Camp

Day 3 – July 30th 2017

The rain started around 20:30 last night and has continued so far with few breaks in between long showers. It’s rather soothing to listen to the drops falling on the tent and my body definitely didn’t mind the extra rest it meant to sleep in today.
Not that fond of starting the day packing up a wet tent I intend to give it some time and see if it clears up a little.

I woke up around 6:30, giving me a good 9 hours of sleep tonight, and after that just drifted between sleep and meditation. I thoroughly enjoy not having any fixed plans and being able to adjust according to conditions.

It will take an hour or more to get ready and have breakfast, after that I’ll just see what the weather looks like and get moving.

Finally in my tent after a long and wet day, having had a good dinner and waiting for my tea to get ready.

Actually I never wanted to camp near a cabin this early on the tour, yet the hike today literally soaked my boots and they would take days to dry in a tent. Two guys staying here were kind enough to let me hang them inside the cabin to dry, and I spent some time chatting with the before making camp.
So nice how people help each other out here in the wilderness, I don’t think we find the same friendliness and connection between almost everybody and anybody back in civilization.

An elderly German couple, Traude and Eckhard, whom I met several times in the trail, even invited me for a cup of hot tea after I’d been out in the rain raising my tent.

Well, let me go back to this morning – I packed everything inside the tent and then went out to take it down. There was just no way to get it packed dry, the outer tarp was soaked and I just shakes of as much water as possible. Worse was that it was still raining so the inner tent got moist as well and I had no opportunity to dry it on the way as it continued to rain more or less the entire day.
While I was packing up there was a group of four from the Netherlands passing, whom I later passed and met again at the first break.

First part, down to the security cabin at one of the larger lakes in Oallavaggi, was easy and at the first water crossing there was no doubt about changing shoes. Funny how less enjoyable getting the feet wet suddenly gets when it’s raining and there’s a rather cold wind!
This was also the first time I met the German couple and, though they seemed to know what they were doing, I kept an eye on them during wading. They did amazingly well!

Once arrived at the small cabin I put a kettle with enough water for me and everyone following to boil. As I knew the hike would be mostly level and down hill, I saved my PhatFibre supply and did coffee with coconut oil and some snacks.
The Germans came and left again rather quickly, the Dutch arrived when the Germans left and stayed for a while.
I enjoyed being in the warm cabin and was in no hurry to leave, so we chatted a little. This gave me the opportunity to help them avoid some unpleasant surprises and possibly some bad experiences. They planned to hike Lossi-Hunddalen on their way back and, hearing my description of the conditions, decided to change plans.
This is why talking to others about your plans can sometimes be crusial or even the difference between a successful, enjoyable adventure and a dangerous disaster.

Moving on after the break the trail was really nice at first and I was able to cross the streams without changing, though they carried considerably more water than last year. Passing the highest point of the valley and starting the decent towards Cunojaure it became obvious just how ridiculously wet the area had become. Last year it was difficult to get through parts of the trail without getting the feet wet, this year those parts resembled small swamps, acting as obstacles on the way down.

Crossing one river dry, and almost slipping, led to wading at the next larger one. Knee deep at the deepest part and with a really strong current I was grateful that it wasn’t wider and I got through it without getting my feet too cold.
Reaching lower and closer to the lake, the trail grow increasingly muddy, still at last water crossing I had to wade through, my boots was ok. Well, they were wet, but not soaked…

Once in to the cabin at Cunojaure, I checked again and, as stated above, there was no way to have them dry in the abside of my tent and I decided to stay.

Right now it only rains very lightly and I’ve gotten rid of most moisture inside the tent, enough, anyway, to take in my gear and get ready for the night. Hopefully waking up to a drier day tomorrow, I’m still amazed and grateful for my high spirits during this day today. No matter the rain, the wet trail, soaked tent or cold feet – I’ve spent a very happy day in the mountains.
Also I start to adapt to the load and am definitely getting full blown fat adapted again, probably even burning a solid amount of ketones. After the most difficult hike I went downstream to help check the south part of the wade for Traude and Eckhard, who choose another spot for crossing, and returning to my backpack I actually ran up the hill without thinking about it until afterwards.
Looking forward to another awesome day tomorrow!

