Monday 18/8

Cushioned by the soft ground I slept very well, arising at 06:45. The rain had stopped early on, and now the sky was partly clear even though clouds were drifting around the peaks. Said clouds appeared to be slowly lifting at first, but after breakfast they did the opposite. Having shaken off as much water as I could from the tent I packed up and left at 09:15, with some anxious looks on an approaching mist off to the east.

I returned to the path, which had a few cairns here since there were some stones to create them from. I went steeply up over the threshold as the shower behind me reached Liddubákti, and then continued my attempts to stay clear of the high grass, which was of course even wetter now. In any case walking was still nice, and my knee was also fully manageable. Surprisingly, another single hiker was approaching from the opposite direction, and we stopped to talk – and it was several moments before I recognized Fredrik, an old study buddy, who had spent the night at the western end of the valley. Eventually we parted ways, and I went on in intermittent sunlight, still following the path which soon began to climb across the northern slope towards the pass immediately north of Unna Ruškkaš.

Flowering still

Rain in the east

Sun in the west

The last bit up was stony, and then I stood at the crest overlooking the length of Neasketvággi, after another nice visit to this inviting valley. I passed north of the first tarn, negotiating a cliff hurdle, and soon left the irregular line of cairns leading off westwards and instead made my way past the heights east of lake 958. Ahead in this direction the weather looked very fine, but a shower was moving north over Neasketvággi. The way down to the western end of Gaskkamus Čuhčajávri was easy enough, and I met another hiker shortly before the end of the slope. The shower was just catching up, and I went over to a conveniently placed rock of appropriate size and used it as shelter.

Valley end

Pass

Almost at the top

At the top

Series of tarns

Darker behind

Álitoajvve far away

Curving Sealggá

Hilly

Going down into Čuhčavággi

Closeup of Rabots glaciär

It turned out to be rather a heavy shower, so I remained there for a good while, getting up again when it eventually started petering out. The stream from 958 was easily passed on stones, and even though I was now officially on a marked trail there were only a few shoddy cairns and faint traces of a path. I met another two people, and saw two more on the other side of the main stream, and it was some time before I was out of the grassy region and both the path and the trail markings got clearer. The wind was getting stronger, but so was the sunlight as the clouds were moving on. I continued around a corner in the terrain, and soon found shelter behind another large rock right beside the water at 12:15.

Čuhčavággi behind

Čuhčavággi ahead

Going around the bend

I finished the last of the Keb rolls for lunch, and left after another short bout of drops carried by the wind. The sun was still shining as I crossed another wet area, soon aided by duckboards, and after that the path was much better, as were the cairns – for the most part. The landscape was hilly and stony, but amiable despite the aridness. As I proceeded westwards the wind grew in strength, and I passed underneath another circling/shrieking buzzard that obviously lived in one of the rocky hills. There were more duckboards here and there, and then the path went over a ridge on the other side of which I met another hiker in brightly-colored full cover. Soon thereafter I passed the trail split towards Norway and Gautelishytta, and went by Huvki on very stony ground.

Curious formation

Winter trail

Sealggá rising

Lower fjelds to the northwest

Fuzzy buzzard

Rises

Waters

Rocky

Island

Rounding another bend

Gáiccajávri spotted

Sealggá still in cloud

At the crest overlooking Huvkijávri I spotted the Hukejaure cottage, still several kilometers away which felt a bit burdensome given that my knee had started to make painful protests again. More and more clouds were rolling in from the east as I continued down to the bridge marked on the map, which turned out to be in shambles, but the stream it was supposed to span was no trouble whatsoever at the moment. I then walked straight into another shower, but it was light enough (and the cottage close enough) that I ignored it. The ground was rather stony at first, got better, and then returned to stony as I approached the sign saying "Hukejaure 300 m" at 14:15, since the cottage does not lie on the trail. I covered the last distance with my aching knee, passing by the old hut on the site, and was greeted by Leif the warden outside.

Target of the day

Huvkijávri

Bridge no more

Shoreside shed

Almost there

Older residence

Huvkijávri and Huvki

We chatted for a bit but since the wind was still strong we soon went inside the cottage, which was empty save for Leif's wife. More talk followed while a few drops moved by outside; mists were moving in the distance, and now the sky was almost completely covered in clouds, excepting a corner in the direction of Norway. This state of affairs continued throughout the afternoon, and after dinner I went up onto a nearby hilltop for a better view across the lake over the Norwegian peaks far away. I spent most of the evening reading and even though it was getting chilly I never bothered with a fire, instead resorting to additional clothing. There was a warm light on the clouds so I made another ascent of the hilltop, from where I was treated to a spectacular evening view, and then read some more before tiredly hitting the sack at 21:45 while the wind howled outside.

Peaks of Norway

Ridges of Sweden