Ski and Paddle Norway 2009

Distance 22km | Time 4hrs | Ascent 50m | Descent 380m

I had a pretty easy day ahead but was up at 0700. It had all the promise of a great day weatherwise and there was a bright glow in the sky where the sun would soon be rising.

Breakfast was a tin of stew and some rice which I bought last night for supper but ate something else instead. I was ready to go at 0800 but paying the bill, fetching wood and saying goodbye to the warden, Sigvard, took a good half hour.

The first part of today’s ski was a near continuous 5 km descent down the valley to the Tjultrasket lakes. It was a very nice start and at times quite exhilarating as it was rather icy and very bumpy in the scooter tracks. Occasionally they descended quite steeply through the birch forest.

This area was still part of the Vindelfjallens naturreservat. This was a 5500 square kilometre nature reserve, the largest area of protected nature in Europe. The rules are not as strict as in a national park but there are restrictions. For example snow scooters can only go on dedicated routes and fishing and hunting are restricted. Vindelfjallens naturreservat is best known for its Arctic foxes and there are over 100 multi-chambered dens in this region but only about 10 percent are occupied.

Once on the lakes it was a very pleasant and easy ski down the first and smaller lake. To the south two buttresses rose steeply from the lake. While to the north the birch forest rose up the more gentle hillside.

At the end of the smaller lake was a very traditional homestead called Geunja. It had a collection of about 8 small houses. The larder, or stabbur, was a much smaller more simple version of the grand stabburs I had seen earlier in Norway. This small stabbur was raised up on 4 stilts. Obviously there was not as much food to store here due to different farming methods.

The second larger lake was 6 km long and took about an hour to traverse. The weather was very pleasant but there was one short snow shower just to remind me what it could be like. At the end of this lake the quiet scooter track climbed slightly. Three scooters went past towing little mini caravans about 1.5 metres high and as long as a man. They were obviously more serious ice fishermen.

The last 5 km down to Ammarnas were quite idyllic. Partly because I was back into the conifer forest and partly because the sun was out. The trail was also very easy to ski along. There were a number of glades in the forest with old well ventilated log sheds so grass could be stored and dried. This practice had certainly now ceased but the sheds and occasional horse drawn hay gathering implement remained.

The trail passed close to the river where there was a long stretch of small rapids. As I approached the river bank 3 mallard ducks took off. There was very little water in the river as most of it was frozen in the mountains waiting for the spring thaw in a month before it rushed down transforming this quiet river.

After the rapids the scooter track descended to the river and followed its frozen surface for the final 2 km to Ammarnas. Indeed the river surface had become something of a scooter road here with signs for scooter tracks to other destinations some 70 km away. I soon reached the road bridge over the river and headed up to the shop and hostel which lay nearby. It was just 1230 and glourious weather.

The hostel was pragmatic but not that nice. It was full of kids. However it had a kitchen and washing machine. And the shop had fruit, veg, meat and chocolate so I could cook a good meal.

I went to the small nature centre which had a very good compact display of the flora and fauna of Vindelfjallens naturreservat. There was a small shop in the centre also. It was run by a very nice biologist who explained more of the area to me. The shop had all the maps I needed to Kvikkjokk.

I returned to the hostel to write the blog. Ammarnas had a very nice vibe to it. Every person I passed nodded or waved and everybody was very helpful. There were only 120 people who spent the winter here. The kids at the secondary school had to go the 90 km to Sorsele every morning and then return each evening.

I had a hearty supper as tomorrow I had a long ski to Baverholm. It was about 40 km and much of it above the treeline. The very sparse settlements I would be passing now en route to Kvikkjokk would all have a “frontier” feel to them, and most were either wholy Lapp or partly Lapp.

It had been a very good day. Perhaps a bit too easy but if I continued from here I would have had to have camped before Baverholm. I managed to use the spare time to see the nature visitor centre and to wash clothes.

Distance 28km | Time 7hrs | Ascent 350m | Descent 400m

I had a very slow start despite getting up at 0700. The weather outside was quite changeable with frequent snow showers between clear spells. The wind was slight but increased in the snow showers. All this encouraged a slow lingering breakfast and further chats with the cabin warden, Morgan, and the other guest.

Eventually I set off at 0930 for the short 14 km ski to Tarnasjonstugan cabin. The weather was much better now and the snow showers had almost ceased leaving longer clear spells. I soon skied down into the added shelter afforded by the birch woods.

As I have come further north the treeline has dropped considerably. In southern Norway it was about 1000 to 1050 metres. Here in north Sweden it is more like 750 to 800 metres at which the highest birch grows.

The descent to Tarnasjon lake was magical. The descent was gentle and yet sustained so I really just stood as I glided down the 3 km to the lake. All this was in the sun.

