Creatures of the Forest

Tried to get up early. Didn’t work. But compared to all the next days it still was the earliest start. I had a good nights sleep on the new mattress (all hail to Sea To Summit!) but a hell lot of condensation. As expected since I was still in a valley, basically right next to a big lake. And it’s autumn. So despite no rain my tent was wet outside and inside. And so was my sleeping bag. That’s why I waited a bit for the morning sun to dry up things a bit. I thought the inside was dry enough to pack the tent together with the inner. Bad idea. But for now it was about climbing over Ottfjället. The views were fantastic and the area around the mountain tops just absolutely beautiful. The trail winding up slowly between small lakes and minor peaks. The way down to Vålådalen was rather boring. Can’t have it all I guess.

Had “fika” in mild afternoon sun at Vålådalen’s well known mountain station.

Continued towards Stensdalstugorna. The trail I planned to take didn’t exist on any of the local maps and naturally there were also no signs accordingly. So I went for what seemed to be the standard route, even though I did parts of it the year before. And it was beautiful, especially with the sun shining. At some point you leave Vålån and turn towards Stensdalen. A not too long stretch through dense birch and pine forest between bogs and marshland. It started to get dark, and cold. And I wondered if I would make it out of the forest, a bit above tree line before it got dark. Didn’t want to camp in a valley again after the wet night before.

And while considering my options, walking heads down focused on the trail it happened. I looked up and opposite a short ditch, right on top of a hill on trail there it stood. This creature. Facing me, watching me. First thought: “A wolf!” Next thought: “No, no, please not, no wolf!” And while I started to find good reasons why this impossibly could be a real wolf (it totally looked like a wolf, but who wants to be eaten by a wolf? Also they sure bread all kind of dogs these days, why not some that totally look like wolves. Right?) it set out approaching me and before I could think what I should or could do it was already there. Right in front of me, and taking a sniff. All that came to my mind at that moment was “it’s a dog and I must comfort it”. I’ve had encounters with lone dogs before and they usually “just” join you and you won’t get rid of them anymore. So I said to the “dog”: “So what am I supposed to do with you now?!”.
No reaction whatsoever, it didn’t even look at me. That’s when I knew this can’t be a dog. And then I saw its collar. That’s not a thing you put around the neck of your pet. It clearly was a tracking device attached with what looked like a black zip tie.
“Oh shit!” - and a second later it was on its way further down the trail, not giving a god damn shit about me.

A short relief. My head started spinning. What if it changed its mind? What if it’s like “well, didn’t find anything to eat, why not go back and eat that human?”. Next thought “aren’t they in packs normally. So where’s the rest?” - just a minute later I saw a bunch of animals behind some bushes on a open meadow. My heart sank. But looking closer I was quite sure it’s reindeer. So I thought “hey wolf, eat them, not me!”

Well. What an encounter. It also settled the question whether or not to camp in the forest. Once and for all. Two seconds later I climbed out of the forest and pitched my tent above tree line, overlooking the valley and the mountains. Just so I see them coming for me. At least.Read more