Ski and Paddle Norway 2009

Distance 0km | Time 0hrs | Ascent 0m | Descent 0m

It seemed ages since my last rest day in Stugudalen some 2 weeks ago at least. I had covered a few km since then so thought I deserved a rest.

In addition I had a few nagging problems to sort out. I needed a shower and a cloths wash. My phone was not sending emails and I needed to update the dairy. My Berghaus yeti gaiters, one of their flagship products, needed sewing. In addition I needed to look at the maps to plan a bit what to do after Borgefjellet in a weeks time.

Nordli was a small friendly place where people had time to chat and ask questions. At the shop and petrol station everybody was interested in chatting, giving advice and generally being helpful. It was a charming small community and a great place to wander around.

I got some advice at the petrol station. The owners and customers said take the “Flyktningsloype” or escape route used in the war to flee to Sweden as far as Kvelia. Then follow the small lane to Tunnsjo senter where a lady customer arranged a cabin on a farm some 2 km to the north west at Nynes Farm. The next day ski down the lake to Royrvik.

This all made sense and fitted in with my plans. I could have continued up through Sweden but it seemed a tad dull just north of here compared to Borgefjell just north of Royrvik on the Norwegian side.

I returned to the cabin where Mrs Monsen had washed my clothes and gave them to me to dry. I then sent emails and reset my phone settings before having a siesta.

I went through to the Monsens in the evening to pay and chatted with them. They told me spring comes late here as the frozen lake acts as a deep freeze. Once the ice has gone the leaves unfold very quickly and the place erupts into a lush green paradise around mid May.

I paid for the cabin and wash and returned to repair my gaiters. The sewing was a challenge and I could have done with a thimble to force the needle through the rubber rand. Just when I had completed it without injury I broke the needle. We will see how good my domestic skills are in the next weeks.

I wrote the dairy which was quite a struggle and then crashed out at 2230. As I pulled the curtains 3 saw 6 Roedeer in the Monsens garden.

It had been a restful day. Almost dull and boring had it not been for the chores. I now felt keen to continue.

Distance 35km | Time 10hrs | Ascent 320m | Descent 470m

After a very blustery and noisy night I woke to find the inner tent covered in spindrift on the outside and frost on the inside. To reduce condensation I had sewn storm flaps round the circumference of the tent except the end panels, one of which was the door. The spindrift was blown by the gale through this gap. A mistake some 10 weeks ago.

Still the tent held up well despite this although the sleeping bag foot was damp as usual due to contact with the frosty inner tent. I boiled water and put it in the plastic bottles which I popped inside my boots to thaw them It was relatively warm however at minus 5.

Given the wind and the amount of spindrift in the air and also the mist on the mountains, both Andre and I were sceptical of going onto the rugged plateau of Hykkelfjettlet to the north, as a route to Nordli. This area could be very rugged with many corniced knolls and ravines and without good sight could present major problems and slow tentative progress.

We decided instead to head into the teeth of the gale and descend Fossdal for some 15 km to the 765 road. This descent down the valley was both forested and covered in frozen swamps. We would have to go from swamp to swamp. The swamps being treeless were open plains where the wind could blow and help pack the snow. The forest however would harbour deep snow.

We set off around 0830 having wrestled the tents down and packed everything in the driving spindrift. The gentle descent was quick and within an hour we were into the first of the conifers. These gave great protection from the wind but unfortunately we had to avoid them and seek the clear exposed swamps.

We managed to link up the swamps with minimal forest by heading down the north side of the valley and then about halfway down, by the knoll of Litlklokklumpen, cross to the south side. After about 3 hours we reached Holden lake where the wind reappeared in force.

It was a slow tedious 4 km east across the lake into the wind and with difficult snow. The views were very limited to the lake and surrounding forest. Eventually we reached the road. This was busier than anticipated and sparsely covered in snow.

Andre with his heavy sledge had no option but to ski hoping the gravel embedded in the ice and snow and occasional tarmac strectch would not scrape a hole in the sledge. I opted to put my skis on my backpack and walk.

Like this we passed the next 20 km. I cannot pretend that it was anything but dull and tedious. We phoned the shop at Nordli to enquire about a cabin there someone had told me about. This cheered us up. The cabin was arranged and the shop had a tradition of providing free coffee, cake and baked items from the Lierne Bakkery to all who did Norge Paa Langs. The hospitality in this area and Trondheim as a whole was hard to beat.

As we trudged along the road the free nourishment at the shop was something to look forwad to. We reached the top of a long climb and then on the descent Andre shot off with skis on and sledge bouncing along behind him. I continued to walk and eventually got to Nordli half and hour after him as it was getting dark.

Our hosts, Astrid and Ragnar Monsen, had a few cabins to rent and had a long and distinguished service to long distant walkers and skiiers. They had been passing through here for decades and the Monsens had looked after them. Their visitor book contained glowing reports.

On the way to the shop for the coffee, Andre arranged to dip out of the trip for a day or two and visit a friend who would come and pick him up in a couple of hours. I had a stricter regime to follow so bought food for the 2 to 3 days to Royrvik. We enjoyed our coffee and cake and then returned to the Monsens.

