Friday 27/2

I went up the summer trail on the telemark skis, finding my previous tracks in fairly good shape, even though reindeer had stepped quite a lot in them at places. In among the birches I found a partially new route, and then turned up where they grew more sparse. The surface was somewhat hard but underneath the snow was soft, which meant that the tips of my skis were prone to getting stuck, but I managed alright. I held a slanting course westwards, going above Aktsegállo and finding the inevitable wolverine tracks. There was a chilling wind and from the east some light clouds had started approaching.

After crossing into Sarek my course up Måskoktjåhkkå was not far from the cairns marking the summer path to Skierffe. After Slieŋgetjåhkkå I tried to maintain my altitude, going around the bowl formed between this summit and Skierffe proper, but I ended up going down a bit anyway, which was not particularly quick due to the friction from the climbing skins. I proceeded up to a "bump" just north of the main rise of Skierffe, and since it was very stony in both these places I took off my skis and continued on foot. What snow there was was mostly hard, but the ascent was unproblematic; often I could see marking cairns, but for the most part I kept to the west of them. With a sudden absence of transition unusual for the Swedish fjelds I found myself myself at the peak at 11:45...

Up

The goal of the day

Aktsegállo and Tjahkkelij

Bårdde

Guolleluoppal etc.

Still going up

Sarek panorama from Slieŋgetjåhkkå

White Niehter

...and immediately set about photographing. This spot is universally hailed as one of the absolute best anywhere, backed up by imagery of the staggering 700-m drop down to the valley floor – the precipice is so steep that it would take roughly ten seconds to hit the ground should one slip over the edge (twelve if one makes a clean jump to avoid the sharply slanting rockfields at the base). Below the entire Rapa delta is sprawled out, and in summer the glacier silt carried by Ráhpaädno gives lively hues to the scene. At the moment everything stood out in shades of grey, white and wintery blue, but the delta as such was clear as the canals are lined by trees. The view is not for the vertiginous, but there is much more to appreciate – the vista in over Rapadalen and Sarek is a fine one, and there was not a single cloud to mar it. It was also sunny and mostly windless, which made my lunch break very pleasant, sitting at this pinnacle of rock feeling high.

On the edge...

...of the precipice...

...overlooking the delta...

...and Nammásj

Bielloriehppe

Jågåsjgaskaláhko

Part of Alep Suobbatjávrre

Lullihatjåhkkå

The Aktse clearing

Panorama in over Sarek, from Nammásj to Niehter

Panorama over the Bårdde massif and part of Gådoktjåhkkå

Panorama from Bielloriehppe to Skoarkki

Finally I arose and walked down a bit along the edge to the west, disturbing a couple of birds of prey in the process. A short distance down there is a displacement in the cliff which I walked out on – and turning around I was struck with force by the sheer presence of the great wall behind me. I then returned up and continued down on the eastern side, this time keeping my distance to the edge since it was covered in snow and I could not judge whether there was an overhang or not. I sat down at a large cairn and looked out over Lájtávrre and the lowlands to the east for a while, and then went back to the top. There I took to examining the land with my binoculars, seeing some snowmobiles out on Kungsleden, but also three figures moving into the Park along the northern edge of the delta – clearly Anne-Sophie and her dogs. When they were directly underneath I started my descent, just as the sun disappeared into a cloud.

Wow!

"Would you look at that?"

A look west...

...and a look east

Vássjábákte

Not only that, but the cliff itself cast the slope in deep shadow, and a weak but chilling wind was in effect. After a slightly more straight journey I was back at my skis, which I put on and proceeded up Bassoajvve. The way up was easy enough, but on the flattened summit much rock had been exposed by the wind. The view northwards across Jågåsjgaskaláhko was excellent, though, and I stood there for a while before switching to downhill mode, selecting the best line to hold from my elevated vantage point. The snow was very hard and uneven but it went pretty well anyway, and even though the telemark equipment had been somewhat of an inconvenience on the way up I was now glad for the increased stability.

The next slope down to Måskoktjåhkkå was similarly hard at first but after a bit it improved and I got some nice turns out of it. The sun was now back, and things were a bit warm as I came to the end of the eastern outrunner above Måskoktjåhkkå, where I "looked over the edge" before turning southeast. Here the snow was pretty good, and in short fashion I was gliding across the southern slope of Doaresoajvve at speed. I crossed my own upward tracks at a shallow angle and went on above the treeline to the "skiing crest" I had discovered earlier.

There I turned down a bit earlier than before, and quickly came to the conclusion that with better snow conditions this would be a great slope. In among the birches things were, however, slightly dangerous at the moment, due to present conditions – careless going might well have ended in a broken leg or two as the risk of suddenly getting stuck was one to be reckoned with. Things were better in the coniferous region, even though here there were more large rocks to navigate between. This I did without much difficulty, and the last bit down was good as usual, letting me out at the cottages after 14:45.

Line of peaks

Niehter & c:o

More of Jågåsjgaskaláhko

Ábbmojåhkå

The length of Njunjes

The condition of the slope

« Return to Aktse report