Skiing, snowmobile riding and dog sleding are most popular during the winter months while in the summer, the crystal clear water bodies act as a magnet for anglers, canoeists and boaters. Lapland's winter begins in October when the most enthusiastic skiers arrive for the first snow. Soon afterwards come the heaviest snowfalls of the winter and then snowmobiles, dog sleds and reindeer-drawn sleighs can take to the trails. The characteristic features of midwinter in Lapland are darkness and an abundance of white snow, the Aurora Borealis flickering in the night sky and stinging frosts. Yet winter conditions have never prevented normal life in Lapland nor disrupted services.
Traffic flows, the roads are snowploughed, planes fly and trains run despite the snow and frost.
Being out and about in Arctic conditions is a memorable experience. As winter makes way for spring, the days lengthen very rapidly over a period of a couple of months. In December the sun rises only momentarily above the horizon each day. By March the period between sunrise and sunset has stretched so much that the day and night are of equal length. The return of the sun and the warming weather bring a delightful mood of exuberance.