Haukeliseter to Moltenuten
Distance: 5+30km
A black Range Rover pulls over to give me a ride back to Haukeliseter.
Normally, these cars never stop, but I got lucky after waiting for 5 minutes at the bus stop (yes there would have been a bus at 1:05am, wtf?...).
Anyway, the ride is once more spectacular and shortly after 19:00 I get dropped off where I started my resupply adventure 7 hours earlier. With still enough daylight, I continue my walk for 5 kilometers, passing dozens of tents and campervans, all getting ready for the night. Eventually, I leave the road and on a rough, undulating trail, leavinh the people behind. After an hour of walking, I have enough, pitch my tent and go straight to sleep.
Since it has gotten late, yesterday, I take it slow, waiting for the sun to rise before hitting the trail. A trail, which keeps being a bit slow going, and, as I climb the first saddle extremely rocky with big, sharp rocks, which require quite an effort to be conquered. Luckily, going gets faster on the other side. I pass several lakes, the views fantastic. And so is the weather. Perfect for a quick lunch break swim.
At one point, I descend over big, flat rocks below the scrub line, where the trail becomes a muddy mess. My mood drops. I have gotten so used to the rocks, the mountains, the open, that being back in the scrubs feels a bit depressing.
After a long chat with a lady at one of huts, my mood is improving and gets even better, when I spot some blue- and cloudberries. The trail then climbs steeply out of the bush, back into open. It's where I decide I have hiked enough for today. 30 kilometers. A heavy backpack and challenging trails made it a hard day nonetheless.
So I am more than happy to find a lovely spot, overlooking a valley to the north, with impressive views of big, towering cumulus clouds over the Finse area. Seems like they get a lot of rain, while here, the sun keeps on shining.
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Rob Firmin (Friday, 26 July 2024 18:26)
Mōrena Sandro. Nearly 4.00am. Pitch black outside. Pitch black in here too, despite the curtains being wide open. There's a fog over the city so that is obliterating the city lighting. It is absolutely peaceful. I may as well be in the wilderness. Too early for dawn chorus.
Awake at this time, as I'm about to go shower and put the jug on while we await the cross over to Paris for the opening ceremony of Olympic Games. 5.00am (NZ time) is our link. So we're getting up to watch the ceremony. Then we can go straight to the Riverside Market. The Penguins are due back today, after a two week reprieve. So all that whistle blowing and chatter returns, along with the traffic chaos and pandemonium.
Your day sounded lovely, and a good decision to take a Hut. You sounded fortunate with that too - with having it to yourself (at time of writing your blog), and safe indoors away from the storm.
I have to remind myself that when you reference the direction of the storm coming from the south, that it's not necessarily a cold storm. Whereas for us, especially at this time of the year, a South storm usually means cold, perhaps blizzard-like conditions. Wintery! Even in our mid summer. I don't need to tell you of our weather conditions.
Looks like you had a good feed of berries.
Did I tell you, I ONLY discovered this past TA season that we (Āotearoa NZ) has a "snow berry". Found generally in alpine areas mostly on Te Waipounamu. It was actually Maria who sent me a photo and asked if it was OK to eat them. Meantime, I think she'd already found out they were edible. So ate some. I'd never heard of them. But when I Googled them and I thought - gee whizz it takes a TA foreigner to point them out to me. I was pleasantly surprised. Then I was reminded that the vegetation on our islands aren't the same. Each island has its own flora, and fauna. And sometimes plants are only found at different latitudes and altitudes, and in specific locations. And then the subspecies. Did you know that there are 3 different and distinct Nikau palm (for example). All of which are only endemic to Āotearoa. Or that there are up to 7 sub species of Ti Kouka throughout Āotearoa. Yes, by looking at them (Nikau, and/or Ti Kouka), I can tell by sight, which island they came from, and for the Ti Kouka, what area of Āotearoa the trees have been sourced from. Thar why, in creating our garden I have been specific in my plantings that ONLY local/regional trees, ferns, and Nikau are planted. And the exception of specifically selected natives, I know what part of Āotearoa they are typically found. Example - Poor Knights Lily, Rengarenga, - both of which are commonly found in the far north of Te Ika A Māui.
So, your berries ... are they specific to regional Norway (Scandanavia) or are they found throughout, but possibly not in the arctic circle?
Ok I best up and shower. Ready myself for the Opening Ceremony. Plus George has his alarm set to go off in a few minutes. Beat him to the shower.
Happy on-hiking. Til your next installment. Take care. Noho haumaru �