and had a great view - the sauna was a also a lovely welcome addition. (5) A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants. In our first year we went early Jan and the temperature got down to -30C. It would be an awesome place for those who like adventure, new to skiing, or those just looking for something a bit different. The village is small but there are plenty of places to eat, the food is really good and portions are big. We were surprised at the variety of terrain and fun off-piste wooded areas kept us busy for the whole week. (1) Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing, (2) is often closed due to a lack of snow, (3) occasionally suffers from a lack of snow, (4) rarely suffers from a lack of snow, (5) Ruka is snowsure even in the poorest seasons. Considering the equipment and service we got we thought this was pretty good value. (1) No budget accommodation available, (3) just one or two hostels so book ahead, (5) several cheap hostels and pensions available. (1) Overall, Ruka is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, (3) overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries, (5) internationally the resort offers excellent value for money. Be prepared for the cold. '. Positives: if you time your visit before mid Feb and the national holiday period, slopes can be almost empty and queuing non existent. Resort is costly compared to most European resorts. The countryside at Ruka is beautiful and the colours of the arctic sky inspiring. I love the Scandinavian board parks with many visits to Hemsedal(Norway) but gotta say that the park in Ruka was brilliant with kickers of all sizes up to the booter for the big boys. Only one … ... they have a really nice ski resort … Jan was -33 all week. (1) Not even a kicker at Ruka, (3) average sized park quite well looked after, (5) huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails. Ruka is a small, contained mountain village where you are only 460 meters above sea level. often be closed for no apparent reason other than energy saving as we were told. And although early into the season lifts ran from 9.30 AM to 6 PM and beyond the official closing time which was something we certainly were not expecting. The lifts are old, mostly drag lifts and often break down. - Ruka is no mountain range, it's very much a hill. visit. all groomed daily, it is still possible to get powder on a piste if you are really lucky making for a fantastic start to the day. Spotlessly clean and spacious. There are masses. Absolute rubbish the queues are as bad as the Alps so be prepared to queue at February half-term in cold temps.

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    Oh.........And the scenery is amazing. We always book with Crystal Ski as they seem to be the only UK airline that flies directly to. Overall I would say it is well worth a trip if you have not been to Finland before.

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    of people on the slopes during half-term and be prepared for beginners trying to plough down red and black routes! We have never queued for a lift and sometimes we can have a whole run to ourselves! (1) No off-piste worth mentioning, (2) off piste is out-of-bounds, (3) some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days, (5) a vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days. Loved lapland and resort going back soon .cant say anyttbad really. Detailed reviews of Ruka Ski Resort consisting of 10 test categories including advanced skiers, beginners, families, après-ski, value for money and more! The Music Bar Piste is one of the hippest, with live bands and top DJs often in town. With the temperature continually staying below zero, the snow never thaws and therefore there aren't any icy patches. Then again you are near the Arctic circle so I guess we should have expected the cold. (1) Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard, (3) a few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week, (3) Vast areas of gentle terrain. surprised at how easy it was to then get to Ruka. Just got back from Ruka and had a great time. The ski resort Ruka is located in Northern Ostrobothnia (Pohjois-Pohjanmaa) (Finland, Northern Finland).For skiing and snowboarding, there are 18.9 km of slopes available. A face mask is a good addition to your kit. They range from gentle slopes for beginners to taunting gradients for professional skiers. I think we were lucky with the temp too, coldest it got was -10. They range from gentle slopes for beginners to taunting gradients for professional skiers. Related Regions: Finland, Europe, Europe Overall, Northern Finland. (1) An ugly resort in a bland setting, (3) average mountain views and resort, (5) a spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town. The other good thing about a small resort is that if you're with a mixed-ability group, or if you all head out at different times in the morning, it's very easy to go and do your own thing then find each other again. Ruka Ski Area is renowned for well-groomed slopes and the longest ski season in Finland; over 200 days. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 291 and 492 m. Ruka's ski … The downhill slopes were very well groomed, and I was able to ski some of the blue runs on my cross country gear. That's not stopped this snug little ski area … ; It is among the 10 most family-friendly ski Resorts … The kids loved it all. Mad_Micke. (1) Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop. Children -30% with Family ski pass. And if you time it right, you can get flights and accommodation for about £300.
