Sunday 30/12

The weather was in the process of clearing when I set out after 10 – rather a slow process, but still – the forecast winds had yet to set in and the temperature was just below freezing. The snow cover on the initial field was scant indeed, but once into the forest conditions improved. There was a fresh track the creators of which I caught up with almost at once; they had sleds and were busy (re)applying wax to their skis. The track was still there, however, so obviously there was someone else before me as well. The quality and quantity of the snow increased as I proceeded; there was a layer of a few centimeters on a very hard and icy base, but most of the time I had no trouble.

After I had passed into another part of the forest this top layer grew thinner, but it was still enough, and a few light gusts of wind had started appearing every now and then. Amid the network of mires south of Nulltjärnarna I came upon those who had made the tracks I was following, who turned out to be a middle-aged couple with a small dog. I stopped and conversed for some time with them – as it turned out they would be doing pretty much the same tours as myself, with the only difference being that they were to take the extra day in Stensdalen. They too had originally planned on doing it last year only to be thwarted by the absence of snow like me – funny how things work, eh? By then the sun seemed on the verge of coming out and some of the peaks which had been clouded were visible. Since I was evidently the faster skier we "switched position", so that I went ahead making tracks for them.

Having passed the trail split I was greeted by increased wind and there were small amounts of snow in the air. These turned into moderate amounts, which in turn switched to large ones; for a while there it was snowing heavily. Just where the summer trail crosses the winter trail at right angles I met another skier, and since it was noon I decided to stop for lunch there and then. A short distance up the slope along the summer trail there was a snow-covered mound of some kind which served nicely as a back support, so I skied up to it and sat down. Almost immediately I heard voices, and shortly thereafter a skier whom I had not laid eyes on before passed by in the direction of Stensdalen.

Then I heard some other sounds which at first I thought belonged to yet another approaching skier, but after a few moments I rejected this theory and when I turned my head in their direction I caught something large bustling through the trees, which resolved into an elk that soon disappeared deeper into the forest. The snow-bringing cloud was lifting and I held out a hope for a fair afternoon still, but it was not long before another heavy snowfall descended upon me without prior warning, and I took this as a cue that it was time to move on.

Common view of Lill-Stensdalsfjället

Somewhat snowy mires...

...with Ottfjället in the background

Colored clouds...

...covering...

...the peaks

Lower part of Lill-Stensdalsfjället

Trondfjällen to the south

At least one peak visible

Snow!

More snow!

I had not been in motion for long when I did in fact meet another skier, but after that the only things which faced me were wind and snow. For a while the snow had a tendency to stick underneath my skis, but that ceased eventually, and then the snowfall stopped again and Lill-Stensdalsfjället was reemerging. I made no haste, and even though the headwind was fairly hard the mild temperatures took the edge off the situation, and since the snow cover was so thin there was no drift to speak of. What was somewhat frustrating was that when I glanced up the sky was entirely clear, but around all the peaks of various heights there were dense clouds. When I reached the cottages well after 14 I found quite a few skis outside the smaller guest quarters, and I skied down to the warden's cottage to inquire as to where I should put mine.

Worsening conditions

Hard wind in the open areas

Pretty light in the sky...

...which was clear above

Giedtietjaerhvie

Better also to the south

Approaching Lill-Stensdalsfjället

With this warden I talked for a while – she said that the current windy conditions had been in effect all day in Stensdalen. I was allotted a room in the larger cottage, which was unoccupied at the moment – all the other guests had dogs, which must reside in the smaller one – but this room as well as the kitchen had been pre-heated. Once inside I found glögg (Swedish mulled wine) and gingerbread courtesy of STF, which I thankfully helped myself to while maintaining the fire in a new-looking stove which had not been there last time.

Looking out the window I saw another trio arriving, and since they also had a dog they were shown into the other cottage which was now getting somewhat crowded; as I later heard the two people and one canine I had passed earlier had also come in at around the same time. Outside both visibility and snowfall swayed back and forth, and the wind saw no change in force, but at least Lill-Stensdalsfjället was mostly discernable. I relaxed for a bit and then went out to fetch some water and firewood, and by that time things were actually rather bad, so I spent the rest of the afternoon reading inside before making dinner.

Come the agreed-upon time 18:00 I went down to the sauna in lesser but more gusty wind still bringing snow. There were three other people inside, and the temperature was sauna-worthy indeed. After a while they left, having started somewhat earlier, but I remained for quite some time. During my runs outside I detected a few stars through the veil spread across the sky, but it never got better than that, and the continued wind and snow made sitting on the porch unbearable for long periods.

Back up in "my" cottage I found the warden together with what I presumed were her personal guests, who had just had dinner. I fired up the heater in my room, which took some work – I don't particularly like that model – and then returned to the kitchen to read and have a light evening snack. The heater was finally burning at acceptable efficiency and the temperature was most comfortable, while on the other side of the wall the snowfall went on, even though the gusts of wind were now weaker than before. Feeling content with the first day and hopeful for the morrow I went to bed before 22:15 to the solacing sound of the fire.

The Famous Cliff

The warden's cottage at night