Monday 2/1

I got up at 07:30, to find the weather calm and chilly, with clouds still covering most of the sky. The group from the other cottage entered to make breakfast, and while they went about doing so I cleaned out the room. I then readied myself for departure, and spoke some with the warden, whom I met outside, before setting off at 09:15.

The cottages...

...in the morning

When I left, it was snowing very lightly, and even though Saanta could be seen, the farther peaks were veiled in mist. The initial downhill portion went by quickly, and the following part was also easy; there were good tracks to use. The view cleared more and more as the morning progressed, and the temperature was modest. In under an hour, I had reached the intersection with the snowmobile trail to Grönvallen (not the ski trail I attempted before), and debated for a while whether or not to go to the old settlement this time.

Again, there were time constraints: not those relating to the limits of daylight, but I had a bus to catch at 14:40. The detour concerned would involve taking the well prepared snowmobile trail to Grönvallen, and then that other ski trail back onto the Lunndörren-Vålådalen trail, which was almost certain to involve a good deal of manual track production. I tested the snow in among the nearby trees, and found it to be much less troublesome than previously, and after doing some mental calculations I decided make the turn.

I made good speed in the snowmobile tracks, and before long I entered a wooded region showing infallible signs of old agriculture. I met one snowmobile, and then I came to Grönvallen. It was devoid of other visitors, and only the trail I had arrived by had tracks of any kind; the other ones seemed not to have been used for quite some time (which reaffirmed the wiseness of turning back on the way up). I sat down in the open shelter at the trail crossing at 10:45 and had lunch.

Saanta in...

...the growing light

Approaching...

...Grönvallen

Frosted trees enduring...

...the cold of midwinter

Having eaten and enjoyed the white serenity for a while, I set out again under clearing skies. As expected, the west-going ski trail was all untouched snow, but progress wasn't that difficult. It was a bit burdening, sure, but not to such a degree that it turned into a problem, and it didn't feel like overlong before I spotted the fallen tree where I had turned back before. My old tracks from there were still in good condition, so the last bit was easy enough.

Back on the main trail, I made no particular haste. Large clouds were amassing, but there was little or no wind, and it was not too cold. The temperature dropped quite noticeably down in the valley, however, just after the long slope down to the bridge over Vålån. North of the bridge, there were reindeer about again, but this time they were right by the trail, so I got some good shots of them. At 13:30, I took off my skis outside the station.

Good thing there was a bridge

Lack of track

Fjelds...

...sparingly lit...

...by the feeble light

Reindeer...

...beside the trail...

...close to...

...Vålådalen fjeld station

There were quite a few people present, many of which had children with them, which is hardly surprising given Vålådalen's profile. I had a snack inside and read a bit before the bus arrived, which took me and a few others down to Undersåker again, where another short period of waiting ensued before I could board my homebound train.