Astrid Monsen invited me to the main house in as Andre left and plied me with waffles, home made strawberry jam and more coffee. I suppose rural people the world over show much more generosity and hospitality than urban people and the Monsens were prime examples.

I eventually returned to my cabin at 2200 to have my supper and write the blog which I finished at midnight.

It had been a memorable day due to the windy exposed camp and then the hospitality in Nordli. The ski and trudge along the road will quickly be forgotten and rightly so. I have not really had time to plan tomorrow so it remains a blank canvas. It will have a late start however.

Distance 29km | Time 8.5hrs | Ascent 760m | Descent 680m

Mrs Gjevsjo prepared a super breakfast at 0700 for us. It was quite a spread which included a large plate of waffles, fresh bread, eggs and good Swedish coffee. We then said goodbye to them and set off around 0800 on a snowy, slightly overcast morning.

I was skiing with Andre Spica today who was also doing Norge Paa Langs. We had been overtaking each other for the last 3 weeks since Folldal after Rondane. It made a welcome change to have company and we chatted as we went up through the spruce trees to Livsjoen lake. We crossed this and then entered the pine forest as the sun came out.

I find the pine forests especially beautiful but with the sun and Nordic light the trees stood proud against the white snow, itself almost luminious white. We passed the small tarn of Setertjonna and then started to climb up onto the bare hillside.

The sun was out now and the snow showers had stopped. However there was a slight breeze as we climbed up the east side of Seterlifjellet. Once up there was some residual mist still lingering over the small mountains and filling this high valley.

Andre had a fancy GPS and set a course for the first of a string of lakes which went north for about 12 km. They were the perfect line to follow. The soft snow of the forest was soon forgotten as we sped from lake to lake. The snow was firm and fast. The mist was also lifting as the breeze increased.

It didn’t seem to take long to ski across all the lakes and pass between the saddle of Gauptjonnaksla and Finnhuva. It was a very nice ski and the snow was firm enough to ski side by side and chat. Andre took many photographs. The breeze however had now become a wind and rivers of spindrift were flowing across the snows surface.

After we passed this saddle we turned north east and crossed a wide open valley dominated by a sharks fin of a mountain called Lurusneisa. The wind had now become a small gale and was buffeting me about.

We fought into the wind as we rounded the north side of Lurusneisa and its dull northern neighbour and reached the southern slopes of Urdadalsfjellet. Because of the time and increasing gale we decided not to go over it but to pass to the south of it and find a camp spot hopefully in the trees of upper Fossdal.

This meant a final hour battling into the wind over a shallow watershed and then a quick descent down into what we hoped would be forested shelter. However the forest was just some sparse birch which offered very little as a windbreak.

It was only a strong wind here and we thought we could put the tents up in it. Within half an hour we were both in our respective tents sorting ourselves out with the outer flysheet noisily rippling and beating in th wind. It was not that cold, possibily only minus 5 so the tent did not get cold despite the wind.

I heated water on my small gas stove for the dehydrated meal I had for camping. Once this was finished it was dark and I thought I better do the blog before I fell asleep. I think I will probably put earplugs in so the wind does not irritate me.

It had been a good day. Progress was great and the views were OK. The wind rather spoilt things. However it could have been a lot worse and at least we could see. Tomorrow hopefully will see us to Nordli where the is a shop.

Distance 15km | Time 4hrs | Ascent 150m | Descent 120m

I had a very slow start as I had a relatively short day and I wanted to enjoy the rustic charm of this cabin. I eventually left at 1030 in blazing sun Initially I would ski south for 2 km and for the first time this trip the sun glasses were essential.

It was a very beautiful trip down the lake and then through the pine woods to Bjorkede farm. Somewhere on this ski I crossed into Sweden. I chose this way as I thought there would be scooter tracks. My hunch was right and they led all the way to the farm and beyond.

Bjorkede farm was similar to Holderen with red house and many log outbuildings. There was a snow covered road to it which crossed two simple wooden bridges.

After the bridges I headed north east up the south side of the 6 km river which drained Gjevsjoen lake into Holderen lake. My route took me along a forest track buried under a metre of snow. There was a scooter track down the middle of it which made life easy and fast.

As I skied through the pine trees in the sun it got warmer and warmer. I had to stop and strip down to my vest. There were masses of moose tracks in the forest. Before long I reached some cabins and the end of the road. Luckily for me the scooter tracks continued across the lake in the direction I was going.

It was some 7km across the lake. There was a fierce wind blowing from the east which I had to lean into. If I deviated from the barely visible scooter tracks which were covered in spindrift I was up to my shins in deep snow. Fortunately the tracks crossed the lake all the way to the far shore near the farm. Half way across the lake I crossed back into Sweden. On the far side in the forest the wind died and the warmth of the sun returned.

There are actually 2 farms at Gjevsjoen but one is not used. The other is run by Kristian Gjevsjo and his parents. The place was very much like Holderen and the neighbouring Swedish farm of Bjorkede. A newish house surrounded by masses of old log buildings. Even the barn was constructed of old logs.

