Today I will start of presenting some of the different kind of the characters in the Swedish mountains.

First we got the Ski-alpinist. This one will often be seen close to a mountain station. Normal skiers love the downhill turns, but that is not what’s triggers this one. No, their target is to hunt as much altitude meters. The one get most in the end of the season will win. Their season starts in November and will end in late May. But they want to have cozy, so after a long day with lot of altitude meters the beer and the steak is waiting for them.

The next character will be the artic fox. For sure they got a full packed back pack. The dream is to have a Fjallraven raven gyro from the 80s. You can easily be mistaken that this character just “go with the flow” but don’t get fooled by the outlook. The artic fox hunt kilometers and forgotten trails he or she can tell stories about at the mountain club. At the mountain station the character snorts at the other outdoorer eating in the restaurant. This one you find in the self-catering in full swing open a can of “bullens pilsner korv”, complaining over its to good service at this days.

We also got the beginner. This one has just understand from Instagram that mountain hiking is the thing to do at the time. With all the nice pictures he have understand that it always is perfect weather and easy to do. What is distinctive with this one is that the equipment is mixed up. A Gore-Tex jacket, loafers and back pack with wheels. When they finally reach the cabin, they are so happy of survived the day so the order a big drink if its possible to celebrate the expedition of the day. They can talk in two hours about the effort and the hardships of the day. And what they have achieved, but don’t worry! They will fall at sleep before 20.00.

The outdoor yoga fantast is also an interesting figure. In the beginning you don’t notice this character. They are very quiet, and move smooth. But you can recognize them due to the clothing. For sure they got colorful tights, and with always a smile on their lips. But if you haven’t notice them you will do it for sure at the breakfast. When you look out from the panoramic windows of the mountain station you can see them hunting a new yoga movement in the sunrise (also this with a smile on their lips).

If its summer, you will also discover the mountain bike enthusiast. Always on the run, from station to cabin and back to a station again. He hunting new and dangerous trails. With lycra all over he is easy to recognize. This is a gear master, he got it all. If you for any reason should need a hack saw, you can ask this guy and he will picked out from his pocket in the lycra shirt. In his mind is just one thing getting polished, what his next bike will be. 20 more gear and carbon frame which will be 20 gram lighter…

And at last the guide, this one you will find in one of the corner of the mountain station. With a goggle sun tan provided by layer of Latchenkeifer, the skin look like leather. Hanging over a map, with a compass in full swing and with the coffee steaming from the cup. For sure he will have a Mammut or Black Diamond t-shirt with a flannel shirt over, and a cap. He will for sure having a tattoo of a dog, Indian sign or something like it. Last time he was at an hairdresser was in June 1992. He is always thinking about the next adventure, more adrenaline to come…

Ok, I might be a bit generalizing here. And as you can se I have described the character as he. This is because the female cant be categorized in this way. They are much more sophisticated:-) than that…

But look at this from a more realistic view. It might be fun, but to be honest. We are to much focused of hunting experiences, adventures kilometers etc. So we have forgotten the kernel of it all. To fully enjoy.

Chamonix-Zermatt, un autre chemin pour la Haute-Route (English Subtitled) – YouTube

Se ya soon

Sunday again and some time for reflection. Its’s nice just sitting and thinking with a good cup of coffee. Yesterday I was driving the car 1000 km and climbing 2 routes of Via Ferrata, within 3,5 h. But the funny is that it really gives more energy to do small adventures such as this. Via Ferrata is a good step from wall climbing to outdoor cliff climbing. You learn how to read, where to put your feet and hands. So why don’t you go for a try:-)

