The backyard. For many, it’s an insignificant place. Taken for granted. The grass is greener somewhere else. Thus, it can be easily dismissed. But if you look closer, there is always something there. Now, many don’t have the fortune to find great snowboarding in their backyard. But after a decade of traveling the world in search of a perfect turn, Antti Autti realized the magic right under his nose in his home of Finland.

Northern Finland, a region called Lapland, gets little sunlight during the winter due to its proximity to the North Pole. It’s not particularly mountainous like its neighbors of Norway and Sweden, and doesn’t necessarily get hammered with snow. However, Antti saw an opportunity. Pyhä Ski Resort is located on the edge of Pyhä-Luosto National Park, which contains a topographical anomaly in an otherwise flat land. It’s here where Antti and Saku Tiilikainen discovered that Finland is more than rail riding in Helsinki. The two rode glades, small lines, pillows, and deep snow in a otherworldly landscape.

Statements: Pyhä marks the end of Antti Autti’s series this year, three short films that blended narrative and action with high cinematic quality and inspiration. We found ourselves on an Onsen Tour, a journey across Japan in search of the country’s mythical hot springs, we examined the power and knowledge behind big mountain riding in Lines, and finally, explored Antti’s Finnish backyard in Pyhä.

Watch Statements: Onsen Tour
Watch Statements: Lines
Read Reinvention: An Antti Autti interview

Photography by Jani Karppa

Exploring new places is one of the biggest parts of freeriding, and finding something new right in your backyard makes it extra special.

Pyhä Ski Resort is located next to one of the most famous national parks in Finland and it’s the closest big resort near snowboarder Antti Autti’s home. Antti has traveled the world for a decade and during this time he started to feel like he might be missing some opportunities to ride great snow near home. As Finnish Lapland was having one the best snow years, Antti and his crew decided to go film in Pyhä.

The discovery for the potential in resort and national park changed their idea of how good the natural terrain snowboarding can be in Finland.

Sponsored by: Pyhä Ski Resort, Northwave Drake, Shred Optics, Slytech Protection, Haglöfs, Neste

Featured by: Antti Autti, Saku Tiilikainen
Filmed by: Matti Ollila, Teemu Lahtinen / Kota Collective
Edited by: Matti Ollila / Kota Collective
Graphics By: Jani Kärppä – Kota Collective

Produced by: Antti Autti – Anttisworld, Pyhä Ski resort

Music by:
Salomon Ligthelm – ¨Lives Are Threads¨
Dexter Britain – ¨In The Electric Fields¨
Death Hawks – ¨Dream Machine¨