...sleeping rough

Sometimes we unwittingly plan for events out of the realm of our planning.  All plans lead to new plans, is another way of saying this. Such as when we pack pulk and tent and head for the hills on a late Saturday afternoon.... one supposedly-simple plan in mind.

It is an unseasonally mild March here, and Saturday was no exception, with torrential rain on Friday evening followed by a balmy, sunny Saturday morning with spring distinctly 'in the air'.   I made plans to go camping anyway and the pulk was duly packed and loaded into the back of the van.

It is no secret that if you travel 50km up a valley away from the coast inland the climate should be better... so, with rain spitting at me down in Storslett centre, I headed for the hills, fingers crossed!

I collected my trusty, loaned four-legged companion, Taiga, on the way up to my destination at Sarafoss and we started out at about 16.30.  17.30 and we had actually located a good camp-spot, sheltered from a slight breeze, and with plenty of deadwood for a fire later.

Then: the realisation I had forgotten my tent poles!  PEGS you can improvise with, in a forest, but POLES.   Oh dear!

I was disheartened at first, but made ready a bivouac.  It's a pleasure to sleep out, in late spring - but March?  Are you kidding?!? However, with the forecast as mild, no precipitation, I hunkered down for the night.  Taiga was completely confused by the experience, having expected either: a) a ready hut, b) a cozy tent.  But she and I enjoyed a mild, balmy night.  No moonlight, simply stars so thick you couldn't even recognise familiar constellations...and Northern Lights a-plenty.   No photos of the fore-mentioned stars and aurora (which was spectacular in the early hours [alas! no camera at hand ;)]) but here are some photos of our bivvy and a day of sun! sun! sun! afterwards.  Yes, on Sunday we returned up to Carravarri summit for a really hot day out, t-shirts and sugar-snow!  This route is also mentioned a few posts back, when we'd said 'goodbye sun' in November on the very same top :)  Note the contrasting pictures, in terms of light and sun!

An evening of warmth in the snow

 One happy-enough camper, having survived her night without a) hut, b) tent! 

 Simple, yet effective design to the roof.  The tree-bough was in perfect position.

Puppy-power to the summit - almost there! (note the cairn...)

March 2015 - this is now

November 2014 - that was then...

  I love this summit :) - in all seasons!

 Looking southwards, the sun noticeably higher in the sky than back in November!

Reisadalen northwards to the coast (~50km to the sea)

Reisadalen southwards towards the vidda (~40km to the valley's head)

Descent back to the pine-forest - the snow was perfect

If you look closely at this picture, you can just-about see the tiny location of the camp-site. 

A truly naturally-sheltered spot!

Here you can clearly see the orange pulk and the branches of the bivvy-site :)

Less than 24 hours of unexpected plans that worked out well  

And I couldn't resist these few extra shots taken on the drive back down to the town...

The mountain here reminds me of the famous Mt. Thor,
when I hiked Baffin Island back in 2003 :)

Crossing the Reisa River on the new bridge

Hurrah for the spring!

A medley of pictures - no one picture can do this magical time of the year justice!

And here: this morning ;) 

enjoy guys!  - cut and paste the link  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3-LDYFSP-s&feature=youtu.be

'Light and a living room'

"Er det sola i stua enda?"  - is there sun in the living room yet?

It seems that the extent of the sun's return is the issue up here.  Neighbours and friends do actually pose this question to one another when the sun's rays finally re-appear after their long absence.  The living room is a place of comfort and life and perhaps light in this most cherished room is real confirmation that the sun is back!  'Yes, it's back.  Yes, in the living room!' is the ultimate answer to the ultimate question it seems.

Yet the sun first re-asserts itself in small steps - a few minutes for the first few days, and then racing towards 24 daylight.  The transformation takes a only a few weeks - by Easter time the nights are pretty much a thing of the past again.  I always feel it is a bit like trying to collar a racing horse, trying to keep up with the sun's return.  An alluring yet deceptively slow build-up to the event as the horses parade (December), followed by leaving the gates (January), a blur and a headlong gallop ensues, and commentator frenzy at the finish (midsummer!!)  (see this link, to see a good example of this analogy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DXR3FOA_o0)

Often, you get the sun back in the hills around the house, and yet you still have to wait a few weeks more to get it into that vital living room location...

Yet what if your living room is in the hills itself?  Exactly :) Per and I made a special trip up to one of my favourite hut locations; to find the sun was our original mission - Sun also In The Living Room was the bonus-point.

So, let me take you back in time: to January 18th and a sunny living room (~ 300m above the valley floor; Mum and Dad: perhaps you recall the viewpoint?)

Indisputable!