Tours › 2017 › Lunndörrsfjällen › Summary

Summary

"Back and forth" is definitely a good description of this tour, not only with regard to the route, but also the weather and my physical (and mental) status – say what you will, but it was never stagnant...

First things first: the route. Finally, I say; I've had my eyes on those parallel valleys for many years by now, but for various reasons have never managed to give them proper attention – until now. To take them all in turn, Lunndörren offered the least level of novelty simply because I've seen it so many times before, and due to the flat and straight nature of most of the valley there weren't that many secrets left for it to reveal. I did, however, get to visit the shelter in the bend for the first time, and also experience the oft-talked-about winds in the pass firsthand. The sheer cliffs surrounding said pass were also rather impressive up close, so all in all a thumbs-up.

Next up was Lill-Lunndörren, which manifested itself excellently from the south, with a striking, narrow U-shape. High marks for that one, especially since both the valley before it and the nice weather served to heighten the experience. After that Lillådörren was mostly a transportation stretch with few distinguishing marks, but it was largely pleasant as such. The somewhat adventurous exit with all the steep hills and far views down towards Tronnan also elevated the stage.

Hardly surprising, Storådörren was the main attraction of the tour, with its grand Lapporten impersonation and verdant presentation. My campsite there was well chosen, even though it did not actually offer a view of the marshy valley floor, but as mentioned the shape of the Big U was exquisite – especially under the warm-yet-cold light of an all-but-clear evening. Walking beneath the even more sheer walls the next day was somewhat less imposing than I thought it would be, but I could hardly fault the weather, so another thumbs-up there.

The climb over to Tronndalen was inspiring albeit windy (as was the similar but less striking passage between Lunndörren and Lill-Lunndörren, at that), and the latter valley itself held a particular character in all its parts, starting with the sterile reaches of the southern pass, over rock-bound hills to the grasslands of the northern stretch. The saddle-way over to Gråsjödörren proved simple enough to negotiate, being of modest altitude, and I'm glad I found that reindeer path through the ravine on the western side, since it offered a more pleasing descent compared to my original plan.

Gråsjödörren was a very pleasant acquaintance (save for the peg-unfriendly ground), with amicable heath, meadows and bushes spread out over wide areas with higher summits in the distance – the word grå in the name means "grey", but it certainly does not apply to this part of the valley. Going out of it was also a nice experience, even though the last bit through the forest could do with a more obvious path, but you can't have it all. Then I was back in trail land once again, so no more winging it – for most of the tour I followed in the footsteps of reindeer rather than those of humans, which had given it a special feel.

I always enjoy visiting the Vålå cottages, any time of the year, and this was no different. Had my schedule been different – which it might well have been had any of the previous stages turned out differently – I would probably have spent the night, indoors or not, but as it was I contented myself with a quick silent "hello" to that old ward of mine. The bit past Kroktjärnarna to Smällhögsskaftet was as pleasant as ever, but I certainly could have done without the powerful wind, not least because it made camping difficult.

That last night... oh boy, was that something. Not that there was any real danger – the tent stood fast, as it well should – but when in the middle of that kind of sound and motion... you just can't help feeling small. Phew, indeed! In retrospect – immediately after, in fact – I've been wondering if I could have avoided the situation entirely, but given the general state of the terrain in the area, the incessant wind and my bodily weariness, the only viable option would have been indeed to stay at the cottages. That would have meant a much longer final day, however, which I really didn't feel like – especially given how I felt once I got down. So, water under the bridge – or wind over the fjelds...

And, finally, 'tis always nice walking through the Vålådalen forests. They have this old character that bestows both a sense of calm and of mystery lurking beneath the surface – one sometimes feels like there are trolls and/or Ents waiting behind the next tree. All in all I also want to say that the direction I chose for traversing the valleys enabled them all to shine as much as possible, and that reversing the route would have given the tour quite a different feel. Kudos to me.

Now then: the weather. It certainly wasn't boring, but I wouldn't have protested if it had been a tad more stable. Still, it was never actually bad – or at least not for long – and most of the rain fell when I was safely camped. More importantly all the valleys were visible in full when I passed through them, so even if there was no sky to be seen at times I didn't miss any of the peaks and thereby any of the sights I had in my... sights. Thinking back, it was mostly those first days (or first evening and following forenoon) that were of actual concern, and for the most part the rest of the tour was more or less fair. And, granted, shifting conditions make for more interesting views – and pictures. And speaking of pictures, this tour marked the first outing of my new camera. The results are quite good, are they not?

A point of worry was how tired I felt during most of the days, especially in the afternoons. Put simply, the tour felt considerably more arduous than it should have, since no stage was actually that long, or physically difficult. Perhaps I'm just getting old, eh? Then there was the problem with the ankle, which itself was a result of pressure from the boot, but that could be alleviated by lacing it differently – and the other ankle was unaffected. A mistake not to be repeated, but at least I had zero problems with my knees this time around, which is more encouraging since that would have pointed to a more internal problem less easily fixed.

So, what's the final verdict? Well, on the one hand it really was my last chance to do something this summer, so given that limiting circumstance I would be hard pressed not to label it successful. Getting to see all those valleys up close at long last held a certain satisfaction, especially now that the weather decided to cooperate at the crucial points – and they are definitely worthy of a visit, all on their own merits. Good show! On the other hand it was tough going, and resulted in recuperative needs back home, which put a bit of a damper on things. All in all, though, I'd say I came out on top, and will endeavor to make the next tour more consistently great – wherever and whenever that may be.

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