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Peace // Claes

Day 2 – July 29th 2017

Woke up early, first time at quarter to 5 and managed to doze off some more, when the sun rises over the mountains it gets really bright in the tent and my Buff over the eyes doesn’t keep it from waking me. Need to retire earlier in the evenings to get enough sleep. Shouldn’t be any issue, though, as I from now on start a lot earlier in the day!

First night in the tent was very comfortable, the spot nice and soft and temperatures rather accommodating, I never had to close the sleeping bag at all.
Tried a spoon of PhatFibre in my morning coffee and I really like it, gonna have another one to load up MCT’s and help the body get into ketosis faster.
Yesterday was a little out of bounds food wise with the hamburger patties at the airport and then just a very small snack on the train with jerky, ghee and some pecans. From now on I control food entirely and eat to satiety whenever feeling the need to refuel!

Foods ready and cooling of enough for me to eat, feels amazing to have an early dinner. I’m aiming for a good night’s sleep and as the spot here will catch some sun in the morning that means getting into the sleeping bag timely.

Today’s hike started at 8:40, always takes a few days to get back into my mountain routine and everything takes longer than it will in a few days.

First part of the trail is neatly marked and easy to follow, just before reaching the first lake on the right hand side, there’s a path continuing straight on and the trail turns slightly to the west (right). Look for a sign that says ‘Lossi’ and for markers on the meadow just next to the lake.
The other path is also nicely marked with bright red pain on rocks, yet it will lead you astray far to the south leading to a private cabin next to Sealggajavri!

The trail towards Lossi is well marked until the western end of the meadow, after that it grows faint and markers are old and far apart with the red paint bleached by the sun, wind and snow. The valley is really hiking friendly, though, and as long as you keep on in the general direction, you will run into a marker every now and then. Just stay clear of the wet areas down at the lakes and you’ll be good!

I took it slow and easy, didn’t really care about the trail and explored the southern path some before turning back towards the trail. Aiming for lunch break at Leirvatnet I reached the river crossing just before the lake and that was it…

I had crossed one river earlier using my Crocs and here I once more changed shoes and went into the water only to have to turn around after about a third of the distance. Water is ice cold direct from the glaciers, the current was considerably stronger than normal and as it came up towards the knees and over, the murkiness due to sediment made it impossible to see where to step next.
Leaving the backpack and boots on the shore I tried to cross at a few other places and couldn’t find a safe way to get to the other side.
Water crossings are sometimes treacherous up here and the rule is always ‘safety first’, had there been two or more of us I might have stripped and found a way over.
Also, the amount of snow in the valley and me sliding down a steep snowfield when crossing and having to find another route across already made it rather far fetched that doing the pass would have been possible anyway.
Otherwise I would have camped at the crossing and gone over in the early morning hours when water levels are usually the lowest.
As for this time I took a break for snacks (jerky, coconut oil and some Mac nuts) and tea, totally enjoying the sun and a mild breeze.
I couldn’t down as much fat as I think I’d actually needed, after a few spoonfuls I started to get slightly nauseous and felt sluggish on my way back down the valley.
Sun was shining and I tested the new solar charger for the first time, worked satisfactory charging my iPhone back to 100% and giving the Ketonix some love after that. As long as I get a few hours of sun every now and then, there will be no power issues!!!

Just before the last climb I stopped for a short break and had a coffee with two spoonfuls of coconut oil and this really did the trick, very good energy on the way up the hill and only positive thoughts during the quick wash up in the icy creak.

I’m almost amazed about the total lack of disappointment due to these forced changes of plans. I’m so happy and grateful that I can just accept the change of plan, make the most out of it, and, finding my way back to this spot, once again enjoy the gorgeous view of Hunddalen!

And another thing – before I started the hike today I’d heard about the amount of

snow and water. Now I’ve seen for myself and this might save me some real trouble later on during this tour.I definitely need to check my planned route on the map again and, if safety calls for that, make adjustments.

