Environment Helsinki’s plans would reduce ski trails in Paloheinä – Still, some outdoor enthusiasts oppose the new piste: “Is there really a need?”

Helsinki the city’s plans for new charging routes south of the Royal Dams and west of the Paloheina hut have sparked a huge avalanche of feedback on the Tell Your Service.

The city is planning new traditional – style trails in the area, as some of the existing trails, such as the routes from Haltiala to Pitkäkoski hut and from Niskala to Torpparinmäki, will be converted into year – round walking and cycling routes from the end of 2022.

More than 1,200 comments commenting on the plans had been submitted to the Tell Your Position service by the deadline.

Of particular interest were the approximately 600-meter-long charging route planned south of the Royal Dams. The trail section is located between the Pitkäkoski hut and the field trails.

Town’s according to the draft loading plan, the new charging route south of the Royal Dams runs in the woods, outside the nature reserve.

For the new route, two parallel cross-country ski trails are planned, ie one trail in each direction. On the narrowly planned route, there is little need to cut down trees, and the city plans to save large coniferous trees in good condition.

According to the city, there is no harm to flying squirrels in felling trees.

The city has already decided to turn the King’s Oak into a year-round walking and cycling path.

Nearby resident Katri Ruohomäki welcomes the increase in walking routes in the area. He moves around the area on a daily basis with his dog – or at least would move if it was possible off the tracks.

Ruohomäki says that the need for walking and cycling routes in Paloheinä and south of the Vantaanjoki River, especially between Torpparinmäki and Pitkäkoski, is huge.

All outdoor trails in the area are only available to skiers during the winter for many months. Then other outdoor enthusiasts will have to settle for routes that run along the roadsides of highways. Or, outdoor enthusiasts can walk:

“Now walkers and dog walkers are tossing paths into the woods themselves. In the evenings, of course, there are no lights in the forest, so you have to walk with a headlamp, ”says Ruohomäki.

Ruohomäki is also an avid skier, so he also understands the side of the skier in the conversation.

However, it is difficult for him to digest why, for skiers, a new fairway must be cleared next to the Royal Dams.

According to Ruohomäki, there have been quite a few skiers on Kuninkaantammentie, as a large number of sidelineers have currently skied on field trails or chewing tracks.

“Is there really a need for a new track?” He asks.

If skiers and walkers as well as cyclists could fit on the public waterway in the future, there would be no need to clear the bottom of the trail or cut down trees in the middle of the forest.

“The forest shouldn’t be cut down, it’s so valuable.”

On the fire wall actively moving Jarkko Ryyppö instead, shared routes to Paloheina are not worth it. According to Ryypo, there are too many people in Paloheinä to be able to move safely and successfully on the common routes.

Paloheinä is one of the busiest ski resorts in Finland, and the utilization rate of the trails has been high this winter.

Ryyppö, on the other hand, considers the current plan of the city to be “quite sensible”.

“The new routes proposed by the city require felling trees, which many people don’t like. Even skiing is getting worse, which many are opposed to,” Ryyppö knows.

As the royal dams turn into a walking and cycling path, about four kilometers of lighted trails will disappear from Paloheinä.

The drinker himself moves in Paloheinä by skiing, mountain biking and orienteering. Especially the smaller trails of Paloheinä have become familiar with jogging runs.

Drunk

For skating style skiers, Ryyppö rated the reforms proposed by the city as bad. At the moment, King’s Road has been able to ski both traditional and skating style, but the new charging route planned by the city is intended only for traditional skiers.

In the future, skating-style skiers in Paloheinä will have an unlit field trail and racing trails that are demanding on the hills. Ryyppö fears that there will soon be no suitable routes in Paloheinä, especially for small skaters:

“Skate-style skiers who dare not go downhill are falling from the fire hay. In addition, the number of lighted trails for skating-style skiers is falling. ”

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