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Ikke Kungsleden
  • PositivDenken
  • Lily Tsui
  • Julia Muchowski

Ikke Kungsleden

Walking from Hemavan to Abisko while avoiding Kungsleden as much as we can. Having two friends, Lily and Julia, joining me. Read more
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  • Trip start
    July 17, 2022
  • Ikke Kungsleden
    2

    How to get your feet wet, part 1/X

    July 18, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    It all started as it should, cold and wet. We hauled our way too heavy backpacks up into the mountains and crashed at the first reasonable tentsite we could find. Splendid!

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    6

    Is it cold?

    July 19, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Fun fact, that other hiker you saw is Margit, she joined us at the next cabin after we chased her for a couple of hours and she hiked with us for a day until we split at Tärnasjöstugan.

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    11112

    Could it be any better?

    July 19, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    On our way from Syter to Tärnasjöstugorna. After some discussions back and forth we found an amazing place to camp, weather was on our side and we took the opportunity for a first dip in ice cold water.

    Seems like some people couldn’t quite decide on the best spot for their tent though. 🤷‍♂️🐳    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    1

    Into Norway

    July 21, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    We passed by Dalarvado, where we met some fishermen who got picked up by helicopter just moments later. Then continued towards Vindelkroken and into Norway.
    Who might have left those footprints 👣?

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    11

    Is there blue sky between all the clouds

    July 22, 2022 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Or are we hallucinating already? Had lunch break at Corras cabin. The guestbook told us that it’s been days the last hiker passed here. But we met two persons later coming the other way. They barely said hello. Strange people!Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    211

    What a mine!

    July 23, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    We enter Nasafjället, which also means we’re back to Sweden. There’s an old silver mine that we explored. Down by the cabin we learned that five other hikers made it there this year so far. We also learned about the history of this place and the insanity of mankind. Mining bitcoins doesn’t seem so uniquely crooked from this perspective anymore. This whole area is still contaminated and poisoned four hundred years later. Lots of people lost their lives at this place. People were given the choice of either going to war or work at the mine. Shifts were three months long, since more time up there in those harsh conditions meant death to too many. Sami people were forced to facilitate transportation using their reindeer, which often died from the heavy loads they had to carry. Many fled the region just to be criminalized and discriminated elsewhere.Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Smuolevágge

    July 24, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Leaving Nasafjället, headed towards Gujjávrre. We follow Nasaleden along Smuolevágge which turns out to be Rappadalen’s little sister. Saw two fishermen bushwhacking their way on the other side until they entered the river with their fishing rods. Like “hey I know a good spot, it’s just three day hikes from here!”.

    As so often the trail was excellently marked until that point where it gets difficult and you really could need some guidance. We got lost in a forest of the thick bushes and underbrush. Almost impossible to get through. Took us three hours to just make five kilometers. Completely exhausted we arrived late at Gujjávrre just to learn the cabin we longed for was taken already and that you’d have to book in advance. Found a gorgeous spot to camp down by the lake though, got naked and jumped into the ice cold water. I think a good technician could still make our echoes from screaming audible. We’re sad to not have a video about that part.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Silvervägen

    July 25, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    What looked like pretty unremarkable on the map turned out to be an extremely beautiful tour through a mix of lush, green valleys and little, exposed hills of large rocks with plenty of pretty ponds in between that looked more like a talented painter’s creation or a well designed golf course than the rather monotonic landscape you usually encounter up here in northern Scandinavian tundra. Long and steep climbs through dense vegetation included. Fog and mist made it even more magical.Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Polcirkeln

    July 25, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    When we reached Camp Polcirkeln just as planned, it quickly dawned on us it wouldn’t be the cosy place we imagined it to be especially since tons of rain was forecasted. So we wanted to make it to the hostel in Jäkkvik instead, just to learn that the next bus would be in two days. Asking the cute cashier at the shop how to get from here he tried to arrange something but to no avail. “Don’t dream of Norwegians hitchhiking you, not gonna happen. And there are only Norwegians”. 🤷‍♂️
    We tried nonetheless. No chance. But then Julia spotted something “where are all these people coming from?” she asked curiously. It was a tour coach! When we got closer I quickly realized “they are Germans!” And they were on the way back home. Bingo! A few moments later Julia had managed to talk herself into their hearts and they happily invited us to take a seat.
    Julia and Lily decided to go all the way to Arjeplog with them while I got off at Jäkkvik to take a zero. Happy times. Not so happy that Julia and Lily are leaving but happy I can stay at a nice hostel for a couple of days.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Seldutvágge pt1

