It is autumn, it was just 4 degrees this morning. The days get shorter for every day…At the same time, the work is overflowing with tasks. t We are in the middle of planning for the upcoming training for IML’s of Sweden. But from my point of view we rather should go with the light…recharge for the upcoming winter, that would be the right thing to do. Reflect, reconsider and think about what has been, and what to change. Whatever,, I will try to do it and enjoy the good life:-)

This week I have tested the Mammut Eigerjock IN hybridjacket. This is a nice jacket, and as always Mammut delivers. This one is for climbing and alpine adventures. It is awailable in three culours. It has some liner so it works fine as a layer two jacket as well. The pockets a placed perfect for the harness. The finnish is really nice. But with a price about 300Euro it is to far epensive. There are no zippers for ventilation, and not any other small features. So this jacket will get NNNN.

This year had become special due to the Corona. The Outdoor festival was planned to have open the doors in September this year, but now it will be in 2021 instead. But this year has really turn the wheel to run faster as ever says Michael Malmgren one of the organizers. The outdoor market got a turn over of 75 milj. SEK just in Sweden. And it grows with 10-15% every year. So this fair will be a important part of the market Michael reflect.

Also the Naturkompaniet of Sweden can see new needs for the market. They have decided to start travlling for outdoor beginners. With a summer of many rescue mission for the mountain rescue it will be a good thing to do they say. So in the track of Corona new possiblities will be discovered.

See ya soon…

We are already in mid September. Now is the time for prepare for the winter season. Check the head lamp, sharpening the crampons and the ice axe. It is still time for good hikes, but, check when the sun  set… Today I will do a reflection as a guide. Why does people not use guides more? I think we all (guides) have to reflect to that fact. Do I as a guide use guides? Yes of course. I know that I will learn, and get a better understanding over all of the area I beeing guided in. But my thaught about it, is that we must be even more proffessional. So how, by listen to our customer, the better we catch the needs and expectations the more satifyed the customer will get. So that is one important answer to that…

Now about back pack. How to choose a back pack? The first quetion you need to ask -what will I use the back pack for? If it is for a day tour, then 30L will be good enaugh. If you going for a couple of days, 45-50L will be the right choice. If the trip is about a wekk or so 60-70L will be needed. What is important is that if you are going for a mountain tour, you need a stable frame. This because it will be heavy, and the trail might be unevenly. Normally the back pack are available in ladies variant. So the next thing to think about will be about details. What is your needs there? For me, a opening from the sside is important so I can reach thing in the whole back pack easy. I will also have compartments and pockets for special equipments such as probes and shovel. My most important suggestion will be to take rather a smaller than to big back pack. It will always be heavier…

Now I will continue my series about altitude medicine. Today we have reach the area of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). The best way to avoide AMS will be a gradually ascending and time for rest for the acklimatization. Some doctors advocates Diamox 250mg x 2 a day ahead the ascending and during the acsending. Worth to notice is that Acetazolamid(Diamox) is classified as doping. If you are being affected of AMS it is time for restday (days) You can use pain killers such as Paracetamol and also Diamox 500mg one a day. Next week I will write about hard AMS and HACE.

This week I will evalute the Mammut Eigerjock IN Hybrid jacket. A hybride jacket that shall combine a shelljacket and a softshell jacket. So this one will be interesting to test.

See ya soon

In the morning when I wake up, and in the evening it is getting dark at eight a clock. I must confess, and I like it. The winter season is coming up, and light some candle and enjoy the dusk. Go with the nature and follow the flow, it is time for reflection. You for sure know what just you shall reflect over. Take the time and fill up your skills were you lacking knowledge.

The topic of the day will be altitude medicine. Already in 1878 Paul Bert propound that the low atmosphere pressure is the reason to the problem at high altitude. Before the explanation was that people was exhausted. What is important to understand is that already at 2400m you can be affected of AMS(Acute Mountain Sickness). At 3500m 50% of us get AMS if we go directly to that height (Aguille du Midi at 3800m). Between 4000-5000m the most case of HAPE and HACE appear here. It is also important to bear in mind that the temperature sink with one degree per every 150m ascending. All this factors make it so important to do a good acklimatisation. Start with a night at 2700m, and then you can ascending up to 3000-3500m. Irregular breathing is not a sign of AMS. Headache = stop ascending. 300 altitude meters pro day, and every third day shall be a rest day. I will continue this article next week…If you are going to high altitude, it can be worth buying a pulseoximeter to be able to chek your oxygen saturation.

This weeks hiking suggestion will be a tour at the Pyrenees. This trail is all over about 132km. it will take 7-9 days. But you will experience, the calm, steep peaks, deep blue mountain lakes. The trail follows the france border, and close to the highest peaks in the pyrenees. You will start in Vielha and will end up at the Refugio de Conangles, Vielha.

