Wednesday 18/7 – part two

I chose not to wear the jacket, and only suffered a few light drops because of it. The full weight of the rucksack felt a bit heavy at first, used as I was to the light day tour pack, but it quickly faded since it did not in fact weight that much. I soon passed two of the day visitors, and after passing through the reindeer fence I met another four people. The distance up to the lower hut path felt long, and I compensated (as it were) by taking longer steps. I passed two more groups of people who had stopped by Kaitumjaure earlier, and then another trio just before the campsite stream. There was a bit of wind, and it increased as I got higher, but it was still good.

On the move

At Gáidumjohka

Bridge over said johka

Gáidumjohka with...

...Sáŋaroalgi

Ascending

I left the trail as soon as the ground levelled out, again choosing the right-hand side. Now that everything had leaves it was even nicer than last time, but the Sarekkian peaks were hidden in cloud. I "met" a handful of people (and a dog) walking on the trail, and when the terrain started to get bushy/bumpy I returned there myself, in much the same place as before. The broken bridge had been replaced by a metal one – obviously connected to the helicopter I had observed heading this way the day before. After the first muddy bit of the slope down I headed off on a side path leading out to the waterfalls. The path soon disappeared, but I continued to follow the rise I was on downwards, passing a shallow gully to the next one once it ended, and then picked my way back to the actual trail. I reached it just ahead of another two earlier cottage visitors, and since they had no walking sticks their downward speed was very slow in the steep slant, so I reached the bottom well before them.

Livamvággi entrance

Crossing Muorki

Livamčohkka

Next valley within reach

Gállaktjåhkkå

New bridge

Stream above waterfall

Winter trail detour

Teusa valley

Almost there

I said hi to one of the wardens (Gunnel) outside the warden's cottage and talked for a bit; the other one (Per) was busy driving people across the lake. There weren't many people present otherwise (but the place had been full the preceding night), so Gunnel offered me a bed in the older cottage since that has the best view. When Per returned I talked some with him out on the new jetty and then relaxed inside. Gunnel had lit the sauna in preparation of early female guests, but as there did not appear to be any (that were staying, anyway) she soon came over and said that it was now free-for-all. I intended to wait until after dinner, however, and spent the time looking about the place, the outdoor parts of which were much leafier now than during my last visit. There were some mists mainly off to the west, but as I ate these lifted – and then it was sauna time.

Warden's cottage

View from...

...the older cottage

Per returning

Manual transportation

Pretty

Lush

The German camper from the day before, who had put up his tent on the best spot adjacent to "my" cottage, had the same idea at the same time, and we joined forces in the very warm sauna chamber. I made one visit to the lake, but it was not entirely comfortable due to the sharp rocks on the way, although the immersion itself had the intended effect. Through the window I observed a couple with a dog who appeared to have rowed themselves across, so it looked like I would be getting company since I had taken up residence in the dog room. Then the sun suddenly broke through, and remained out after I had clothed myself, so I went for a little walk before returning to the cottage.

The dog turned out to be a Japanese spitz whose primary function seemed to be that of a stand-in doorbell, but it was a pleasant acquaintance. I rested while they availed themselves of the sauna in turns (excluding the doggie), feeling drowsy from my own session. When Per came in to collect payment later he said that there were only two other guests, plus the German man in the tent, so it was a quiet evening for him and Gunnel, and he used the opportunity to take out the boat for a fishing tour with some private guests. It was still fairly nice outside so I went for an evening stroll myself, and when I returned my roommates had already gone to bed, so I did the same at 21:30.