Tuesday 6/4

The tracks leading up through the forest were now hard indeed, and I left them as soon as the forest got a bit thinner, going straight up the slope. The crust held beautifully all the way, and after making my way through a slight jumble or two I emerged onto my previous upward tracks, above which there were some bare patches.

Up at the main track I found the fresh tracks of the trio who had come down this way the day before, and I took to following those until I had cleared the trees, going up to the next crest beside a little ravine. Up there there were some reindeer, and the ground was bare in more places, which brought about some stepping-on-heath with my skis on. Below one of the two marked ravines higher up Vássačorru there was a wider band of snowlessness, but since it was similarly soft it was of no great concern. After that the snow was good again, and I involuntarily chased some of the reindeer ahead of me as I proceeded up towards Vássaloamijávri, spotting a predator kill along the way.

Before catching sight of the lake, however, I turned up the slope somewhat, eventually coming back to the trio's tracks that held quite a high course. Here the snow was hard and there were some rocks about; some stretches felt steep and a bit uncertain, but repeated pole tests assured me that the inclination was on the safe side. Looking both up and down I registered the presence of some very nice unbroken snowfields, with similar safety margins, which boded well for my plans of using Vássanjunnji for telemarking later on. Off to the south/southeast a cloud front had been lingering, covering a bit of Guhppusčohkka for a while, but now it was retreating, although now that I could see farther it looked as though Čievrraláhku was wrapped in cloud.

Bálggástakčorru

Panorama over Stuor Reaiddávággi and the surrounding peaks

Vássaloamijávri

Higher peaks rising

Lower Visttasvággi

More peaks

Stuor Reaiddávággi disappearing

Having reched the end of the slope I admired the valley view for a while, and then continued along a snowmobile track close to the main rise of Vássanjunnji, noting several wolverine tracks on the side. The snow was nice and cold and I kept the climbing skins on as I made the short and flat descent to Vássajávri, during which I found some nice lynx prints. I could see that rather than taking the straight route down from the Mårma pass (which I maintain should not be called a pass), the trio had kept to the right (their right) of a dividing rise, which gave them a good run down a nice little slope that ended near this lake.

That was where I headed too, making my way up beside the tracks so as not to ruin the snow for my own descent later – at the moment the surface of the snow was just in the breaking state, so I figured that it would not be long before the strong sun would transform it into something better. Speaking of the sun, it was warm enough that I had to remove my jacket, and having done so I considered what to do next. Looking up towards the "pass" I did not quite like what I saw with regard to the shape of the slope and the remaining distance to it, and looking at my clock it was clear that it was time for lunch anyway, so I went up onto the nearby rise and looked for a suitable stone to sit down against after 12.

Crest view: southwest...

...south...

...and east

The "pass" ahead

Vássabahta northwestwards

It was entirely still and very warm, so I quickly had to remove the down vest I had put on as a matter of course. The view from this site was nothing special, and I felt eager to accomplish something more with this tour. Looking about another idea formed in my mind: to ascend Vássačohkka instead. The route up just beside the glacier on the near side looked easy enough from where I was sitting, and the distance did not seem daunting; I did not even have to reach the actual summit, for what I really wanted to attain was as wide a view as possible towards the peaks on the other side of Vássačorru. I quickly resolved to do just this, and was soon moving again.

I went straight up the slope as planned, skirting the edge of the glacier, which was not visible itself, so I looked for protruding rocks to be on the safe side. The snow was wavy from wind affection, but the sun had turned it soft enough – and it was still really warm and windless. One after another the peaks rose behind the ridge of Vássačorru/Vássanjunnji, and the higher I got the grander the vista became. I started drifting towards the right, still being conscious about the adjacent glacier, and now that I could see more to the southwest I noted the continued presence of a large cloud upon Čievrraláhku, and it also seemed as though there were low clouds sitting in Láddjuvággi.

Some of the highest peaks of Sweden

Panorama over said peaks, plus more, from the southeastern slope of Vássačohkka

Vássačorru

The "pass" looking a bit more like a pass

The end of Visttasvággi

When the slope started levelling out I increased my speed, turning more to the right – and suddenly the nearby peak 1938 appeared, giving a mighty impression. About there I took off my skis and walked/jogged the rest of the way to the summit (1725), putting the jacket back on as there was now a bit of wind again. The view of Moarhmmáglaciären was astonishing, although Höktopparna were not particularly impressing from this perspective – especially not compared to another perspective I've had. The summit was a flat one, and I walked around a bit to get better views in other directions as well, but in order to see the entire northern valley I would have to go so far that I did not think it worth the while, what with my having a time to meet back at the cottage and all. Looking back the way I had come I could see each and every peak in the greater Kebnekaise area standing out in crisp clarity, reinforcing the feel that this area has a character of its own – and it is one not commonly found in Sweden.

Wide panorama from Vássačohkka, extending from Darfálčohkka to Höktopparna

Large Moarhmmáglaciären

Höktopparna (Hawk Peaks)

View northwest...

...north...

...northeast...

...over Vierročohkka and Rássebávttáščohkka...

...east over Leavášvággi...

...and south over Visttasvággi

Giebmegáisi's Twin Peaks in the middle

Symmetrical Pyramiden

Šielmmáčohkka

Back at my skis I finally removed the climbing skins and then simply glided away from the hardened snow waves up there. Further down in Visttasvággi light clouds had started to form, and they were spreading at a slightly worrying rate, but should worst come to worst and everything be wrapped in fog I always had the trio's frozen tracks to follow. Those clouds were still low, however, and up where I was there were some mighty fine and even surfaces for my tour-mode telemark, and going down was just great. Before long I had to stop and take off the jacket again, however, since the wind had died down as soon as I left the higher plateau.

As I was executing one good turn after another I noted that a cloud was forming in the blind valley of the lakes immediately below, but it dissolved before I had reached the base, closer to which the snow offered slightly more resistance, but it was still good indeed. I continued down beside the others' tracks, finding that the snow there had not transformed enough for things to be entirely great, but it was good enough. Rather than following the tracks I then went straight down onto the lake, out on which I found the antlers of a reindeer sticking up through the snow, and a multitude of wolverine tracks going back and forth. The snow was still lose and cold, and the crystals glittered like crazy in the afternoon sun. I returned to the tracks once more, and skiing was rather comfortable back up to the crest beneath Vássanjunnji.

On my way down

Having come down

Cloudless again

Once there the valley clouds were dissipating, so everything was still visible in full. I started cutting across the slope below where I had come up, turning down a field here and there; these were hard as rock, and I really had to work to dig in the steel edges. Towards the western end of Vássaloamijávri I tried to maintain my altitude, ending up on the snowmobile track I had followed part of the way up. When it started going downhill again I stopped to have a drink fortified by glucose tablets, for I was starting to feel weary. I continued my high course, managing rather well to go around the rocks, but the bare area below the ravines could not be avoided.

Then I came onto the tracks again, only to take to a new snowfield that offered an easy way down to the next crest, where I saw a couple of people making their way upstream Visttasjohka. I found a good way down among the uppermost trees – again mostly keeping to the tracks – and once I could see the valley again I noted more people upon the central stream. The snowmobile track at the end of the shelf above the cottages had been trampled by many a reindeer during the day, but it was still passable. Then I made my way down through the sparser part of the forest zig-zag fashion, which went very well for the most part this time around since the snow now carried in full, and the last bit down I followed the snowmobile track, which was untouched there. Having reached Visttasjohka I skated for a bit, approaching the cottages at 15:30, where I could see movement.

Siehtagas/Šielmmáčohkka straight ahead

The entrance to Unna Reaiddávággi

Last bit down

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