Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts..

I don’t think it is necessary to improve, or trying to be better time after time. But I think it is important that we as person grow and develop. Due to that reason we all really need time to reflect on our selves time to time, and if we don’t do that we will stop being good. We need to work with a plan for become a better me. So the first question would be; who do you want to be – When you got the answer your will be on the way. Now you can or probably would question me -But how do you know that? How shall I know that? Well, I think that is one of the reflection you need to do. It won’t come an answer after 5 minutes or 5 hours or 5 days, it might come after 5 month or 5 years. But the develop/journey starts with the reflection. It will be there and growing as a plant, and in a sudden it will be crystal clear. It even happen without you being able to recognize it. Hm. What is this for “fluffy” crap you might think now. But everything start with a seed and then it will grow. Do the work that matters, this might means you should do the choice that scars you…Be a believer. You must believe in yourself for being able to do the things you really wanted to do. Ok, so now you might think – well I know that I need to develop, but what then? I really don’t know what habit or quality or behavior I should develop…

Well looking into the compass of human development might help you. Quality’s such as curiosity, sociability, resilience, self-awareness, integrity, resourcefulness, creativity, and empathy. This areas might can help you out here do define what area you need to develop.

From a personally perspective I can see a lot of effort due to continues developing. Just for clarification, this is not to be taken as a advice, it is just a reflection from me from my life,

First of all my time in the service(Army) was the best time over all, that is the reason for who, what and where I am today. I am so grateful for all years, month, days, hours and seconds I spend there.  This is my core of almost all I do today. I have got the guts to try new things, and that have led me to both success and failures, but in the end the experience has been good. And at those time, when I have formed a picture or goal of what, who or where to be I have succeed and reach it. This is a bit like the Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark said; the more I train the more luck I get. I have always gone my own way, with no fear of not being like anybody else. So with a focus mind, and a tireless patience I always have reach the goal(even if it sometimes as been adapted or changed among the way/process). Next blog will be about Role model and Charisma and a report from the Swedish mountain safety council…

See ya soon…

Jason Derulo – When Love Sucks (feat. Dido) REMIX – YouTube

Out of Time Man – YouTube

By the way…soon time for this years Christmas calendar…

The Sami’s calendar says we with fast step will enter the Pre-winter season. That is a good name, meaning it is about time to prepare for the upcoming Winter. The daylight become shorter and the temperature will fall. Time for reflection, planning and become contemplative. New season means you can try new habits. I will give you a link here for a more healthy life. But, I will just go for the cold shower in the morning, that will be a good start…

And talking about the Sami’s I will present the rein deer. The Sami’s life is all about the love to the nature and the rein deer, so it will be the heart of their life’s. The rein deer – boazu is an animal that fully have adopted to the arctic climate. Dependent of the season the retina (Sv. Näthinna) of the rein deer will change from blue to yellow and back to blue due to adaptation of the light of the season. In the Spring-winter it is time for the calving, now it is urgent times for the Sami’s. It is time to move the herd from the low lands to the mountains. Here will the calving become much more quite. During the summer the rein deer use the time to graze and fill up the depots for the autumn and the upcoming Winter. During the summer it is also time for the calf marking, now the Sami’s gathering for clearing out which rein deer is which. During the autumn it is the rut time for the male rein deer’s. This will take a lot of energy of them and they look really big and stately. After the rut, the will loose the antlers. The female rein deer’s also got antlers and they will keep them. That will help them to dig to get lichen (Sv. Lav) which is the rein deer’s favorite meal. During the summer the rein deer eat grass, herbs mushrooms and leaf’s. Since the rein deer is adapted to the climate it can store bot water and energy for cold periods. Another fact is that the fur is so dense so even if it has swam, it will not even get wet.

Reindeer’s Amazing Adaptations to Living in Snow | Snow Animals | BBC Earth – YouTube

So here is the year of the rein deer; It will start in May with the calving, before that the rein deer keeper have to secure that the rein deer’s has passed the ice passing and will be up in the mountains. Just after midsummer the preparation for the marking of the calves begin. Checking the fences etc. As soon the meadows is green the hard work of marking begins. During the summer the rein deer’s will be graze the lichen high up on the mountain slopes. In the late summer it is high time for the preparation of the slaughter. In the beginning of September the real work is on, and if needed it will also be in October. During this period the work is hectic, now all the meat and everything from the slaughter needed to be taken care of. At the same time the moose hunt season is on and also the fishing as well. In the beginning of the Winter, it is time again for gathering the herd and split the rein deer’s up. In the low land they will eat what the nature will give them but also the keeper will secure they got hey if needed and also moss.

