This week has been great, du to workout. A average over 27K each day. So that is really good. This included a tough hill training and a distance running of 25k so I am satisfied. 

Now the hiking & Via Ferrata season is upcoming. So here comes some small advice for getting a really good experience from it. First of all a good planning will be the basic. So by planning and packing you will avoid boredom and hardship. First of all we start with the backpack. Chose the right one for the right adventure/mission. A big one means you can bring a lot off extra cozy stuff, but it will be more weight. And be very careful to set up the backpack meticulously, really check that is fit and suits you well. The modern backpacks got a lot of settings for your body, so if you do it well, it will be much more better and easier to change the weight from shoulder to hips etc. Now to your feet’s. Start to take care of them at least a week before your hike. Cut nails and apply ointment to your feet. And you must of course been walking with you boots before so you know where you might get blisters, then you can tape it there. Be sure to have chafing equipment near to hands. The hygiene is very important as well. Bring a nature kind soap or wet wipe. This will help yo to keep you  healthy, whole and clean. Don’t forget toothbrush. The feeling of being fresh when you slip into your sleeping bag is hard to beat. Bring a first aid kit is necessary, in this is good to have medication containing loperamide and also pain-relieving tablets. A pair or one stick is good to bring, perfect in case of river crossing and it will reduce the the load on the rest of the body (legs) within 25 %. Water, be sure to hydrate, so a bottle with liquids is mandatory. Now you might be eager to get out…

I think that one of my most important experience and knowledge will be to understand that I am at the right place. From a navigation perspective this is of course basic, but what I am thinking of here is that I am skilled for what I have in front of me. If I don’t have been running a half marathon, or longer than I don’t understand how my body will react after one hour of workout. It is all the same with adventures, you must move the border step by step and become more experienced. There is no ”fast track” of this. So get out there and be in you spot, and move out from it carefully and step by step. This will be a winning concept and you step by step become a mountain man…Good luck:-). And you are you in the right spot of your life?

“More To This” From The Stairwell – Acoustic Performance

See ya soon…

The Easter was late this year. The good thing with that is that it can be nice spring weather, the backside is that it can be less or no snow. This year, Easter was a combination of traditional celebrations and celebrations of six decades. So I went to Jämtland and Enaforsholm with my family. And it became exactly what I really wanted it to be. The best out of two worlds, mountain activities and comfort with good service and food, all accompanied by fantastic spring weather…Skiing, snowshoeing and coffee in the sun, with Enan rapids roaring in the background. My gift was of course the staying with my family at Enafors, but I also got a nice present – a mug and a coffee leather bag, with a picture of my loved Kenai.

The spring is coming up with fast speed, and its time for new season adventure. New adventures are at the door. So in January Skuleskogen, in February Ullådalen, in March Rogen and Sonfjället, and in April Enaforsholm. So as usual a good start of the year. Via Ferrata and hiking will be the upcoming adventures.

This week I will test the Salewa Mountain trainer Lite mid Gore-Tex. This is a boot developed for long backpacking and  alpine hikes. It is light weight but stable for the long and heavy use. Underfoot, the outsole guarantees reliable grip thanks to the Pomoca compound rubber and tread pattern with deep lugs and grooves and the versatility to cope with a wide range of terrain from mud and grass to rock, ice and snow. The men’s MTN Trainer Lite Mid is a lighter mid-top, 3-season alpine footwear solution for technical hikes, and long backpacking routes in all weathers. This one will be interesting to test…

Johnny Trouble | Thirteen | Official Video

See ya soon…

The tale of the Mountain Whisperer…

Is all of it true, or has it just been made up? Well, it might be a combination…Only the wind can tell…

Prolog,

Here he stands. A mountain Leader so weathered that the very wind turns with respect. His face makes granite seem porous. His eyes – two lakes frozen with experience – stare out over the horizon as if he has just discovered the meaning of life, and decided to ignore it anyway.