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    • Ruka's 29 slopes provide something for everyone. Perfect when you need a break to thaw out and toast a marshmallow. One year we visited, it hadn't snowed for almost a month before we arrived, but the snow on the pistes was still abundant and powdery. With regards to snowboarding and flat sections, I've only found one area of about 70 m that I have to unclip and walk. NOTE: If you represent the management of this property and would like to respond to a review, please use the management response form. After the mild start temperatures plummeted to minus 14 which resulted in excessive use of snow-making. Loads of snow and could not ask for better conditions but a bit cold at times. Few things to note, English tour companies don't tend to do holidays there from early to mid Feb onwards due to the resort becoming too popular for them to secure competitive prices, as well as the resort being too busy for them to want people to. Buy ski passes cheaper online. Buy online (1) Ruka usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region, (3) has average conditions for the region, (5) usually has the best snow conditions in the region. 16 lifts transport the guests. Most certainly at the start of the season. Another perk is the random fire huts and fire pits dotted around the fell. - If you want to go to the village in the evenings for food, avoid accommodation that isn't within walking distance as the bus stops running at about 19:30 and taxis are expensive. Weather-wise we were told it was mild and the temperature was hovering around zero degrees. The small ones do feel a bit cramped. We booked Finland as all reviews said no lift queues. Boy do they know how to look after the runs with snow making all. First day skiing we had to hire equipment which was extremely easy and well-thought out. Tips: As established skiers, we expected little in terms of skiing but were looking forward to the adventure of heading close to the Arctic Circle for our first trip into Finland. Overall: I`d say this is a good resort for people who are just starting out boarding and skiing but if you are at an advanced level this would not be for you. Ruka is full of winter fun and lappish experiences. All apartments at Ruka Ski Chalets are … Slope profile offers riding lines for skiers of many skill levels and the popular Ruka Park is also situated within its area. Everything else about the whole trip was just perfect, and we've booked to return this coming season! (1) There are no buses or taxis to Ruka, (3) there are slow or infrequent buses / trains available, (5) getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections. So make sure that you take extra clothing. Go and enjoy!!!! We now go later in Jan, but it still frequently gets to -20C and below. 3.8. We booked Finland as all reviews said no lift queues. I was there in Jan this year and it was 20/32 most of the week!! (1) No luxury accommodation available, (3) just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead, (5) several up-market hotels in Ruka. 2 . We always visit mid-January and therefore the resort is dead (having never visited in half-term, I can't advise on how busy it gets). Cold but if you wrap up warm who cares about that. The Finnish locals are super friendly and the service is amazing. This isnt a problem though as a gondola runs wetween 9 and 7 to and from the town to the valley where ski … After 4 years there, I have found myself craving long Alpine runs, proper off-piste, and views of mountains. Ruka is a ski resort in Finland. Perfectly groomed pistes, quite varied for beginners and intermediates. Ruka Skiing and Snowboarding Although the vertical drop is modest and barely tops 200m, there is good variety in the Ruka ski area and access to the slopes was improved significantly with the new Village … All groomed again ready to play for the next day too so its like constant dusting of pow. As an experienced cross country skier I really enjoyed Ruka in January. Absolute rubbish the queues are as bad as the Alps so be prepared to queue at … Located 25km north of the small town of Kuusamo, (with an international airport) Ruka is one of Finland's largest and most modern resorts. NOTE! votes This year (2018, booking for 2019), it was actually cheaper to book the bigger apartment! 1 .
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    • (1) There are no child care facilities at Ruka, (5) the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche. 3.4. We will come back here but not during February half-term. During my trip last February I met Lotta and Jussi, owners of Outdoor Passion … The skiing was limited to about 70km of tracks, but these took you over three beautiful fells, so I was quite happy to ski them all in both directions. the not-quite-novices in our group. Folks, I got frostbite on my nose!!! We book a 4-6 bed apartment for two of us as there is only about £10 difference in price (again, you have to time it right). (1) There are no snow groomers at Ruka, (3) occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state, (5) all the runs at Ruka are groomed daily. The Finnish people are all friendly and the slopes are kept in excellent condition. Our resort guide contains all the information.