The southern end of the lake here has an archipelago of small islands. These islands are formed by moraine mounds. In the summer the walking track goes over them with numerous small bridges connecting each island. It must be quite idyllic here in August, a bit like wandering through a Japanese garden. So much so the previous king had a summer cottage near here called Forsavan. The fishing between these islands is said to be excellent and is restricted.

Now in the winter the ski route goes to the west and then north of this archipelago and then cuts across the white expanse on the ice for 7 km to reach Tarnasjonstugan cabin. As I ski over the ice the weather stayed fair as a snow shower remained stationary over the northern half of the lake. Only when I reached the cabin was I slightly affected by the shower.

I bought some snacks here and chatted with the lady warden. She seemed amazed I was contemplating skiing for another 14 km to the next cabin having already done 14 km. They were very easy segments though and the first 14km had only taken two and a half hours.

I left at 1300 and continued up the frozen lake for another 2 km before following the scooter tracks into the forest on the east shore. From here there was a very gentle climb up through the birch trees and across bare frozen marshes to the the treeline. The sun was out again and the wind was behind me.

The marked scooter route continued to climb onto the bare snow covered hillside and I got a great view looking back down to the forested tarns and delta at the north end of Tarnasjon lake. It was bad weather to the west and I was just on the edge of the weather divide. I felt justified I had chosen this route and was not stuck in a cabin across in Norway.

The scooter route continued up across the snowy slopes over a saddle before descending to a small lake. The snow on this plateau was deep. I skirted round the north of the frozen lake before climbing up onto the plateau again and over a second saddle to reach the bigger lake called Servvejavrrie. There were a couple of small cabins here which were probably owned by Lapps and used for reindeer herding and fishing.

After the second lake there was a nice gentle run down the valley back into the birch forest again. The wind which had been behind me, on the saddles especially, now died away. After an easy km through the birch trees I reached the sheltered Servestugan cabin. It was nestled in a small valley in the birch trees. The sun was just setting on the surrounding mountains in a glow as it was 1730.

The cabin was very tidy and well kept as all had been so far on Kungsleden. I was the only guest. The warden, Sigvard, was a retired army officer. He had the leg pulling jokey antics which years of army banter had developed. After I got settled in and bought some tinned food I started to write for 10 minutes. Sigvard then appeared with coffee and a dram of Jaegermeister.

We spent the next 3 hours chatting about the Sweden, the STF or Swedish Trekking Club which owned the cabins and numerous other topics. I was anxious not to forget the blog as I did not want to postpone it. However Sigvard was extremely knowledgeable and the conversation very easy and informative for me. Eventually at 2200 he called it a day and I spent an hour writing before crashing out. Tomorrow was an easy 22 km to the small town of Ammarnas.

It had been a very good day. The weather was kind given what was happening to the west of me. The skiing was pleasant and easy and the views were great. I think I was lucky.

Distance 26km | Time 7.5hrs | Ascent 870m | Descent 600m

I got up at 0700 for the simple cheap breakfast and managed to get away by 0800. It was snowing a bit as I left. Initially my route took me up Kungsvagen road for almost 2 km past chalets towards the hotel. There were some acrobatic ravens pestering an eagle above me. Just before the large hotel on the east of the road was the start of the Kungsleden route.

The Kungsleden is a 450 km walking and skiing track which goes from here to the north of Sweden. There are a few sections rich in cabins and a few areas where there are none, except simple shelters without stoves.

I thought the Kungsleden would be the quickest way north as March is traditionally the month with the most snow and equinox low pressure systems are hammering in from the Atlantic. These would affect the west coast of Norway first and be a bit of a spent force once they had passed the mountains. If the weather was bad I would still be able to make progress along the Kungsleden as half of it was in the forest and all in the lee of the mountains if the wind was westerly.

The mountains in north Sweden are part of the same chain as south Norway, namely the Caledonin Mountains. They were created some 420 million years ago when the Baltic plate collided with the Laurentian (North American) plate. The mountains then were some 10km high.

After this collision was over and the mountain building processes were finished these giant mountains quickly became eroded down to their hard roots. Some 60 million years ago this land mass of Balitca and Laurentia started to split. Scandinavia and Greenland parted company as the Atlantic ocean formed between them.

More recently the Scandinavian landmass was subject to forces which caused the west to rise, heaving the eroded stubs of the original mountains into the air. It is these eroded stubs, which have been further eroded by the recent ice ages into a chain of peaks and valleys which form the present Caledonian mountains of south Norway and north Sweden. The Kungsleden route weaves through the peaks of the Caledonian Mountains in north Sweden.

At the start of Kungsleden there was a symbolic gateway. I put my skis on here and followed the prepared ski trail up through the birch forest. The sun was out and the forest was glistening with new snow. The ski trail soon climbed up to the tree line and met the top of the ski lifts which came up from the town.

