Tours › 2007 › Kebnekaise: Day Tours › 20/4

Friday 20/4

Hydrologist cave

Horizontal distance:	11 km
Vertical distance:	+600 m, -600 m
Time:	4 h 15 min
Lunch break:	–
Dinner:	–
Night accommodation:	–
Stage classification:	Easy/Medium
Map point:	Hydrologist cave

It was a few minutes after 14 when Anna A, Nina, Petter, Magnus, Sofia, Håkan and I set out for the cave, which is situated high up the eastern slope of Giebmečohkka. The recent snowfall had created the appearance of a viable snow cover, but due to the severe lack of the stuff before it was not particularly thick in many places. As a result, we progressed carefully at a modest pace until we reached better snow closer to Darfálvággi. Around there there was also a bit of wind, but still warm and fair, and the peaks had clouds around them. We followed the snowmobile track up into the valley, meeting a surprisingly large number of people coming down, grouped into several different companies of varying size. The sun shone mercilessly on us, and the few gusts of wind that came down the valley were not quite enough to fully alleviate the heat.

Upon going round the bend in the middle of Darfálvággi it became clear the it wasn't clear in the upper valley, but that didn't really matter since that was not our goal. Before starting the ascent to the cave which was our goal, Nina and Magnus decided to head back rather than continue all the way up, so we were five who started to climb. I had brought my climbing skins, so I put those on, and Petter had been using his all the way, but the others had to go serpentine fashion. Going up was fairly easy, although there were more and more cold gusts of wind the higher we got, and there was also a little bit of snow whirling around in the air.

Just enough snow to ski on

More than enough snow to ski on

Skárttoaivi behind the drift

Clouds in upper Darfálvággi

Södra and Norra Klippberget

The Hydrologist groove...

...with a number of ski tracks

Still cloudy further up

Closer to...

...the cave

Darfálčorru on the other side

We left the skis a short distance below the opening and proceeded in on foot – and the first thing we encountered was in fact Lars, who had walked there on snowshoes to photograph. This "discovery" also tied in well with an observation I thought I had made from the valley floor, namely that of a figure up around the cave opening. He was on his way back now, however, so we went in "alone". Anna, Petter and myself turned around at adjacent points a bit inside, where the light was failing, but Sofia and Håkan were set on walking through the tunnel, which would bring them out near the Giebmečohkka plateau – the cave is perennial and open in both ends, unless drifting snow has temporarily closed it.

The rest of us waited at our skis, but when we had heard or seen no sign of any returnees for quite a long time, Petter decided to go in again and take a look, just to be on the safe side. Not long thereafter, of course, the pair came walking down above ground, and then we had to wait for Petter instead! He did hear my yell, though, and came back in quick fashion. We couldn't leave straight away, however, because Sofia and Håkan had for some reason left their ski poles at the top of the cave, so they had to go up again to get them, but then we were finally on our way; it was getting a bit cold as the rise of Giebmečohkka effectively blocked the sinking sun.

It was evident from the ascent that the descent would be a good one; the snow was such that even with cross-country skis conditions were very favorable. It wasn't optimal, though – there was a bit too much ice (or rather icy snow) underneath the powder cover – but it was definitely a fun run down. By then the clouds had taken their leave of the upper valley, revealing the familiar peaks in all their majesty. Gliding down the length of the valley was easy, but not as effortless as last time, which was probably a combination of slightly less advantageous snow and some headwind.

When we reached a set of ski tracks cutting through the slope/crest at the "corner" of Giebmečohkka, right above where the hanging snowdrift starts, we set about following those, thereby going back towards the station "from above" at an oblique angle, where there was slightly more snow. There were still – or perhaps again – clouds positioned around the western peaks, and since that was also where the sun was the effect was a valley bathed in a special soothing light. Unfortunately, just before reaching Skarta, around 18:15, I managed to slip and had the misfortune of hitting my coccyx on a rock. That hurt.