Ski and Paddle Norway 2009

Distance 26km | Time 7hrs | Ascent 520m | Descent 640m

I didn’t get up early as I had wanted because the weather outside was poor. It was snowing heavily with a reasonably strong wind, which was well short of a gale. The visibility was also poor at about 100 meters. So at 0600 I went back to bed. When I finally got up at 0730 it had improved tad.

Breakfast was a sombre affair. The Norwegian girls were still in bed and it was the 6 Finns in the kitchen. No one seemed very jolly at all. I was beginning to wonder if this was a national trait.

After my breakfast of dehydrated monkfish and mashed potatoes I was ready to go over the mountain route to the Kilpisjarvi lake. This route was a lot shorter at only 14 km compared to the more secure valley routes which were almost double. I set off at 0930.

It was a very up and down route over Duoibal mountain. Once I had climbed up the initial slope to gain the top of the plateau like massif I started on a roller coaster. This initial climb was quite steep in places and there was the odd snow flurry. However generally the weather was slowly improving. The sight remained poor.

Form the initial climb the route dropped down to a lake. This descent was not steep at all but the poor visibility made it difficult. I could not make out the wind blown ridges and dips in the snow and at least one caught me out and sent me tumbling.

Then there was another climb and a similarly difficult descent to another lake. It was a very barren landscape I was in with dull rolling hills and a grey light. After I had climbed up from the second lake things got a bit clearer. There was a distant view obscured by clouds of some spectacular mountains to the west in Norway.

From the high point after the second lake I could look down into Stordalen. Beneath a crag on the other side was Treriksroset. This was the meeting point of Norway Sweden and Finland. It was quite a popular destination and there were some cabins nearby. The ski route I was on split at the high point with one route going to this Treriksroset and the other, which I would take, going to the west end of Kilpisjarvi lake.

The descent to the lake was quite exciting in places. Firstly it descended open hillside and I could make long traverses. After that however it followed a scooter track down through the forest. This track offered consistent a surface but it was narrow and steep. The forest beside this track would be mostly firm with a sudden trap of knee deep sugar snow. I chose the scooter track, snow ploughing firmly as I could not see what was round any corner.

With burning legs muscles I arrived at the lake. It was only 1300 and I thought just 7 km to Kilpisjarvi town. There was a slight wind against me on the lake but it was mostly a side wind. I soon came across a dedicated ski track. I put my skis into the prepared slots and started to ski vigorously. I was flying along and getting a good glide with each step. Before long I was reaching the built up village of Kilpisjarvi.

Or so I thought and it is what the map said. However there were two Kilpisjarvis separated by 5 km. I was at the one with the youth hostel but not the shop. The youth hostel was full of Norwegian families on snow scooter holidays and culturally bankrupt. The owner arranged a reasonably expensive hotel room for me at the other Kilpisjarvi some 5 km to the south. After having a huge buffet meal here I set off.

The 5 km ski was very easy and fast. Again there was a nice ski track and the busy buzz of scooters on the lake had to avoid the track. I soon reached the hotel. It was part of a chain called Lapland hotels. My room was in a dilapidated barrack style building. It was exceptionally bad value for money. I tried to find somewhere else but it was Easter and the whole town was full of Norwegian holiday makers so I took the room.

I then went shopping and bought 6 days worth of food for the next leg to Masi. I was surprised the shop was open as everybody said it would be closed.

Back at the barracks nothing really worked. The water was tepid, the sink was almost off the wall in the shared bathroom and the shower curtains were barely attached. I washed all my cloths in the sink and shower an treated the whole place with the disrespect it deserved.

I didn’t eat at the hotel as I was still full from the buffet. However the hotel did have one positive aspect and that was free wireless internet. I was able to send all my blog updates and some 20 photos using it which saved a lot of money, as I would have been roaming.

It had been a mixed day. The skiing was not that good and Kilpisjarvi was a disappointment. The friendliness of north Norway and Sweden seemed to be lacking here. Indeed it seemed Kilpisjarvis primarily purpose is to extract money from Norwegian holiday makers and shoppers.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2009 at 10:30 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.