TROLLØYPA – DAY 3

from Jammerdalsbu to Vetåbu

^22-02-18

Had a good night’s sleep, although it was almost too warm first, and then got to be quite cool towards the morning – but luckily I had another blanket ready.

Woke up to a fantastic sunrise with full moon setting over distant glittering mountains.

So now it’s up and over this mountain plateau next:

Leaving Jammerdalsbu (I stayed in the cabin to the left), and following the kvisted løype…

…no tracks whatsoever in front of me. Just a line of marking sticks, and the sun.

The first soft downhill, not too far from the cabin, is just about steep enough so I can test and train my telemark swings. Perfect snow conditions with a couple of centimetres of powder on top of a carrying but still soft layer of snow.

Sooner than I thought, I reach a sheep farmer’s cabin, also open to everyone as emergency shelter – Saubu. A look on the map explains: there is actually two ‘Saubu’; this one by a ‘dramatic’ river, and another one some 5 or so kilometers on.

No humans or animals in sight, but this fox(?) is leading the way with their tracks; very meticulously pee-marking every sing post.

Then, just as the going gets harder, because the wind-blown snow that has gathered in this bushy area is softer, and I break through some 30cm in places even on skis, I suddenly hear a noise. A snow scooter is approaching from behind! The guy stops and we have a chat – he’s a ‘mountain ranger’ from Fjelloppsynet, looking out for reindeer and lynx (gaupe in nowegian). There should be up to 2000 reindeer in the wider area, but so far neither of us have seen any today. Nor have we seen gaupe, a wild cat(?) with paw prints as large as a grown man’s hand but only four toes (I learn).

After wishing each other a ‘god tur’, he drives on. And I can use the scooter tracks not to sink too far into the snow. 😉

I can’t stop stopping to take pictures – it’s just so gorgeous, wide sweeping sparkling landscape. Not as good in the photos.

But for one ‘sight’ I definitely have to stop: an open little river! All water in moors, lakes and also rivers is deeply frozen this time of year; but this one obviously has just enough depth and current that the snow over caved in. Not a hinder, though, both the snow scooter and I crossed it savely just 3m next to this:

Then I arrive at the ‘second’ Saubu, and decide to have my second lunchbreak sheltered from wind and in the sun on it’s doorstep.

Continuing on, the scooter tracks bend off deeper into the mountains, while I have to follow the rivervalley downwards to find my next cabin, Vetåbu. Luckily I can use the tracks of a woman that I met just before my break, who came up from there and is going in the opposite direction to my route.

On the mainly slight downhill and following in the other skier’s tracks, I make my way quite quickly; before long, I can spot some roofs between the bushes and meet another scooter track that had been going up to the cabin.

After inspecting both the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ as well as the toilet and the fire wood cabins, I decide I’ll stay in the ‘new’ one. It’s still a bit warm from yesterday’s guests, and just has a nicer layout with smaller living room.

And a peek into the food store makes my already hungry mouth water: there is crisps/chips, and a whole assortment of sweets, as well as vanilla sauce for sale (in addition to the usual stuff of course).

This day couldn’t have been any better! About 18km in perfect snow and sunshine through a stunning mountain panorama.

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