Monday 5/3

When the clock had passed 09:15 I was on my way, following worn-down but discernable ski tracks to the Darfáljohka bridge; it was warm and at first windless, but after a while a light wind picked up. I proceeded over said bridge afoot and then aimed for higher ground through the forest. The condition of the snow varied along the way, but progress was mostly easy. There were clouds hanging around the peaks to the south and in the Giebmegáisi massif, and some other formations were present in the sky as well.

After reaching the tree-line I continued up the slope in zigzag fashion, both since I never bothered to put the climbing skins on and because there were lots of stony patches sticking out of the snow. My heading was mostly northeastern, but when I had come high enough that I had passed the steep portion of the ridge that makes up the south end of the eastern wall of Darfálvággi I turned northwest, going up onto that ridge "from behind". There were some gusts of wind now and then, and a group of clouds seemed to have parked themselves above the fjelds directly to the south.

Up on the flat top of the ridge there were even more rocks in the clear, but the recent storm hadn't abraded enough snow to make skiing impossible – or even difficult. After a while the slope levelled out, and as the ascent thus far had taken some time, I selected a larger rock a bit further ahead to serve as a back support for my lunch camp; I was beginning to feel a bit hungry, and I had come far enough to attain the goal of the day: a high perspective on the glaciers falling from Giebmegáisi to Darfálvággi.

Just leaving

Sun at the Darfáljohka bridge

Going above...

...the trees

The station from an exalted position

Going parallel to Giebmečohkka

Skárttačohkka on the other side

Looking over Darfáloalgi

Sun over Urttičohkka

The station even further down

Fjelds beyond Nikkaluokta

Fjelds beyond Singi

Giebmegáisi rearing its peaks above the clouds...

...while those belonging to Giebmečohkka remained below

Catching sight of Láddjujávri...

...and of fjelds even further west

Pretty patterns of the eastern slopes of Giebmečohkka

The main glaciers of the Giebmegáisi massif coming into view

Siŋŋičohkka + Duolbagorni

A better view of the glaciers

Just when I was stopping I noticed an unnatural-looking object on Kekkonentoppen, and when it started to move I took out my binoculars. It turned out that it was actually two snowmobiles and what I assumed was a dog running beside them; the distance made it hard to make out. Given that snowmobiles are prohibited in the area save for the trail that goes to Singi and beyond, I suppose that those were Sámi, who enjoy a general exemption. Having settled that in my mind, I returned to my lunch related tasks.

There was a bit of wind, on and off, and the clouds that still hung around the higher peaks were slowly drifting off as I watched. After I had eaten I went for a short walk along the edge of the ridge to get a better look into the valley below, and then returned to snack some more. By then it was clear except for a few wisps in the south, and I sat at my extraordinary observation point for quite some time, deeply enjoying the spectacular view of the highest mountains of Sweden and their adjacent masses of perpetual ice.

Clouds around Gaskkasbákti...

...and to the southeast

Clearing above the glaciers...

...and the Peaks

Clear view of Giebmečohkka

Darfálbákti to the north

Sun over Savubákti

Even clearer around Giebmegáisi proper

Skárttoaivi in the back

The end of Darfálvággi

The other end of Darfálvággi

A more complete view of Darfálvággi

Panorama over the glaciers and the surrounding mountains: Giebmečohkka, Giebmegáisi, Storglaciären,
Södra Klippberget, Giebmebákti, Isfallsglaciären, Norra Klippberget, Gaskkasbákti, and a bit of Gaskkasčohkka

When I got going again I turned due east, passing over flatness into a region of more wind, before reaching the top of the slope down to the vast plateau of Darfálláhku between Darfálčorru and Čievrračohkka. I proceeded down this slope in an all but straight manner, with the overall aim of coming down upon Darfáloalgi. This was also the result, and during the last downhill bit I skied in or parallel to a snowmobile track so fresh that it could only have been made by the party I had observed earlier. I left this track behind when I reached the flat area where the slope from Darfálláhku meets up with Darfáloalgi, turning west. I then caught sight of a striking ledge formation jutting out from the western edge of the rise, and through land riddled with animal tracks I went out on it to have a good look over western Láddjuvággi.

Turning my back on the wild slopes...

...and saying hello to flatness deluxe

Sunlit clouds atop Skárttačohkka

Panorama over parts of Skárttoaivi, Liddubákti, Siŋŋičohkka, Duolbagorni, Giebmečohkka, Giebmegáisi, and Giebmebákti

Govggečorru...

...emerging

Panorama over Darfálláhku, with Čievrračohkka, Guodekčohkka and Guodekvárri

Looking "over the shoulder" towards the far south

Narrow western Láddjuvággi

A sizeable stone with Guodekvárri and Urttičohkka as backdrop

Broad eastern Láddjuvággi

Mini-panorama over The Usual Suspects

The sun shining down on the flat top of Darfáloalgi...

...and the not-so-flat tops of Giebmegáisi

More sun

The ledge beneath Skárttoaivi

Giebmečohkka trying to conceal Giebmegáisi

Unobstructed view west

I then backtracked a bit, both because the ledge was a dead end and because I would have to pass a brook, which from my elevated position I had seen would be much easier to do further up. I did so, and then crisscrossed between the trees in a southwestern direction, with sections of deeper snow every now and then; I even fell once in one of those (soft landing, though). Then there was a tricky part, where the terrain was heavily undulated and the wind-affected snow erected barriers in unexpected directions, and I had to take extensive detours to get ahead. It was also getting colder, but soon enough I found myself on the main snowmobile track from Nikkaluokta. I tried skiing just south of it for a bit, but it was much too icy for comfort, so I soon returned to the trail. In the "company" of quite a large number of snowmobiles I followed it the remaining way back to the station, where I arrived at 15:30.

The brook below the ledge

Gaskkasčohkka visible at the far end of Darfálvággi

Pointed Skárttaklacken

Shadows creeping up the northern slope

Guodekvárri still bright

Almost home

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