We left on Weds and had big ambitions for the New Year to ski the 20K in to a nice mountain hut where I hiked last summer, relax, celebrate, etc... but instead...such plans can somedays go astray...
We got to a small, two bed, 2x3 m hut (free to stay, chop your own wood, turf roof, thick log walls,etc) which was en route and was all warm still as someone had used it the night previous. (this was decidely tempting and we soon decided were too late for the big push in... it was 4pm. no chance!) and guess what, my boss from the school arrived at this little riverside cabin, alone except for his dog, and a big box of red wine.... so, we had a social time instead and a pre-New Year drink, with an outdoor fire in the snow. Hanne and I ate salmon couscous stew (our own invention: lovely!). Ludwig the (loaned) dog ate salmon skin (bit skeptic of the pepper and lemon flavouring at first...). Tor ended snoring contently on his bed mat on the floor squeezed between our wooden beds and the door, as the hut was so tiny. And Hanne is so nice she let his dog sleep on her legs. (Ludwig was happily firmly chained to a tree outdoors, as he doesn't like my bosses setter so very much. Call it what you will, but it involves a fair bit of knurling (growling)).
Next day. A decent 9am start, and up the frozen river we went, then up into mountains and over a snowy plateau to the hut beside a big mountain lake. Ludwigs pulk (sled) was awkward over trees aand roots poking through the snow, and downhills and uphills, and of course the dog was not so glad of thin ice on the river (he seems to be able to 'smell' the open water underneath - we hear it tinkling sometimes and he actually crouches low and sort of crawls a bit.... yikes! Makes you ski fast over those spots) However, collapsed areas along the river were showing just more frozen layers underneath mostly - it wasnt as dangerous as it sounds ;). The worst was areas where water had seeped from under up and when you get that on evil slush your ski skins attract water and you have to sort of SKI with blocks of ice weighing God knows what under the skis... rubbish to that!). We were unfortunate that Hannes ski boot bust (the toe section started to crack off, which binds the ski to the boot...). Photo shows the moment we had to do the 2nd fix on the skiboot. Bugger.
So, we fixed with my Emergency Duct Tape but it was not really enough - duct tape is amazing stuff. But you have to use bucketloads of it to keep gear intact! She ended up hiking the final 6km on foot. Not so easy in deep snow. The moonlight was amazing as we had no need even for head torches. Just moonlight :) When we finally got to the 2 huts up in the hills at 9pm there were several people there, (16 others, includinig the kind man who had warmed the previous nights hut and whose ski and pulk tracks we followed almost the whole way...) and a few dogs to boot (including Ludwigs friend Inuk, who he lives with and who was on loan to another friend! so a social New Year for the dogs also ;)). Before we had time for the Xmas Pudding treat with our new hut mates it was New YEars. It felt like a pause in dinner! ;) a few fireworks (dogs not so keen) and hugs all round then a dash back inside for Xmas Pud! laced with Cognac. Nice. But Hanne and I stayed v sober. 20 hours trek in. hmmm. I had to work at 1800 the next day. Yes, we fixed her boot, took 2 hours kip and back on our skis by 5am the next day. a lovely ski out. Her boot survived. Arrived at work 1730...just in time for a shower! ;)
(more photos coming).... just maybe not shortly!