Tuesday 3/8

In the middle of the night I noted that the cloud situation was mostly the same, and a wee bit of rain was falling as well. I then slept soundly until 7-ish, and remained in bed while the other two moved about – and it just so happened that they managed to depart before I got up around 8. Visibility was now almost full, but Storsteinsfjell remained concealed, and the clouds covered the sky. Naturally I had to go out and photograph, and I found the temperature comfortable. Back inside I went through the visitor records, finding a familiar name, and my accent-based suspicion that the foreigners had been Swiss was confirmed.

After a somewhat late breakfast I took it easy, feeling in no hurry to reach Katterat by 15:18. Across Hunddalselva the campers had broken camp and were moving in the direction of Losistua, and further down the valley a low and dense cloud was approaching. I packed up and cleaned the place calmly, and then sat down to read a comic book, keeping an eye on the weather. The clouds were fluctuating in all directions, but it seemed as though things were getting a bit better downstream. Around 10:45 I decided it was time to go, and did so.

Ristačohkka

Panorama of Hunddalshytta, with Gahperčohkka and Vomtinden in the background

Beatnatčorru also in the clear

Cottages and Ristačohkka

Gahperčohkka

Main cottage

Panorama of upper Hunddalen

New cloud on its way

I made an arc for photo purposes and then followed the trail back to the dirt road, the gravel of which was comfortable to walk upon. After a short while I entered the fog, but it was not long before it dissipated enough to restore visibility in all directions but down Sørdalen; the persistent cloud was pouring into Oallavággi through Djevlepasset. What I could see of lower Hunddalen was a very flat valley bottom apparently consisting mostly of heathland, so no shortage of campsites there.

I turned round a bend and lost sight of the peaks behind – which were otherwise visible – and then the road started displaying extensive damage, so even were it not for the fact that it ends blindly at the railroad ordinary cars would have a hard time reaching the dam further up. I had felt drops in the air on and off for some time, and as I passed down to grassier terrain more came in the wind. I had been walking below or beside the fog, but now I went straight into it again and felt even more dampness, so I stopped in the shelter of a rock and put on the rain cover and gloves. Immediately thereafter I exited the fog, but the light "rain" continued.

Leaving

The dam cabin

Parts of Storsteinsfjell behind

Upon the road

Below the dam

Heading into fog?

Mini-panorama of the peaks behind

Cabin at Djevlepasset

Flat Hunddalen

Ristačohkka and cloud

Another cabin

"Road"

More vegetation

Heading into fog...

...for real this time

Now trees were appearing in a forest-like fashion, and Hunddalselva was growing rapid. Suddenly the birches turned completely bare, and together with the fog it made for an eerie feeling. Said fog was not constant, but never did it offer any views of what was coming. The road ascended slightly out of the forest, where an appreciable wind took by, and suddenly the ground to my right fell away, just as it had done on the way out of Oallavággi the day before. From there the road went down into the forest serpentine-fashion, and while descending I caught sight of the railroad through the haze. It was rather a nice forest, and the incline made for comfortable walking. I thought I heard the sound of an approaching train, and then I passed underneath a power line, so my stay in the wilderness was clearly coming to an end.

I passed the point where the trail to Sweden branches off, looking half overgrown, and after also walking by a parked jeep a large stone building having an old air about it appeared from the forest/fog. I came down right beside a tunnel, half into which an empty ore train had been brought to a halt. There were some other houses of a more residential style, and also a good deal of flowers giving off a pleasant smell. I walked over to the station building in full fog, and as I opened its door after 13:15 I saw a note confirming that there should indeed be a train coming this day.

Forest starting

Hunddalselva growing swifter

Naked trees

Gracile waterfall

Stream contact

Peculiar affliction...

...strengthened by the fog

Lush forest

First building

An ore train...

...parked halfway into a tunnel...

...at the Katterat station

The interior was empty, but also rather warm, so after dumping my pack I went out again to cool off, walking around the house; there was still no visibility, so no hints of the deep valley that I knew lay below. I then returned inside to have lunch, during which it started to rain lightly again, and the train dragged itself back into motion. After sitting still for a while I went out in the drizzle, and after a hazy peek down from the edge next to the other tunnel opening I started down the old navvy road, walking briskly since I was starting to feel cold.