I crossed this area of downhill ski development and was soon on the bare white mountain. To the west another snow shower was crashing towards me and the wind was picking up. It would be miserable in the Norwegian mountains now. I just had time to admire the delta formations in the Umea river as it flowed into a lake before my view was obscured.

It was still another 8 km to the first cabin at Viterskalstugan. With the wind behind me I cruised along in the mist with a line of marker stakes showing the lie of the land. The route was quite flat but climbed gently. After a good hour the cabins appeared in the white landscape.

The cabin had some provisions for sale so I bought a chocolate and drink. After an hour I was ready to leave and do the second 13 km stretch to Syterstugan, however the weather had deteriorated. It was now heavy snow and a gale. In short a strong blizzard. I waited for it to improve or worsen before making a decision. After another hour the wind dropped a bit and the visibility improved a lot so I left.

I skiied up a classic U shaped glacial valley. On each side of the valley were the high craggy mountains of North and South Sytertoppen at around 1700 metres. It was an alpine landscape. It was an impressive valley. There was a large area of avalanche debris on the south side which I kept away from.

About half way up the valley the wind and snow returned. The wind in particular got quite violent and was up to a force 9 or 10. It was difficult to tell.

I reached an emergency shelter and went in to put on my windproofs for the short climb ahead. I had to heave to open the door against the wind. This was a natural wind tunnel between the high mountains and the shelter must have seen some tremendous gusts in its time. I managed to get a photo of the maelstrom and violence of the spindrift.

Continuing east I descended slightly before the short climb. The climb was not as windy as I had predicted at all, and in all my clothes I was ready for the worst. After passing a shallow saddle I started on the descent.

The descent was 3 km and took me all the way down to Syterstugan cabin. It was a wonderful even descent and not too steep although I fell twice as the snow surfaces changed abruptly. Within 20 minutes I was at the cabin on the edge of the birch forest. It was 1730 and was staying here.

The cabin had a resident warden for the spring season and only one other guest. The warden was a biologist for the rest of the year. He was very nice and even had a fire going when I arrived as he saw me coming. The other guest was a young man.

I bought some food from the wardens shop and then cooked a large meal. The 3 of us chatted while I ate and later. Although I speak Norwegian I find Swedish difficult to converse in. I soon reverted to my dairy.

It had been a mixed day. Some great weather in the morning and some spectacular winds in the afternoon. I had not got as far as I had wanted but it was a respectable distance given the weather. It was nice to be back in the mountains in a cabin without electricity. I could look forward to more of this simple mountain accommodation over the next 2 weeks.

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

I slept very well and when I woke at 0630 felt refreshed. However I rolled over and fell asleep again for another 3 hours. When I went through for breakfast I found they had cleared it up long ago. Luckily I had other food from the shop last night.

The sun was out and the sky was clear. My legs however felt very tired. I had to rest. In addition I had two long days of the blog to write up and photos to chose and label. This office work would take about 3 hours. Then once the blog was done I had loads of emails to send which had been hanging over me for a while.

The dairy did indeed take 3 hours. I was not finished until 1330. My legs were not up to a 3 hour ski to the first cabin on Kungsleden even if it was just an 11 km ski so I went to the reception and paid for two nights for my bunk bed.

The lady there said that this had been a military base where courses were run and it was still used by the military. The STF or Swedish hiking club had taken some of the base over as the army used it less and less.

She let me use the internet a while to investigate some of the Kungsleden sections ahead. The section I really wanted to find out about was from Jakkvik to Kvikkjokk. There seemed to be a dearth on information on these 100 km

I then sent some 20 emails on my fiddly phone which seemed to be misbehaving a bit before supper. I was starting to have some concerns about the customs and my kayak. If the jobs worthy officers made such an issue over a 150 pound rucksack what would happen with a 2500 pound kayak and 1000 pound dry suit.

After the buffet supper in the main hut where I was one of two guests I returned to my hut to get up to date with my diary and pack for tomorrow.

There were three cabins I could head for tomorrow Viterskalstugan, Syterstugan and Tarnsjostugan. The distance between each was 3 hours so hopefully I would quickly pass through the first at Viterskalstugan.

It had been a boring day. I had spent at least 7 hours on my phone keypad. Still all the office work was out of the way for the moment and my body had had the rest it deserved. Hemavan did not really invite much exploration being an downhill ski resort with a smattering of closed shops so I gave it a miss. I am sure there are some cultural gems here but I think it would be difficult to find them in a day.

Distance 38km | Time 10hrs | Ascent 330m | Descent 400m

After a sleep disturbed by painful cramps in my inner thighs each time I moved my legs I eventually go up at 0730. I went down to the farm house to use the toilet and was invited in for coffee and given more bread and marmalade for breakfast.

It was snowing lightly and a very grey day. I was tired and thought about a day off but then decided to continue to Hemavan. After a bit of faffing and packing I did not get going until 0930, much to late for a long day. It was snowing heavily now.

