Monday 23/3

The various indentations in the snow up the slope had grown rather hard, but I had no problem finding grip. When the birches started growing farther apart I broke off to the left, cutting across the upper snowfields I had been telemarking upon. Looking back I saw some light clouds around the peaks of Bårdde, but otherwise things were improving by the minute. Up until then the snow had been good for skiing, but above the forest my climbing skins started getting stuck in the hardened surface every now and then. Soon I turned up the slope and headed for the western slope of Doaresoajvve, and now there was a fair bit of biting headwind. When the slope flattened out I came to a snowmobile track I followed for a while, and then I stopped to remove my skins – one of them had come loose from the base due to the aforementioned problem, but since it was fixed at both ends I had not noticed it before.

Now heading around Bassoajvve I found the snow much better, and the wind had subsided as well. I tried maintaining my elevation as I rounded the rise, but since the slope was broken up into smaller hills and suchlike this was not always easy, and at one point I had to survey the continued route carefully in order to select an appropriate line to hold. Just before I had completed the turn the snow turned hard and uneven, but after it was back to nice'n'soft, and going down to one of the uppermost arms of Ábbmojåhkå was enjoyable. The sky was all but clear as I crossed the remaining distance to the base of Niehter, and looking at my watch I found that I had made good time thus far.

The lake(s)

A few clouds still about

Jågåsjgaskláhko

The reindeer-watching hut

Tjålle

White Niehter

Parts of...

...the Bårdde massif

As for the following climb, my eyes had started scanning the slope for suitable routes as soon as it came into view, quickly picking out three possibilities. As I got closer it had become evident that only two of these were probably safe from an avalanche standpoint, and now that I stood facing the slope I saw that this later assessment had been correct. So, I put the skins back on and then started up, keeping close to the stream ravine between Gierdogiesjtjåhkkå and Suorkisjnjurttje and keeping a close eye on the slope. After a somewhat more exposed passage I came to a region of rocks beside which I continued upwards, and then the slope levelled out beside the much flattened ravine. Here I turned left up among more rocks where the snow was scant, so eventually I had to carry the skis for a bit, but then I could put them back on and continue up the northeastern side of Gierdogiesjtjåhkkå.

Higher up there were more of both stones and wind, and at the western crest of the little plateau I now found myself upon I took off the skis again. From there the view was fantastic, and all traces of cloud were now gone. I walked up onto the actual summit to photograph around 11:15, after which I went down a little ways to a rock formation giving shelter from the wind, where I sat down to have lunch with the Bårdde, Gådoktjåhkkå and Bielloriehppe massifs before my eyes and a group of passing reindeer below.

Skierffe below(!)

Ábbmojåhkå's ravine

Suobbattjåhkkå to the south

Vájggántjåhkkå across Rapadalen

Panorama from Gierdogiesjtjåhkkå: Darregájsse, Bårdde, Gådoktjåhkkå, Bielloriehppe and parts of Oalgásj

Suorkisjnjurttje

Closeup of the highest Bårdde peaks

My chosen spot mostly lay in the shadow, so it was not too warm, but there was another reason I did not stay there long. See, the summit of Niehter was now within easy reach, and I felt a strong drive to complete the climb; I was really looking at an extraordinary vista at the moment, but I simply could not settle down to enjoy it with the white peak beckoning me. (It is true that this very effect has brought about fatal outcomes at places like Everest, but in this case there was simply no reason not to give in to it.)

Before setting off again I switched to the thicker gloves, and then I carried the skis down to the saddle below where the rocks were covered by snow again. Said snow was great from there on, and it was with great ease that I went up along the edge of the stones higher up. On the little plateau east of the summit I passed through these stones, which were sparser there, and now the wind was increasing again. The last bit to the top I covered from the northeast, finishing the ascent after 12:30. The view that greated me was spectacular, with Sarek peak after Sarek peak on the horizon, all the way from Bårdde to Ähpár.

I stepped out of the bindings and walked down to where the western slope started for real to remove any visual impairments, but I could not do anything about the rise of Rådnik that blocked quite a bit – a bit of a shame, that, for an elevated view of Rapaselet from this perspective would surely have been something. In the far east dark clouds had started amassing, and soon some light ones were beginning to show up around Ähpár. Up there on the top the northwesterly wind was hard indeed, not to mention cold, so I stayed no longer than perhaps a quarter of an hour before casting one last sweeping glance at the perfect sight and then starting down again.

Those animals

Suorkisjnjurttje looking less pointed

Gierdogiesjtjåhkkå behind

The rest of Sarek ahead

Panorama from the peak of Niehter: Bårdde, Gådoktjåhkkå, Bielloriehppe, Dielmmá/Oalgásj, Skoarkki and Ähpár

Niehtervágge immediately below

Ähpár further away

Fjelds to the north

Gådoktjåhkkå closeup

Bielloriehppe closeup,
with Ridátjåhkkå behind

Skoarkki closeup

Southeast

South

Southwest

I followed in my own track until after the plateau, where I simply went on straight ahead out onto a very nice snowfield. Here conditions were excellent for my special kind of touring-ski telemark, and I enjoyed the descent to the start of the stream immensely. I then followed its course until I reached my previous tracks from the way up, which I proceeded to cross. I came to a good slope with hard but even snow, and going down there was easy enough even though I was careful to note any changes. It should come as no surprise that this all landed me right in the middle of the second safe route I had espied earlier, and I reached the bottom of the slope feeling perfectly secure all the time.

From there I held a somewhat lower course compared to before, heading pretty much due east, and for the second time in a few days I found a set of pristine lynx tracks. After ascending the gentle slope on the other side of Ábbmojåhkå I suddenly came across a couple of fresh ski tracks which I was positive had not been there in the morning, and from their direction I surmised that they were headed for Skierffe. At the end of the little hills north of Bassoajvve I found myself a nice rock to pause by, which I did after 14:15 and brought out my prepared afternoon snack.

Gidátjårro beyond Bassoajvve

The ravine

White Jågåsjgaskaláhko

Farewell to Niehter

After relaxing for a while in the growing shadows I got up and got going again, exiting Sarek close to my return route from Jågåsjgaskaláhko, the marks of which could be clearly seen. I continued up the westernmost parts of Doaresoajvve as some layers of clouds started appearing above and behind me, and for some reason I found the remaining portion until the downhill slope started somewhat tiresome. Going down was moderately good at first, but after I had reestablished contact with my upward tracks things took a turn for the worse, what with all the hard and polished snow.

When I reached Aktsegállo I entered the forest, crossed my telemark tracks, made some long shallow turns, and eventually ended up on the main upward track. Here progress was rather difficult, as the surface was still hard indeed while the substrata were not, so controlling the skis was similarly hard. At the subsequent turn I continued straight ahead the same way I had come down from the Jågåsjgaskaláhko tour, and even though it was easier here I still came close to falling a couple of times. This time Kjell was present, so I talked some with him before covering the last bit home through the trees above the settlement, finally concluding this final journey before 15:45.

I can see my house from here!

Glittery delta

Peaks

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