I passed an old ruin from the time of the German occupation, and when it started going downhill for real I went out onto an open area of flat rocks wherefrom I hoped to get a better view. Now I appeared to be standing just at the base of the clouds, so I saw something of Norddalen. Having dried up it was obviously time to get wet again, so rather than following the wide beaten path back up I cut across the terrain, passing a small brook, and then went out to another edge where I had more views of shifting extent. I continued up towards the cell tower, where I expected to find some sort of path, and then headed back towards the houses, walking through high and wet grass the last bit.

The start of an alternative trail

Western tunnel

A glimpse of Rombakselva far below

Residential

Walking the path...

...past an old war-time ruin

Open terrain

Deep Norddalen

Over at the first edge visibility was now fairly good, and I stood there for a while looking towards Rombaksbotn and the fjord. Back up at the station no one else had arrived, and I relaxed a bit while waiting for my train to come. Another ore train came first, however, and this one also stopped halfway into the tunnel before continuing on towards Sweden for refilling. When it had left I packed up and went out, and now it was back to fog-with-drizzle. The scheduled time came and went, but I could hear the train further away, and finally its headlights broke through the mist at the tunnel opening. As it turned out a group of people disembarked, so I would have gotten on anyway, but better safe than sorry, eh?

Back up again

Rombaksbotn

A light from the tunnel

The first part of the trip was as foggy as before, but the steep slopes were still impressive. Almost exactly at the national border it started to lift, and glimpses of sunlight started appearing. After noting the coming aboard in Riksgränsen of those last two guys in Unna Allakas I phoned Birger at the STF office to make a quick report, and then settled back to enjoy the increasingly fair weather in this country – especially the northern side of Torneträsk looked good. In Björkliden we had to wait for a train going in the opposite direction, so our arrival time in Abisko was half an hour behind schedule.

I walked straight to the tourist station, on the yard of which were a couple of large teepees – presumably erected for the coming Fjällräven Classic event. I checked in at the reception desk and relieved myself of my monetary load, and then went to the restaurant to make dinner arrangements, meeting two of the last Unna Allakas quartet on the way. I was told by the serving staff that since I did not have a reservation the main menu would probably run out, but they suggested that I come "after 20" when they would have a better idea of the state of things. I then walked over to the building named Keron, where I had been given the last bed in an otherwise fully occupied room, and after talking a bit about the state of the trails with the other occupants (who were headed out on the morrow) I went to the kitchen to have tea and a sandwich.

Back at the start!

Better weather

Tourist station and huts

Following that I went for a short but pleasant walk outside, and then got out the stuff I needed for a sauna much longed for. There were two other men there, and I mostly listened to them talking to each other both inside and outside the sauna itself. I remained long enough for another guy to appear, sweat, and leave, and then I had to sit in the changing room for quite some time to cool off. Outside it was now raining lightly, but the clouds were high. I took it easy for a while, and soon the rain stopped and I went over to the main building, taking some fairly extensive detours on the way. The time was not yet 20:00, and when I checked the status in the restaurant I was told to return just a little bit later, so I sat down in the library and read in a book. Then I was finally admitted, and I was pleased to learn that I would indeed be served the announced menu:

• Hors d'œuvre: mushroom soup
• Main course: fried arctic char with spelt risotto, chanterelles and steamed vegetables
• Dessert: strawberries with cream and a chocolate/oat biscuit
• Also included: fresh bread, salad and coffee/tea/hot chocolate

Rihtonjira

Clouds letting go of Njullá

Light on the lake

It was rather excellent, and the view out over the majestic Torneträsk was as pleasing as ever, with its remarkable shifting light. The sky was growing clearer as well, and as the sun was sinking there was a pretty light on the clouds. After a short outside visit I went downstairs to the common room there, where I found a nice photo display by an American photographer who like so many others had been captivated by the fjelds in general and Abisko in particular. I also found the quartet there, and I joined them to talk over our experiences during the last few days – and some other things. Suddenly the sun broke through just as it was setting, and I rushed out to catch the scene, and then walked back to Keron in not too direct a fashion. In my room people had gone to bed, but they were reading rather than sleeping. After a light evening snack in the kitchen I climbed up to my own bed and turned off the light with a tired hand before 22:45.