Thank you for the feedback! I was trying to bring this feeling across.

@@sareksolo2571 you absolutely succeeded.

The north might be rough and cold at times but the solitude there is so peaceful and solemn. It must be a great place to live! 👍

Thank you! I just recently caught myself comparing snowmobile models and features online… :-)

Kvikkjokk is safe to start. Just go downhill near the church to get to the summer boat dock. You will see snowmobile tracks on the lake and markings on the lake. Snow shoes are fine for a start but if you put the long skins under your ski you might as well start with those as a beginner. Just don‘t do that in an ongoing snow storm ;) Preferences vary a lot. I need a big tent for all that stuff (cooking, pulka, length of my sleeping bag is 235cm…). Winter camping is not difficult but really really uncomfortable!

Thank you!

Thank you!

Kvikkjokk is a very good starting point. The lake had route markings and many snow mobile tracks even in January. I saw some locals in the distance walking their dogs on the lake on the morning when I came back. I would suggest going to Nunjes direction as a beginner. Not so far and you have options to extend your trip if things go well.

Not sure what you mean. It was not always obvious which way is the best to go :)

Interesting. Do you know when they closed this area for snow mobiles?

Северное создание!😅

😅

😁👍

👍

Hi, it was late summer so there wasn't any snow at the altitude where I crossed and it was safe to do so. At the south side (below Pårte observatory) where I got onto the ice I did see some frightening deep glacial mills right away (I did hear the water roaring deep down there). I did not dare to get anywhere close to them because the ice was extremely slippy there and I did not bring crampons. After maybe 300 meters on the ice it was all solid without any cracks or mills untill I crossed to the other side (north). Also the ice was not slippy anymore. Looking west (uphill) I did see many cracks in the steeper sections of the glacier. Those areas were also still snow covered and not safe to enter alone and without precautions.

@@sareksolo2571 Thanks!

🙂

Thank you! 🙂

Oh thank you! I think I followed your Padjalenta tour on Instagram. I hope to do that trail too 🙂

Thank you! There is a small seasonal bus in March and April. I commented in more detail somewhere below. Yes, I am very aware of the dangers involved in such a hike - however in the big picture these are pretty much entry level tours and risks compared to what many other people are doing these days. Judging the rivers and lakes is somehow not so difficult when you are there. If you go well informed and equipped I believe this to be less risky than taking a bicycle in big European city :-) Winter camping is really (!) uncomfortable though!

Congratulations to your trip! It sounds like you had really bad luck with the snow. The snow I found was bad but not dramatic. You never know what you are getting into and every time is different. I had to turn around a few times because I sank in too deep - but in your case that was not an option. Then you meet people who tell you it is an easy hike while you barely made it back home :-)

@@sareksolo2571 thanks! Ok then i know its possible in better weather.

Thank you!

Most rivers are frozen and easy to follow or cross. There are some open areas but those are usually easy to spot. I might be wrong but I think it is not so difficult to judge which areas are safe :-)

Thank you!

Thank you! Please check the description to my other Video for the details to the 93 Bus (Ritsem-Gällivare) kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6LOo5xvbr2Vpqs You probably have to spend a night in Gällivare and take the 44 or 45 Bus to Jokkmokk on the next morning and later No. 47 from Jokkmokk to Kvikkjokk. The 44, 45 and 47 busse are big with lots of space for your equipment. The driver will open the doors and you can load your stuff directly from street level in the luggage compartments.

Thanks for your fast reply and great informations.

Google: ”Julbo Sniper Glasses”. They just about fit over small style prescription glasses. Beware you would get fogging issues if you put fabric over your lower face. Those glasses did work well together with the Airtrim cold protection mask though. Then the Airtrim needed an additional belt to stay put on my head at least :-)

🙂

Thank you for your comment! You are absolutely right - I had problems finding that kota! I went uphill a bit too close to Kåtokjåkk (Gådokjåhkå) and missed it. On the way back on a different route I still did not see it. The map is really missing all terrain details so it is impossible to tell exact locations. I finally resorted to cheating, warmed up my iphone and had a quick GPS look there. Even than I had to get as close as 100m to see the kota well hidden under the snow.