Today I also want to describe one of my gold hike. Beside of the crowded trails from the big mountain stations, there is some hidden trails that is quite easy to access, and you also can combined them with comfort at a mountain station as well. So here comes one of my ”secret” suggestion. You take the night train towards Undersåker. From here you take a shuttle(Taxi) to Vålådalen. Here you hidden towards the Vålåstugorna. This is a 20 K long trail. So be sure you have eat a great breakfast before leaving Vålådalen.  The Vålåstugorna is a cabin, with a small store. So here you can by some food etc. This trail you will be almost alone after a couple of kilometres. From Vålåstugorna you shall hike towards Helags mountain station. The trail is one of the longest in Jämtland, and that also means the one with almost no hikers on. So you will be almost alone here as well. The distance here is 23 km, så as usual start early. At Helags you can enjoy the sauna and the two course dinner at 18.00.  From Helags you will head for the Gåsen Cabin. This trail is as well not so many who hikes. The distance of the day is 17 km, and the shortest of this suggested tour. The trail goes up and down, but its nice. The Gåsen cabins does not got any sauna, but still you can buy some food and refreshments there. Enjoy the evening view over Helags and the Sylarna massif from here. It is unbeatable in this area…And now the last trail. From Gåsen you will head for Storulvån mountain station. To begin with is downhill and easy, you soon will pass the wind shelter ”Gåsen” and soon you will approach a bridge. After that bridge follow the height and pass in between östra endalshöjden and Lillulvåfjället. Here you can stay at spåjme wind shelter if needed.  Now its almost just down hills to Storulvån mountain station for a shower, sauna and a two to three course dinner and transfer for the nigh train back home. This tour will give you the best out of Jämtlandfjällen.

When it comes to the Via Ferrata at Skuleberget it was as usual a great experience. With a pre-summer sun, and some ”high” air the circumstances could not have been better.  Guiding up the white trail and then enjoy a lunch at the top cabin. Really nice. The other was satisfied, but I went up for another round. So the yellow trail within 45 min up and down, its quite  OK. (have to wait in the last part of the trail:-))

See ya soon…

If you start you hike at Abisko tourist station, you might follow the trail towards Vassecohkka or even to Kattejaure. Then you will pass the small mountain cabin Karsavagge. This is one of the smallest cabins. With its 10 beds it can sometimes be a bit crowded here. Karsa (from karsavagge) means gully, and the cabin is placed in a beautiful gully. The cabin is one of the oldest and there are a couple of stories about visitors that didn’t slept so well here. So there is stories about ghosts here.  In may 2003 a man was caught in an avalanche, it might being him haunted the cabin:-). But there is also a story about a man visiting the cabin and have gone to bed. In a sudden the door of the cabin went up and a women standing there. She went towards the man, but when she come to the table, she walk through it and disappeared. There also was a group of med sleeping in the cabin when they saw a women outside. One of the men run out, and put a hand on her shoulder. He was going to ask if she want to spend the night in the cabin. But when she turned he couldn’t see any face on the woman. Whatever if there is ghost or not the cabin is a perfect day target from Abisko Tourist station with lot of fine continues hikes from here.

(Karsavagge gully)

(Stellar Guide Shell hybrid pant)

This week I have test the Stellar Guide shell hybrid pant. As the name remark it is a hybrid pant. The half part of the pant is in 89% nylon and 11% elastane. The other half is Dermizax. The reinforcement of Dermizax is on the from the knees and down and also at the butt. A compromise of function will often be that it don’t work in either conditions. So it is here. With a cost of 2500:-(240 EURO) I have high expectation. But sorry to say, the product will not living up to that. The belt easy can disappear in the lining, a small hook for keys etc. got to short hold, so it get stuck in the zipper. I also like to have a net in the ventilation, in the winter the snow will get in there (but that is a bit of taste) But the zipper is just going one way.  The tailor choose the cheap way… It feels like this product left the drawing table to fast. I think Stellar has get stacked in developing a series of clothing to fast. It also is described as ski-mountaineering, mountaineering pant. I think it is a ski, and ski-mountaineering pant in the first place and also might can be used as a mountaineering pant. I will give it NNN-, price and details will be the reason for that. I There have been a lot of tries in doing the optimal pant. Haglofs did a soft shell Gore-Tex pant, and that was ok. But as you know I got the suggestion that Lundhags Rocketer will be the best pant. And I haven´t got any better so far…

And after a couple of weeks and km I can give an update of the Alfa Eggi Advanced GTX boot. I think this is a real good working machine. Daily hikes with the husky, and since April I been using this ones. And I will give them NNNN, but for the price 2500;- and not the normal price 3500:-. that value still stands.

