NUTS Ylläs Pallas (66 km)

The course

The 66 km starts at the school centre in Hetta, in the far west of Finnish Lapland, at about 15:00, and follows the classic Hetta-Pallas hiking trail east and south to Hotel Pallas, in a national park. The organiser calls it a trail of open fells, deep gorges and national-park scenery with a little extra twist on the original route. It is a point-to-point run, so your gear drops go from the start to the finish.

Aid is sparse. The organiser's table lists Mustavaara (Pyhäkero) at 11.7 km, Ketomella at 31.5 km and then 34.4 km to the finish: only two staffed points in 66 km, with cut-offs of 17:00 at Mustavaara, 21:00 at Ketomella and 05:00 at the finish. Water, bananas, sports drink and salty and sweet snacks are at the stations, but no cups or spoons are provided, so you carry your own cup, spoon and at least 1.5 litres. Supporters can meet you at Ketomella and at Pallas, not at Mustavaara.

Climb is modest at about 1,625 m for the whole distance, but the terrain is a national-park path with rock, roots, bog and exposure, and you finish through the Arctic summer night. In 2026 the winner took 5 h 18 min and a median runner took nearly 11 hours, which means roughly the last third is in the dark or the low-sun small hours. Runners who finish do so at the foot of Pallastunturi; a free shuttle takes them back.

How to enter

Registration for the 2027 edition opens on 24 November 2026. In 2026 entry closed on 7 July and the 66 km, 100 km and 160 km were reported full before that, with only last-minute places on the shorter races. Fees rise in steps through the year; the 2026 price steps for the 37 km, for example, were 86 euros until early February, 109 euros to early June, 129 euros to 7 July and 150 euros after. The 66 km price for 2027 was not yet published.

Participation fees are non-refundable, but you can transfer your entry to another person or to the following year through the link in your confirmation, and change distance by paying the difference. Registrations made from 26 November are free to change until 7 July and cost 21 euros after. Runners born in 2000 or later get a 30% rebate. The start bus from the Ylläs area to Hetta costs 21 euros (34 euros after 7 July), and the return bus from Pallas is free and included.

How to train for it

Train for 11 hours on your feet

The median finisher was out for nearly 11 hours in 2026 and a quarter took more than 12 hours. Long back-to-back days with a pack on fell or rocky trail, including hiking the climbs, are the base.

Plan food for a 34 km stretch

After Ketomella (31.5 km) there are 34.4 km to the finish with no staffed point. Carry enough to be self-sufficient for that stretch, and practise eating while moving.

Rehearse the cut-offs by the clock

Cut-offs are clock times: Mustavaara 17:00, Ketomella 21:00 and the finish 05:00 for a start at 15:00. Do your pacing sums early: reaching Ketomella by 21:00 means 6 hours for 31.5 km.

Practise on rocky, wet fell ground

Falls and sprains are common on stones; the 2026 winner had two heavy falls. Train on technical trail, with shoes that grip on wet rock, and include night or low-light running.

Train for heat and for cold nights

In 2025 temperatures reached +30 °C, and the organiser also warns of cold nights and thunderstorms. Practise running in the heat at the start and have layers for the finish.

What you need

• Mobile phone, protected from water, with the event emergency number +358 40 6605 281 saved, and a power bank (no charging at aid stations)
• Waterproof shell jacket with a hood (minimum 10,000 mm), gloves, a space blanket and a signal whistle
• Water bottle or bladder of at least 1.5 litres, plus your own cup and spoon: no disposable cups or spoons at aid stations
• Elastic adhesive bandage (minimum 6 x 100 cm, waterproof packed) and emergency energy of at least 250 kcal
• Poles if you use them, carried for the whole race: they cannot be dropped or picked up en route
• A bag for gear left at the start in Hetta, which the organiser moves to Pallas; a numbered label is given at bib pick-up
• Dry warm clothes and snacks in that start bag for the wait for the return bus after midnight
• Optional: a rented GPS tracker for friends to follow you (rental opens about two weeks before)

Getting there and staying

The event centre and bib pick-up are in Äkäslompolo at Ylläs (Sannanrannantie 3, Kolari). In July there is no regular bus to Ylläs, but the organiser's partner runs event buses from Oulu and Rovaniemi, and there are flights to Kittilä or Rovaniemi and a night train from Helsinki to Kolari with a bus connection. The 66 km start in Hetta is about 130 km from Äkäslompolo and takes about two hours by the chartered start bus, which you buy at registration.

Bib pick-up is in Äkäslompolo (in 2026 on Thursday evening and Friday morning, with a separate window for 15 km to 100 km on Friday afternoon). The start shuttles for the 66 km leave from Ylläsjärvi and Äkäslompolo around midday. The finish is at Pallas, from which free shuttle buses run to Jounin Kauppa in Äkäslompolo about every time they fill, between about 23:00 and 05:30, with a connecting bus to the hotels at Ylläsjärvi.

After the race you can wait in warm dry clothes: buses leave about 30 minutes after you finish or when full, the last one waits for all finishers, and a drop-off at Jounin Kauppa takes about an hour. There is food and shower access at the finish areas; check the participant guide for details. Book accommodation early; the organiser names Lapland Hotels Äkäshotelli in Äkäslompolo and Saaga in Ylläsjärvi.

History

NUTS Ylläs Pallas has been held since 2013, on a route that links two fell areas of Finnish Lapland, and has grown steadily: 3,242 people started in 2026, about 25% more than in 2025, and it was the eighth NUTS trail event in a row to set a new participation record. In 2026 Kari Varis set the 66 km course record (5:17:55) and Juuso Simpanen the 160 km record (16:06:19).

Where to find out more

• NUTS Ylläs Pallas (opens in a new tab): The event site with route pages for every distance and the participant guide.
• 66 km route, aid stations and cut-offs (opens in a new tab): Start, aid-station table with cut-off clock times, and the start and return buses.
• Participant guide (opens in a new tab): Mandatory kit, schedule, drop bags and bib pick-up.
• Getting here (opens in a new tab): Airports, trains, event buses and accommodation.
• Results 2026 (RaceResult) (opens in a new tab): Full 2026 results; used for the median time on this page.
• NUTS trail running series (opens in a new tab): The organiser's overview of all events and the 2027 registration date.