There are so many beautiful trails and cool places here that, in the end, it really doesn’t matter that much!

The journey continues, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Kalalau 2017, Day 1

This trail stretching along the Napali coast on Kauai Hawaii is generally considered among the top 10 trails in the world regarding difficulty, danger and beauty.

the trailhead is located at Ke’e beach, right at the end of the road and the 1st mile lays out a beautiful uphill slope providing an excellent warm-up for the rest of the hike.

Just remember to stop at the quarter mile mark and looked back down for beautiful view of Ke’e

beach and of the north shore of the island.

The first 2 miles of the trail are open to the public, then you need a permit to complete the other 9 miles all the way in to Kalalau beach and valley.

I first first heard about trailing 2013 during my first visit to Kauai and immediately knew that I had to hike a trail during my next visit in 2014 I did the first two miles leading to Hanakapi’ai beach and followed the trail of value to the waterfall.

This, of course, did only deepen my desire to hike the trail in its entirety yet for the next trip in 2015 I failed to obtain a permit and so I was unable to do more than the beautiful first part once again.

Returning in late July 2016 I managed to get a permit for one night, at the end rendered unable to use due to massive amounts of rain brought in by the tropical storm Howard, finally in May 2017 I completed the 11 miles in and it was so worth the waiting.

Flying in from Stockholm, Sweden, the night before made me get onto the trail around 2 PM which made doing the total of 11 miles on one day a stretch, I therefore decided to stay one night at Hanakoa and continue the last 5 miles on day 2.

Enjoy the videos and please let me know what you think!

The start:

Hanakapi’ai:

Hanakoa:

Again, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Hike of 2016 – Day 12

It’s a tough da

y, you just have to embrace it – rest day ?

Woke up rested and relaxed, feeling no hunger at all. Had my coffee, read and sit staying at the camp a little longer with the novel for company while the tent dried out from the nightly showers.

As I knew I’d stay at Vistas cabin and wait for my friend Helge I was in no hurry at all, we plan to meet today or tomorrow and I have all the time I possibly need and only a good 5km to go.

Arriving at the cabin just prior to 11 am I cross the bridge to find a spot at the camp site, this early all where available and I picked a really nice one.

Perfect size for the tent, flat and smooth and pretty close to the river. After fetching some water for tea the rain kicked in and I spent the next few hours relaxing in th

e tent.

My track record with rest days is not really convincing, I normally get bored after just a few hours and want to move on, yet this year this day this spot felt blissful. I can’t say if it’s the weariness i still experience, if I start to educe a peace of mind I lacked up to this point or if it is due to some combination of these. Maybe something entirely different is at play here, whatever is going on I’m thoroughly enjoying the hours in the tent, reading, drinking tea, relaxing,

meditating and contemplating life.

A visit to the cabin renders more tea and some pleasant conversations with the hosts and other guests. It’s a bummer the hosts don’t

want to do an interview, naturally I feel opposed to persuade them, though.

In the end I lived through an immensely enjoyable day, shot a bunch of photos and commenced experimenting with different filters, met great people, engaged in inspiring conversations and still had sufficient time for myself to relax, unwind and contemplate life.

In short it was the perfect rest day!

The journey continues, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Hike of 2016 – Day 11

On of these mornings when it seemed perfectly right and appropriate to just refuse getting out of the sleeping bag. The hard wind continued throughout the night and my sleep got really impaired. Hadn’t I already know that the tent could take some beating the last doubts would have been removed after this night.

As I ended the day before rather early and already spent quite a few hours inside the tent I got restless some time after my reading and meditation and got the stove going for coffee. Not really hungry so breakfast could wait until later in the am and with a couple of coffees downed I got myself going.

The view into Vistasvagge as always breath taking yet the hike was slow and rather difficult, normally I’m really good with blocks yet with the rain that

started last evening and still came down in showers the rocks were really slippery and treacherous. I even took a couple of falls, thankfully without any real damage.

Finding a bunch of cloud berries along the way made a short break necessary, crazy late in the year to still find these delicious treats, and I just ate what I found right on the spot. Fresh berries are a wonderful addition to the usual diet out here.