I skied across the steep field down to the lake and then picked up the scooter tracks again. Since starting to follow this scooter track or path just after Hattfjelldal yesterday barely a scooter has passed me. The tracks today are still visible under 10 cm of new snow.

I quickly reach the end of Famnvatnet lake and then started through the undulating birch forest. As my skis were so slippery and the wax was not providing enough grip I decided to put on the short skins. It is extremely tiring skiing with skis which do not provide any friction for the uphill sections, especially on ones arms, which have to work the poles more.

The snow showers died away as I went through the forest before Raudvatnet lake but it remained grey. This section of birch wood seemed thick with ptarmigan. Perhaps because it was near the border.

Raudvatnet lake seemed very peaceful. It was a long narrow lake surrounded by birch forest. Despite being on a marked scooter trail to Sweden there were no scooters. I almost wished for one to consolidate the the new snow. Near the end of the lake was a curious sign the customs had put up about contraband goods. It seemed very incongruous here.

From Raudvatnet lake the scooter trail was now unmarked as Sweden has much less strict laws on snow scooters, and they can pretty much go where they want. There are general thoroughfares from which hunter, fisherman and joyriders come and go as they please. Many of the joyriders are Norwegians over for a few days enjoying the lack of regulations which Norway sensibly adopted a couple of decades ago.

I climbed the gentle slope up to Raurejaure lakes and skied across this for a couple of km to an idyllic cabin. I did not know where to go now as my map ran out but knew I had to head over the ridge to Tangvattnet lake. The scooter thoroughfare now seemed to traverse up the south side of Ruffie hill. On the way up I met another skier and she explained the best route.

I continued up the south side of Ruffie feeling hot and a bit unwell. My legs were tired and I was thirsty. I had not had the opportunity to recover after yesterday. At the top of the slope I crossed a saddle and then saw Tangvattnet lake below me.

On the far side was a string of farms. Their farm buildings all clustered round a farmyard in the middle of white sunny fields. It looked good farming country but I am sure most of it was sheep and dairy. Behind the farms were the inevitable birch woods leading up to the bare white mountains beyond.

The descent from the saddle to the lake was quite steep. Luckily I still had the skins on and this slowed me up a lot but I still had to traverse through the woods occasionally. It was great snow here with a firm base under a couple of centimetres of loose snow on top. The snow conditions in the forests were at last consolidating. I reached the lake just to the west of a peninsular.

Rounding this peninsular I looked down the long stretch of Tangvattnet lake and way beyond it I could just make out the downhill ski slopes cut into the forest on the hill above Hemavan. My heart sank as it seemed a good 20 km away, and it was. The time was already 1500 so another head torch finish was on the agenda.

I followed the general scooter thoroughfare down the lake passing to the north of a large island. There seemed to me a lot of leisure cabins along this stretch of shore on each side of the small road. Eventually I reached the lakes outlet after some 8 km near a small community called Stabbfors.

Here the scooter thoroughfare entered the forest. The route was extremely bumpy as scooters tend to make divots in the snow in forest. After a hard 2 km of this the track crossed the road just below the Stabbfors village. I decided to abandon the track and follow the road so some other muscles could work while my skiing muscles rested. Apparently it was only for 6 km until the scooter thoroughfare recrossed the road for the final stretch to Hemavan.

The walk down the road was a relief from the scooter track. Very few cars passed me and I met a lady on a large Icelandic pony. Before I knew it I had done the 6 km and was at the bridge over the fledgling Umea river, one of Sweden’s main rivers. It was 1900 now and time for the head torch.

Just to the east of the bridge was a flat scooter thoroughfare which went down the east side of the river to the northern end of the town. It was a large town perhaps the biggest I had seen this year with a considerable downhill ski center which seemed to be its reason to exist. It was also a long town.

I walked down a pavement for 2 km to the center where there was a shop still open. I went in and brought some treats. I had drunk a litre of fizzy drink before I even got to the checkout. At the shop they told me the youth hostel was just 500 metres down the road. And it was luckily because it was 20.30 and I was knackered. I had done nearly 100 km in two days on a loaf of very good bread.

He youth hostel was a large collection of some 15 big wooden huts. It reminded me of an army camp. In the central hut they were clearing away a buffet I quickly jumped in for a plain greedy serving before I went to my bunk in a outlying hut. After a shower I did not even bother to write but crashed out.

I would have to write up two days of the diary tomorrow. This would take all morning. It was then 3 hours to the first cabin on Kungsleden called Viterskalstugan. I would probably rest in the afternoon instead.

It had been a very tiring day. Right from the start I had thought about the finish and the food and drink waiting for me there. This rather overshadowed the appreciation of the nature I was skiing through. However, when I finally crawled into bed with a full stomach I was contented.