Thursday 8/3

Once again the first thing I did was to weigh my rucksack at the service building, and this time it went up to 15 kg. The very next thing that occurred was that the camera batteries ran out, so I put in a fresh set before actually departing. Having learnt from past mistakes, I went down east of Mastberget and skied onto the trail straight away. It was pretty warm and a light westerly wind was blowing, but when I reached the shadow cast by Skárttoaivi – which I did almost at once – the temperature was comfortable for skiing. I followed old snowmobile tracks that were mostly covered in snow, but at Lillberget I could no longer make them out. I then met two Germans, and shortly thereafter, when I was crossing a sunlit area, I also encountered Malin and Sofia who were returning from a tour of their own. From there I first made my own way beside the recently produced ski tracks, but the snow was so rough that I soon gave in and utilized them anyway.

The peaks alight

Tracks in Jökelbäcken

Also fair to the east

Nearing the narrowing

Giebmegáisi in clear view

Under Duolbagorni

Going in

Looking into Siŋŋivággi

White Skárttoaivi

Lateral Duolbagorni view

Smoke at the foot of Liddubákti

Skárttoaivi again

As I rounded the valley's bend, I saw what looked like smoke around the base of Liddubákti, and when I had gotten a bit farther the source for this was evident – a massive cloud seemed to be covering the length of Čeakčavággi, sending out offshoots up into Láddjuvággi from time to time. One such offshoot soon engulfed me; at first I could see Siŋŋičohkka all the time, but after a while everything turned white. When I was passing Liddubákti the sun started breaking through and a hole in the cloud came into existence, but it didn't last long for when the downward slope started it was all back to white. After a brief period of wind it was entirely calm and quiet, and the fog grew even denser; at its worst I could just see from one trail marker to the next. Further down the slope visibility increased slightly, but since I could see no large-scale contours I had no perception of distances, and the last portion felt much longer than it was.

Fog in Čeakčavággi

Entering the haze

Dense

A bleak sun

A series of shots...

...depicting the gradual...

...emergence of Liddubákti...

...from the valley-hugging cloud

Having arrived at Singi I spoke with Ludvig outside the wardens' cottage – according to him the day had started out foggy, cleared around 11, and then returned to present conditions a few hours ago. Also this time I was the sole visitor – and again there had been none the preceding night – and I chose the same bed in the same room in the same cottage. I chopped a good deal of firewood and then started a fire in the stove in the common room, heating the pizza slices I had brought from Kebnekaise in the small oven compartment. After dinner I lit the bedroom heater as well and then sat reading while the temperature rose to pleasant levels, but outdoors the only change was the onset of a northerly wind.

Later I went over to Ida and Ludvig with some Kebnekaisian cinnamon rolls and we spent the evening talking. They were both going to the station on the next day, to celebrate Ludvig's 30^th birthday, and one of the Kaitumjaure wardens – Henry – would be taking over while they were gone. As I was turning in for the night there was less wind again, but my LED headband clearly disclosed the omnipresent cloud particles.