Monday 2/8

During the night it started raining again, and although it was misty the clouds were not too low and visibility was quite good. In the early morning there was still the intermittent sound of drops against the roof and/or windows, and after drowsing on and off I was the first to arise at 08:00. The ground was even wetter now, and the clouds were dishearteningly low, but for the most part the rain had ceased. After getting up the group went over to the other building again, and after I had had my breakfast I cleaned myself out. I decided to wait for a while to see what if anything would happen with the weather, and a bit later visibility started to improve slowly – and the mosquitos seemed to be mostly gone too. I made the decision to take my chances and not wear the rain clothes, but I did put the rucksack's rain cover on, and after saying goodbye to the group (the Swedes were still in bed) I started walking around 10:15.

Very low clouds in the morning

Slightly higher

Ruovssuk hidden

Čunojávri outflow

Unna and Stuor Allagas visible

Glacial hint

Back up at the Sealggajohka bridge I noted that there seemed to be more water in the stream, and the portion immediately following was rather wet. Soon the trail started going up the righthand slope at a shallow angle, where low osier soaked my trouser legs. The temperature was perfect, however, as was the light headwind. Behind me the clouds were low indeed but ahead I could see more and more, allowing for temporary setbacks.

When I was approaching the dam in Sealggajohka I saw that it was being overflowed, so apparently there was indeed quite a bit of water in the stream. After that the trail removed itself a bit further from said stream, going across varying terrain which eventually turned better/drier. The stream from Stuoravággi was quite swift, but it presented no problem. Around Ristačohkka things were improving more and more, but a low cloud bank was rolling out of Oallavággi. After another wetter portion it was back to dry ground closer to Sealggajávri, which even in its present partially veiled state was a sight to behold. The low cloud was growing and soon encompassed the very area I was headed into.

As I was about to enter the fog I felt some drops in the wind, and once I was embraced it became an actual drizzle. At first I could see nothing, but then parts of the lake as well as the eastern slope emerged. Soon both the rain and the wind increased, and I increased my pace to compensate, but when it got worse still I stopped and stood in the shelter of a small cabin that had just had the good sense to appear beside the trail.

Approaching the bridge

Green pool in Sealggajohka

Someone's li'l place

Upstream

The overflowing dam

More of Ristačohkka appearing

The stream from Stuoravággi

The inflow of the glacier stream from Sealggajiekŋa

Catching sight of Sealggajávri

Closer

Closest

Fog ahead

Better behind

Passing into...

...the mist

Temporary shelter

Soon the fog started to dissipate and at times a peak or two of Storsteinsfjell were visible, but the rain remained, so so did I. Eventually I put on the rain jacket and set off again; since I was feeling a bit cold from the pause I half jogged the first bit. The first bit was fairly stony and having entered Oallavággi I passed over many a small course of the stream coming from lake 1194 on wetter ground. Now visibility was improving again and the rain was decreasing, but the clouds were very low. The terrain was also changing to more heath-like, and the first possible campsites for a while started appearing. As I was passing the central lakes of the valley it was a bit stonier again, and higher up the slope were broken cliffs that reminded me of the valley between Kutjaure and Vaisaluokta. I contemplated stopping, but seeing as how the Oallavagge shelter was just a kilometer or two off I went on. A sudden increase in fogginess made the appearance of this shelter equally sudden, even though there was a weak breakthrough of light just as I walked up to it at 13:15.

Peaks of Storsteinsfjell

Which way?

Much white

A beach...

...at Oallajávri

More fog...

...from which...

...the shelter emerged

I entered it at once, finding it small, empty and cozy; this shelter is unusual in that it is fully equipped and intended for overnight stays, albeit only for two at a time. I had my lunch inside, looking through and writing in the guestbook, and testing my mobile phone I found that it did in fact manage to acquire a Norwegian carrier after a while. Before continuing I changed back to the wind jacket, since it was raining no more, and then started along the trail in the fog.

Interior

Exterior

Setting out in the fog

Different maps had different ideas about where this trail would cross Oallajohka, and I was glad to reach a signpost that relayed the expected information in a sufficient manner after a few hundred meters. I spotted something I thought looked like an easy ford, but the trail markers continued along the water for a bit longer before appearing on the other side. At that place there was another hiker fiddling with his footwear, but I thought that it looked possible to cross in my boots, so I tried that. I managed to get about one third of the way across, but after that it was just a tad too deep and the rocks a tad too uneven for me to continue, and while the other fellow made his way across barefoot I turned around and removed my own boots on the shore, switching to the sandals. After a brief chat I made a new attempt, and now it was an easy affair – and not that cold either. The fog was lifting somewhat as I dried my feet, and before moving on I removed the rain cover too.

Cute little stream

"Just" what I wanted to see

Did not ford there

Forded here

The first bit on the other side was stony, and then followed a rock field that required careful steps. Soon the trail turned up into the fog, and I was glad for the densely spaced and brightly painted markers, for visibility was really bad and the surroundings very stony, so there was often not much of a path to follow. A few grassier portions followed as I continued to ascend, and since the light appeared to be growing all the time I half expected to suddenly emerge above the fog, but that never happened. Eventually the land levelled out, but it was still stony. I now had a fairly good mobile signal, but was still not able to make calls, so instead I sent an SMS to Sweden with detailed instructions on how to aid me in my plan to embark on the train in Katterat. I passed some small streams and then the ground suddenly fell off to my right, but since the fog was still in full play I saw nothing but whiteness below.

At a giant cairn the trail made a sharp turn and almost immediately crossed another stream as it descended the west side of Nordbergryggen. Here the terrain mostly consisted of nice heathland and I could walk without difficulty. Suddenly I realized that I had good coverage, and after two attempts managed to call the train company myself and reserve a ticket. While I was doing so the valley floor began to emerge, and soon much of Hunddalen could be seen – but still no peaks. I also made another call to cancel the request sent earlier, and after pausing a bit longer I started going down again. The clouds were lifting up the valley, but more low ones were coming from below to replace them. The trail continued down to the dam in Hunddalselva, and since there was no overflow here it was a piece of cake reaching the other side, where an old road from Katterat ends. The last bit to Hunddalshytta was easy but also a bit warm in the absence of wind, and now it was clear that the clouds were pulling shut again. I reached the place around 16:00, and at first glance there was no one else there.

Direction change

Greener

Below the clouds

The Hunddalselva dam

Hunddalshytta further up

Closing in on the dam

Almost there!

Upper Hunddalen

However, upon checking the larger guest cottage I found two foreigners inside, and after inspecting the other one I joined them. They had arrived the day before and decided to wait out the fog, so tomorrow they were going to try for Čunojávri. I entered my name into the record and make payment arrangements, and then went down to the stream to wash a bit, walking across a huge flat expanse that could have supported many a line of tents.

Back inside I lay down to rest, suddenly feeling rather tired, and then made dinner. Three other people were moving on the other side of Hunddalselva, and we observed them for some time wondering what they were up to; in the end they put up their tents close by and disappeared into them. The low clouds were shrinking, so I went out to see if I could get a proper shot or two of the surroundings, but they did not relinquish their grasp entirely, and soon it was back to the previous state of affairs. I read in a DNT yearbook while it started to clear anew, and finally I got at least some of the views I was looking for. Later in the evening there came another of those sudden fogs, and even though it lifted somewhat after a while the clouds remained low right up until my bedtime, which was after 22:00.

The clouds lifting somewhat

Campers across Hunddalselva

Blue sky!

Pointy Ristačohkka...

...with the cottages below

Beatnatčorru

Clouds coming back

Creeping fog on its way

Whiteness restored

Last view of the day