Saturday 31/12

Ruddy morning...

...in Stensdalen

Stor-Stensdalsfjället

Östra Bunnerstöten

Lill-Stensdalsfjället

I slept comfortably, getting up at 08:15 when the others were also moving. The sky was mostly clear and there was virtually no wind. During breakfast the light of dawn painted the higher reaches in warm colors, and as if to compensate it was getting colder at the same time. After saying goodbye to the warden the three of us left as a group at 10:15, in what promised to be a glorious day.

The snow in the first patch of forest was very good for skiing in, and would have been even better to roll in during a sauna session – but it was a tad too distant for that. On the mires the wind had done a thorough job, but progress was not in any way difficult. After some switching back and forth I ended up going on ahead of the others, and as the trail was now sloping upwards I soon built up a working temperature since it was still, still. On open areas the snow was hard, slippery and scant, but Tvärån was concealed under copious amounts of soft fluff. As I continued to climb there was a weak wind on and off, and the multitude of rocks in the clear showed that there had been considerably more of that lately.

Across the basin

Ottfjället rising

Upwards

Near the crest

Panorama over Lill-Stensdalsfjället and eastern Bunnerfjällen

When I reached the crest next to Smällhögsskaftet the sun finally appeared from its hiding place, having thitherto only made its existence known through the light on the surrounding peaks. I stood there basking in it for a while, enjoying the views over the basin. The snow was still hard, and after the Vålådalen trail joined up also bore more tracks. After a short bit I broke off to the side, looking for larger rocks, since I thought I might just as well make use of the beautiful light while I was still out of the woods, so to speak. It was after 11:45 when I found a nice enough rock facing the right direction, and sat down against it. Just as I did so, the other two caught up with me, and they chose another rock close by for the same reason. It was an amazing break, but in the end I had to get up and move about so as not to get cold. Soon thereafter I was ready to start skiing again, shortly followed by my companions.

Return of the Sun

Towards Lunndörren

Ottfjället

Vålåvalen et al

Backlit

The trail behind

The sun ahead

Feeling good...

...at lunch camp

The others, too

I lead the way again, keeping to the side of the trail at first where the snow looked slightly better. As usual my fingers felt cold, and it took a long while to achieve a comfortable temperature in the gloves. The trail passes through some semi-sparse forest riddled with mires and meres, and in one of the hollows there was a most noticeable cold draft that had my skin stinging. Not much later the other two caught up again, and looking ahead we saw movement; it seemed late for people to be heading in the opposite direction, and, sure enough, it turned out to be a couple of reindeer. Soon the snow grew harder again, but the sun shone with as much power it could muster directly in our faces, reflecting off the trail markers in such a way that it seemed like a column of snowmobiles was approaching from behind. Due to a short pause I fell behind my companions, but overtook them once more closer to the cottages. The sun was about to pass below the southern ridges as I skied up to the goal of the day before 14:00.

Setting out again

Through the trees...

...casting long shadows

The movement

Bathed in light

The way we came

Smällhögarna

Companions

Arriving

Martin, Emma's warden aid, was outside, while Emma herself was busy in the woodshed. The other two soon arrived, and we entered the main building where we took separate rooms; apparently there were no less than 17 people on the way from Lunndörren, but some of those would have to stay in the older cottage since there was a dog involved. There was also another man inside, who had skied from Vålådalen in the morning, via Lunndörren, and would shortly continue back to Vålådalen again. Impressive. I sat down with my companions and had some glögg, during which another two people with whom the others had spent the last New Year in Lunndörren came in; they had all tried for this place then, but been forced to turn back due to excessive snow depth, so it was a reunion with redemptive undertones, so to speak. Soon Emma brought more glögg, and more people started filing in.

Gruvsmällen

Gråsjödörren

Residence

Dusk on its way

I went out to catch the last light, and now a wind had picked up so it was rather cold. I checked out the store and then retired to my room for some relaxation. After a while I went to the kitchen, which had filled up nicely, and started whipping up my dessert; lacking electricity it takes quite a bit of arm work to get it fluffy enough. Outside the wind had grown stronger, but the sky was clear and the stars were coming out. I went over to the woodshed and chopped/collected pieces I needed to get a fire going in the curious heater, and just when I was done two people who were going to sleep in a tent outside arrived from Vålådalen. Back inside I fired up and changed out of my skiing clothes, and tended to the growing fire until it was stable enough to maintain itself. After reading some I loaded up the heater with larger logs, and went to the kitchen to start dinner.

Other people had similar ideas, but one of the gas stoves was free. I produced quite a substantial meal, and it tasted fine to match. I was also given a bit of a starter snack by my previous tour companions, who joined me at the table a bit later – and a man sharing my name from the Utsidan forums also introduced himself, since we had talked about our respective trips there. After letting the main dinner settle a bit I fetched the dessert bowl, and found the results fully adequate.

Outside the wind had subsided, but the sky was a bit misty; I knew that worse weather was on the way from the west, so this was probably an early taste. I restarted the fire in my room from the embers, and was then invited in to Emma and Martin where I remained for quite some time. When I got back the fire had gone out, and this time I had to use matches, which was not that easy because the wind was back in full force. The stars and moon were still showing, but clouds were approaching from the west, and there was snow in the air.

The cottage had quieted down after the dinner-related activities, and I spent some time in my room reading. Eventually I went back to the kitchen with my traditional cheese'n'biscuits, and sat down by the other ones present. We were soon joined by Emma, and conversed the eve away until it was time to go fetch the sparkle. I suited up, opened the bottle and went out with the others, where a communal toast greeted the new year. Turning our eyes northwards we could see faint flashes against the dark sky – evidence of fireworks at Åre and Vålådalen. It was rather chilly in the wind, so no one wanted to remain outside for long – except for the tent people, who had no choice. I finished (most of) the drink and talked a bit more with the people still up, and was apparently the last one to hit the sack at 00:45.