    July 27, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Spent a day in Jäkkvik (a zero) to relax and resupply. It’s been raining cats and dogs and then I saw that angry hiker sorting their soaked gear. Is that Magrit? She said she would take it slow, then it can’t be her. Didn’t dare to say hello to find out since they seemed to be too unhappy for small talk. Figured we would see us later anyway. That didn’t happen until the next morning and indeed, I immediately recognized her, Magrit! So funny. She couldn’t take it slow after all. She got hooked on walking fast. She was set on quitting the trail after all that rain but when I showed her the current weather forecast she quickly changed her mind. Good for her!
    I bought a ticket for the bus back to Camp Polcirkeln the afternoon and went to ICA, where the bus stop is, good ahead of time. Just there was no bus. When I asked the staff about the bus they confirmed “no bus today!” - wtf! So I tried to get a hitch. And we already know what the chances are. But a Finnish family stopped pretty soon after I stood there, towing a large caravan. “Get in!” they shouted. They even wanted to turn around so I wouldn’t have to walk. Silly! They seemed to be very religious which probably was the main reason they stopped. So bless them and praise god. Otherwise I’d still be standing there I guess.

    An hour later as planned I started walking the road to Vuoggatjålme and another 40 minutes later I set foot on actual trail. Convinced to navigate by map only. Felt great! Seldutvágge southern part is a protected naturreserve as “fjällursjog”, means pristine, ancient forest, just as I love it. Young and old trees, all kinds of, wild, fresh, lush and energizing. Found a great spot to camp, kissed a reindeer good night and fell asleep happy.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Seldutvágge contd, Ikkesjávvre

    July 28, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Yes, yes, this is a veeeery long valley. And as such those blazing the trail seem to have lost interest half way. At a plateau higher up that would make for a first class camp site the bright red marking stop and so did the trail that was well visible until then. Did they all get helicoptered out from there? I was still able to follow what was left of an obviously very old trail since there was not too much elsewhere to go. Tired and exhausted I made it to the end where it meets a much more popular trail and less then five minutes later I met the first hikers, after two days not seeing anyone besides a bunch of fishermen at a distance that obviously had taken the helicopter there. And smart outdoor men as they were (all in camouflage) they pitched their tents right in the middle of a dead or dying birch forest. Good luck to them!
    I hiked until the first astonishing views of Ikkesjávvre (a lake) and pitched my tent at a fabulous spot. “Tomorrow’s gonna be a tough day!” I kept telling myself until I fell asleep (like immediately as always).    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    1

    Årjep Sávllo

    July 29, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Ok, tough day. First I have to walk half around lake Ikkesjávvre until the cabin and then ford the creek there. I decided to stay left of that little creek that runs down the mountain and that went better than I had thought. I gained altitude quickly and soon this whole adventure felt a lot more doable, despite the heavy backpack. For reasons I got more and more left instead of walking towards the middle of this ditch and so I ended up just below a couple of snow fields. Those seemed to steep to climb without micro-spikes so I decided to zig-zag my way up by walking below them. Looked like rock. Bad idea. Very bad idea. Soon if found myself right in the middle of slushy ground that easily gulped my whole foot within the blink of an eye. I don’t remember how exactly but since I’m writing these lines I must have made it through that mess one way or the other (probably dancing).
    Soon I reached the basin from where I could either go over a pass or saddle between the two peaks or try it my way by elegantly walking the side of the smaller peak. I had no idea whether that was feasible. Even less so if that wasn’t just one big piece of ice and snow. The alternative though was indeed just a huge wall of snow. So in a certain way the choice wasn’t that hard to make after all and I kept walking towards one large snow field that seemed to be inhabited by a rogue reindeer (see video). That guy kept following me doing weird dances. Well. When I reached the side of this peak my heart made a jump. Not only was the view on a completely still Ikkesjávrre breathtaking but my chosen path seemed to be easy-peasy, nice waking with no obstacles.
    But then the way down. For some odd reason I thought staying left of that other creek running down the other side of this mountain was the thing to do. Since well it would be shorter and I’d be quicker where I needed to go. Unfortunately this side was much steeper and I ended up at scarp after scarp that I either had to find a way around, or, if that wasn’t possible, had to climb down. And of course it was always wet rocks. No fun and not my cup of tea. But yet again, here I am writing those lines. So hours later I reached the bottom of these mountains, pitched my tent tired and exhausted and took a bath in that very same, ice cold creek which wrong side I was following down.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    1

