Sunday, March 16, 2014

Kungsleden, Abisko-Nikkaluokta

Departure from Absiko with food for nine days, tent and warm sleeping bags. Florian and I packed all that stuff in our pulkas, and pulled them for 100 km to arrive to Nikkaluokta, nine days later. This stretch follows the Kungsleden, "the King's trail" in the mountains of northern Sweden. A well-marked trail, made safe by the presence of shelters about every 15 km. The landscapes are absolutely breathtaking, starting from typical low-altitude Lappish landscapes with fells and forest of dwarf birches to end up with more Alpine landscapes, with higher mountains, loads of snow. What makes it so particular is that we didn't see a road for nine days, neither a concrete buildings. No mobile phone coverage for most of it too. This was a dive in a universe of snow and frost, everything happening with the pace of skiers, meeting fellow hikers, and camping under bright stars. Mostly our only reference points were the rock giants always watching our slow skiing, teaching us humbleness. 1-9 March 2014