Sunday 29/7

I started out by easily crossing the stream next to the guest cottage and then set off along the trail up the slope in an increasing wind. This was quite a rise, but the ground was good and mostly consisted of grass, only turning stonier near the first crest. I achieved The Effect by having Sulidälbmá suddenly appear in all its glory as I neared the highest point of the trail upon Vájmokbákte, and here I was also assaulted by very strong winds as I looked out over a far-reaching rocky vista.

Going up the trail...

...from the green valley...

...to rockier lands

Sulidälbmá!

Tsähkkok

Losing sight of Vájmok

Fierro and lake 1024

Vistekjávrre far ahead

Closeup of Nuortta Sávllo

Closeup of Sulidälbmá

As I started descending on the more gradually sloping western side it was back to stone-sprinkled grass, but down in western Vájmokvágge it was somewhat more arid. The "bridge" that was marked on the map turned out to be a precarious contraption in a state of decay, but on the other hand the stream in question was small enough that no aid was necessary. The next bit up out of the valley consisted of light, mostly flat rocks, which was how I remembered it from my last passage, and soon thereafter I found myself at the windy Vistekjávrre, which was my goal of the day.

Vájmok in view again

Back east

Western Vájmokvágge

Cloud on Stájggá

Coming up on...

...Vistekjávrre

The first shore held a small strip of beach, but that was not quite as I remembered it. I looked around a bit, finding excellent campgrounds closer to the winter trail markers, and then continued along the summer trail past a small headland. And there, in the next little bay, I found the strip of beach that I did remember – short, but perfectly formed, and a level patch with room enough for a small tent beside it – so I sat down on it for lunch at 11:45. This spot offered an excellent view of the Sulidälbmá peaks across the water, and I sat still for a good while enjoying the wilderness feeling – despite the fact that I was literally right on the trail.

Classic staging...

...on the local playa

I then went on obliquely up the slope, south of the path, criss-crossing between rocks and bluffs. This opened up a spectacular view towards the Sulidälbmá glaciers, the snow covers of which were half melted, resulting in a mesmerizing mix of green-blue hues heightened by the non-uniform sunlight. After considering going up onto Vistek proper I took a cue from the large clouds that were swiftly approaching from the west and eventually decided to turn around.

Some flowers among the rocks

Eastern Vistekjávrre

Sulidälbmá and western Vistekjávrre

Partially lit glaciers

On the heights

Rather than going straight back down I went due east across the flat land above the top of the slope I had just reached, going past a jumble of small tarns. One of these still had a thick snowfield along one side where miniature icebergs calved, which was the first remnant of winter I had seen so far what with the very hot and dry summer. I proceeded to zigzag my way down between more cliffs and rocks, mostly finding grass, and came back to the trail just at the eastern end of Vistekjávrre after descending a shallow rocky gulley.

The iceberg tarn

Sulidälbmá again

Notice beach strips

Cloud shadows

After I had passed the "bridge"-stream the clouds passed in front of the sun, and as I climbed Vájmokbákte for the second time of the day the wind grew stronger. The power of the rushing air at the top was markedly higher than in the forenoon, and it was quite considerable even then, but once off the heights it was much more tolerable. I covered the last bit back down in shadow, but as I approached the cottage the sun came back out to welcome me home at 14:45.

Back on the trail

Stájggá free of cloud

Winter trail

Climbing Vájmokbákte again

Looking back over Vájmokvágge

View east from the crest

Spotting the cottage

Descending to the cottage

Returning to the cottage

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