    Balvatnet, Čállanasjavri

    July 30, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    I continued off trail through an area of hundreds of small lakes west of Nuortta Sávllo. And since I was looking at the Swedish map and not the Norwegian that I had on my phone it looked quite straight forward. It wasn’t. Lots of up and downs, lots of zigzagging again. And again. It felt like it took forever until I reached the trail between Junkerdal and Mavas. A good trail. After a bit I had to turn north towards Čállalvashyttan. You’d think a well marked trail would be easy to walk? But we’re in Norway! Exhausting. Wet. But the views, the views! Blåmannsisen and Sulitelma are getting closer with every step. Impressive! Dangerous! Mysterious!
    Pitched my tent with a view on Sulitelma. Can’t get any better.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Ny Sulitjelma, Nordkalottleden

    July 31, 2022 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Just 10km to the road and mostly downhill! “Easy!” You’d think. But my legs are tired. That 15 year old that shot past me like this was a racing track didn’t help much either. Reached the road nonetheless. And eventually Ny Sulitjelma, the hut that was newly built next to the old one. Pure luxury! And they have electricity. So I charge my power bank. Checked the hiker box and bingo! All I needed for a half assed resupply including gas even. Heaven! That Dutch guy appeared that I had met on trail before. He hadn’t taken the road but the trail by the side of the mountains instead and such was a bit slower. Immediately he complained “who opened the windows!”. Me of course. Who else? It had almost 30° in there, you could barely breath. “The mosquitoes!” he shouted. “There are none” I replied. “I hate them” was all he said before he closed all the windows again. Well ok. We had a nice conversation nonetheless and then I left, heading into Sulitelma to find a spot to camp just after that insane climb of of that valley.Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    41

    Nordkalottleden, where the Johans grow

    August 1, 2022 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Next morning I continue on Nordkalottleden, headed towards Stáloluokta. A bit unexpected (not sure why) there were many snow fields waiting, some of them anything but just fun to cross since they were quite steep either ending at rocks or lakes. And as I got up early they were also quite icy still. Flashbacks to my PCT journey hit hard. Not my cup of tea. Met some cute Danish couple, a woman and a man, a bit older maybe but not by much. Super friendly and happy. And they told me about the next cabin that was so sweet I should not miss to take a look at. And so I did and while doing that I noticed some other hiker coming the same way, walking fast and determined towards me. I turned away thinking “this guy totally looks like Johan but that’s impossible”. Well guess what? Apparently it’s not impossible. It was Johan! And so we hugged and hiked the rest of the day together. Of course it started to rain cats and dogs and cold it got as well. Because why not. After so many days of sunshine that left my face and calves burnt maybe not the worst but that was a tad bit too much of wet.Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Stáloluokta

    August 2, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ 🌧 5 °C

    After that fast hiking lesson with Johan I decided to stay in bed. All my clothes were wet. And he had to run anyway since he had to get a train two days later but still had 90km to go. Hope he made it! I had only 10km to Stáloluokta and I would take a zero there. Stayed in my tent until lunch, hiked those 10km and now after eating a freshly smoked trout and freshly baked bread I’m waiting to go the the sauna! Yay! Screw you, rainy weather!Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Álájávrre

    August 4, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Heading towards Sarek, passing through Padjelanta. Trail from Stáloluokta starts steep uphill, gets more wet and wet by the minute. Found myself climbing over rocks and steep ridges just to escape the bogs. Found trail again just to decide to leave it behind soon. Found a good route, mostly dry around Unna Liemak. More and more clouds protect me from getting too much sun (should have taken the sunscreen Magrit offered). The route towards Álájávrre (islamophobes might want to avoid this area) was easy to find and follow. Easy walking for most parts along the northern side of the lake. Just when I pitched my tent at the eastern end the sun comes back. Glorious!Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden

