Ski and Paddle Norway 2009

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.

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