Thursday 15/9
Kebnekaise – Nikkaluokta
| Horizontal distance: | 19 km |
| Vertical distance: | -220 m |
| Time: | 5 h 45 min |
| Lunch break: | 1 h 15 min |
| Dinner: | Fish and pasta stew |
| Night accommodation: | Train |
| Stage classification: | Easy |
| Map points: | Kebnekaise, Ladtjojaure, Nikkaluokta |
The night was very windy, and the morning even more so; the wind was still coming from the west, fortunately. The eastern sky was clear or clearing, whereas the western mountains were clouded. A bright sun shone through the morning mist and light snow whirled in the air. The wind woke me up somewhat earlier than planned, but I stayed in bed until 06:45. Before going to the service building to make breakfast, I called the ticket reservation desk – still no bed vacancies, so I settled for a seat.
A magnificent dawn...
...over cloudy Siŋŋičohkka...
...and Láddjuvággi
When packing, I discovered that my mini-whisk was missing. I went looking for it in the kitchen, where I knew I had used it the night before, and finally found it in some other woman's eggs-to-be-whipped. With the pack completed, I weighed it on the scales outside: 16.75 kg. The east was practically cloudless, and the west not far behind – again excluding the ever-absent Giebmegáisi. The whirling snow was still doing its thing, and the wind was very strong, so I decided to wear the same clothing as in day 5, except for the cap.
I left the station at 09:15, with the intention of walking the trail all the way to Nikkaluokta. I had originally planned to veer off just after the Darfáljohka bridge and pass over the Darfálláhku plateau, but that seemed downright dangerous with the wind speeds in question. Besides, the valley route would be quite different than last time anyway, what with the autumnal tints and all.
The space between the station and the bridge is mostly exposed, but after the stream the trail enters the forest, where the influence of the wind was much dimished. As a consequence, I stopped a kilometer or so into the woodland to remove the extra top, but I left the extra trousers on. I met two hikers and passed four more, before arriving at the western boat landing after 11. I paused for a while there, nibbling some chocolate and reindeer meat, and in the meantime two of the persons I had passed went out to the jetty.
Not me, though – feet only. Clouds were gathering in the west, and the snow-whirl returned. I saw one (1) lemming, a few reindeer and an elderly fellow with a pack so small that he was either a) residing nearby, b) skilled beyond belief, or c) out of his mind. It was my plan to stop for lunch at Ladtjojaure, but without buying anything this time. The last bit felt rather wearisome, so I was happy to spot the buildings at 12:30.
Sunny day
Cloud magnet
A classic view of the station
Looking into Darfálvággi
The bridge over Darfáljohka
Textbook autumnal fjeld beauty
Someone appears to have forgotten something...
Sneaking a peak at Skárttačohkka
Unmoving cloud
Yep, still sunny
Darfáloalgi
Reflective mere
How about these colors?
Had it been warmer, this might have been inviting
Continuing through the natural palette
The striking shape of Savubákti
Autumn colors on the trail, ...
...around Láddjujávri, ...
...beneath Savubákti, ...
...and back on the trail
There weren't many people present, but the reindeer burger grill and the cafeteria were operational as usual. Standing on the shore of Láddjujávri, it was perfectly clear to me that the wind had not subsided one jot, and that the forest had been very much protected. The mountains seemed on the verge of shedding their cloudy companion, but still no luck. I had lunch in the modest hut prepared for boat passengers waiting in rough weather, where I was joined by a few Poles who were staying in Nikkaluokta, and had walked here just over the day.
The boat captain did his best to lure me onto the west-headed vessel, but seeing as how I had no wish to walk that distance again (and pay for it), I declined. Rather than letting the western landscape emerge further, the clouds had apparently decided to block the view completely in that direction. Apart from that, however, the weather was still fair (and windy). Since the remainder of the journey would be in woodland, I took the opportunity to remove the extra trouser layer, and resumed the walk at 13:45.
A mere right east of...
...Láddjujávri, with the Kebnekaise Mountains...
...and the Coffee Hut
Worsening conditions in the west
The last portion of the trail, being close to Nikkaluokta, was rather crowded; I met groups of all sizes time and again. Clouds obscured the sun, but since I was sheltered from the wind I had no trouble keeping my temperature. Another effect of the comparatively mild weather (and probably also the rain of the day before) was that all the nearby peaks and highlands which were white when I arrived were now bare again. The redirection that had been in progress previously had now been completed. I climbed a small hill beside the fjeld chapel, and was immediately reminded of the true strength of the unhindered wind – I certainly would have lifted from the ground had I attempted the Darfálláhku passage...
I arrived at the visitors' center at 15:00 and just relaxed for a while. I spoke a little with a Norwegian hunter (not the same one as on day one, I believe) who offered me a seat in a car heading for Kiruna shortly, but I would still have to wait for the 18:43 train – and we both agreed that the present vistas would serve as a better backdrop for such an (in)activity. Clouds were rolling in from the east as well, but the sun refused to be obfuscated for long. The mountains were gone, though.
A few shots of a willow ptarmigan...
...which seemed quite indifferent...
...to my presence
What the...?
Looking back
Looking ahead
The bridge over Čievrrajohka
The forest around Čievrrajohka
Gármasbákti
Below Govggenjunni again
The forest aflame to the east
Reddened ground
Nearing my destination
Nikkaluokta fjeld chapel coming into view
Visttasvággi's southern mouth
Exiting Láddjuvággi
Nikkaluokta camping
The start of the Kebnekaise trail
Rássebávttáščohkka in the remote distance
A symbol of a unity not always present
I continued to take it easy, playing solitaire and checking the integrity of the crossword. Since I had food left due to the shortened itinerary, I thought that it would be a shame not to make use of it, so I started boiling some water on the camping stove outside the building. It took longer than I expected, though, and I just had time to stir-and-seal the freeze-dried package and pack up everything before the bus arrived. I ate onboard.
New paintings...
...in the gallery on the upper floor...
...of the visitors' center
Bright afternoon sun...
...over Nikkaluokta
On the bus
The evening was continuously fair, and the train both arrived and departed on time for a change. I bought some candy in the kiosk beside the train station before departure, and then went in search of my seat. As it turned out, I had the inmost of a group of three, the remaining two of which were free, so I got a makeshift bunk after all.
I also met one of the guys from Nallo, who had boarded the train earlier in Abisko; we had a brief recapitulation. I read for quite some time, consuming the candy in the process, and finished off with a light snack. I then lay down for what turned out to be a night of surprisingly low discomfort, while the train carried me away from the wilderness – temporarily...