    Enter Sarek

    August 5, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    After a rather rough night with strong winds rattling the walls of my tent I get up late and wait for the sun to dry my stuff. I round Nuortap Rissavárre on its southern shoulder. Easy walking again. I start wondering what’s all the fuzz about? Spectacular views on the first glimpse on Sarek. I descend to Álgajávrre, messing with some reindeer.
    Down by the lake I see other people entering the boat. They must have come from the northern side of the mountains since I hadn’t noticed them until them. Will they leave without me? Yes. Will they come back to return the other boat from the other side? Yes. They pick me up and I even get a free ride. Splendid! I follow the lower trail along the lakeside. Nice trail, easy walking again. I make good progress. It’s still more strenuous than just following a well established and maintained trail but much much better than expected.

    Álggavágge itself is not particularly exciting to be honest. Or it’s secrets and magic don’t resonate with me. Dark, brown to black, steep mountains left and right. Mostly rocks and no vegetation. Occasionally a glacier here and there dares to peek around the corner.
    I get tired and allow myself to call it day with a good deal left of to walk in this valley. Once inside the tent and time to reflect I realize „what are these mountains I’m looking at?“. So steep and high. Dramatic with a huge glacier right in the middle. Is this Sarek itself already? I check the maps, I start PeakFinder. Yes! I’m looking right at the Sarek massif. Wow! Just wow! I’m seriously overwhelmed by this view. I leave the tent open so I can take another look whenever I feel like it. Weather is perfect and for the first time I realize „no mosquitoes!“.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    Spökstenen

    Spökstenen spooked me

    August 6, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    I get up late because that’s how we role. Walking the rest of Álggavágge is a breeze. Almost like flying. Really. Fording Guoperjåhkå is more like fun than anything. But I’m glad I still have my neoprene socks, that Johan convinced me to keep. They will come in handy quite a lot the next days. I notice two guys quite a distance behind me. Is it the supposedly gay couple I met at Stáloluokta? We‘ll never know, they never catch up with me.
    I make it to Skárjá and Mihkastugan. More and more people, heading in all directions from there. The creek tumbles down a deep canyon dramatically. Nothing I hadn’t seen before but still something that leaves an impression. The trail is even more pronounced now. But it’s more than one and which is the right one? I don’t want to end up in Bastavágge! After some doubts and confusion here and there I convince myself I’m on the right one. And more and more I realize I’m getting closer and closer to that steep part that leads into Snávvávágge. If I want to make it to Rappadalen there’s no other way than make it through that. Well, unless I’d want to cross between some serious mountains off trail. A hiker couple coming the other direction. Should I ask how bad it is? I decide against it. What if they’d say it is bad indeed then I’d worry myself and there’s no gain in that.
    The closer I get, the more it looks like it’s much more relaxed than I thought. I’m relieved. Babies, it’s for babies! Until I realize I’m not as far as I think I am and the horrible section is still ahead of me. And faster than I can think I find myself in extremely steep terrain, bushwhacking over rocks and boulders, those willows either preventing me from falling or trying to push me off the cliff. I should have packed my trekking poles. They are more of a hindrance than any help. I look back and „oh no, a storm is brewing and heading towards me“, I think. A slight glance if panic. I try walking, or rather stepping faster. But to no avail. I have to take it slow, step by step. One wrong step, a slip and the outcome could be seriously bad. Spökstenen (the ghost stone) sits down, calm in the valley and laughs at me. „Come join me!“ it might think. But not this time, my friend! As everything else in this world also this steep section has its end. Soon it’s „just“ a very steep uphill path that eats a lot of energy and sweat from my precious resources but that’s something I can deal with. I make it up into the basin. Wind is getting stronger and stronger. My shirt is drenched from my own sweat. A bad combination. I’m getting cold very quickly. After a bend a calm spot. A perfectly protected camp site but a family has taken it already. „I don’t mind you have the best spot in this whole valley, I want to make it all the way to the other end anyway“ I say to myself while taking a short break. 100m further down the path I find a pleasant spot by the lake and pitch my tent.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    Rovdjurstorget

