Ski and Paddle Norway 2009

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.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2009 at 9:34 pm and is filed under Update. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.