Tours › 2007 › Såmmarlappa: Day Tours › 4/9

Tuesday 4/9

Vuoksák

Horizontal distance:	9 km
Vertical distance:	+380 m, -380 m
Time:	4 h 15 min
Lunch break:	45 min
Dinner:	–
Night accommodation:	–
Stage classification:	Easy

Wearing my woolen thermal underwear to fend off the chilly air I proceeded to Vuoksákjåhkå through the bushes, in part along a new route, while the weather improved in my direction of motion. When I reached the first mire after the rapids I turned up the slope through damp grass, working my way upwards following tracks probably recently made by various animals; I also passed several patches of flattened grass, but none as big as the one of the elk at the foot of Gárddevárre. With the climbing effort it was now getting warmer, and down in the valley the sun was also making increasingly extensive visits. On an intermediate ledge below the easternmost summit of Vuoksák I stood admiring the vista, and presently the sun reached my position; the low clouds on the eastern side of the valley were also slowly lifting. The last precipitous portion up onto the east summit was traversed on a clear path, and then the elongated flat top of Vuoksák lay before me.

Leaving the cottage

Snow around Tarradalen...

...and on Vuoksákvahta

Passing the rapids

Looking back down Tarradalen

Vuoksák towering above

Light in the valley

Stájggá all white

Much snow to the west

Northwards

More valley-light

Clouds leaving Stájggá

Walking across the heath covering this ridge was very easy, and at times there were remnants of a path to follow. A wind was blowing and a mist obscured the western mountains, but now the sun was out in full. There were some small patches of slippery snow here and there, and the further west I got the larger and more interconnected they became. I walked along the northern edge for a while to pass a depression, and then I followed a faint path to the western summit, which is the highest one – here it was bare ground that was only showing in patches, and just when I had reached the highest point a burst of snow came from the west. When it had passed I descended the southern slope a short distance, finding a rock to lean against during my lunch break, which started at noon.

Panorama from the easternmost summit of Vuoksák, looking northwest

Vuoksákvahta in winter dress

Straight snow line across Darregájsse

Stájggá and pond

Darrávrre glittering in the distance

Nothing but snow in Fierrovágge

Skállotjåhkkå

Gárddevárre

Snow!

Panorama from the westernmost (and highest) summit of Vuoksák, looking southeast

Panorama over Fierro, Vuoksákvahta, and Skállotjåhkkå

More of Skállotjåhkkå

Tjuollda far away

Vuogá further away

As I sat there the clearing process which was freeing Darregájsse of its cloud cap also extended to Vuoksákvahta and its flanking companions, and it was fair and warm. I then walked back up to the summit to look things over, finding that there were more ominous clouds off to the north, and a still distant mist was getting closer from that direction. Bårdde remained clouded but it seemed as though it might emerge soon, so I stood there waiting for it to happen. When it in fact did not happen for half an hour, but instead the northern mists arrived I left, going straight down into the vale of Vuoksákjåhkå in the vicinity of a small waterfall.

Fierrovágge

Snow atop Goahtnjunjes

Clearing over Darregájsse

Darrávrre

Sivvátjåhkkå

Bårdde clouded

Passing mist

I followed Vuoksákjåhkå downstream, mostly keeping close to the water; there were some shrubs and bushes, but all in all it was easy going. When I came to the large mire around the meander section of the stream I had seen from up Goahtnjunjes I skirted its northern edge – it was rather wet – coming out onto the sharply defined crest that is clearly visible from the cottage. The mist seemed to have moved on for now it was fair all around, but it was still windy.

Going down from that point I first had to pass through some fairly dense thickets of shrubs, and then I entered the forest – after a while coming upon a narrow track which was probably of my own creation from earlier in the day (I recognized some of the landmarks). Since the descent had taken some effort I welcomed the cooling wind on the grass-heath, and when the cottage came into view I saw a man going about outside it. Curious to find out about his intentions I covered the remaining distance at speed and jumped into the ferry, arriving at the eastern bank around 14:30 after a great day.