The french climber taking the Ice climbing/conyoning (in the Pyrenees) a step further…

See ya soon…

Last week, it was a tour to Sylarna. The target for the tur was to ascend the peak of Sylarna 1762m. I went up early, and the sun gentle caressed the mountain. A couple of minutes later it was coverd by the clouds. After the breakfast the hike started, and we passed the pyramid, and continue towards the middle peak. Here the wind was strong. The marks from the norweigen side was in the eye catched so we just continued forward. And a couple of minutes later we reached the top. The visability was bad, bud it dosen’t matter for the clients. At the way down the cloudes fade away and we got the view over the Jamtland mountains, really nice. The next day we spend in the Tempel valley and the tempel pinachles. 

Wading in Tempel valley(Photo Göran Karlén)

I love fiction books from the mountain environment. Viveca Steen has written a book about a homicide in the Åre area. It will be published at the 27th of October. The name of the book is Offermakaren. So keep the eye open for a book with the Åre environment inside.

So now I wall write a bit about gear. I’ve been testing the Ortovox Peak Light 40L. This one is very good, It is build for skiing activities, but is good for all mountain activities. The padding for the back is in Merino wool, and it really does work. So I will give this back pack five out of five NNNNN. The only negative thing is the price, 243 Euro is i bit too high...And when we still talking about gear I think it is important to reduce all gear we bring. I experiment with bringing as little as possible, with not challenge the safety. So I will write more about this topic ahead…

See ya soon…

This week I’ve been starting up the fighting workout running and done some meditation. So now I am back on track. To summing up this year summer vacation can be done in two words: hiking and workout. If there is something Ive been missing then it is Chamonix…

After a vaction period, it sometimes can be hard to get back on track. But to be honest, it is a good time for find some new track as well. So here come some suggestion of how to get a better life.

1. Every single moment of every single day, you are practicing something.-If you don’t floss in the morning, you are practicing non-flossing.
2. If it’s easy, you will be plateaued, if it’s hard you’re growing.-Comfort is the first sign of stagnancy. Get out from the comfort zone and feel uncomfortable again…
3. You don’t become disciplined. You find ways to practice discipline – And become disciplined as a result.-How can I be disciplined right now?
4. What you notice (and dislike) in others is a quality you need to confront in yourself.-When you react on another person, think of why and what is means to you.
5. To avoid feeling let down, treat every opportunity as “gravy on the top”-Don’t trust others, take command of your own. So this my help you to get the next step of your life…Why dont test a new challenge or behavior this autumn, it will help you to grow.

See ya soon…

Today I will be a bit philosofic. We can read about people whom get lost or need to be rescued in the mountain area. But it is rare to read about allof us who find home in the mountains. To understand our fragility and smallness in the magnicificent mountain environment. In the mountains the time stand still, and you will become one with the nature.

This weeks Europe suggestion will be the Watzmann-peak. Short but cool. You will need good fitness and knowledge from mountain environment. You will need to have the guts to turn if the weather conditions change or if your forces are failing. If you are prepared you will be able to do this tour within one day! Length 22,2km it will take 12-15 hours. Toni Palzer did this tour in 3 hours and 17 minutes. You will start this tour from Wimbachbrücke-Watzmannhaus and then Watzmannhause-Wimbachgrieshûtte and back Wimbachgrieshûtte-Wimbachbrûcke. If you are inexpert you might hire a mountain guide. When you leave Watzmannhaus heading for Hocheck at 2651m. after a valley you will find the first safety patch at Hochecksteig. After another 2,5 hours you will have reach the first peak. The small windshelter is a good place for a rest and catch strength for the peak. About a hour ahead you will rech the cross at the peak. Here you now got the option to turn back. If you are tired or feel it is a bit to airy, I suggest you to turn. Otherwise you will now have a real nice mountain trip ahead of you. With a couple of vertical passages down to the Königsee, and at the Wimbachgrieshûtte  you might take a well condign beer or even a bed for the night.  So when Germany open, good hiking to you…

See ya soon…

Last week I was ascending a familiar peak, the Getryggen. From this peak you have the most perfect view over the Jamtland and Harjedals mountains..always worth the effort.

This week has been interesting from a workout point of view. Hiking, cycling,  oreienteering and strengt and running. So more varied workout is hard to get. Keeping up the strength and the cardio level by hill intervalls, and the toughness. So summing up it has been real good.