Around him the snow whips as if the world is trying to blur his silhouette. But he stands still. Inescapable. Like a memory from a forgotten expedition or an unspoken “I told you so” in the wind.

Chap. 1. The whisperer awakes…

This story begins about 60 years ago, no one really knew were he came from. Some say he was born in a wind Shelter under the Nordic Light, others claimed he just stepped out of a snowdrift one day. But some say he grown up in the west, raised of pair of wolf who gave him the experiences to best adapt to a life with nature. On skies or skates or hiking, when they stopped a bonfire was burning within a couple of seconds. With a certainty like dawn, he ended up in the army. Here his training continued with an avalanche of knowledge and snow caves to live in.

Chap. 2. Seven Mile Look

It is said that he once stared at the horizon for so long that time itself became unsure whether it was moving forward. His gaze could see weather four days in advance and group dynamics problems before they arose. Hiking groups followed him like mythological companions – not because he talked a lot, but because he could find a dry spot to sit without using an app. Its no mystery that he is a part of the UIMLA (United International Mountain Leader Association). An organization that you might think is a secret order, a mountain whisperer association were they all wear fleece jackets and cross there ice axes over exciting decisions. But they mostly make decision of how to train Mountain Leaders and avoiding school classes to get lost in the mountains…

Chap. 3. The snow Blizzard Waltz

He once led a group through a blizzard so intense that reality itself began to lag. Snow fell horizontally. Compasses spun like fidget spinners. The clients cried silently in their Gore-Tex jackets. But the mountain leader stood there. Back straight. Thermos unshaken. He pointed to a lonely tree in the distance and said: ”There.” And there they went. Because if the mountain leader said that safety lay behind a tree, then they didn’t question it. And this even if he have forgotten one pair of skies for the group at Kläppen.

Chap. 4. Enaforsholm and the last coffee

He sometimes returned to Enaforsholm Fjällgård. Not for rest, but for the coffee. It is said that he could determine the water level in a boiler just by listening to the steam. Staff knew that when the Mountain Leader appeared, there would be a need for more coffee beans and fewer questions.

Chap. 5. The horizon is calling

One day he just stood there, silent, staring out over the mountains. The snow was falling steadily. A young hiker asked: ”Where are you going now, Mr. Mountain Leader?”

He didn’t answer. He smiled, picked up his backpack – and walked out into the fog. The seven-mile gaze remained in the wind. No one knows where he went. But sometimes, when the storms howl over the mountains, they say you can glimpse a figure. With snow in his beard. And a thermos in his hand.

And you know – he’s still out there, the Mountain whisperer…

Carolina – Sons of Legion

See ya soon…

It soon will be time for Put the skis on the shelf and take out the boots. The hiking season will soon be here, so what would be better than bring up the topic of what to think of when choosing hiking boots? Trails hoe/approach shoe or boots? The trail shoe is to preferable when you got light pack and the trails are well-groomed and maintained. In tough terrain and trails the boots will be a better choice. You will get support for your ankle’s and in wet condition the got higher shaft. Chosen Gore-Tex can be good in moister conditions, but can have the disadvantage due to ventilation in hot condition. Light weight, get you faster, but at the same time you got less support. Secure you got enough space for your toes. And check so you got a sole with a good grip – such as Vibram or Contra-grip.

In the Swedish Mountain Leader Council the work with the Swedish Mountain Leader Norm continues in a real good way. Above you also can see the logo for the council as well for the new norm. The symbolic is the compass rose as a frame, the pole star and the Charles Wain for leading. To the left the small glacier Crow foot (Sv. Isranunkel) and to the right the snowstar.

Starting the day you can do in many way, and as John Muir quoted; And into the forest I go to lose my mind and to find my soul. It will never be as good as after a nice cup of fresh coffee. Well, you can take the easy way with the instant solution, or a bit better with the Brewers cup. Or why not try the pressed coffee solution from HelikonTex. A really nice field solution for a fresh start of the day. I will test this and get back to you with the result….

Weeping Willows – Let Go

See ya soon