So now you maybe got a better know of rein deer’s and might see them from a bit different angle?!

This weeks easy adventure will be in Swedish Lapland. Take the night train towards Katterjåkk. You leave the train, and your on the track at once. Noe you got 3,5km towards the Kattejaure cabin.

This is the target of the day, Here you will sleep and do a day tour toward the top close to the cabin. If it is a good weather, you also can do a day tour to vassivaggi wind shelter and back. But this demand good mountain knowledge and skills due to the high mountain environment…Then the next day you will go back to Katterjåkk station and enter the night train again…

This week I’ve been reviewing the Montura Brave2 jacket. This is a ”work jacket” for rescuer and professionals in the mountain environment. I like the jacket, but I missing a hood. With a price of 227 Euro I think it a bit too expensive.  The layering is not water proof, just water repellent and for that price I expect more. The visibility is something that is very good and also the pockets and the finish is nice. But due to price and the ”missing” of a hood it cant be just (NNNN).

A glimpse of Swedish Lapland: Ep.9 – DANCERS IN THE DARK – YouTube

And the training, I have stared the days with a cold Shower just for getting energized.. And I am closing in to the target 74 push-ups within 2 minutes. And 14 pull-ups…I’m on the way..

How to Feel Energized & Sleep Better With One Morning Activity | Dr. Andrew Huberman – YouTube

Bryan Martin – Wolves Cry (Official Music Video) – YouTube

See ya soon…

Today I will give a heads up for the easy accessible adventures. Ones that you can do just over a short weekend, or just a couple of days.

The first suggestion will be the Sonfjället tour. Here you take the car, and turn it towards Sveg-Hede. It will take you about ~6 hours from Stockholm. Here you can stay at Nysätern mountain cabin. Early morning next day you turn on your headlamp and just outside the cabin the trail starts. Now you follow the foot of the mountain “Gråsidan” northern foot, towards Sododalen. The trail is uphill’s in the beginning and you will take a couple of height meters here. After almost 4 km. you will pass a trail-crossing. Here you can choose to go around Valmfjället or go directly towards Sododalen. After 1.2km more you reach the windshelter. This one is new and with a nice stove (so bring some firewood for a nice rest. From here you cant ascend the 1,5km to the top od Sonfjället with a fantastic view or you can continue towards the wind-shelter (2,2km)close to Medstöten. Or why not do both? Now you have the option to either go to the wind-shelter close to the peak and set up the tent, or use the wind-shelter for a night. Or go the 7,2km back to Nysätern and stay there. Eat breakfast and you are ready to go home with a fantastic mountain  experience with you…

The second suggestion will be the peak cabin of Åreskutan. You take the night train from ex. Stockholm at 22.39 and you arrive in Åre 8:33 in the morning. You put on your backpack and walk towards Tottbacken. Follow the trail towards Getvalen and up to Sadeln. You will pass the Lillfjället and Hällfjället on your right side. When you pass the Lillskutan it is time for the challenging part of the day. Here you will have a real uphill part, But with nice weather it is just a pleasure with the view…Soon you reach the top cabin, and you can eat your packed lunch and start the descending. In the evening you jump on the night train towards Stockholm at 19.41 and at 05.47 you weak up in Stockholm with a full day of new adventures…

This week I will test the Montura Bravo2 jacket. This is a heavy duty jacket for mountain adventure. With a lot of pockets and visible areas, it is produced for mountain professionals.

Dying For A Name – YouTube

See ya soon…

Well, it is time to summing up this years summer season. With a nice Via Ferrata tour in May at Skuleberget, and a peak tour to Helags in June followed with a tour to Oviksfjällen in July, and Enafors – Storulvån in August, Lunndörrsfjällen in September and in October a tour to Offerdalsfjällen. So summing up that I can only be satisfied. Now its time for planning the upcoming Winter season and check all equipment…

This weeks reflection will come here; First of all will be my thought about STF and there handling of the lease management in western Jämtland. Driving from the back seat has never been a good way to steer something. And after a limited result, STF explained that it was a good choice for the environment etc. From mu point of view it had been better to do a poodle, and say -sorry we have failed, because we was to late on the ball…

