Tuesday 22/7

I followed the Alesjaure trail through the forest until I reached the signpost where the Mårma path branches off, and then started to ascend. There were some steep bits, and then I quickly emerged into a clearing offering very nice views already. It was rather warm, but once I had reached open ground a wind picked up and cooled me off a bit. A strip of more forest followed after a wet portion, and then the path made a sharp turn straight up the slope before getting back to its eastern heading. The views were now wide indeed, and one need not go much further than this if one is content with that. I wasn't, though, so I pressed on, soon coming to the stream from Vássačorrojávri, which although it was fairly swift posed no problems.

Stuor Reaiddávággi view growing

Visttasvággi one too

Go there

Stream crossing

There were some osier thickets to pass through over a couple of smaller stream branches, followed by stonier ground with more low bushes for a while. Then it was all nice heath, turning to grass as the path slowly climbed towards the crest west of Vássaloamijávri. Having come within eyeshot of the lake I continued out along the ridge to my right, following it up onto the first of its two small summits. Here it was very windy, and although the view northwards through Visttasvággi was great, Unna Reaiddávággi was still a bit off, so I went on to the next top after a pause.

Target rise

Valley below

Higher view into Stuor Reaiddávággi

Mini-panorama over Vássaloamijávri

Behind my back

Ruomasčorru from the top

I continued to the eastern edge, from where the view over lower Visttasvággi was very extensive, but since the long drop straight down to Visttasjohka was hidden from there I then walked down a bit to the southern edge instead, where I sat down in the slope around 11:15. This was a perfect vantage point for looking into Unna Reaiddávággi, but now Visttasvággi's upper parts were half hidden instead. Can't have it all, eh? It was a bit windy still, and clouds kept passing in front of the sun, but it sure was a nice lunch break.

Panorama over lower Visttasvággi

Perfect view into Unna Reaiddávággi

Closeup of Pyramiden (Pyramid) and Knivkammen (Knife Ridge)

When I left I returned to the top and then continued down the other side to the outflow from the lake, which involved walking over a bit of rocks; up until then there had been little of that. There was a smaller body of water beside Vássaloamijávri itself, and there I found some truly excellent campsites (more notes to self). Then flowers and grass started appearing, but it also got wetter as I rounded the larger lake. Towards the end the ground grew stonier as it started to slant upwards, and it was not until I was at the crest again that I found myself back on the cairn-marked path. From here the view in front of me was nothing short of spectacular, and I do think this stretch is one of the best this country has to offer a hiker.

Šielmmáčohkka across Vássaloamijávri

Someone has walked here

Flowery ground

Macro

Leaving the lake

Fantastic

Visttasjohka down there

More flowers

Alpine gentian

Similar

Having crossed the stream again I turned off the path and walked downwards on springy heath. I spotted the single woman out on the upper of the two shelves, but instead of staying on that myself I picked my way down to the lower one through a bushy slope. I continued down towards the stream and its waterfall, but the vegetation was very tricky close to it, so I went further down through a copse of trees and came to the waterfall from the side instead. Having seen what I came for I followed the shelf to its lower end, where I found a faint path that traced the cottages' water brook down, and ended up right at the privy at 14:15.

Having left the path

Going down

At the stream...

...with the waterfall

Home spotted

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