Hiking slowly has its advantages and I apparently moved silent enough to not disturb a few reindeers resting in the greenery, beautiful serene animals I’m

grateful to catch a few pictures of.

Ending the first part of the day in Vistas cabin got me some rest from the cold wind, cooking and eating lunch inside was really nice and it cost some discipline to continue past the cabin after the meal. What pushed me on was the memory of another potentially amazing camp site just over 5km (3+ miles) south along the river. I walked past that spot quite a few times and this was the perfect occasion to give it a try.

Finding the place just as marvelous as I remembered it I built camp while the clouds lifted and cleared the sky for a wonderful late afternoon and evening. There still were lots of them around the area yet I had the privilege of sitting in the late afternoon sun, reading a novel while my dinner was cooking. During all the hours I spent there only two people past by, the rest of the time was undisturbed nature with the constant soothing sound of the river right there.

Needless to say I had a very enjoyable evening and drifted of to sleep easily, especially as the night before had been anything but restful.

The journey continues, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Hike of 2016 – Day 10

Woke up early and observed that the rain must have stopped sometime during the night, my tent had dried nicely in the wind and for a change I got out right away and got everything down and inside while it was dry. Perfect timing, carrying the last load down to the cabin I could feel the first drops of the day falling.

Keeping really silent due to the early morning hours I enjoyed a few mugs of coffee while reading and writing in the kitchen of the cabin. Not long after I finished my first cup oth

er guests started showing up to eat breakfast and get started towards the next cabin.

I was in no hurry, clouds were still heavy in Unna Vistasvagge, the valley I plan to follow, and I was prepared to wait until mid day before changing my plans.

This also rewarded me the video for part 3 of the cabin host series as things started to slow down and they had time for me.

With an almost perfect timing the clouds started lifting just before noon and I went for it, not the best view yet I did have some space between me and the lowest clouds. Unna Vistasvagge was as peaceful and beautiful as ever and I’m grateful to be off the beaten path more, as comfortable life around the cabins can be, I missed the silence and solitude. Being virtually alone in the valley quickly got me reconnected to nature and myself, hiking at a moderate pace and checking some camp sites for next year was relaxing and easy going. Weather actually cleared up and I could even see the sun a few times looking back towards Kungsleden, though, after passing the highest point and looking towards the opening into Vistasvagge, I knew that sooner or later I’d get wet again.
It looked murky already from a distance.

Good thing I could pass the really stony parts leading past Unna Vistasjaure before it got any more rain, wet rocks are frankly more challenging than fun.

Moving rather swiftly downhill towards where Unna Vistasvagge opens up into Vistasvagge the we

ather got rougher again, an icy cold wind came down the valley and hit me in the back intermittent bringing rain mixed with some snow. Knowing there are no places to camp for quite a while once out in the larger valley I kept my eyes open and found a really nice spot with a magnificent view on the glacier.

Utilizing a short interval between showers I got everything set and lay down in the tent for a while before cooking dinner in the vestibule facing away from the wind.

Even this early in the evening I was already sure about two things, first that my sleeping bag had to prove itself and that the tent once more would be thoroughly storm tested.

Turned out I was right, the wind was magnificent and I was grateful to have the warmer sleeping bag despite its higher volume and weight.

Though my sleep got vastly disturbed by the wind, I was never even close to feeling cold and managed the night in short sleep periods frequently waking

up, yet always got back to sleep again almost immediately just focusing on the sound from the stream next to the tent!

The journey continues, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Hike of 2016 – Day 9

Waking up rather early I hear the rain on the tent and can feel the wind still pulling at it, the weather had been rather rough throughout the night and I did not sleep that well, leaving me weary in the morning, lazily staying inside the sleeping bag grateful for the decision of crossing the water yesterday. Once again considering myself the luckiest guy on earth, waking up on the other side and crossing this morning had been clearly a cold and wet endeavor. 2016-08-27-10-31-18

Weather prevailed and after a few hours I got myself ready, for the first time this year I packed everything while still inside the tent before going out in the rain and break the camp.