Thank you!🙂

Thank you!🙂

Thank you! Getting to Ritsem early February can be difficult. There is no bus connection yet and there is hardly anyone out there. The road will be cleared only at random behind Kebnats/ Saltoluokta for some very few Vattenfall and Sami people who have business there. If you want to be on the safe side you have to come with a big 4 x 4 and snow chains. This winter (23/24)has been cold so far and I’m quite sure you can cross Akkajaure early February on skis. But of course I’m not in a position to give you a „go“ because in the end I don’t know. I assume they will measure the ice thickness and mark a route around mid February preparing for the winter season starting at the end of February. When I crossed there in early March of 22 I noticed the markings to be different than on the map. Route in front of Ritsem was north west along the shore about 1,5 Km (Västra Ritsenjåhkå - avoiding the underwater outlet right in front of Ritsem!) before turning to the south end of those unnamed islands in the middle of the lake. From there it was a straight line to the summer boat dock (Änonjalmme). Kvikkjokk is a better option in early winter. It is an all year settlement with a regular (big size) bus connection to Jokkmokk. Road is good and clearad at all times. Beware of Jokkmokk Winter Market early February. All accommodations might be booked. From Kvikkjokk you could go up Padjelantaleden, go through Sarvesvagge to Rapadalen and back to Kvikkjokk on Kungsleden. I have met two women who made that route in mid February. So it might be possible - although the west side of Sarvesvagge looks scary to me on the map regarding avalanches. Overall early winter is really challenging!

@@sareksolo2571 thanks for your reply, really appreciate 🙏 as the winter bus will only start at the very end of February, ritsem might be a no go. Do you know if there could be a way to get a drop at kebnats (local / taxi / other) at this period of time? Otherwise I will have to make my way from and to Kvikkjokk. I will have a look for the market, but as I will bring the tent, it doesn't bother me to start with a cold night on the outside 😁

I had "Jokkmokks Taxi" drop me off at Suorva in 2020 (not cheap). They are about the only Taxi company somewhat close to that area doing this. You are better off making an appointment because they can be quite busy doing medical transports in the area. They might also be a source of information. Than there is Fiskflyg :-)@@mikecharlie9909

@@sareksolo2571 I will give it a try, could be an interesting source of information about the winter road ;) Thanks again 👍 Hope that your plans for this season are going well 😀

​@@sareksolo2571 Hi ! Just to thank you again for your video and answers. I went early february for a start/ end in Kvikkjokk, and did a nice loop between Kungsleden / Sarek / Padjelanta. What a trip! 😊

A higher KZbin resolution setting might render a different conclusion altogether ;-)

Oh wow, thank you for the applaud! Good to know these videos are inspiring some, because they are quite an effort (and fun) to make :-)

Thank you! Yes, I don’t like the inner tent in winter. For me just two additional surfaces that will be heavily covered with ice crystals. The inner tent does not increase the stability I think (it is just a bag hanging from the outer tent) but it takes away a lot of space and is in the way (outer dimension of my sleeping bag 235cm!). The loft of the hood of my down jacket needs extra headroom. When bumping into the ceiling it snows inside the tent and that is not nice. I just don’t see any benefit of the inner tent in extreme cold conditions. Instead I use an Exped Doublemat as a floor.

Thank you!. Most of it is shot with an older GoPro Hero 6 in 2.7K mode. When temperatures drop below -20 Celsius in the night the camera tends to go to its factory default settings on the first take in the morning. After one or two takes some internal heat will be generated and the camera works as expected. I am scared to buy a newer model because you never know what the quirks will be. I also have a Lumix S5 with a Sigma 1.4/ 20mm and a Canon 1.2/ 50mm (both with Canon EF mount and an adapter for Lumix). To my surprise this camera worked flawlessly at temperatures of -30 Celsius although not rated for this use by the manufacturer. I power both cameras externally with a cable and big batteries wich I keep close to my body the whole time while the tiny internal batteries are removed. The GoPro is wrapped in Fabric to reduce wind noise on the internal mics. I also have a separate sound recorder and microphones with wind protection.