See ya soon…

Kacey Musgraves – Wonder Woman (Audio) – YouTube

The stories must be told…

Early morning in end of October 2010, three guys are struggling towards Getvalen in the clear and cold autumn weather. A preparing weekend for an upcoming attempt of reaching the top of Aconcagua. The tent were placed close to the wind shelter. Early in the morning the three guys were up to reach the Norder Tvaraklump. All stories in the mountains need to be told, think after a long day on the mountain and when you get in to the sauna. All histories that are told there are for the most inspiring and interesting. Or when you reach the mountain cabin and lite up the fire in the stove, the heat is coming and you look into the fire. The stories starts appearing by its own as the heat and coffee warms up your body…

(If wall could have speak…If the walls of the sauna at Blahammarens mountains station  could have speak, a lot of interesting stories about the struggling and the adventures of the mountains probably have been told:-) )

Park-Nisse the story of a mountain man. When it comes to stories that need to be told, the story of Park-Nisse must be told. With a background as rack blaster he ended up in Abisko region in 1925, and initial he was hired by the Swedish tourist association. The mission was to maintained the bridges and cabins in the area. The tall, powerful and charming man was a popular and talked about man. Often on his mission he was pulling his own build sledge witch was full loaded with cargo and a weight of about 200kg. This sledge was pulled on a ground that never was level but always uphill. Nisse was also a popular guide at the mountain station of Abisko. Soon he become guard of the park of Abisko. As a park guard the responsible included the control of poaching. And woe them which was discovered by Park-Nisse. Park-Nisse was known as tough against all poachers, but sometimes he was in a good mood as well. One time two Kiruna residents was fishing illegally at Abiskujavri. Of a sudden they heard dogs barking, so they hide their catch in the snow, and put a lump of snow on the top, on which they have pee on. They put their skis on and run a way, but Park-Nisse raced them. He asked them in what case they were out in. And they answered for taking pictures with a camera. Park-Nisse replayed that it was very unusually for Kiruna residents being taking picture in this area. When he has disappeared in the peripheral they turned back for picking the fish, but it was gone. In a birch bark there was a paper note with the text: Ni tog risken, jag tog fisken. (you took the risk, I took the fish) signed by Park-Nisse. His duty was very shifting, building bridges, guiding helping the researcher etc. In a sunny Sunday the 26^th of March 1944 He was skiing with his sledge and his three dogs. He meet Professor Sven Ekman from Uppsala, on his skiis. He said: -Nisse, stop for a while so I can take a picture, it looks so nice in the sunshine. He got his photo, and Park-Nisse did not told him about the transports nature. In the sledge there was lying a corps from a dead tourist from a mountain tour.

A Norwegian and a Swedish matter…

In the border between Sweden and Norway, there are lots of nice tours. The peak of Sylarna is of course one of them. Also Sulitelma is one of them, but also Harjedalen got its own border mountain. The Storviglen is the one I thinking of. A tour to this peak is a long day trip, so you have to start early in the morning. The distance to the peak will be 26 K, but you will be at 1561m at the peak. The approach is 8km and then the hilly part starts, and you now got 10K to the peak(600 height meters). You park the car at the mountain park at the foot of Svansjoklappen. Follow the trail towards the North western tip of the lake Bolagen. Pass the bridge. At the left side you have good places for a bath before you start the climbing towards the peak. From here you follow the summer trail(to the right) marked with the Norwegian tourist associations symbols. The other trail is winter marked with cross, and much more difficult to use during summer. You soon will passes a weathered sign of the national border. Soon the winter and summer trails crosses and you will find a wind shelter av 4,5K after the bridge. Stay at the shelter and get some more power for the peak. Now you just follow the the winter trail 500m and 90 degrees towards the peak, and follow the compass upwards to the peak. It will takes about 30-45 minutes and you reach the peak. If you are lucky you might got the opportunity to se the herd of musk oxen from here. Going back will be the same way, but reverse.

At the end a poem in Swedish…

Den lilla byn I vinternatten drömmer, tyst under himlavalvets stjärneljus. Kung Bore köldvågen kring fjällen tömmer, det knäpper uti timrat boningshus. I månens silver norrskensflammor spraka, högt över byn tycks fjäll i bruddräkt vaka.

Det morgon blir, från ladugårdar stiger snart rök ur skorstenar mot vinterskyn, det sällan är som fjällets stormsus tider och djupa drivor tornas upp i byn. I båsen lugnt små feta fjällkor spisa och riklig mjölktribut de ofta visa.

