Thursday 13/4

I awoke at 07:15, but delayed the actual getting up for another quarter. There were thick clouds hanging over the valley, but there were also cracks in them, and the presence of the sun could be perceived. It was fairly windy, but the snowing had stopped. During the morning chores – such as breakfast – a very light snowfall came on and off, and the clouds broke apart more and more, eventually revealing the sun itself. Since the other guests had been fetching water and emptying the swill buckets, I went down to the woodshed when I had finished packing and chopped some firewood, which I carried back to the cottage. Having done that, I could leave with a clear conscience at 09:30.

Low clouds in the morning...

...but the sun was breaking through

The snow was somewhat sticky underneath my skis, and I wondered how those with skis requiring wax would fare this day. It was calm in the forest just north of the cottages, but the wind kept changing in tune with the distribution of trees. Not long after I had started I met a snowmobile pulling a loaded sled, which meant that I had a fresh track to ski in, and it was therefore less sticky from there on. It seemed as though the weather was a bit clearer further ahead, and I could soon see far along the stretch of Čeakčavággi. When the trail started drawing close to Čeakčajohka, the same snowmobile as before passed me by, now with an empty sled, so I assumed it was a supply run to Kaitumjaure – snowmobiles are otherwise prohibited in that region.

Shortly thereafter, the snowmobile track broke off from the line of trail markers, running alongside Čeakčajohka instead of crossing it, and I decided to stay on the western bank as well. While the trail was still close, I "met" two skiers following the markers, and some time later I did meet a man who was also skiing beside the trail; we switched stream sides at the same time. I utilized his tracks, which went right by the stream – or even on it – since it was evident that the snow cover up on the actual trail was very scant. Out there, beneath the steep slopes of Stuor-Jiertá, the wind was appreciable, and I started looking for a large rock or something to stop by. At a point where the trail turned around a low outrunner of that fjeld, I found a patch of such rocks, and sat down in a heap of snow with my back against the largest of them at around 11:00.

The sun...

...wanting to reach out

Čeakčavággi stretching out ahead

Frozen Čeakčajohka, with Livamčohkka in the background

Čoalmmečohkka to the southeast

Looking back

An outrunner of Stuor-Jiertá, with the remnants of a hut below

Cloudy Sáŋarvággi to the northwest

Clearer views of Čeakčavággi...

...and the massifs around Kebnekaise

While I was sheltered from the wind at first, there were a few gusts that brought whirling snow, and when I had just finished eating this turned into a constant drift, so I had to get up and secure that which I didn't want to get wet once the powder started to melt. Since there was no real point in staying anyway, I went on to pack up, and was on my way again after a mere half hour.

As I passed Stuor-Jiertá by, the (south)easterly wind grew stronger and more continuous, and there were hints of snow in it. I mostly kept down on the frozen stream; where there was ample snow on the trail itself, it often went up and down low hills, whereas the ice was, of course, flat. It appeared to get increasingly dense and white behind, which was contrasted by the rather good northeastern view – there was even a bit of sun on the sides of Siŋŋičohkka, Guobirčohkka and Duolbanjunečohkka. To the west, however, there was nothing but low clouds.

The sun not giving up

The wedge of Liddubákti through the snow

More of Čeakčavággi

Sun and snow

The Singi cottages crouching before Duolbanjunečohkka and Guobirčohkka

Worse weather to the south

Low ceiling in Neasketvággi

Last look back before arriving at the cottages

There were a good deal of people at the cottages when I arrived at 12:45, although many of these, including a larger group, soon left for Kebnekaise fjeld station, defying the wind. I skied to the wardens' cottage to get accommodation instructions, and was placed in a cottage of the same type as the previous two days. There were quite a few people inside as well, but most of these were just taking a food break and one after the other dropped out. Although it was still rather early, the weather made me establish a residence in an empty room straight away, starting a fire to dry some clothes.

Before long I acquired a number of roommates, who took over the fire work; other people also kept coming and going. The weather had deteriorated, and visibility was declining in all directions. There were a few additional arrivals, and then the company seemed fixed. I read for quite some time, having a light snack meanwhile, and then started making a crossword (available here, in Swedish). I was seated together with a group of seven at the larger table, and we got talking; they also offered me some candy and a snifter.

Looking south...

...and northwest

Later on, one of the wardens came in to take payments. Since I intended to mount Giebmegáisi in case of fair weather the next day, I queried her about conditions along the route to the top. Five people had made the ascent the day before, out of which the first two (who were Czech) had started early and had magnificent views, whereas the latter three had been overtaken by the clouds in the afternoon; there had been next to perfect tracks all the way, but the present near-storm and snowing would surely change that. The recently befriended group was also planning on going up, but weather conditions didn't exactly look favorable as it was.

I made dinner at 17:30, by which time the winds had grown very strong and visibility had dropped drastically; the outside was almost completely white, and even the act of simply exiting the cottage was far from easy. Therefore, it was quite a surprise when two guys in thin athletes' wear arrived, having come from Alesjaure some 36 (!) km away. They had actually intended to continue on to Kebnekaise, but the weather had become too difficult even for them, so they had resolved to take refuge for the night in Singi.

I played some solitaire and continued to work on the crossword, and was later, together with another guest, offered to finish the pasta that the group had not managed to finish themselves, which I not particularly reluctantly agreed to. Things were now really bad outdoors, and the chimneys rattled noisily. I spent some time reading, and was then invited to play a few simple games with the group, which I did while having my evening snack. I went to bed at 22:00, to the great roar of the blizzard raging outside the window.