    Hartmut aus Berlin

    August 7, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Slept longer than planned. Convinced myself I deserved it. After that adrenaline kick the day before I was a bit scared of the way down from this plateau. For no reason. Skoarkki had decided to dress itself in clouds and fog to add to its dramatic appearance quite convincingly. I could get a good peek at Rovdjurstorget but no animals in sight. Bummer! Have to come here one day and spend a day or two just observing.
    Down at the bottom of Rappaätnå’s valley, the famous Rappadalen I have a short break just where the path splits for that old, now locked cabin and the actual trail down the valley.
    Half an hour down the trail I notice an old guy coming my way. Using a robust wood-stick that he is leaning into heavily with every step. He reminds me a bit of Gandalf. I say “hello!” - he answers “deutsch?”, and so the conversation started. He’s redoing a tour he had done 35 years ago together with his wife. I assume she’s dead by now since later he mentions a girlfriend and I don’t dare to ask. No bad vibes! His name is Hartmut and judging by his dialect he’s from Berlin. He’s 70 years old, carrying a 35 kilo backpack. I figure it’s to get as close to the original tour as possible. Maybe in remembrance of his wife? “She wanted a divorce back then” he informs me pointing at all the thick bushes and underbrush and whatever else grows there. “But on the train back home we were already planing the next trip to Sarek”. He warns me about a very steep passage that it easy to bypass but that the path he was following lead directly into it without warning. He was with a young German couple by then and while climbing through that passage she started to cry and eventually they turned around. Obviously he continued though. 70 years old with a 35kg backpack. Okay!
    I pulled out my map so he can show me. He needs his glasses first. Looking at the map he seems impressed “So many details! All I had back then was a rough sketch I took from a book!”. Oh my god! Pretty sure there was no footpath to follow either. So how did they do it? With a 35kg backpack. “I want a divorce!” sounds like the most reasonable thing to me.

    We say goodbye, thanks to him I decide to leave that jungle at the first occasion and I was very happy about this decision. Quickly I climb back up into the mountains following a dry and easy to walk path. Of course I pitch my tent early. Found a perfectly protected spot close to the next crossing and after I had another stormy night before this was just what I was longing for.    Read more

  • Ikke Kungsleden
    That must have hurt11

    Skierffe, mfas

    August 8, 2022 in Sweden ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Forecast predicted a sunny morning. And maybe an overly good day. What this be the day I make it up Skierffe, the mountain with the best view on earth? I’ve been there twice already just to understand that with so much clouds and fog it wouldn’t make any sense to take the effort.
    How far is it? Maybe 15km. I might be able to do it, if just the trail is good enough. Despite the detour I would take to avoid the climbing part that Hartmut warned me about. Despite several stream crossings that promised to be potentially tricky. The first one was a no brainer. It was served on a silver plate more or less in front of my tent. The next one? I happened to stumble right upon more or less the best and only far and wide point to cross. Really? And then the last one. Just when I got close I noticed a guy climbing out of the canyon and there I had my answer where to ford. No big deal! Erik, his name explained that I’d just have to follow cairns from here on and they would show me a safe and easy way around that mountain with that very steep part. Easy!
    And there I stood, right at the foot of Skierffe. The sun shining, just some clouds. Could it be true? A glimpse later and I stood on top of Skierffe. Somewhere between here and Rappadalen I just have found my hiker legs again. I was basically flying up that mountain. Or was it just the anticipation?
    The view was stunning, overwhelming. There are no words for it. Close to crying I turn to that woman that is taking pictures just as frantically as I do “it’s silly to take the very same picture over and over again but I guess that’s the only way to convince yourself this moment is real”. She agrees with a big smile and takes a few more. Occasionally my fear of heights kicks in heavily, it’s 600m straight down. I manage to keep it at bay. “You’re not ruining this for me, not today!”. We agree it’s a once in a lifetime occasion to stand here in that weather, sun shining, no wind. There is just one more other couple up here. I had expected loads of people, especially in that weather. But not today. I won’t complain. After half an hour I get too cold and decide to leave. Buoyantly I make my way back down convinced I would make it all the way to Sitosjaure today so I could take the boat early in the morning tomorrow and I would be at Saltoluokta a day early. My hiker legs said yes, I went off trail, cross country for an uplifting shortcut that would beam me through an almost flat, easy to walk landscape, past a large herd of reindeer that I didn’t seem to bother too much. Exhausted but incredibly happy I pitched my tent right before the forest starts and set my alarm clock to half past six. Piece of cake!    Read more

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