Gustaf Carlqvist 1920.

See ya soon…

Today I will write my 640th blog. Today it will be about being on the right spot or not. When it comes to navigation it is very important to be on the right spot, but sometimes in life we ask our selves if I am at the right place or not. In a hectic life it seems like we always should have been in another place. For example if you going to the mountains, you in a sudden think that you should have been with your family or at work or something else. In this moment I think the mindfulness can be very useful. Be in the present and enjoying the moment. Be kind to yourself and let you love and enjoy the present moment. Now you are here, so use this time and place for reflection. Because then it will never been bad invested time or? So stop chasing the moments and be in the presence, and you will become a better person, and that is well invested time. So think that you are at the right spot at that moment for just being in the now…

When it comes to workout it has been a good week, even if I got a injure in the back of my thigh. So orienteering and fighting and a lot of gym. It is good to keep up the skills of navigation…

KSLA-podden Avsnitt 17 Enaforsholm v3.mp3 – Google Drive

See ya soon…

We  are in May, and this means we are in between two season. The Winter is over, and the Summer is upcoming. This period is perfect for preparing for the Summer ans planning for the upcoming adventures. Use the time for developing the areas you need.

Today I will give you some nice suggestion of day tours which will be easy and fast to access. I will begin in Harjedalen and Tanndalen. Start with a stay at Fjallnas hotel. This is the entry of Tanndalen/Funasdalen. I really like this old Mountain huts. From here you can go to Anderssjoafjallet. And from there you got a lot of options for a day hike. Next day I suggest  that you go to the mountain parking at Tanndalen, From here you can pass Andersborg and towards Storskarven, If you want you can stay at Bruksvallarna, go back home or tent in the area. My third suggestion in the area will be a hike at Anafjallet and the peak of Annfjallet. I have blog about it before, but this is a nice hike. If you use a tent you also can hike to the peak of Blastoten which also is 30 m higher than Annfjallet. Now I will move a bit towards north. And now we we land at the Enafors Mountain hut. From here you got a lot different day hike you can perform. My suggestion will be a hike to the peak of Storsnasen. Here you will pass Silverfallet and then upwards to the peak. In sunny weather you will have a terrific view over the whole Jamtland and Harjedals mountains.  In good weather condition this tour will be a memory for life…You can also do it a bit longer and stay a night at Blahammarens mountainstation….

So now I might help you out with some suggestion for the summer adventure…

KALEO ”Save Yourself” (LIVE at Fjallsárlón) – YouTube

See ya soon…

Today it is the second Sunday of may. The light green colour, the chirping of birds and the light make me awake and full of enthusiasm and ideas of upcoming adventures. Today I want to strike a blow for the path of the free wanderer. Ether we walk among everyone else at the common trails, or hike a extreme long or challenging path. But why dont hike for yourself?   You do not have to especially far from the crowded areas to get into real wilderness,  where you will be almost alone. My first suggestion will be Bunner mountain close to Storulvan and ther Jamtlandstriangle. A very nice area and easy to access.

My next suggestion will be the Skackerfjallen in the North West of Jamtland. If you follow the trail between Anjan and Kolasen, you might nit meet anyone else. Why dont you ascend the sockertoppen, and get a fabulous view over the area. During the winter you will have a real nice off-pist skiing here.

So why don’t you chose a trail, and be alone with you thoughts?

See ya soon…

Friday, and time to tie it all to a conclusion?

A week of five day blogs in a row, and today it is time to tie it all together. I begun the week with leadership and that is the glue that combines all together. Leadership is management of energy I wrote and that is true. And if you have a good toolbox, how to handle challenging situation it will help you a lot. So build up a real god SOP for you mornings on the adventures. But you also must make good judgement, and comes out from good leadership.

How to develop the ability to good judgement; Leaders with good judgement tend to be good listeners and readers. Leadership shouldn’t be a solitary endeavor. Leaders can draw on the skills and experiences of others as well as their own when they approach a decision. Who these advisers are and how much trust the leader places in them are critical to the quality of that leader’s judgment.

