Monday 30/3

In violation of the latest forecasts the last day broke with low clouds, and there was also a bit of wind. After an unrushed breakfast the cloud ceiling started changing back and forth in height, but it remained complete. I still intended to go for a day tour, however, and after preparing the last bits I changed and carried out the telemark skis, on which I started off along the Áhusjgårsså track around 09:30.

In the forest I was sheltered from the wind, but higher up among the smaller trees it returned. I continued past the ravine opening, finding a way through a rocky hollow, and after going level for a while around a large rise I came onto the Bietsávrre path, where there were tracks from both boots and skis here and there. The snow got harder and the wind stronger the higher I got, and the clouds were getting lower if anything; behind me Dának was slowly slipping into the mists. I went up onto an intermediate crest on Tjeburisvárásj, coming at it from the east, and up there the snow had been blown away. Visibility was worse at first, but as I stood there looking things over the clouds started to lift somewhat, and there was also a lighter patch in the direction of Sjäksjo.

I then went down the northern slope, and the snow was so hard that not much fun was to be had there. Among the upper trees things were better, but after I had started turning to the east the crust took to breaking, which is never good. I ended up among the downs that riddle the land southwest of Saltoluokta, and it was with some effort that I navigated upwards between/upon/over them. I came to Áhusjgårsså from below and went on past it up the eastern side, following an oblique course towards Dának. After crossing the very visible summer trail I followed a band of trees upwards, and there there were parts where the snow was actually good. In front of me it was getting lighter, and as I climbed up onto the little hilltop called Dának the wall of Sjäksjo appeared in a hole in the clouds.

There was even a bit of weak sunlight, which gave some welcome contrast to the land, and I soon started another descent. Having managed to get down from the hill safely I followed the tree band again, and even though the snow was still hard most of the time it was not that bad – and even fully OK some of the time. I went straight down through the forest, where that breaking crust dominated again, and I stopped just before the trees got denser.

Low clouds...

...in both directions

A hut by the shore

Frosty trees

Some light higher up

Better valley view

Peeks of Måskostjåhkkå...

...and Sjäksjo

The time was now almost 12:15, and with a nice enough view before my eyes I sat down against a birch for lunch. The clouds showed no signs of letting go of the valley, and I did not pause for very long before starting up again. I held a slanting course between the trees at first, but when I reached more open land I turned straight up. It now appeared to be getting clearer in/from the south, and soon the sun made a partial breakthrough; there was still a fair bit of mist in play. Further up I turned left again, crossing the heathland on a scant layer of snow, and even though there was a fair bit of wind it was not chilling. The clouds were definitely lifting up on the heights – I could see Sluggá et al well enough, but conditions in/over Sjöfallsdalen were unchanged. I went straight for the trail split beneath Gejnutoalgge, and when I reached it the valley clouds finally began to part.

Having looked at the expanding view for a while I set off down along the trail, and here the snow was still good – it actually resembled a groomed ski piste, and I made long sweeping turns until I found myself enveloped by trees. I then let gravity do the rest and came back to the station in full sunlight around 13:45.

Ptarmigan hunt

More of Sjäksjo

Tjeburisvárásj and Lulep Gierkav

Rásek and Dának

Closeups of...

...the holy fjeld Sluggá

Best valley view

There seemed to be no one about, either indoors or outdoors, and I proceeded to pack the ski bag and then the rest, changing clothes in the process. After cleaning my room I checked out and then settled down for a light snack in the dining room. While I was sitting there I heard that some people were coming in, and when I later went out into the foyer I found Marie, who had visited Nallo twice last winter, and two of her comrades. They had gone "the usual Sarek route" from Ritsem on telemark skis, wanting to conquer a peak here and there, and had now reached the end of their journey.

I went to get some things I had put into a fridge and then started clothing myself for transport, speaking some more with Marie. Soon enough the snowmobile that was to carry me and my things across Láŋas to Kebnats and the bus arrived, and after helping to load various other goods I waved goodbye to Marie and her group – and to Saltoluokta itself.

Due to the Suorva dams higher up the lake system the ice of Láŋas is shaky, and it is therefore the task of the power company to maintain a passable route across it. This involves going rather far to the west along the shore, and here the track was bumpy at present. Out on the lake itself it was windy, and now the sky was growing overcast again from the southwest. The return east along the opposite shore was even longer, crossing a little headland on the way, and at the end we followed the connection road up to the Ritsem road – the bus never actually goes down to the Kebnats jetty in winter, since the risk for getting stuck is too great.

I talked some with my chauffeur while we waited for the bus to arrive; there were a fair number of people on it, among whom were the couple I had dined with the evening before, who had taken the early bus to Ritsem just to see the place. Save for an elk calf doing an impression of Bambi on ice the journey was uneventful and dreary, and immediately upon arriving in Gällivare I left my stuff in a corner of the train station and went over to the adjacent burger joint for a quick dinner before stepping onto the train, thus concluding my fourth warden period.