Monday 23/2

I followed the well-utilized snowmobile track down towards the boat jetty, breaking off onto an older one in the forest. After a while this track turned back on itself, but I went on ahead – which was not too easy given the depth of the snow and the denseness of the birches. Just as the trees gave way to a large open area I emerged onto another snowmobile track, which I stuck to until I passed an almost open brook, after which I turned onto a set of ski tracks following this brook down to Lájtávrre.

Upon reaching the lake I found open water, so I and the tracks both traced the shoreline around it, and then I broke off in the direction of a nearby canal. Here the snow was gálav, as the Sámi call it; somewhat deep and requiring some effort, but not truly hampering. Along the edge of the canal things were slightly better, and not long thereafter I reached another snowmobile track the packed nature of which of course facilitated progress significantly. At noon I approached a watch tower built for elk hunting purposes, and this I climbed for lunch purposes.

On track

Nammásj

Skierffe

Lake light

The stream...

...entering Lájtávrre

Nammásj by itself

While fiddling with the food I observed a snowmobile exiting the valley, staying among the first trees of the northern side. This fiddling turned out to be a little too fiddly, as I managed to spill out a good part of the instant soup powder, but since that which it was spilled onto was just snow I was able to save most of it and could have my lunch as planned. On skis again I continued upstream along the track, keeping to the northernmost canal. Just as the sun finally started showing signs of breaking through I came to a fresh animal track intersecting the track I was on, and I decided to follow it. I therefore turned southwards, staying close to the prints, trying to make out as much as I could in the soft, untouched snow; my immediate judgement had been wolverine, and soon enough I was convinced that this had been correct.

The track wound a bit to and fro, but in the large scale of things it cut straight across the delta, going through narrow bands of trees and crossing canal after canal. All the while visibility up Rapadalen was improving, and more and more blue was showing overhead. The condition of the snow was similar most of the way, and it felt good skiing in the virgin fluff. I was heading straight for a pronounced crevice in the wall of Tjahkkelij, crossing an open area where the tracks turned westwards, and after another tree strip they started following a narrow canal southwards again on its far side. I remained on the near side, and finally left the tracks be, instead turning towards home.

I crossed a pool where the snow was deeper and more arduous to ski through, and after crossing another canal I came onto an older snowmobile track. Aiming for the settlement clearing I tried staying on it, but out on the open ice most of it had been hidden by the wind, and whenever I lost it I sank deep. Having cleared the delta I was greeted by a veiled sun the light of which was rather nice, and skiing was really comfortable. I stuck to the track until I was close to the jetty, but since it just went on straight ahead I turned – and immediately it was back to wading. Close to the shore I reached another track, and this was the one that went all the way up to Aktse, so I followed that the rest of the way home, coming up to the cottages around 15:00.

On the spoor

Skierffe from below

Tjahkkelij crevice

Gierdogiesjtjåhkkå

Zoomed in on the cottage site

Some sun on Nammásj

More sun out on the lake

Good to follow

Skierffe and Slieŋgetjåhkkå

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