Wednesday 1/8

I walked eastwards along the trail at a good pace, taking the opportunity to familiarize myself with it for the visitors' benefit, and found the ground to be largely friendly with a few stonier portions. It was mostly cloudy as I crossed the first stream, which was of similar size and difficulty – or lack thereof – as the cottage stream, and it came gushing down through a small ravine. The next stream was appreciably smaller, and I just splashed across it. I now saw that the beach included a small lagoon of sorts, and as I traversed a somewhat tricky rock stretch beside it I noted the presence of a few mosquitos.

Walking the trail

Green'n'rocks

First stream

Second stream

Cottage and cliff

Beach and lagoon

Beach and cottage

I then turned right (that is, left...) up the slope, feeling the strain of the climb in my legs, but finding grassy ground between the rocks was easy. The thick clouds were now dispersing and the sun was coming back out, which made things quite warm. Having reached the crest I turned right (as in right...) onto the nearest summit of the southwestern outrunner from Juovvabuollda. Here the ground was rather stony, but there was still ample dirt and moss to walk upon. Having reached the top I was treated to a great view of Sarddávágge and eastern Vájmokvágge, but the clouds had returned in force and were rather low – at least from time to time since they were moving quite quickly on the substantial wind.

Growing lighter

Almost up

Clouds on the heights

Clouds to the west too...

...as well as on Stájggá

At the (first) top

I went on to the next summit along the ridge, now walking more exclusively on rocks, and sat down at the highest point with a precipice under my feet at 11:15. The valley beneath me was nice and green and bisected by a long line of duckboards. Having had what looks the clouds allowed I proceeded to have lunch, and I also found that even though my phone could get a signal it couldn't actually reach any service with it, so no messages. As I sat there I was temporarily enveloped in fog, but then the clouds broke up once more and I saw fit to go on to the next summit in line, a bit higher still.

Lake 977 below

Sarddávágge

Higher

Looking through Gurávágge

Rocky

Hi there!

Good view of Stájggá

This involved skirting around some larger rocks along the way, but there were no actual difficulties. Once there Stájggá emerged from the clouds in full, and I could see more of Darregájsse in the distance through the green and occasionally sunlit trough of Gurávágge. There was also a strong wind blowing which soon brought more clouds, and after quite a long time of walking around on the flattened rise, looking at the shifting patterns of sun and cloud, I finally turned back down. My original plan had been to go up onto Juovvabuollda proper, reaching either of its two 1400-ish summits, but as the higher reaches were still hidden in cloud I saw no advantage in trying.

Stájggá...

...in the clear

Looking back along the ridge

Darregájsse slowly emerging

Suohttetjåhkkå across Vájmok

More of Darregájsse

Clouds returning to Stájggá

Rather than retracing my steps I aimed for lake 1137, looking for friendlier ground between all the rocks. Having passed the water I proceeded up the side of the small rise immediately northwest of it, where walking was much easier, and continued cutting across the southern slope also past the next tarn. As the ground flattened out I continued following whatever westward route that was easiest for my feet, while things grew steadily darker off to the southeast. The western stream consisted of flat rock slabs here just like the cottage stream, but I found a place where it was easily crossed on more upright stones.

Unfolding

1137

And again

On the rise

Next tarn

And again

Tsähkkok in the distance

Darker

Lake view again

Stream crossing

After that I headed down the slope at a shallow angle, aiming more or less directly for the cottage, soon feeling grass beneath my soles again. I rounded a steeper section and wound my way between some rock tongues that intersected my route – and in so doing almost stumbled over a fox. It was as surprised as I was and quickly scampered off up the slope, but it was considerate enough to stop to look back and allow itself to be photographed before disappearing. Shortly thereafter I came upon the trail again, which I followed the rest of the way home, reaching the warden's cottage around 14:30.

Direct line of sight/motion

The photogenic...

...vulpine

Well, I'm back

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