Tours › 2007 › Kebnekaise Tour 1: Sälka › Day 4

Saturday 3/3

Singi – Kebnekaise

Horizontal distance:	14 km
Vertical distance:	+120 m, -240 m, +100 m
Time:	3 h 45 min
Lunch break:	45 min
Dinner:	–
Night accommodation:	–
Stage classification:	Medium/Hard
Map points:	Singi, Kebnekaise

The gales levelled out to a hard and continuous wind during the night, and it was the same when I woke up early; visibility was nearly nonexistent due to drifting snow. Ludvig came in with the weather report, which said that the wind was to decrease during the day, and then he went out into the storm to clear the water hole. Things were looking a little better overhead, and I decided to bide my time. A bit later it seemed to be clearing all around, but the clouds quickly discovered the breach in their ranks and compensated, and then it became worse with much snow. When the clouds started to lift again I readied myself for departure, and this time visibility seemed to remain at acceptable levels.

When I left around 09:45 there was much less wind than it had been, and the snowfall had stopped as well. In any event I had the wind at my back, and the gusts which were now only of intermediate power were of no concern. Drifting snow was also at a minimum, hardly reaching above the tips of my skis, and as I continued up the slope Neasketvággi crept out from the mist behind me. Clouds were shifting all the time and when I reached the crest they closed in somewhat. I met two snowmobiles beneath Liddubákti, and inside Láddjuvággi I had some vision now and then; the wind wasn't that bad anymore but clouds were low. Having passed the bend I could see Lillberget in the distance, and a bit later, at 11:30, I stopped for lunch.

Just leaving

Passing Unna Jierttáš

Snow structures close by

Neasketvággi filled with cloud

Moving snow

The clouds lifting from Neasketvággi...

...but not from southern Čeakčavággi

Liddubákti emerging ahead

Whiteness in Láddjuvággi

Underneath Liddubákti

Rear trail

Skárttoaivi with cap

Reaching the bend

Behind

In front

Closer to Skárttoaivi

I dug a hole in a shallow slope and pulled the wind sack over me, having my meal in its rather warm interior. When I looked out again 45 minutes later things had taken a drastic turn for the worse – the wind was appreciably stronger, and the limit of vision had been moved back all around. As I continued out into the open valley it got worse still; the wind seemed to increase by the meter, and whether I wanted it or not I was pushed along. This turned troublesome when I was passing over the heathland, for the already scant snow cover had seen much abrasion and I frequently had to dig the skis' steel edges in to avoid running over bare rocks.

Even though there were sunlit spots on Duolbagorni (when I could catch sight of it) and it seemed clear far above, things were really bad down in the valley. This was especially true around Lillberget, where I couldn't see to the next trail marker when the gales hit – heck, I could hardly see the trail marker beside me! The only sensible course of action was to mentally plot a course when I could see ahead when there was only very hard wind, ski on for as long as possible, and then brace myself with the poles when an extremely hard gale was approaching from behind and ride it out – and then repeat. When I eventually reached the trees below the station I turned off the trail, aiming straight for the main building – and when I was going up the last slope at around 13:30 it was actually not so bad. Once at the goal I went directly to the canteen to have a well earned snack.