Thursday 29/4

There was a bit of headwind out on the ice, which was as shiny as before, so I tried to find snow at the edges and resorted to pole-propulsion otherwise. On the ice mire beside the first meander arcs the base was too uneven to make even that possible, so I went out to the stream again and then skied among the bushes on the side of the mire. After that it was back to the ice-edge until I went up the western side after the last of the trees there; parallel to the stream there was mostly bare grass, but going more up the slope I had snow to follow. All the while the weather was getting better and the clouds lighter and fewer, so my hopes for a beautiful day were fulfilling.

Among the rocks below Siehtagasglaciären I turned straight up in an attempt to stay snowborne, which went rather well until I found myself cut off by stones in all directions save down. On the way there I had been subjected to some fairly strong winds from up the valley, but it had just been temporary, even though conditions in that direction did not seem quite as good. Now, trapped as I was I had no choice but to carry the skis for a couple of meters, but then I could ski freely again.

I came to the bottom of the mini-ravine beside which I had descended after my previous visit to Unna Visttasvággi, where I went on upwards to get around a long band of bare snow. I considered continuing the climb on this the south side of Unna Vistasaš, but I had a very specific perspective of Visttasvággi in mind that I wanted to attain, which would in that case involve crossing the upper ravine below Ö Bossosglaciären and going back down on the other side, and this seemed a bit long. Instead I went back downhill a bit, skiing among the lowest trees to the tributary, where I found some rather nice possible campsites for summer use near a couple of boulders.

Partial track

Light clouds

Icier

Keeping to the side

More ice

Sun on ice

Reindeer before Unna Visttasčohkka

Bye-bye

Around the bend

Siehtagas "from the back"

At Unna Vistasaš

I followed the low edge of the lower part of the ravine, going over it at the earliest opportunity, after which I started going up the slope zig-zag fashion, without feeling the need to put on the climbing skins. I aimed for the bare rock ahead to my right, where the snow was better, coming to a small flat cliff head above the first crest, carrying the skis the last few meters. Far to the southeast it appeared to be hazy indeed, but in the opposite direction there were just a few light clouds upon Bossosčohkka.

I left my skis at the cliff and walked upwards in increasing warmth, and after stopping to admire the view for a while I turned around and went out/up to a nearby "edge" with a better outlook over Visttasvággi – precisely that which I was after. The clouds around the peaks were now dissipating, but this did not apply to the ones to the east. I walked straight down the slope a bit, getting a distinct sense/smell of spring in the air and dry ground. There was some wind in play, so when I came to a vertically aligned flat rock just before noon I sat down for lunch on its lee side.

Bossosčohkka tower

Icy valley

Arching

Bogičohkka

No snow

Vássačorru on the opposite side of Visttasvággi

Through the Boginjira cleft

Bossosčohkka shedding cloud

Šielmmáčohkka East

The main rise of
Unna Visttasčohkka above

Vássačorru corner

Blue stream

Panorama over Vássačorru and Visttasvággi

Panorama over Šielmmáčohkka, Ö Bossosglaciären and Bossosčohkka

The weather was indeed getting better as time went by, but a cloud had begun to grow atop Siehtagas/Šielmmáčohkka. I sat enjoying myself in sunlight which this cloud diminished from time to time, looking all around with my binoculars, but the only thing of interest I spotted was the cottage site. Soon, however, I heard the sound of a snowmobile coming down the valley, and it stopped on one of the many bare patches immediately below for a while before continuing, soon returning to the ice where it made slow progress. Just as it turned up the western slope among the trees a sudden sound exploded between the mountainsides, and I spotted a helicopter coming straight for me from eastern Reaiddáčohkka, passing by up Visttasvággi at a low altitude – and at the same time the snowmobile was passing over the dragon tail of Siehtagas.

Now it was mostly sunny and nice, and looking up at the impressive shapes of Bossosčohkka it was easy to lose my sense of scale (or perhaps to acquire another) and think myself in the Himalaya – but then another chopper descended over Ö Bossosglaciären, continuing down Visttasvággi, thus damaging the illusion. The clouds were on the increase again and more often than not the sun was hidden, so after some extra hot chocolate I got up again.

Still in Sweden?

Helicopter passing over
Ö Bossosglaciären...

...past Bossosčohkka

I started out by walking back down to where I had left the skis, noting that it seemed much lighter/better off to the southeast now. I then started going down the snowfields at my disposal, where making turns was a bit tricky due to the shape of the slope and the softness of the snow. I mostly followed the same route as I had done going up, finding better conditions a bit further down. Another helicopter flew by and then I heard another snowmobile; this one pulled a large load behind it, and from what I could make out at a distance the driver appeared to be from STF, so I guessed that this was the new incinerator being transported out. He stopped below to check upon the cargo while I followed the snow down past the tree line, where it was rather good. The snowmobile was still immobile, so I wondered whether whoever it was had noticed my approach and was waiting for me, but as I was skiing out towards Visttasjohka it moved off again.

Back at the ice I did as before, but I tried to stick with what track there was. The clouds were still gathering strength, and a particularly large one had positioned itself immediately upon Siehtagasglaciären. When the first trees appeared on the eastern side I left the stream, skiing on or beside the summer trail, taking detours when bare areas appeared. It was now warm and still, and the clouds started to break apart once more. I came to an open part which offered some nice views, and skiing was not at all bad either, despite the thinness of the snow. As I was passing above the ice mire I heard a snowmobile engine going into the western distance, so there would obviously be no encounter at Vistas today.

I was still on the summer trail, but soon I lost it and started going down a little bit, but then came upon it again, only to lose it in favor of animal paths and suchlike where I found super-fresh fox tracks (clearly from the same day/morning). When I came to the snowmobile track going up/down the slope I turned towards the stream, making my way through the trees on the side of this track, since it had grown rather deep and then frozen in place, and here the snow was beautifully spring-like. I covered the final short bit at the ice-edge as usual, being greeted by a new and (literally) shiny incinerator, prominently placed, at 14:45.

Grass

Ice

Grass and ice

On the trail

Forest view

The new incinerator

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