Norway, 6-13 August 2023
We didn't manage to organise a multi-day summer mountain trip this year, but we did go on several one- and two-day hikes in the north of Sweden and Norway, including Lofoten. The weather was amazing, we had a great time with the kids, but we didn't get together with everyone in one place: we first spent time with Yasha and Magda, and then they handed us over to Lova. Our hikes were variable and intense: we had fun on the glacier, conquered a sharp ridge, and admired the northern beauties.
Day one. The Okstindan glacier.
The glacier was quite close to Magda's country house. We were not sure the it would be walkable: it could have been covered with snow, and we were not prepared to rope up. So when we saw the huge ice fields without snow cover, there was no limit to our joy.
The blue line shows our track. Shift-click on the track link will open it in nakarte.me.
To get to the glacier we had to drive around the lake, which took more than an hour.
The path went through small willow and dwarf birch trees at first, but very quickly we got out of the forest zone.
Down below is lake Kjennsvatnet.
We climbed higher and higher, and suddenly the glacier appeared.
Cottongrass on a boggy island.
The huge tongue of the Okstindan glacier is slowly sliding down the mountain.
The ice was intense blue: in Norway, all glaciers are clear and transparent.
Luna on an obstacle course.
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Inger. |
Sonya in an ice tunnel. |
Flying over a glacier.
The glacier below is completely snow-free, so it is perfectly safe to walk on it. Higher up there are crevasses blocked with snow.
Inside the glacier.
The bright red rocks contrast beautifully with the glacier.
The sky was covered with thunderclouds, but the rain never materialised.
We reached the seracs and turned down. If we had more time, we could have climbed around them.
Yasha is launching his drone.
In the lower part, the glacier is less steep and not so crevassed.
The depth and colour of crevasses are mesmerising.
The most important thing is not to fall into a crevasse.
A rock turtle sprawled out on the shore.
Here the glacier meets the lake.
Luna pounced on an ice floe that had been pulled out of the lake for her and gnawed on it for a long time.
Here the glacier melted and left behind smooth rock.
One last look at the glacier: it's time to head back.
The shore of Lake Kjennsvatnet.
Fireweed grows here, too.
We didn't meet a single person all day. This place is so wild and beautiful.
