Unemployed graduate builds community around challenging hikes

After losing his job, Claudio Lintunen founded a hiking community that has now organised about 50 trips, Yle reports. Its members, mostly international young people and young adults, take on outdoor challenges together.

On a recent Halloween night, Lintunen led 14 other hikers from Kalajärvi in Espoo through forests and bogs to Nuuksio, a forested destination. The group covered nearly 25 kilometres, finishing on Saturday morning.

Lintunen started Adventure Time two years ago, after graduating from higher education and becoming unemployed. He wanted to explore the outdoors but found that the options were either free trips he considered dull or expensive guided tours.

“I had time, but no money. I wanted to go on an adventure,” he said. He had seen similar adventure groups abroad and decided to start one in Finland, believing basic skills were enough to get going.

The trips are free or cost a small fee. Lintunen said the group wants to make genuine outdoor adventures accessible to everyone and is seeking funding to reduce costs further. He is also considering lending equipment to participants who do not have their own.

Adventure Time’s WhatsApp community has more than 300 members. Trips average eight participants, with numbers ranging from one on the first outing to 18 at the largest. The Halloween hike had 15 people, including Lintunen.

The group often travels off marked trails, with organisers planning routes they have not previously explored. Lintunen said the whole group works together to deal with obstacles, while following responsible hiking principles.

He believes shared challenges outside people’s comfort zones can bring them together and help them appreciate everyday life.