Thursday 29/3

The morning train was on time, as it usually is, and upon my arrival in Duved I was the last to board the choke-full bus to Storulvån. Once there I became one of a host of people readying to leave without much further ado, but no more had I done so at 10:00 than I found myself completely alone upon the trail. At the junction to Gåsen I saw a sign speaking of a temporary trail across Handölan several hundred meters further back due to the nearby bridge's having been destroyed by ice last winter, but since I foresaw no particular difficulties in crossing the stream this time of year I stayed with the main trail.

Sylarna rising above...

...the Storulvån fjeld station

Trail behind

Trail ahead

The snow was very good – cold and sparkling – and I set a fairly high tempo. Sheltered by the station building the air had been rather warm, but out in the open there was a weak wind that cooled things down considerably – it was probably –10°C or so to start with. As expected there was a well-utilized track over the ice next to the ruined bridge, and the trail-upon-road on the other side provided its typical good skiing conditions. I fell into a habit of checking the damaged edge every once in a while, but never saw any signs of impending doom.

Sylarna again

Ex-bridge

Snasahögarna

The wind came and went, and I maintained a high tempo – especially closer to Tjallingen where the snow was even better. Just before I reached the first buildings I met a couple heading in the other direction, but these were the only other travellers – or any kind of creatures, actually – I had seen so far. After I had crossed Tjallingån it was mostly still, and once atop the first gentle crest after that I broke off from the trail in search of a lunch site. I skied through sparse woods on snow unbroken save for but a couple of animal tracks – and I do mean "a couple" – and finally stopped among the very last trees shortly before noon, where I had a spectacular view of both Sylarna and Helags.

At Tjallingen

Helags across Handölan

Tjallingklumpen and Gåsen ahead

Laptentjahke behind

Higher up

Even higher up

Västra Bunnerstöten

Panorama over Helags and Sylarna from the lunch site

I sat against a trunk on heather that had just cleared the snow cover, hungrily digging into my lunch pack as I enjoyed the perfect vista before me. The wind was still absent, so the down jacket I had put on together with the power of the sun quickly made things too warm for comfort – which, in truth, is much better than the opposite problem. After putting the skis back on I continued above the trail, aiming for the western outrunner från Gåsen proper. I usually take the route over the top of said fjeld on trips like this, but this time around I was slowly coming around to deciding that I wouldn't, instead pushing the ascent to the morrow when I would otherwise have a very (as in too) quick leg down to Stensdalen.

White Gåsen

Level expanse behind

I therefore steered around the southwestern side of the outrunner, passing through shallow gulleys in my direction of travel before the ground started sloping more appreciably upwards. During this transit I also passed a few ski tracks – one old and weathered, two fresh and probably belonging to the people I had met earlier – as well as a couple of ptarmigans. There was a bit of wind on and off as I rounded the outrunner about halfway up the slope, where the snow was a bit tougher but still presented no particular problems. At length I caught sight of the trail markers coming from Gåsån, together with a couple of skiers moving between them.

Avian couple

Sylarna in full

Helags and skiers

I maintained or increased my altitude, heading up onto the smaller southern outrunner, and now the wind had petered out completely which made things quite warm again. As I reached the crest at 14:45 I could see both the gentle rise to the summit and, once I crossed to the eastern edge, the cottages some distance below me. From there I gently made my way down, taking care not to subject the damaged edge to unnecessary stress, and then skied over to the warden's cottage where I was greeted by said individual who was enjoying the sun outside.

Stora Härjångsstöten and Holkendurrie

The entrance to Härjångsdalen

The cottages below

Helags with rock

Sylarna with rocks

Arriving at...

...the Gåsen cottages

Soon thereafter two other people arrived from Helags, quickly followed by the two I had seen on the trail. Having checked in I installed myself in the newer cottage, being the first guest of the day, after which I sat down in the kitchen to have a light afternoon snack with some of the others who had also come inside. After I had changed out of my skiing clothes I went back out in the sun, where it was still windless, enjoying the stunning panorama view that only Gåsen offers (and, it should be said, only on clear days...).

More people of various sorts were arriving, and some went out for a quick tour to the Gåsen summit; however, some of the others had, like me, decided to postpone this action to the following day, instead choosing to relax throughout what remained of the afternoon. After being social in the kitchen for a bit I read for a while in my bed, and after my roommates had returned from their visit to the top I set about making dinner. The meal turned out very fine, and I wolfed it down without pause.

Sylarna in the sun

Panorama over Helags and Sylarna from the cottages

Shadowed Helags

Setting sun

Skiers against Templet

Privy against Stora Härjångsstöten

As the evening started so did a series of photographic outings, aiming to catch the view in the ever-shifting hues resulting from oncoming dusk combined with the rise of the full moon. Between these I looked over the map and/or read in my room, and eventually it was time for an evening snack and some quiet conversation in the kitchen. Outside it had grown darker, with many stars visible, and the combined effect with the lunar glow and the dropping temperatures was... well, stellar. A great way to end a great day, which I did at 21:45.