NUTS Karhunkierros Trail Ultra
NUTS Karhunkierros 55 km
Oulangan luontokeskus (Kuusamo) → Ruka (Kuusamo)
Race guide
Updated 28 July 2026
NUTS Karhunkierros 55 km is the back half of the Karhunkierros: away from the Oulanka visitor centre at 18:00 on Friday, finishing in the Ruka pedestrian village. The measured course is 56.8 km with 1221 m of climbing and a high point of 491 m. It runs through river canyons and across suspension bridges before rising onto Konttainen and Valtavaara. The evening start means most of the race is run in the pale northern night, and a headlamp is mandatory.
The course
The first 31.8 km to Basecamp follow the Oulanka river: technical root-laced trail, steps, boardwalk and canyon edge. It is runnable but demands constant foot placement, and it is not a section where the pace can be left on autopilot. From Basecamp to Konttainen at 49.5 km the ground rises and hardens, and the last 7.3 km from Konttainen to the finish contain the steepest climbing and descending of the race. In short: a 55 km race whose hardest third is its last.
Where the race is decided
1221 m of climbing across 57 km is weighted firmly towards the finish. Many runners reach Basecamp feeling even, only to discover on the Konttainen climb that the technical opening section has quietly emptied their legs. The second factor is the clock: leaving at six in the evening puts most runners on Konttainen at the coldest, darkest-feeling hours, when concentration is at its lowest.
Pacing and fuelling
There are two aid stations: Basecamp at 31.8 km and Konttainen at 49.5 km. The opening leg is long — nearly 32 km with no official support — and there is no water point at the start. In practice that means full bottles before the gun and enough food for roughly four hours. From Konttainen it is only 7.3 km to the finish, so the last stop should be quick: top up and go rather than settle in.
Cut-off and aid stations
The limit is 14 hours from start to finish, so the finish closes at 08:00 on Saturday. There are no intermediate cut-offs, which leaves the rhythm of the race entirely to the runner — but it also puts the whole responsibility for pacing on them. Fourteen hours for 57 km is a generous allowance, so for most runners the challenge is not the cut-off but staying functional through the night.
Weather and kit
In late May in Koillismaa the temperature can drop close to freezing overnight even after a warm afternoon. Low forest sections hold snowmelt, and wet roots are the most common cause of falls on this course. Beyond the headlamp, carry a light warm layer for the stretch after Basecamp.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
⚠ Auto-researched from public sources — aid stations and cut-offs may be incomplete. Confirm against the official roadbook before race day.
0 km · 164 m · —
31.8 km · 237 m · —
49.5 km · 326 m · —
56.8 km · 358 m · Sat 08:00
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Course data researched from public sources — verify against the official roadbook.