Expedition Vindelfjällen.  Chapter 2. From Vindelfjällen

Yet another story from the backpacker Josef Arnfjell. The major part of this expedition took place within the reserve of Vindelfjällen, during the spring –05. This reservation is one of the lagest reserves in Europe. This is a travel story in two chapters. The first chapter takes you from the village of Ammarnäs towards the reserve. The second chapter takes you back to Ammarnäs after a few days in the mountain region.

Expedition Vindelfjällen

Chapter 2

From Vindelfjällen

We have just changes course from Vindelälven to Ammarfjället and are here following a valley that lead us right on.

After a long and heavy day with a lot of high altitude, finally we made camp behind a big stone in Skebleskalet.

Cooking is a regular theme during the expedition. An advertising picture for Haglöfs? Well, who knows, a cooler guy is hard to find. Marcus Grönberg, Sports Consultant and Fjälledare (Mountain Leader).

It’s a pure pleasure to go skiing in the shiny weather. To attract tourists to activitys like this will probably not be a problem. To the right, the top of Buråive, 1270 m above the sea level.

Skalkåtan (kåta is a saami hut) in Skebleskalet. A kåta (hut) where it’s possible to sleep all year around. First contact the owners.

The first reindeers had arrived to the mountains from the woodland. They were eating lichen and the first grass on the spots where the snow had melted.

Sunset in Skebleskalet.

Despite all the snow, bushes of  the genus Salix had come out. Imagine to grow in a such a wonderful place like this.

A herd of reindeers have come a little bit too high up in the mountains and are carefully taken further down in the valley by the saami people. Both snowmobiles and dogs are used in the work.

There were few days which weren’t sunny. In the warm sunshine the clothes started to come of. Today it’s time for top climbing.
 

The Rock ptarmigans were watching the skiing enthusiasts. Why ski to the top when you can fly? They probably wondered.

Not bad to play some music. Joakim “ The Scout” Danielsson is the musician. Beautiful weather and a dazzling view are calling for fine tones from the flute.

One of the most caracteristic inhabitants in the mountains is the lemming. An unafraid and neat little fellow who have made many mountaineers smile with his cocky attitude.

We made a lot of day tours during the expedition. This view is from Stabburet, about 10 km north of Ammarnäs, a couple of hundreds meter from Kungsleden (the Kings trail).

We’re getting to the end of our expedition and are looking back on our little adventure. We’ve had a lot of fun and are allready starting to long for next adventure.

With this picture we’re saying goodbye for this time and wish each other and the reader good luck, until we meet again.

Text/photo Josef Arnfjell