Kings Trail Part 2, Kvikkjokk to Nikkaluokta. Arctic Cross-country Skiing

Arctic Sweden Part 2

Andy & I set off to the Arctic once again. For a self-supported, cross-country ski expedition, it is not a good start when you have to pay for additional baggage for the flight. 

We were particularly excited to be going to the Arctic this year. With virtually no snow here in the UK this winter we had missed the white stuff.

Three flights, 1 train & 2 buses later we arrived at the STF Mountain Station at Kvikkjokk, the start of our 10 day journey.

The Kungsleden Trail, northern part
STF

Conditions were good. Plenty of snow, cool temperatures, light winds and clear skies. The start was straight uphill, so we skinned up, (our skis) and slowly shuffled our way up the gentle slopes, through the trees. The going was quite tough with heavy bags weighing on our hips and 20 odd kilometres to go to the first hut. Legs start to burn as we count our way down through the kilometres. Our skiing technique suffers as we struggle to maintain the energy to glide.

Andy & I ski at our own pace, often quite a distance apart; lost in our own thoughts. It is tough going and easier to push on in silence; skiing together can make us get a little grumpy with each other when we're having a hard day; a long way between huts and we're cold & hungry. So why do we do it?

Whilst alone in my thoughts I spent a while working this out. I ache, I'm tired, I'm hungry, I need food and a bed and I love it. My head is in such a good place, so relaxed. All I have to think about is how to get to the next hut, what & when we will eat and getting enough sleep. Nothing else is on my mind. I have no phone signal, no internet. It is such a wonderful feeling. Back to basics. All we have to do is stay alive, instinctive living. The wonderful sleep you get after a physical day and going to bed when you need to; not when you want to because you want to watch the TV, or you are finishing your emails, or you're going out. No thoughts whirring through your mind. This is the ultimate way to relax. My words can't do it justice.

Unfortunately my modern mind is so empty and stress-free it can invent things to worry about. It is not used to being empty and is a little unnerving at times. 'Did I leave anything behind at the last hut?' (I really couldn't have. I have so little kit in my pack, it would have been really difficult to forget something). I have a quick word with myself to stop worrying and enjoy my empty mind.

The landscape in this UNESCO World Heritage site is stunning. We are once again part of nature, battling the elements. We are not altering this wild landscape, merely travelling through with no impact at all. We glide along, virtually unnoticed, such small people in this vast land. We know the wild animals will be watching us, silently keeping out of our way. The tracks of Elk, Lynx, Wolf and Wolverine trace across the snow but we never spot them. We do see Red Fox, Caribou, Ptarmigan and Snow Bunting; all creatures used to man.

After 10 days we arrive at the Sami settlement of Nikkaluokta. We had skied across frozen lakes, up and down hills, through vast mountain ridges, over snow bridges crossing bubbling brooks and through Arctic forests. We saw hardly anyone apart from the Sami travelling between their remote settlements by skidoo. They feed themselves on the fish caught through ice metres thick; from their Caribou and from berries starting to show through the spring snow.

I don't want more people to go to these spectacular wilderness areas, I want to keep them pristine and to myself, but everyone should take time out of their busy lives once in a while and experience this basic way of living. If you're lucky enough you will also travel to one of the world's last wilderness areas. I really can't explain how wonderful it is.