| 1981 | 1982 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1990 | 1991 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2007 |
| Day3: 30 July, Sjnuftjutisjåkkå - North Ruotesvagge, 5 km | |
|
The morning is late today. We walk slowly down the slope to where Suottasjåkkå
from Kukkesvagge in the east meet Niakjåkåtj from Ruotesvagge
in the south. Here they get a common name, Sjnuftjutisjåkkå.
It disappears in the west to meet Vuojatätno. The clouds are high
up, behind are the peaks of Akka seen. In front of us is now the river
Suottasjåkkå. We have to cross it to reach Ruotesvagge. At
the shore do we hesitate for a moment, the river is wide and the water
swift, but it does not seem deep. We try without switching to fording shoes.
What a mistake, it get suddenly deep in the middle of it. Where we stand
in the water does it happen to be a large flat stone nearby. We crawl up
on it. Niak (1922), the steep mountain at the corner between Kukkesvagge
and Ruotesvagge, laugh at us. Didn't you see that it was deep? We take
of boots and trousers and ford barefooted. There is no danger, but it is
not comfortable to walk on stones without shoes. To lazy to unpack our
fording shoes. The water is cold.
When in safety, do we have a coffee break. The feets need to come back to life. When they switch on the green light, telling that contact with the brain is reastablished, is it time to continue. On the ground grow low vegetation, mainly grass, which makes it comfortable to walk on. The same do a bunch of reindeers think, or more likely is it their lunch. Strange they seem to like our company and follow us closely. They are normally very shy, but not these. They jog with and around us for a few kilometers, then they say goodbye and disappear to the other side of Niakjåkåtj. A whizzing sound is heard. We are attacked by a bird! "Fjällab". A very aggressive attack. A second one assist. They repeadely dive against us. Have the Hitchcock movie become true? They have perhaps their nest nearby. We retreat carefully. The birds let us leave in peace, satisfied with the victory. When we think we have retreated far enough, have we had enough for today. Our mobile home is placed at a brook with its origin somewhere up on Niak. On the opposite side of the valley is Kisuris (1664) looking down at us. Kisuris is a lone mountain and is easy to walk up on, is probably a good view from it. Perhaps some time in the future. |
Sjnjuftjutisjåkkå Fording place  |