We have a long morning waiting for the time to become two
in the afternoon, the time when the helicopter is taking is to Staloluokta.
We spend the time to pack for hiking, clean the room, and buy ice-cream
in the shop. We talk with an same from Vaisaluokta about old times. He
has been a mountain guide, bringing tourist to Ahkka. He tell us about
a tourist many years ago, that disappeared in a glacier on Ahkka. Many
years after he disappeared did parts of him appear. The was buried at Ahkka
nearby the lake. When the hydro power station was built was Ritsem a big
village with about 4000 inhabitants, and with a post office and a shop.
When we were here for the first time in 1981 nothing of this was seen,
but there was a building with a restaurant, of course with the view towards
Ahkka. This building is gone as well and Ritsem is today a rather boring
place, it's existance is based only on being a place for tourists visiting
Sarek or walking the trails, .e.g. Padjelanta trail. We walk to the helicopter,
it is the third road to the right when coming from the hostel. A sign show
the way. It is us, the new host in the Låddejåkkå hut,
and two young girls that will walk Staloluokta - Ritsem. There is place
for one more, but this place is taken by the equipment of the new host.
Some of the equipment is put on top of us. It is fascinating to fly with
the helicopter, everything looks small from above though it is not. The
helicopter touch the ground at Låddejåkkå, enough to
allow the host to get off with all the equipment. At Staloluokta do we
go to the "shop" and buy dried reindeer meat for the dinner tonight. We
had planned to have fish, but that must one order in advance.
At three do we walk on the bridge,
and follow the trail towards Staddojåkkå.
As we get higher up is the view of Virihaure as usual unbeteable. In front
of us do we have a river and the back side of Sulitelma. There are many
flowering flowers. The few hikers we meet are all female, some of which
walk alone. Has hiking become popular among women or have we been at the
wrong places? A few hundred meters before the bridge across Viejejåhkå
is a clear track towards Viejevagge, we could not miss it. Viejevagge is
our first stage. The slope up to the valley is covered with low growing
osier, as one get further up does it become more luxuriant and dense. The
track guide us through it and the marshes that one meet on the way to the
valley. At Jållevarre is the brook (Viejejåhkå),
from the valley broad and shallow, it should be easy to cross it here.
Here is also a perfect camping site, so we decide to stay here for the
night. Slightly further up do the water come from a narrow canyon. The
evening end with beautiful sunset behind the mountains on the opposite
side of Virihaure. The lake itself is not visible from our camping site.
My friend has his mobile phone with him, there is no connection. We will
test it every day.
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