Experience: Make it relevant but not narrow. Beyond the data and evidence pertinent to a decision, leaders bring their experience to bear when making judgment calls. Experience gives context and helps us identify potential solutions and anticipate challenges. If they have previously encountered something like a current challenge, leaders can scope out areas in which to focus their energy and resources.

Leaders need many qualities, but underlying them all is good judgment. Those with ambition but no judgment run out of money. Those with charisma but no judgment lead their followers in the wrong direction. Those with passion but no judgment hurl themselves down the wrong paths. Those with drive but no judgment get up very early to do the wrong things. Sheer luck and factors beyond your control may determine your eventual success, but good judgment will stack the cards in your favor.

So develop your ability to make good judgement, this is directly decisive…

See ya on Sunday…

Safety plan.

As a natural part for the outdoor-er days should start with a safety planning. If you are a guide or not really doesn’t matter, though a guide must do it in a more detailed way and related to the group of participants. With a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) this will be a quite easy and fast process. So start with a overview of the weather, how can it affect me/us? The Cold, wind, sun etc. I there any warnings for the area? Next step will be to check the avalanche prognosis if its current. It can also be used for checking inclination of the route. And which part and areas to avoid. Next thing will be to read the map, and see if there is any danger to take in consideration. River crossing, snow fields etc. Is there any regulations for the area, within our activity? If you get caught in bad weather, or if someone get hurt? Where do you have the evacuation possibilities? What about coverage, and alternative communication plan? The outcome from all this fact will be the safety plan of the day, also add; The participants status and skills/condition. So with a SOP this will go fast, and you will be safety during the activity…

Plan Your Trip | Planning Essentials Episode 1 | MSC Get Outdoors Series – YouTube

1. Temperature drops 4 degrees/1000′ of elevation gain.
2. Lightning kills, Lightning Safety Guidelines
3. Watch for hypothermia.
4. Rockfall hazard? Wear a helmet.
5. Belay any climb with risk of injury.
6. Beware fast moving storms.
7. Altitude sickness (AMS) is aided only by descent.
8. Make note of return route.
9. If lost, bivouac.
10. Cell phone or GPS is not a substitute for preparation.
11. Be willing to turn back: the mountains don’t care.

If you got problem use the S.T.O.P model: Sit, Think, Observe, Plan.

See ya tomorrow…

Its early, the clock is barely six. The daylight has just begun to lighten up. The fog is dense. The plan today is to leave the cabin early, for heading down for transportation home. You fold away the curtain, the sight is barely 20m. So time to make a plan…You eat the breakfast and hope for the fog to lighten. But it won’t. Time for making a decision. You can stay for a while and hope it will be better. The other will got options about it. The right decision will be to wait, but do you got the guts for it? If not you better be good at micro-navigation.

 The second base to stand on while being in wilderness environment will be navigation skills. The better you are in that, the more farsightedness you will got. But what does that mean? Well it means you can have control of the status of the group, and keep the three step thinking ahead. Prepare for the river-crossing coming up. Or remember to check Peters blisters etc. And if it something that is important, it is to choose the right way. You can avoid avalanche risks and also steep ground etc.

So for being able to leave the cabin this morning, you need to got good skills in micro navigation. And what is micro navigation then?  You navigate in a series of short distance, called legs and focus on the immediate features in your landscape to continually ascertain position. This will minimise the chance for error. Training this will make to become a real good navigator. With concentration of small parts you learn how the map is build up. You will get a grater awareness of  you immediate environment, using your sense of sight, sound and smell and touch and relating this information to the use of robust and reliable equipment and maps. The more navigation techniques you carry with you in your skills, the more capable navigator you will be. So if you are in a situation as the example above, then use the right judgement for the right decision.  If you are a good navigator, then you know what and how to do, do not put the other participant in a bad situation. If you are a leader this is another important ground to stay sable on.  This is a knowledge you must master. So grab the map and the compass, but use the micro navigation skills to really good, then you are a bit safer…

(always now where you are…) So how can you develop your skills in a well known area? Ask your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend to drive to a place blindfolded. You got a kilometre spot in were you are, and to go to a attack point. The 4 D is good to have in mind…

Direction, distance, duration, description.

The 4 Ds navigation technique for hillwalkers and Mountain Leaders. – YouTube

See ya tomorrow, then we will take about safety planning….