The next reflection will be about how do you want to be remembered? I couple a week I was on a funeral. It was a light funeral, where the priest told us about the person. And it was all very nice word, and everything was consistent with how he was. So how will you be remembered? I think that is a very good question, and it might be a thing to think of ahead…

David Kushner – Daylight (Official Music Video) – YouTube

See ya soon…

This week I’ve been in Långsåsdalen/Mjölkvattnet for the International Mountain Leader Summer Assessment. This area is perfect for this purpose. With no trails neither path or lanes. The summer assessment include areas as Speed navigation, Night navigation, Navigation in poor visibility, Leadership, First aid, River Crossing among a lot of other stuff. You as aspirant really need to live up to UIMLA IML standards. The first day of the assessment it was really nice weather, late summer feeling. Wednesday the rain was poring and 20m/s in the gusts of the wind. And in the morning of Thursday the snow was falling from the heaven and the tent was covered with frost. All of the participants did a good work, but due to the standards not all passed. You need to be prepared, and got focus for the challenge you will get during the examination.

So here we start the Assessment in such a nice weather…

The area is perfect for assessment…

One of the tough challenges will be the night navigation…

Ropework at steep ground will be another part of the standard.

River Crossing is both challenging and dangerous/risky…

As IML instructor you need to be objective, open minded and also flexible. The weather changes, the participants have different type of knowledge and skills so you need to adopt. But summing up this Assesment we have done a great job, with a very relevant result. So a happy instructor in the end…And unless it is not raining it is not training…

See ya soon…

Bryan Martin – Wolves Cry (Official Music Video) – YouTube

Today it will be a short blog, due to that I am going to exam International Mountain Leader from tomorrow and until Thursday.  But lets begin with the workout target. The workout has been good and I have a good starting point to begin from as you can see.

This summer has been fantastic with four different type of tours: Beginning with a tour towards the Helags mountain. This with a top attempt an with a pleasant result. The next a tour with the husky to Oviksfjällen and Falkfångarfjället, a fabulous tour as well. The next towards Storulvån and training of IML aspirants and in September the Lunndörrsfjällen. Really nice cabin tour…

Johnny Cash – (You’re The) Devil in Disguise (Elvis Presley) AI COVER – YouTube

Today I can state were in the last week of September. Looking back to a summer with a lot o mountain adventure, I can be really pleased. A tour to Helags, one to Oviksfjällen, another to Storulvån and one to Lunndörrsfjällen. That a great summery of this summer. Honestly I miss the Alps, but you cant get it all…There’s a lot going on at the moment and that is something I like! Upcoming weekend we going to have a Summer assessment in Offerdalsfjällen, this with six aspirants for the IML certification. My thoughts about that is; how to become openminded and impartial…Well I think it starts with love, compassion, joy and equanimity. By being clear with the expectations I think were on the way.

It will be really nice to get to the Offerdalsfjällen again. This area is a hidden pearl. So I am looking forward to it. It is always also interesting with the examination of new guides.

When it comes to workout I got my self a new target; 80st Push-ups, 80st. sit-ups(both part must be done within 120 S each) 15 pull-ups, 1 mile (1,6km) run under 7 minutes, 1000m clothes swim within 20 minutes and end it up with 19,3km  with a backpack with a load of 20,4kg maximum of 180minutes…all in one day in a row…I will give you update how its going ahead…

See ya soon

Dickey Lee – I Saw Linda Yesterday – YouTube

I Won’t Back Down – YouTube

This week the blog will contain three parts. I will start with the season thoughts. The autumn is a good time for manifest the knowledge and skills you got, and also put some thought about what to develop.  So lets start with some thought here; your thought create your reality, so choose them wisely. The universe is conspiring in your favor. believe it, and it will manifest. Thoughts become things, if you see it in your mind, you will hold it in your hand. The first step to manifest your dreams is to believe they are possible.  Manifestation is not about wishing, it’s about taking inspired action towards your goals. Thinking and looking inside rather than outside…