Thank you!

January is dark 24/7 and a challenge. There is a lot of info but you have to invest a lot of time for you research ;-)

Thank you! Google for:„Julbo sniper goggles“. Tent is a Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT. I attached some „snowflaps“ myself. In this video Mr. Hilleberg explains why he does not believe in snowflaps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWa1YpZrZ6ugl7sfeature=shared However I don‘t think this to be the full picture because he keeps pointing at the top of the tent. My worries are storm winds getting under the tent once the surrounding terrain transforms. This happens when all the snow relocates in a stormy night. Also the whole tent might deform in wind gusts so wind could easily get under the tent. Under deep snow conditions it is difficult to solidly tie down the base of the tent with pegs. These are some of the reasons why I made this addition to an otherwise great all purpose tent.

Thank you for this feedback! It is good to know these videos are helpful or fun to some likeminded tourers. If you like, let me know where you went and when you stated your tour. I love to study the map :)

​@@sareksolo2571 We started in Ritsem on March 21, 2023, and arrived in Saltoluokta on March 29, 2023. This is the route we took: Ritsem - Gisurisstugan - Renvaktarstuga - Mikkastugan - Rapa Valley - Fjällstua Aktse - Fjällstation Saltoluokta. We were really really lucky with the conditions (weather, avalanche risk, snow level etc.). Overall it was an incredibly great experience!

Thank you!

Thank you! I will watch you videos.

Thank you! Canada must be great for these activities. I will watch your channel!

Most of the time there is some occasional visibility to reset orientation. I also have a wrist compass and and a watch with an altimeter. Following Sareks distinct valleys is not difficult. If on a vast uniform and flat area it can become confusing though. I do check my compass every minute. If totally lost for more than a few hours and really out of ideas what to do I heat up my deep frozen Iphone to be able to turn it on and than check for a GPS signal :-) Apps like "Swedish Mountains" (free) will show position on a topographic map. I also have a Garmin InReach Mini which offers GPS position. However the coordinates displayed there do not match the ones on my Fjällkartan BD10 (Reference Grid 33W and 34W). I did not find the reason for this yet. If anyone knows a solution - please let me know :-)

It is a Acapulka Scandic Tour 120. It is made of glass fibre and very solid. That is an advantage if you crash it against some rocks by accident because it will hardly break. This pulka is slightly wider than those made by Fjellpulken (another popular brand with a comparable construction). I sometimes thought an Acapulka Expedition Tour 135 would be better for me. This model is even wider and might be less prone to tipping over. On the other hand it would be harder to pull a wider pulka through soft snow. It is important to have the pulka packed really low to avoid having it tipping over wich happens easily under some snow conditions. So in case of a doubt if things will fit I would suggest to buy a bigger model so you don’t have to pile stuff up high. Then of course travelling with a big pulka (plane, car, train) is a hassle and you want a smaller one :-)

Thanks for your answer! I ordered Scandic 150

I agree! However there is a lot to write about - even if I try to keep it short. I just don't have enough time at the moment to make this correct. But I would like to sum up my equipment experiences for this kind of trip at the end of this year (23). There are gear lists and plenty of informations floating around the net. My list would probably not be much different without some personal explanations and failures I experienced.

