ArrivalApr 17 2019

Heat

Apr182019
Map thumbnail of location

I'm not sure why, but I was surprised to find that the sun was up at 5:45am. It's the end of a long dark Norwegian winter, but the change back to summer hours seemed to take, like, a day.

Looking out the door at 5:47amLooking out the door at 5:47am

The trouble is that the sun crossed the horizon around 6am, but that doesn't mean it got warm. Brrrrr.

So I stayed in my wonderful cozy sleeping bag until 7:30 or so, when I finally decided to get a move on. Not only was I impatient to get hiking, but I hate being the last one ready and wanted to start packing.

So up I got, into a still-slumbering camp. Like my friend Krissy, who slept out in her bivvy last night.

Trooper.Trooper.

I walked around and investigated the surroundings (read: peed), and returned to camp, and at least one person was getting up.

Literally.

Rise and shine!Rise and shine!

Everyone else followed shortly, and a packing/breakfasting/hydrating party got underway.

Commotion!Commotion!

I just tried to stay out of the way.

Just a few more things.Just a few more things.

Eventually, we got underway. I had spent a bit of time trying out the skis with their skins, and let me tell you: this is going to be a long trip.

The problem is that the skis that I borrowed are incompatible with the new racing-style skins, which just go under the boot. Instead, the skins I picked up go the full length of the skis. This is absolutely wonderful for climbing up steep icy slopes, but just miserable on the flats. And downhills.

Oh well, it'll be a good workout I guess.

And away we go!And away we go!

The sun came up, with a vengeance. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and I was thanking my stars that I'd remembered both sunglasses and sunscreen.

The end of the first major climb if the dayThe end of the first major climb if the day

The day continued on like this:

  1. We get to a rise
  2. I'm first up because my skins are amazing at climbing
  3. I start on the flat or down or whatever is next
  4. Everyone blows past me
  5. Everyone waits for me at the next hill
  6. GOTO 1
Bringing up the rearBringing up the rear

We didn't see many people out there, but a few dog teams passed us, which looked awesome. I was really hoping they'd stop so I could befriend them (the dogs) but no such luck. The dogs were just loving it, and in no mood to stop.

Dogs with jobs!Dogs with jobs!

Remember when I said the sun was up with a vengeance? It was so hot. Before this trip, I had joked with my friend Alex (seen pulling her homemade pulk) that I was going to wear my normal hiking attire: button-down and my shorts. I wore the button-down, but chickened out on the shorts.

Big mistake.

Not entirely desolate!Not entirely desolate!

In the later afternoon, we had a ridiculously long hard long slog to reach a cabin. We weren't staying there, but we wanted a beer and some new wax. The wax we had brought was better than nothing, but it was way too hot for it. So I picked up a tube of the stickiest wax I've only heard rumors about.

Let's see how this goes.Let's see how this goes.

After our siesta, we headed back out for a last two-hour slog across a frozen lake to set up camp.

Setting up campSetting up camp

We still had a few daylight hours left, so we settled in and hung out a bit before bed.

Dinnertime!Dinnertime!

The sun set at 8:30 and the took the heat with it. However, this time we didn't wait for it to get cold -- off to bed we went!

Goodnight!Goodnight!
LakesApr 19 2019