Day 10. Oyuvsbu cabin to Taumevatn cabin
Posted by: James on January 10, 2009Distance 20km | Time 7hrs | Ascent 370m | Descent 470m
I managed to get up at 0700 and set off by 0830. It was just below freezing in the dawn light. By the time I reached the west end of Oyuvsvatnet lake I could make out the snow clearly.
I climbed the saddle leading over to the next lake called Hohellervatnet. I made heavy work of skiing down to the lake. I was not used to skiing with these skins on and I often broke through the crust.
While crossing the lake I met two very experienced Norwegians. They were preparing for a trip to ski the length of Spitsburgen in a couple of months. One had also skiied Norge po langs 2 years ago. We had a good 10 minute chat.
After Hohellerenvatnet lake the route I chose took me up Ramsdalen valley and down Anlaugdalen valley for a good 10 km. The route followed a string of lakes and ascended to 1050 metres.
These valleys were very barren and thick with snow. The lakes were all frozen.for a good metre. I made slow time along the valley which was misty much of the time. Navigation was difficult as occasionally I could only see 50 metres.
The descents were again tricky now compounded by my tiredness and the lack of definition in the snow.I fell about 5 times and walked one section to save damaging anything in the inevitable fall.
As I descended past some massive craggy buttresses the visibility returned. To the west were lower mountains which were also covered in snow and locked barren. A couple of ravens, always acrobatic, put on a show for me.
Rounding a corner, under a craggy knoll the hut appeared. It was a short ski through the upper birch trees again. The were two others at the cabin. We enjoyed a very sociable evening.
The forecast for the next 3 days was apparently grim however with masses of sleet or snow. There was a hut halfway between here and Kringlevatn called Storevatn. It might be more realistic especially as I was tired.
Yet another good day. Some of the visibility was testing though, and in wintery conditions. The downhill skiing sections frustrated me a bit. All is all it was a good day and this was topped of by good company at the cabin.