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    • Communication with the head-office was easy and all questions were answered. Daylight hours are short, but all pistes are floodlit really well. They also don't operate all lifts every day, which can become a bit of an inconvenience, but generally all the terrain is still accessible, just more likely to be on a T-bar in some areas where there is both. The ski area itself was limited but considering what else is on offer at this time of year (glacier skiing), the terrain was more than suitable for what we had expected. For the price, have never stayed in such great self-catering accommodation. Stayed in the Ruka apartments which were very nice and clean and only about 100m away from the lifts. 6 reviews. This is a snowsure resort...but along with the snow comes the cold Overall, would I ski here again? No matter if I point my board straight and go as fast as I can, I still can never quite make it without walking or borrowing a ski pole to row along. They also have excellent snow-making facilities. Piste conditions were excellent and well-maintained. A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account. Lots of layers! The ski resort is also small, a keen skier/boarder could do all the runs in a day, but there are loads of off-piste runs through the trees, a half pipe, and a good park, all of which keep us entertained for the week. Ruka Resort Guide. (1) Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here, (3) the non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week, (5) the resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports. Kuusamo. Negatives: very few chair lifts, all of which appear to be non heated, although 1 is covered. The whole resort, including the pistes, were almost like a ghost town, so don't go expecting a lively atmosphere. Ski runs are short but well groomed. Share your experience at this resort to help other skiers. See how Ruka stacks up to others in terms of skiing and après, and read up on pros, cons and comments from fellow skiers and snowboarders. Due to the early season only half the mountain was open but the main part of the mountain was open including the park and mogul area. Ruka Aprés Ski Ruka's young crowd keep it lively right through the season, and unlike many ski resorts, right through the week. However, we manage to get it so cheap, we can also book another budget week in the Alps as well. Average ratings from 1 review. (1) There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Ruka, (3) there are some cross country trails available, (5) the area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails. (1) No ski schools available, (2) one or two ski schools but local language only, (3) a few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors, (4) plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available, (5) excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors. RUKA has been for 10 years running the first European Ski resort to set the ski season off. Ruka’s ski season is … Just got back from Ruka on Jan 20th 2008, I have never seen snow like it, constant snow 24 hours a day and for the 7 days we were there. 11/02/2009 . The aim of our boys trip was a snowboard break away from the usual annual trip to the French Alps. It would be a great place to take beginners and those wanting something different for their first ski of the year. 5 .
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    • We visited mid Jan and there were no queues at all which really helped with the pistes being relatively short, so we never had to worry about queues at the bottom, so weren't left wanting longer pistes. (1) If snow conditions are poor at Ruka, it will be poor everywhere nearby, (3) there are good alternatives within an hours drive, (5) other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions. Second year in Ruka, stayed in the new Ruka Valley hotel, which is literally right on the doorstep to the ski school on the opposite side of the hill to the town. Show original. There seemed to be an extensive snow-making area and a few of the locals apologised for it being too icy; if this was icy, we had died and gone to heaven from our Scottish skiing background. The multifaceted ski area is suited for … The ski season lasts more than 200 days. The Music Bar Piste is one of the hippest, with live bands and top DJs often in … (1) Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails, (3) a couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails, (5) extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities. - Layers! All rights reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Statement | Cookie Policy (edit) | © 2020, Snow-Forecast.com Ltd. All rights reserved, We're just about to visit Ruka for our fifth consecutive year! Ski resort; Facts; Weather; Map; Reviews 6; Webcams; Photos 20; What do you think about Ruka? (3) there are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance, (5) good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible. Click here to submit your own review of Ruka. Luckily, only in the very top layers of skin so no lasting damage! It is very cold and you ski by flood lite but great fun and very different form the usual ski resorts. Only issue, certain lifts would. This site uses cookies and similar … Note! reviews. For the sake of a balanced review, here are some negatives: Ski runs are short but well groomed. The Ruka resort guide summary is: Ruka has 19 lifts within its 220 Hectares of terrain that is suitable for beginner and intermediate levels, including terrain park enthusiasts. The secret lies in the climate, as well as in the high-quality snowmaking machinery – not to forget the snow-how! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your ski … The pipe was being shaped as we left but looked a good 100m long with pretty high walls....will have to go later in the year next time if not for the warmth then at least the pipe will be open. (1) A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available, (3) the ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts, (5) ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area. (1) Overall, Ruka is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money, (3) overall represents average value for money, (5) overall offers the best value resort in the country. Designated as Skiresort.info Test Winner 2020 : Insider Tip: World-leading ski resort with up to 20 km of slopes
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    • Offering 20 km of slopes and terrain, Ruka is among the 5 largest Ski Resorts in Finland. The big plus is that the park is floodlit all day so when it starts to get dark it is wicked to ride in. The short daylight hours meant the whole resort needed to be lit up, so plenty of 'night skiing' opportunities which was great, especially with their lengthy lift opening hours. Ruka is a beautiful village. Enjoy well maintained slopes, efficient ski lifts and stunning views. (1) At least one overnight stop, (2) requires a whole day, (3) requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns (4) arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon, (5) there is a main airport within an hour of Ruka. There is a bar that stays open until the small hours and does karaoke, but in general, it's not a party resort.