With the IML (International Mountain Leader training) more guides in sweden will be able to lead groups in the Alps. One of the real treasures that will be a suggestion is the Adlerweg(sv. Örnvägen) in Austria. The Zirbenweg route between Innsbruck and Hall.   This stunning, seven-kilometre path passes bizarre granite blocks and centuries-old pines, which form the tree line at 2,000-meters.Travel up from Igls on the Patscherkofel cable car and walk to the Tulfein Alm where the Glungezer cable car whisks you down to Tulfes, a small village above Hall. Take the public bus back to Isgl. The whole route will take about 24 days, and is totally 412 km.

This week I will test the Peak Performance Light SS Carbon pants.

See ya soon…

Corona with Hemester makes us to explore our own country, which is really good. After a visit at Are I can conclude it in this; very popular and crowded. The trail towards Areskutan was like a ant trail. But I think its good, and Are is going towards to be the swedes Chamonix…But due to this it become more imporatnt to get new areas to go for, when the others is crowded. One suggestion will be a tour in the eastern of the Jamtland. Oviksmountain is really nice. Drive to Hallen and from here you drive towards Bydalen and park here. Take the trail towards Drommen and Dromsskaran. This is an 800 meter long , 150 meter wide and 50 m deep ice river canyon. Follow the trail towards Falkfångarfjället, and here you can spend a night (close to the wind shelter) in the tent and continue the next day.

This week the workout has been a lot of aerobic ones. Running uphills, and hiking. Today I started early and took the trail from Görveln towards Gaseborg. And after 2 hours and 12K i was back. So that was a nice start of the day.

When it comes to equipment the GSI coffee perculator has been tested. I  think it is very good. It takes a bit of time to brew though. But the taste of fresh coffee is unbeatable…

See ya soon…

How to become the optimal outdoor athlete? This question is always on my mind. I think it is very important to have a varied scheme. This for avoiding injueres and for not being bored. It is also good for the capabilitie of increase your adaptability. If looking into the five traits sucessful endurance athletes got, and what we can learn from it? First of all they got resilience, the ability to turn adverse circumstances to their favor. The second consitency, establish the frequency of workout, a behavior that makes them do it and do it again. Organized, planning and got a detailed plan and they will always be prepared for the upcoming race or competition. Brutal,Successful athletes have a brutality about them—a drive and burning desire that won’t let anything stand in their way. These athletes almost welcome adversity because they know it will make them stronger, and they thrive on training in a masochistic way. Brutal athletes have no idea, and that’s the true beauty of it. It’s a power trait for coaches to capitalize on when exploited in small doses. Present,  Being present can have short-term parameters—it can simply be a single interval within a session. It can also have long-term parameters, which includes staying aware of the season’s big-picture goal. If you have an athlete who during the first interval is thinking about the third, or an athlete who is planning for the next “A” race during a taper, give them a reality check and keep them focused on the task at hand. So this might help you to think like an endurance athlete, This can feels hard, especially for us over the 50s, so what willbe important for us? First of all train consistently over the year. Use training periods to prioritize your training time. I suggest Base-phase, peak-phase, taper-phase, recovery-phase, maintenance-phase. Continue strength training at high intensity. trength training after 40 has tons of health and performance benefits. As we age, our muscle mass and bone density gradually decrease. Consistent weight training slows down these processes and helps us maintain strength and function. Continue with HIIT and aerobic interval workouts. Allow more recovery time after hard workout. Use cross-training. Get more sleep, with aging you will need more sleep for recovering after a hard workout. And at the end: Focus on your abilities over your limitations…If you need some more inspiration, this book might be a good suggestion.

This week I was at Jamtland and visit the Fettjafallet in Klovsjo area. I really enjoy this small trips with experience..

See ya soon..

A research study tells us that, running 50 minutes (and the speed does not matter) a week will give us 6,5 years more to live. So just go for it and count in some more good years to live. When it comes to workout, this week has been varied. Mountain bike, running, hiking and running with strength and also fighting. So more varied workout will be hard to do. The highligt i must say was the hike at Graso at Vastervik in the south east of Sweden. The trail was close to the sea all the time and give us the possibility to take a bath.

When it comes to the Dyatlov Expedition that I have wrote about before, the Russia  prosecutors rule the skiers died of hypothermia after stripping off their clothes and fleeing in terror. The explanation of why they were running from the tent was that they were cought by a avalanche. But there still are some things to needed to get explained, so lets wait and see. And I also hope the film about the Swedish expedition will come during the autumn.

The Corona virus will now hit me directly. Not that I am will be sick, but the https://utefest.se/ and https://utehelg.se/ is canceled. So no guding there, so sad…But I have some ideas i will try to get the organizers on there mind.

Another news is that climbing will be new Olympic sport in Tokyo. Speed, lead and bouldering will be the three diciplines. In the next Olympic games the diciplines will be devided instead of a must of the three as it is in Tokyo.

And in this Corona times I miss Chamonix, no trip to the cradle of mountaineering…but enjoy this movies and dream yourself away…

See ya soon..