Spending the weekend in Lunndörrs mountains was terrific. We started the tour from Vålådalens mountain station towards the Lill stensdals mountain, and continuing parallelly with the Smällhögarna towards Vålåstugan  mountain hut. Cooking dinner (rein deer filet) and enjoying the evening in the mountains. Early next day we had some breakfast and then at 07.40 we where on the track again. This day the target was Lunndörren mountain hut. With Gråsjöfjället and Trondfjället next to us the hike was really nice. After passing the bridge over Vålån the trail follow’s a ridge with a magnificent view. Soon we got the Lunndörrs mountain hut in our view, and we could have a few minutes of rest. Eager to look into the Lunndörs valley, we where soon on the go again. The pass was: as always tremendous and we went back to the cabin for making dinner. After the dinner we enjoyed the sauna and a bath in the Lunndörrs-tjärn. Early Sunday morning  we wnt back to Våldalens Mountain station, with the last days hikes in the view. And as always I left the area with a feeling of melancholia. But soon I will be in the mountain again so no worries.

At last it will be an accurate review of the Lundhags Padje 45L Backpack. This is as I said before, a real stripped model. But from my point of view it is a working machine built for heavy duty. With its aluminum frame you can load it heavy. Be carful with fit in the back, and you will be secure. As it is stripped it just got one pocket. That is fine by me, but it could have been a bit larger though. The price of ~192 Euro is a bit to high. But if you can get discount somewhere buy it , you will like it. You will find it hard to ”overload” it.

Asaf Avidan & the Mojos – Small Change Girl – YouTube

See ya soon…

Three days ahead, it is time for a mountain journey again. This time it will be in the Vålådalen area. This trails are mostly located below the three line, but close to the mountains. So it is a very nice area. Last time the media has been holding focus of the situation in Jämtland and the discussion about it it will affect other areas, such as Kebnekaise for example. Up there STF has given the information that they don’t have the same problem. It is a much bigger area and they have already steer it up with pre-booking and so on to the cabins. But what will be my reflection now a week later…It will affect me in the way that it now can be a little longer tours. There is a plan in my mind, so it might be a nice one…This week has a been messy. A lot at work, a lot in the non-profit association among others. And all thinking about all in the mountain and others at the moment take more energy than it gives. So need to slow down. I’m only human…

Listen to this, nice…See ya soon…

Morningsiders – Don’t Let Me – YouTube

So now it is a fact, that the mountain tourism in the western part of Jämtland will be affected due to the lease agreement between the county government and the Swedish Tourist association. I will split this issue into three parts. First the history.

The last 130 years the Swedish Tourist Association have been having mountain huts and trails between them in this area. At the same time the Sámi have conducted reindeer husbandry in the area. There have been occasional discussions and resistance between the parties, but the business has flown on. The lease agreement has been continued to apply in the meantime. This lease agreement was to be renegotiate in the end of 2023. In the beginning of this year the Swedish Tourist Association tried to start a dialogue with the Amis with limited success.

The second part will be the facts: The Swedish Tourist Association has have focus in guest night at the cabins and mountain stations. The Sami’s has during of couple of years spoken about how the reindeers has been affected of the increased activities such as ski kiting and mountain biking and also the increased number of visitors. The services at the mountain stations has been improved and got a higher status. The Swedish Tourist Association has not been in dialogue with the Sami’s in the area for a long time. Also the Girjas verdict also have in impact in this issue as well. The result of  all of this has been that the Swedish Tourist Association has to adept to much of the Sami’s opinions. So the opening times and also the services at the mountain stations and cabins has been affected from my point of view a lot.

The third part, my feelings and opinion: First of all I think the STF has failed here. This due to be to slow at the ball. The greedy of increasing the guest night, has now come to a payback time. It should have been much better to include the Sami’s much earlier. This is of course good for the area, and also from a guide point. The need of guides will now increase. People with less skills need a guide, and also to find other areas when this is fully booked. And again the cabins and mountain stations will be filled with steam from the boiling pots. And also the evenings big contest of which company cooks the best food…And I also think that the “real” mountain people will survival and like this decision in the end. We all love the mountains, don’t we?

I also have continue the review of the Lunhags Padje 45L back pack. With its just 1090g it is a light and stripped one. This means there is just one pocket,

so I have supplemented mine with two pockets at the hip belt as you can see.

It suit me fine and easy to adjust. But I am a bit concerned of the small straps.

Will they be strong enough? But it is big and I will see how much I can pack in it. The price is a bit to high due to what you got will be my opinion. But So far I really like it…

Eek A Mouse & DUB FX Ganja Smuggling – YouTube

See ya soon…