Introduction
Having more or less "covered" the Jamtland fjelds of home, on foot and on skis, I had for some time entertained a desire to visit the vaster fjeld regions of Lapland. Time was allocated in early August, and during the summer I started thinking about where exactly to go.
I already had all but made up my mind about the following things:
- to start in Abisko
- to mount the South Peak of Giebmegáisi, the highest point in Sweden
- to have the dinner buffet at Kebnekaise fjeld station
- to finish in Nikkaluokta.
Beyond that, I felt no particular obligation – and that was just how I wanted it. I was to reside in both a newly purchased tent and the cottages of the Swedish Tourist Association, STF, so I had a large degree of freedom – also just how I wanted it. I did, however, make a plan concerning which paths to take, which valleys to cross and which regions to ignore. Whether or not I would adhere to it was to be settled at a later time, once faced with the actual circumstances. In any event, I would use Kungsleden (Royal Trail) as a base for direction, but spend most of the time off it.
My packing list was as follows:
| Object(s) | Brand/type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| To wear | ||
| underpants | boxer shorts | 80g |
| socks | polyester/cotton mix | 50g |
| thermal underwear | – | 410g |
| wind trousers | Craft | 200g |
| wind jacket | Craft | 290g |
| hiking boots | Meindl Performance | 1890g |
| hat | Haglöfs felt hat | 175g |
| knife | personally handmade + belt | 200g |
| 3295g | ||
| To carry | ||
| rucksack | McKinley Crestone 70 + rain cover | 2725g |
| shirt | large, warm cotton shirt | 540g |
| sweater | fleece sweater | 390g |
| cap and gloves | thin skiing cap and gloves | 150g |
| rain clothes | Swedish Postal Service issue | 550g |
| spare underpants | (see above) | 250g |
| spare socks | (see above) + wool | 190g |
| leisure clothes | Touch9 micro fleece suit + T-shirt | 575g |
| light shoes | sandals | 670g |
| Food related | ||
| thermos | ½ liter | 325g |
| drinking vessel, tableware | camping set, water flask | 175g |
| camping stove, fuel | Trangia standard + ½ l ethanol | 1450g |
| food and drink |
3 DryTech REAL freeze dried packages 1 Wildlife freeze dried package 2 Blå Band Outdoor Meals freeze dried packages 1 package of Tortellini 1 l oatmeal 19 Varma Koppen/Cup-a-Soup instant soup packages 8 Ögonblink instant chocolate packages 10 tea bags 1 package of hard bread 3 packages of various soft breads 1 can of butter 20 cheese slices ~30 beef slices 2 tubes of cream cheese 1 package of biscuits 2 large chocolate bars 1 slab of dried reindeer meat |
5900g |
| Camping related | ||
| tent | Fjällräven Skule R/S 2 | 2650g |
| sleeping bag | Ajungilak Kompakt L synthetic filling | 1700g |
| sleep mat | – | 350g |
| Other required stuff | ||
| towel | light medium-sized towel | 350g |
| flashlight | LED headband | 90g |
| medical stuff | bandage, anti-chafe adhesive | 115g |
| hygiene stuff | toothbrush, toothpaste, mini-shampoo, toilet paper | 220g |
| "Survival" | ||
| map | fjeld map (BD6: Abisko-Kebnekaise-Narvik) | 120g |
| compass | – | 50g |
| mosquito repellant | US622 stick | 35g |
| sunglasses | – | 25g |
| payment, recording | cards, bills, paper, pencil | 15g |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| book | The Songs of Distant Earth (Arthur C. Clarke) | 160g |
| deck of cards | – | 80g |
| home key | – | 15g |
| Electronics | ||
| camera | Canon PowerShot A75, batteries, memory cards | 455g |
| mobile phone | Ericsson T65 | 110g |
| 20430g | ||
I left Östersund on August 2, heading for Jokkmokk to visit my maternal grandmother for a few days and to attend the funeral of an elder relative who had been ailing for some time. I procured the last of the needed supplies – mostly fresh food – and finished the packing on Friday the 5th, having reserved a train ticket to Abisko for the following morning.
Here, then, is the full account of what transpired during the subsequent ten days. Each section has a header consisting of a short overview of the stage in question, complete with a map showing the route travelled. A ring marks the starting point, a square the lunch break location (if any), and a star the destination. Vertical distances have been calculated from the map and have an accuracy of 20 m. Unless otherwise defined, all breakfasts consisted of oatmeal porridge, tea and a sandwich, and all lunches of two cups of instant soup, a sandwich and water.