Part III
On the Nordkalottleden
from Abisko to Lappjordhytta
Already 6 o´clock
in the morning I departed Abisko
turist station. In particular I delighted in the fine weather. Brilliant spring
sun-shine over the Torneträsk. The evening before I had put waypoints
in my GPS and determined the course to the long peninsula 4km north of Björkliden.
I did this for any eventuality that means if the sight is zero I have the
cours 330 Grad . Soon after the turist station I left the birches behind me
and went on the ice over the Torneträsk.
Overall in this Abisko-region
there was only some snow. Therefore a thick coat of ice had grown by the strong
polar-frosts. This was used by the scooter drivers, who were driving straight
ahead to their fishing grounds. I took the track leading me north to the end
of the Lake. Here on the picture you can see right the top of the mountain,
of which the Nordkalottleden to Innset is going around. The difference in
altitude between lake and the skitrack was 500 Meter. I knew I had some work
to do. If the weather stayed nice, I think it would be no problem.
About
11 a.m. I arrived at the cape of the peninsula. I was surrounded by strange
ice figures. The sun stood not high in the sky and casted long shadows but it
shined and was so warm like in the Alpes. Here I took a break and enjoyed the
wonderfull sight back on the fine geometrie of the Lapporten.
It
was midday when I saw a few wanderers certainly coming from the Lappjordhytta.
I would speak them but they directly headed to the Lapporten. We were passing
100 m of each other without speaking a word. However a rough calculation showed
me either they were leaving Lapjordhytta very late or they needed long time
for the 3 km downhill to the lake. A short look on the steep slope anticipated
the latter. You didn´t directly go down such slopes with Pulka and backpack.
The "secret"
was soon lifted, since only 100 to 200 m after the end of the lake the terrain
got very ascending. Finally the trail led to such a steep slope that it was
impossible to draw up the Pulka directly. The surrounding area wasn´t
convenient either. Again I had to practice the method "Tjäkta pass"
it means backpack out of the Pulka and then wearing backpack and pulling pulka
going uphill. But no, also these was not possible. First I had to hike up
with the backpack alone, then with the second pack and at last with the Pulka
alone.
I used a full hour for
the first 100 meter. I accepted umperturbed and enjoyed the fantastic weather
that I missed so long and the beautiful sight into the mountains.
The
trail broke the way through birch forests going uphill and downhill. Sometimes
it was going so steep that I took off my ski and went up the slope like on stairs.
4
o´clock in the afternoon I arrived the Lappjordhytta after 3 hours rising.
I was happy and content. In this moment I was pleased immensly to get fresh
water here. "Vann" the norwegian water was the magic word.
As
accomodation I choosed the smaller cabin. Here I had to heat only a little and
besides this the toilet and the firewood were under one roof. It was a sheer
delight to live in this cabin.
For the next day I planned
with great optimism to circumnavigate the mountain Lullehacarro in a height
of 800 m. I was hoping to see the ski-track with the best topology. "Cross-ways"
like in Sweden they aren´t in Norway though they are very helpful if
you have a whiteout or even a storm.
When I looked out the
window and door next morning I was a little bit shocked. Over night new snow
had been falling about 25 cm. All the ski-tracks were covered and in the best
case I could anticipate it. Moreover a heavy whiteout made you blind. I was
clear in my mind that I couldn´t start for going to Innset.
I
made myself comfortable in the living room and was looking into the beautiful
scenery. At lunchtime I decided to explore the way to Innset untill the next
waypoint.
With
my ski I sank in until my feet was snowed under. I couldn´t get the ski
over the snow. Therefore I waded through the snow like through the deep water.
Behind
these trees the Mountain had to go up. I didn´t see anything. Suddenly
I felt with the ski it was going steep uphill. So I turned back , made a big
circle and tried it again.
The
visibility became worse and worse. As I abruptly slipped downwards I was reminded
of the big fall in the Padjelanta. For heaven´s sake don´t run away.
I quickly pulled back and tried it again with a wider bend. So I was looking
for the right track during the whole afternoon untill I stood in 800 m height
without seeing any bush or stone. I gave up and skied downhill with a big risk.
Great pleasure to see my cabin.
Crazy
world! The next day just sunshine and roses. The contrast couldn´t be
bigger. One time I saw nothing the other I saw everything. I came into conflict.
Should I continue my Tour or not? My track from yesterday was also not to be
seen, since it was also snowing during the night. I tested the area to the other
cabin and came to a conclusion, that I shouldn´t go on without a track
in this mountains when the weather is not sure. Besides I had taken only a minimum
of food. Without sight I could rapidly get difficulties. It took revenge that
I had to let the days of nice weather lapse in Abisko turiststation.
Incredible
how beautiful Lapland could be
Midday
12 o´clock I left this nice cabin to look for the right track down hill
through the birches. Simple was this not.
If
the slope was very steep I took off my skis and worked in little steps downhill.
Shortly before 2 p.m. I stood on the Torneträsk enjoying a bright sun.
Whole
families with scooters and little huts were on the lake for fishing. When I
approached they got all the equipment together and disappeared at the shore.
I wondered since the weather was nice and it wasn´t too late.
Originally
I had planned to spent the night in the Palno cabin. But after inspection I
changed my intention and decided to go on to Abisko.
Already a little bit
on the Lake I saw a shelf cloud over the mountains coming to me. Now I understand
the hurry of the scooter people. Lonely I skied on a scooter track over the
Lake. A quarter of an hour the hell broke loose. A very dense snowstorm with
mikroskopic snow cristals made me nearly blind so that I couldn´t go
any step for 10 minutes. Then I went on. But 20 minutes later the same game
and so on. I could only follow the main track in the midst of the lake.
In the evening about
18 o´clock it became quietl and stopped snowing. I skied very fast directly
to the south shore. About 9 p.m. I reached a smooth increasing beach. I didn´t
hesitate to put on my tent.
For I knew that the turist
station closed exactly 20.00 o´clock and then a hiker had no chance.
The
next morning I had a last view on the Lapporten. I knew that was the Good Bye
from Swedisch Lapland. It was a very adventurous and very good sportimg skitour
through Lapland. So I travelled with a heavy heart to Kiruna.