Offroad Finnmark extends over large parts of western and central Finnmark, as well as occasionally passing through Troms county. On the way, our riders will visit various checkpoints, consisting of mountain lodges, village halls, schools and wilderness checkpoints. Below we tell you more about our most used places. Not all are used every year.
Several of our checkpoints take place in mountain lodges. The mountain lodges in Finnmark were established by the state, mainly because the state’s people such as priests, sheriffs, doctors, officers etc. should have a place to stay in his errands across the fjord. The daily intervals between the mountain lodges were approx. 3 miles due to the time it took to walk on foot or by horse and cart or reindeer as means of transport. Several of the mountain huts are still active today and welcome guests in summer and winter. Today, the guests consist of scooter riders, skiers/hikers, cyclists and tourists.
Checkpoint Nâvuonbatha / Kvænangsbotn
Kvænangsbotn is located between Alta and Tromsø.
By car, it is approximately two hours drive from Alta and 4.5 hours from Tromsø.
There are several nature conservation areas in Kvænangen.
The largest are landscape conservation areas, where the overall purpose is to preserve the integrity of the natural and cultural landscape against measures that may change the distinctive character of the areas.
In these areas, outdoor recreation is often part of the purpose, and there is infrastructure and services for those who want to visit the area.
In Kvænangen, we also have smaller protected areas, nature reserves, where the purpose is to preserve rare or distinctive nature.
These areas are often not accessible to visitors.
Suolovuopmi mountain lodge is located along the old postal route between Alta and Kautokeino
Checkpoint Šuoššjávri / Suossjavre
Šuoššjávri (Nord-Sami) or Suossjavri (Norwegian) is a village in Karasjok municipality. It is located in the western part of the municipality, just inside the border with Kautokeino. The mountain hut we use as a checkpoint is located along Nasjonalvei 92 which connects the places Kautokeino and Karasjok. Caretaker at the mountain lodge, Anne Ragnhild Balto, is loved by the cyclists. She has saved many from breaking through her care, wonderful food and hot sauna. Daughter Alice will eventually take over the mountain hut and is chasing 5* finishes in Offroad Finnmark.
https://www.ut.no/hytte/3.1417/
Checkpoint Jotka
The last in the series of mountain lodges is Jotka, which is also a fixed checkpoint on the DNB OF150, SmartDok OF300 and Ishavskraft OF700. The checkpoint is the one closest to Alta, and is often the last stop before the finish line. Fjellstuen is idyllically located to the southeast of lake Joatkajávrrit. Jotka Fjellstue is one of the state’s three mountain lodges located on the old road between Alta and Karasjok. Fjellstuen is serviced and has over 30 beds and a restaurant. The serving of hot food at this checkpoint is often mentioned as one of the highlights for our riders, as it is often late in the race and one might not expect it in a place that is not accessible by car.
http://jotka.no
Jotka fjellstue is located at the start of Finnmarksvidda
Checkpoint Mâze / Masi
Masi is a village in Kautokeino municipality in Finnmark. The village has a population of around 350, of which around 98% are Sami. The place name is derived from Mázejohkka, which is the name of a river. Checkpoint Masi is one of our most used checkpoints on both the SmartDok OF300 and Ishavskraft OF700, and is a natural hub for many of the paths on Finnmarksvidda. The local school is used as premises, and provides opportunities both for sleep and a long-awaited shower. The clear outdoor area also makes it perfect for private support.
Checkpoint Áltá / Alta
Located in the pedestrian street in Alta Sentrum, just outside Scandic Alta. All our races have both the start and finish here, and all races stop here. The riders have got a taste of the trail after completing the first stage, it has often been high speed and many are very ready to get further on the trail, so there is often a high pulse also inside the checkpoint.
Guovdageaidnu / Kautokeino
In the village of Kautokeino you will find one permanent stop for Ishavskraft OF700 women, men, mix and solo. Kautokeino is the administrative seat of Kautokeino municipality, which is Norway’s largest municipality in terms of area. There are approximately 1,500 inhabitants in the village, and the village is located on both sides of the Kautokeino River. In Kautokeino you will find both the Sami University and the Sami high school and reindeer herding school. They produce reindeer meat, and large parts of the village’s population are reindeer herders. The traditional Juhls Sølvsmie is also located in the village.
The checkpoint is in Bakteharji Sports Hall, where there are good conditions for food, shower and rest. This year, the riders stop by twice and here there is a mandatory stop of at least two hours the second time. The checkpoint is in Báktehárji Sports Hall, where there are good conditions for food, shower and rest.
Checkpoint Skuvvanvârri / Skoganvarre
Skoganvarre is a village in Porsanger Municipality, about midway between Lakselv and Karasjok. The village has long been an important communication hub in Finnmark and was inhabited by both Sami, Norwegians and Finns. In 1853, the state erected a mountain lodge on the shore of Øvrevann, but this was lost with the Germans’ scorched earth tactics in 1944. Fjellstua was not rebuilt, but a campsite was later opened and Skoganvarre is still important in local tourism. In Offroad Finnmark, this is a welcome place to check in, after riding the wildest stretch of the ride over from Soussjavri. Here you have really forced the expanse, in some areas you are on a track with an unmarked path.
In Skoganvarre, like most other checkpoints, there is hot food and options for both accommodation and clothes drying if necessary.
Checkpoint Vuolit Mollešjohka / Mollisjok
Mollisjok fjellstue/Mollesjohka fjellstue is a serviced tourist lodge in the middle of Finnmarksvidda in Karasjok municipality, in Finnmark county; 381 meters above sea level.
Mollisjok Fjellstue is one of the three remaining state-owned mountain lodges on the Finnmark plateau.
It is located by the river Jiesjohka, which originates from Finnmark’s largest lake Jiesjavri, ten kilometers north of the mountain lodge.
From the mountain lodge there are marked routes both summer and winter towards Alta and Karasjok, and to the hamlets of Jergul and Suossjavri by the E92.
In summer there is a tractor road from Cuavddatmohkki by the E92.
Checkpoint Kârâsjohka / Karasjok
Karasjok is the administrative seat of Karasjok municipality and is located on the river Kárásjohka. There are approximately 1,800 inhabitants in the settlement, which is approximately 13 kilometers from the national border with Finland. A number of central Sami institutions are based in the town; The Sami Parliament, NRK Sápmi, the museum De Samiske Samlinger and the Sami Special Library. Karasjok Old Church is the oldest wooden church in Finnmark.
The checkpoint is at Karasjok school, and here there are good conditions for riders who really start to feel how far Ishavskraft OF700 women, men, mix and solo are. Here there is a mandatory stop of at least two hours, and you can find your own classroom for accommodation. Both clothes drying and showers can be carried out. After checking out from here, you are finally on your way back to your destination, although there are still a few kilometers to go before you hit the pedestrian street in Alta.
Checkpoint Bieddjuvâggi / Bidjovagge
Bidjovagge is an area in Kautokeino in Finnmark, where gold was mined in the two periods 1970-1975 and 1985-1991.
Bidjovagge is located 40 kilometers northwest of the town of Guovdageaidnu, close to the county border with Troms.