Friday 3/7

I slept soundly and arose at 08:00 to a morning that was nearly clear, and definitely still and warm, so I could do naught but go for an early stroll. The warmth had had visible effects on the snow (and the resulting wetness), and even though more clouds were rolling in it looked to be a fine day. I finished up and walked over to Håkan and Ingrid for another chat before starting the trek shortly after 10:00.

Morning panorama over Helags and Sylarna

New cottage below the slope of Gåsen

The bit over to the first crest was wet and snowy in parts, but no worries, and the wind which had now picked up together with the clouded sun made for very comfortable walking conditions. At the icy tarn before the descent into Härjångsdalen I met a couple who had just come up through the valley, having taken the north side after being thwarted by the water levels. That was a bit worrying, of course, but I still chose to follow the trail on the southern side to see for myself. I walked upon or just beside said trail most of the time, crossing a number of rather large snowfields which facilitated progress, and as I descended into the valley the sun started appearing more between the billowing clouds.

Leaving

Further off

Going over

Helags still alight

Västra and Östra Bunnerstöten

Summer, you say?

Cloudier

Härjångsdalen ahead of me

For skiing

A bit of color

Gåsen behind me

Also around the Härjångsdalen shelter there were a good number of reindeer, and they moved along ahead of me, splitting into two groups. I had a somewhat close encounter with one of these, but as usual they just circled around back as I passed. I soon came to the stream rising upon Stora Härjångsstöten, and this turned out to be a formidable obstacle. Right at the path it was strong and deep, and although it looked quite passable a short distance below where it split into two arms, I instead chose to go up to where it splashed out from underneath a very sturdy snow bridge/field.

I stayed on the snow past a side channel and then returned to the trail, which was still wet at times, and followed a smaller path to the outflow of the lowest of Härjångssjöarna where I knew from before that Härjångsån is most easily forded. At the time, however, it was very deep, the meltwater having swelled the otherwise docile outflow to a whole different beast. Earlier in the season people had crossed the stream via a snowbridge a few hundred meters further down, but as I went in search of this I discovered none remaining – and the next stream from the heights looked even worse than the previous, so I decided to return to the outflow and make an attempt there.

Reindeer near the shelter

End of snow

Another look back

Splinter group

To the bridge

Stora Härjångsstöten above

Rounding Härjångssjöarna

Worse than it looks

Panorama over Härjångssjöarna

I took off my pants and secured the contents of their pockets elsewhere in the pack, put on the slippers, and then stepped out into the icy water, feeling the cold seep right into me. It was at least thigh-deep most of the way, and I scanned the bottom with every step to navigate around deeper pockets. The current wasn't that strong – not really – but with that kind of volume it was a force to be reckoned with. Having nearly made it across I came to a deep stretch, and after feeling and peering my way to and fro I stood at the edge of a small "chasm" of perhaps a few decimeters, with a clear "landing spot" in the water on the other side. The problem was the current, since the water reached nearly to my groin, and it took several minutes for me to shift my feet and walking stick into a position that made me confident enough to dare the final step.

And, it very nearly worked – I didn't fall, but still had to lunge forward to steady myself on a rock, resulting in a bit of water finding its way into one of the boots that hung around my neck. The rest of the way was simple enough, and I stepped onto the northern shore without much feeling left below my loins – but it quickly returned, in a somewhat painful fashion.

I walked up to a large rock and sat down behind it to have lunch at once, and then remained there recuperating (and drying) in the growing sunlight. Being fit for fight again I went over to look at the marked ford, where the actual trail passes, and as expected it seemed completely impossible and outright dangerous – my route was the comparatively easy one at present. I made my own way around a side channel from Härjångsån, where it was quite wet, and only later reestablished contact with the trail itself.

I "met" another person on the opposite side of the impassable stream, and soon came to another crossing; this one provided a pair of snow bridges which would only hold for a couple of days longer, but even after that this stream would not pose much of a problem as it wasn't fed by nearly as much snow on the heights. It was now mostly sunny and quite warm, and as I rounded Gruvsmällen everything got greener and more flowery. At times I lost the path among the low bushes and occasional wet patch, but it was easily found again, and soon the Vålå cottages entered my field of view straight ahead. I walked briskly across the open expanse, and as I covered the last stretch around 15 the clouds were once again the main constituent of the firmament.

Cloudberries-to-be

Up Härjångsdalen

Not fun to cross

Not that either

Side channel

Still swift

Beautiful Härjångsdalen

Again, further down

More flowers

Exiting the valley

Panorama southeastwards from Gruvsmällen's slopes

Härjångsfjällen behind

Luspientjaerhvie to the side

Arriving at the cottages

A single man was sitting outside, and I talked a bit with him before going inside. There was a note on the door saying that the wardens were out until 19, so I took a bed of my choice as the place was otherwise empty, and then went down to the famed Sturebadet to have a bath. A thermometer in the water showed 15°C, which wasn't too shabby, and it was fairly pleasant – especially feeling clean anew. The sun was also returning, and with it the warmth. I returned up to the cottage and had a snack inside, while the wind whistled in the ventilation openings. Two people arrived and sat outside for a while, and myself I went out for a walk in the slippers just as another pair arrived from Lunndörren.

Clean again

Bathed here

Smällhögarna in the other direction

Clouds over Härjångsfjällen

I followed the path behind the privy, and then made my own way up among the hills, which went rather well despite the bushy undergrowth. I passed Mudmere (see here) and followed faint fragments of paths higher, eventually curving around to one of the cairn-marked summits of the hill complex from where I had a grand view. The clouds had thickened, but as I stood there (in rather a strong wind) the sun came out again here and there. I followed another set of fragments down, soon turning to where I suspected the main path to another summit was, and took that back down to the trail, and the cottages. I spent some quiet time inside and then turned to dinner, still being alone in the new building, but there were others (and a dog) in the older one.

Mudmere

Light and shade

From the top: Ottfjället...

...Vålåvalen and Trondfjällen...

...Gråsjödörren...

...and Härjångsfjällen and Gruvsmällen

Return

Afterwards I went back outside in the nice evening, returning inside to rest when the sun was starting to pass into stubborn clouds sinking over Härjångsfjällen et al. Another man soon arrived, and this turned out to be the one I had seen across Härjångsån earlier – he had come from Helags and not managed to get across where that trail crosses, what with the previous bridge there being gone (a more sturdy replacement is planned for construction this season). He was out on a full tour of the Swedish mountains from south to north – called Gröna bandet, the Green Ribbon – and had met the wardens at Helags the day before, so they were likely also having problems getting back across which explained why they were now running late compared to the note on the door.

The sky was mostly clear apart from the clouds drifting over and around the peaks, and the weather forecast (which we listened to on the radio in the common room) for the coming days promised more sun and warmth, so it was with confidence that I tiredly went to bed at 22:15.

Growing cloud

Towards Gråsjödörren

Flying the flag

Colored clouds