Kebnekaise and Padjelanta Ski / Gallery

Kebnekaise

: 01. Lapporten from near Abisko. The Northern gateway to the outdoors in Swedish Lappland

: 02. A typical Sami Kåta, or a typical Lapp turf and log cabin. This one is at the east end of Abiskojaure Lake near the outflow.

: 03. Skiing down Abiskojaure Lake to the STF cabin at the far (west) end in a light snow shower.

: 04. Climbing up from Abiskojaure cabin, by the lake below, to the shallow pass leading to a string of lakes and Allesjaure cabin.

: 05. Skiing south along Allesjaure lake towards the cabins at the far end. In the distance are two small skiers, Ed and Marie, ahead of me.

: 06. Looking back down Allesvagge from above Tjaktja cabin en route up to the Tjaktja pass.

: 07. Birgit following me up the valley towards Tjaktja pass from Tjaktja cabin.

: 08. Salka cabin is one of the main cabins on the popular Kungsleden trail. There was a mix of skiers, dog-sledgers and snow-shoers staying here.

: 09. Looking east from Salka cabins towards Kaskasavagge valley and the foothills of the Kebnekaise massif.

: 10. Looking NE from Salka cabins up Stiur Reaiddavagge valley where Nallo cabin nestles in a deep U-shaped slot

: 11. Pulling the pulk down the valley from Salka cabins towards my turn off to the west up the small Cuhcavagge valley

: 12. Looking back down the smaller Cuhcavagge valley I was going up towards Singi cabins in the brief moment of clearer weather that morning.

: 13. At Hukejaure cabin with Ben Bardsley who against all the odd in this difficult year was skiing the length of Norway. He had been going for about 75 days and still had 25 to go.

: 14. At Sitasjaure cabin with the stove going and candles for light. The warden, Håkon, brought me up some great cake he baken in his wood fired oven

: 15. Skiing from Sitasjaure cabin to Ritsem I passed the west end of Autajaure lake. Here is the view looking SE across the lake towards the Kallatjokka massif

Padjelanta

: 16. The ice on Akkavare lake froms in early winter when the huge reservoir is full. As the water level falls during winter the ice descends coming to rest on what were previously islands.

: 17. Akka cabin is a STF cabin. The layout of 20 beds is on a traditional 50 year old design by the climber Tove Abrahamson. Many of the STF cabins are of this design.

: 18. The sunrise from the STF cabin at Kutjaure (also a Tove Abrahamson design) on a beautiful morning before the gale arrived.

: 19. Waving goodbye to Lars, the warden at Kutjaure cabin. In the foreground is the waterhole to extract fresh water from under the streams ice.

: 20. The Swiss musher, Muie, overtaking me having followed by tracks for 5 km.

: 21. Looking back north over Sallojaure sameby summer hamlet with Akka mountain in the background

: 22. A typical log and Turf Sami kata, or seasonal cabin at Vastejaure summer Sameby. These cabins have been superseded with modern timber one now

: 23. My small cabin at Låddjåkkå during the evening gale. I just made it before the wind picked up

: 24. Inside my cabin at Låddjåkkå with the gale raging outside. Inside it soon warmed up with the gas stove and kerosene lamps

: 25. A ptarmigan (fjällrypa) just outside the window at Låddjåkkå cabin. It had come down to graze a wind blown bare patch nearby

: 26. After 2 nights at Låddjåkkå cabin I left on a beautiful morning. Just 3 hours later the weather was ferocious

: 27. Starting the climb from Låddjåkkå cabin up to the featureless pass en route to Arasluokta. Just 2 hours after this photo a gale arrived and,a white terror enveloped me

: 28. The Sami chapel and the clock tower in the summer hamlet of Arasluokta

: 29. The seasonal herding hamlet of Arasluokta was comprised of about 40 cabins. In the middle you can see the small Sami stabbur (food store) which is a tiny log hut on a pole to deter scavengers.

: 30. Sebastian and Merline setting off from Arasluokta to ski over the hill to Låddjåkkå in a small gale. As they day unfolded the wind eased and I made it to Tuottar cabin also.

: 31. Arriving at Tuottar cabin after a longer day in a snowy wilderness was a welcome sight.

: 32. Heading south from Tuottar cabin across the lakes to the start of the surprising descent down to Tarraluoppal cabin. Most of today was in good weather

: 33. A break on the short day from Tuottar cabin to Tarraluoppal cabin. In the distance is the near 2000m Ryggåsberget massif

: 34. The unexpected cauldron on the descent from Tuottar to Tarraluoppal cabins. It was at least 40 metres deep and not marked on the map. It was possible to go round on the north (left) side

: 35. Looking SE down the Tarradalen valley from above Tarraluoppal cabin. I would spend the next 3 days skiing down this lovely valley to Kvikkjokk.

: 36. Skiing down the top of the Tarradalen valley above the woods with surtains of spindrift flowing across the snowpack and launching off the ridges

: 37. Såmmerlappa cabin where Ingrid was the warden was in the upper Tarradalen just below the treeline.

: 38. Heading down from Såmmerlappa cabin towards Tarrekaise cabin in Tarradelen valley. The impressive Tarrekaise mountain (circa 1800m) dominates the valley here.

: 39. While at Tarrekaise cabin the northern lights (aurora borealis) appeared for the first time on this trip. They are a phenomena caused by charged particles in a solar wind crashing into the earth’s magnetic field high in the atmnosphere

: 40. The outflow at Tarrajaure lake was surprisingly open. At this time of year everything should be frozen. In the background is the near 1800m Staika mountain

: 41. Looking down into lower Tarradalen valley from the lip just above Njunjes cabin. In the lower valley the trees were predominantly conifers

: 42. Backen Farm was an old homestead which was perhaps 150 years old. It was once a farm and was not a liesure cottage.

: 43. Looking back up Tarradalen from near Kvikkjokk with Tarrekaise dominating the north side of the valley

: 44. The old farms of Kvikkjokk from 150 years ago are still used but there are a lot of newer houses especially in the last 40 years.