Kristian had warmed up a small cabin for me which was perfect. We chatted a bit, mostly about his 2.5 kw windmill and 2 tonnes of batteries to store the power in.

I settled in, unpacked and started writing when there was a knock on the door. I thought it was Kristian with some bread. I opened it to seen Andre. He had made it from Gaundal in a day. I was glad to see him. He was to spend the night in the cabin also.

Andre managed to arrange a meal with the Gjevsjo family. So we chatted a bit, a lot about the route choice north of Vera but also about the next two days to Nordli. Then we went for the meal.

It was fresh trout caught in the lake through the ice with a net and moose meat. It was a delicious meal. After it we chatted with the family for a couple of hours.

His family had been at the farm for over 200 years. They owned a vast track of many thousands of hectares. The had a few sheep but mostly made their living off tourists who came here to ice fish in the winter and from a boat in the summer. There were also hunting groups who stayed to shoot ptarmigan and grouse and occasionally moose

Apparently Gjevsjoen was abundant with trout. Some of the photos indicated that some of the trout had metamorphised into ferox trout with a few 8 kg specimens on display with the characteristic hooked lower jaw.

The place was also teeming with moose. Each year the family shot about 5 for their larder. There was once talk of including this whole area, including Holderen and Gaundal into a National Park. Strong resistance from the Gjevsjo family and especially Steinar Gaundal had prevented this as they would effectively have to sell to the government and leave.

It had been a very easy and very enjoyable day. Partly due to the weather partly due to the magnificent landscape and forest and much to do with the culural hertigage of the 3 farms I encountered. Tomorrow I would breakfast with the family at 0700 and then join Andre for the 2 or 3 day trip across the mountains to Nordli. Here a tent was the only accommodation.

Distance 14km | Time 5hrs | Ascent 400m | Descent 450m

It was a late start as I did not get to bed until midnight. I surfaced at 0800 had the second half of the 10 eggs for breakfast and by the time I had packed and cleaned the cabin it was 0930. I then went up and chatted with Steinar and his mother for a good half hour. They showed me arial pictures of the place in the autumn and it looked stunning in its golden fields.

As I was going to ski off, Steinar who was going to set off on his snow scooter anyway, volunteered to drive up through the woods I would be taking initially and make some tracks for me. The hospitality and service at Gaundal was quite astounding. This act alone saved me at least an hour, maybe two.

The climb up through the woods was short and following his tracks I made good time. Soon the tracks ended at the treeline but now the snow was harder and easier to get through.

There was a line of telegraph poles between Gaundal and Holderen. The best route to take was apparently just to follow them. It was overcast with the odd snow flake but the visibility was good.

As I climbed the views got better, especially behind me of the Skjaekerfjella mountains I passed through yesterday. I first got a good view when I was about half way on Nordskardklumpan, a small mountain. Here stretching some 30 km was the white Torron lake with a wide fringe of dark forest around it stretching far into Sweden.

A bit beyond this viewpoint tomorrows lake, Gjevsjoen, appeared and then todays lake, Holdern. Both of these were also surrounded by forest. Hopefully the forests would not harbour very deep snow as I had to go through them.

It was an easy run down to the upper forest. Ahead of me was the farm of Holderen in this same forest beside the lake. It was nestled in a clearing and looked very idyllic from 3 km away. I continued down following the telegraph lines still until I reached the valley floor.

Todays route had one last trick up its sleeve. At the valley floor a steam had cut a path through moraine. On the far side of this stream was a steep bank only 10 metres high. I went downstream for half a km and found no way up it so I retraced my steps and went half a km upstream and found a difficult and exhausting route though the steep and deep snow up it.

I now had a very pleasant km to go through a stunningly beautiful pine forest. Beyond the big old trees I could se the frozen lake. Everything was bright and in the sun. Soon through the pines I could see the red farm and its old outbuildings. One of these outbuildings was the tourist association cabin. It was a very pretty setting in the winter snow and sun.

The farm itself was as isolated as Gaundal. However there was now no one living here throughout the year, but just occasionally in the summer. It was one of the most peaceful and idyllic spots I had seen on the trip so far.

The outbuildings were all old log buildings. One of them was run as a self-service cabin. It was a very old building and very authentic inside with cracked log walls, a large fireplace with a more recent and efficient stove in it and simple old furnishings. Again it was one of the nicest and cosiest of the cabins on the trip so far.

I got a fire going, melted some water and then looked for the larder. It was not well stocked but had tinned peaches. After a snack I wrote the log while the temperature outside plummeted. I noticed that the cabin although old and authentic had some cold drafts and the stove struggled to heat the place up much.

It had been an easy and pleasant day. I would have liked to have stayed and found out more about Gaundal but had to move on. The ski was quite good but the farm and cabin at Holderen were idyllic. Tomorrow I have a short day to Gjevsjoen which is another roadless mountain farm. Like Gaundal it has people living there all year.