Saturday 11/7

Some drops fell just as I left, but they quickly passed. There was sun and wind on and off as I made my way up the northbound path, noting that the large snowfield near the start had been replaced by running water, and the fields higher up the slope had shrunk drastically since my last passing. Another change was that many (but not all) of the flowers had waned, so I was glad to have seen them in their heyday earlier.

Marker

Residence

Lower lake

High falls

Low falls

Studies

Glittering

Step carefully

Cloudy fjelds

The steeper snowfield near the top of the ravine was still there, however, and was still easily climbed. Once above the crest I broke off the path to scout for the nearest possible stream crossing, and after rounding a steep section I could make my way down to the water at a widening which looked promising. It was still a bit too deep for my boots, so I switched to the slippers and made my way across without trouble, and I found the temperature to be quite bearable.

Ravine up

Ravine down

Ground huggers

These too

Valley opening up

My route to be

Creeping

Passable

By then it was mostly cloudy, but visibility was unhampered. I passed north of a tarn, stepping over quite a deep canal leading out of it, and then found a line of cairns just as it turned and traced an eastward route, so I took to following them where visible. The ground was level and easily trodden, with a few wet patches, and after a while I made my own way. I was now high enough to see that Abiskoalperna were shrouded in more, lower clouds, and before long a light drizzle started, so I put the rain jacket on.

I maintained my altitude, passing over both a large snowfield crossed by footprints and a twin brook. As I caught sight of a tarn out near the edge of the wide shelf I was on I started making my way upwards at a shallow angle, passing between cliff-delimited sub-shelves. More snowfields started appearing, and after climbing up to a cairn on a rise I finally laid eyes on Frippe's fall straight ahead. I passed over another snowfield just below it, and went up to the flat area beside the top of the fall at 11:30.

First tarn

Cotton

Slowly ascending

Intermittent sun

Snowfields in play

More far-reaching views

Water in two forms

Abiskoalperna clouded

Shifting clouds

Norwegian peaks on the horizon

Catching sight of...

...Frippe's fall

As I sat on a flat rock the clouds over the peaks lifted, but a new haze was coming out of Norway to obscure Vássečohkka a bit. After some more drops in the air the clouds above broke up markedly, and it was suddenly sunny and fair – and warm. I had my lunch while absorbing an intriguing cloud show playing over mainly Abiskoalperna, being disturbed only by the large snowfield covering the upper part of the adjacent tarn releasing a significant section of itself into the water, creating both sound and waves.

Closeup

Billowing

Sharp

Lonely

Pointy

Step

The source tarn

A bit of sun

Fancy a shower?

Well, at least a hair wash

Passing shower of a different kind

Campsite

I left wearing the wind jacket, descending over the extensive snowfields below the fall. Above the sharp bend in the stream I came out onto the largest and thickest field yet, which was crossed by semi-fresh tracks which I followed for a short bit before turning off downwards again. The clouds, which had been pulled shut for a while, were breaking up again, and a weak sun was punching through now and then. At the next bend I came off the snow and continued following the stream downstream, passing a small shelf perfect for a high camp overlooking the valley which I also made a mental note of.

Under the snow

Upon the snow

Across the snow

Off from the snow

Gorsačohkka closeup

Downstream

Vuolimus Gorsajávri in view again

Lapporten from an unfamiliar angle

Shortly thereafter I came to another big snowfield with a considerable bergschrund, which I managed to get across so that I could then cross the snow itself. After that I walked westwards on wet grass, soon starting to descend the actual northern wall of the valley at a shallow angle. This progressed rather well, with a mixture of grass, low shrubs, flowers and some running water. As I reached the next snowfield barring the way forward I started going straight down the slope zigzag fashion, and once I was past the steepest part I followed openings in the brush leading up onto a rocky crest to my right, from where the continued route looked easy enough.

Close to the edge

Heading westwards

Schrund

In the slope

Valley floor

Stream behind

Nice terrain ahead

More falls

As I found a faint path of sorts to follow a light haze was passing over Vuolimus Gorsajávri from the east, bringing a few drops up to me. I crossed the next major stream easily by stepping on rocks, and then came down to the large meadow where a couple of tents were standing; they were unoccupied at the moment, but I could see some people over by the cottage. I followed the trail back, and upon reaching the Latnjajávri stream I found that I was just able to pass it in the boots now. I then followed a freshly painted detour which was not there when I walked out to the cottage, going above a wet area, but it was still rather muddy on this new path as well. I met the three people who had been pausing at the cottage, and was then repeatedly assaulted by a seagull which probably thought I was getting too close to its nest, before walking the last short bit through a fresh bout of very light rain to arrive before 14:15.

Approaching the ravine stream...

...but first this smaller one...

...and this larger one

On the meadow

Boot-fordable now

The attacking...

...seagull

Light haze just coming

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