Thank you Wilfried! If you enjoyed it in Summer it looks like you are ready for winter now! :-) To my understanding the huts are operated by different organisations. svenskaturistforeningen.se (STV) is one of them. The huts on Padjelentaleden I think are operated by the Sami people (padjelanta.com). The big hut/ hotel in Kvikkjokk is now privately operated. The smaller huts along the official trails have an “emergency” shelter which are open all year. On the map there is an emergency telephone icon - also indication some kind of shelter or a room where the orange telephone box is located. There is no ward in off season times but there might be one IN the season. You are expected to pay by bank transfer when you return to civilisation in case you had no chance to pay on location. No booking required. The bank information and the amount requested you will find inside the huts. It is difficult to find detailed information about the different huts. I think Kvikkjokk and Ritsem don’t have an emergency shelter outside the season (no telephone icon!). Those are more like simple hotels/ hostels with road access. If they are closed, they are closed. Google will tell you when the seasons for those two are. The dates will roughly apply to all the smaller huts on the trails too. So if you are IN season there might be a ward and a fully open hut. But that is not guaranteed in the winter season I assume. Some huts are too remote with only few guests to justify someone to take care of things. In 2022 the season started pretty late on March 4th. When I arrived in Aktse Stugorna at the end of my trip on March 4th, there was a ward present (he told me I was the first guest that year). A day before I was In Kisuris Stugan (which is a bit further away from the road) and there was not a soul or any trace of anyone visible there. I have trouble imagining a ward to show up there before the summer season. But I don’t know for sure but I’m sure you will find an open shelter if there is a telephone icon! The big STF Saltoluokta hut by the way seams to be a lot different. They started their season like two weeks earlier than everyone else in 2022. There is always a lot of activity there with trips uphill to Pietsaure (also Bietsávrre).

@@sareksolo2571 thanks for the info, most helpfull. it feels like a big comfort to now that there r shelters where you can dodge bad weather if needed. i wil look ferther in to it al. for a possible 2024 trip greetings wilfried

Also from Belgium and have been in summer to Padjelanta area a few times, also Kvikkjokk to Ritsem. Had planned to do a first shorter winter trip with pulk and snow shoes, but covid scuppered the trip. I’m not a skier, so not sure how difficult to learn. What was the mask you were using? For the cold? Summer weather is very variable, same in winter? Ie can expect some storms over 10 days? Beautiful film.

@@peterc5167 Thank you! For the mask: I answered someones question about this one in the comments further down. Cross country skiing under „Sarek conditions“ with a heavy pulk in your back resembles walking and has little to do with skiing. You can learn the walking part in just a few hours of practicing. Downhill skiing requires much more time to learn especially with this type of ski equipment were your heals are not attached to the ski and the soft shoes give little control over the ski. But realistically there are few areas where you could ski downhill anyway. I am talking about areas OFF the marked winter trails. There snow conditions would have to be near perfect, visibility must be good, there should not be to many obstacles on the way downhill and then it is either too steep or not steep enough etc. . It is not essential to be skilled at downhill skiing. I am not and I still had no problems. Just go slow on downhill areas. Weather can turn dramatically bad at all times especially in winter but less likely at the end of winter in late March and April. If you go on Padjalentaleden in late March you will be safe in even the unluckiest chain of events. There you have huts as a B-plan if camping turns out to be more problematic than you expected.

Thank you and good question! I’m not an expert in this field but I made all efforts to find out as much as possible about this subject. I did not find many reports on avalanches in Sarek. But accidents did happen in the past and people have seen avalanches. However I did not find any reports on Rapadalen/ Ruohtesvagge. My personal impression: if you stay in the middle of the valley, there are just occasional and rather short stretches that could be struck by an avalanche in theory. For that to happen it would have to be a very big avalanche for it to run that far into the valley. Conditions would have to be super bad (“avalanchie”) for this to happen. And the likelihood of you being there in that moment is low. If you camp outside areas that look risky - like right below 30+ degree slopes with even snowfields I think it is a low risk route. Being there actually looks less risky than on the map. I am personally a very scary type and did not feel comfortable in Ruohtesvagge because it was windy, snowing and I had no visibility to the surrounding hills (= additional risk). I tried to find an ideal route with the help of the map, went as fast as I could and I also tried to have some lower terrain between me and any slopes that made me worry. I think you will be fine!

Thank you! 🙂