Gloomy day, cold wind from the north and the light yet constant rain made it an easy decision to head straight for the cabin in Alesjaure. Already I had spent more nights near cabins than planned at the start, and considering the weather with showers most days and the wind getting colder day by day I accepted that the trend would continue. Reminding myself that I’m not here to prove how much hardship I can take, looking forward to the evening sauna became increasingly easier as the day went along.

Considerably more water in the streams now than mere days ago I was happy for my high shafted boots, still taking in some water from the drenched vegetation pulling my rain trousers and moving moisture up the boots.

Coming close to the Sami camp it was impossible to discern which of the many paths to follow, I stayed too close to the lake and hade to pass through the camp before I found the trail emerging from Vistasvagge and followed it the last few km.

After a chat with one of the cabin hostesses, during which we agreed on a time for the first interview here, I put my tent up to dry in the wind. Ironically enough the weather got more and more friendly once I got inside, the next valley I planned to hike through still covered in clouds, though, made my decision to stay valid.

I spent the afternoon taking care of some long overdue cleaning, greased the boots and re packed my stuff as the amount of provisions decrease day by day and the pack needed rearranging.

Several pleasant conversations, one interview and a very enjoyable sauna later, dinner was on, it was raining again and I fully enjoyed the luxury of being clean, warm and dry.

Soon after there was a gap between two showers and I made it to the tent, leaving boots, socks and rain gear to dry inside over night.

The tent stood on highest ground possible to keep the rain water from gathering around it, wind had almost died completely and I drifted off almost immediately after last nights disturbed sleep.

The journey continues, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Hike of 2016 – Day 8

Rest day yesterday did wonders for my tendon, probably supported by some anti inflammatory drugs I got from fellow hikers. Normally I don’t do that stuff, by hey, this was kinda a special occasion ?

Swelling went down fine and I’d say it healed more than 50% since my arrival here.

My original plan was to head east south east and cross the high plateau towards Al

esjaure spending one night at over 1200m (3600ft) yet looking at the clouds having gathered up there over night another change of plans was an easy decision!

I had actually never done the “normal” trail from Unna Allakas towards Abiskojaure and so this should be the day. As you might have picked up I like to keep of the all too beaten path and stay on more deserted trails, now at the begin of the off season seemed like a good time to try this trip out.

Staying an extra hour or so while drying my tent in the wind assured a complete dry start, trail was super easy and actually very enjoyable. Nice views of The Valley, virtually no people, except the Austrian mountain bikers overtaking me, before I met two other people from the cabin who started earlier and just stopped for lunch.

I decided to join them and after the meal we had company until I left the main trail to cross the river and head east while they continued to Abiskojaure.

After crossing the bridge I got lucky and found the original foot trail leading east despite the area
being full of quad trails from the Sami’s driving reindeer from one area to another and gathering them for marking earlier during the summer season. It was a beautiful hike first through birches and soon passing the tree line opening up a nice view again.

Reaching Kungsleden (the Kings trail) I turned south and followed it just a few km before heading east again crossing over to the eastern side of the lakes just north of Radujavri. Something I definitely only recommend if you’re very experienced and preferably in a group of two or more people, that crossing was rather difficult. Water up to knee deep, partly slippery stones and the river wide enough to put the cold water into play, I’m grateful for the still warm rays of the late afternoon sun fighting off the cold wind. Anyway, after a quick wash I didn’t take long to get the camp ready and some dinner cooking. Just shortly after food was ready it started raining again and I retired to the tent, to be frank just as much because of the cold wind as the rain.

Despite the hike having been far from strenuous I felt weary after good 25km and the river crossing, grateful for the tendon still feeling a lot better than the day before I had an early night after reading a little.

The journey continues, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Hike of 2016 – Day 7

Woke up when the sun starts heating up the tent (it disappeared behind clouds pretty soon, though…), unzipped the sleeping bag and just enjoyed being lazy for a little while before leaving the tent and breaking camp.

Right tendon more swollen and I decided on a short hike of just 3-4km to Unna Allakas and spend the rest of that day resting at the cabin, already looking forward to the evening sauna.
Funny how the close proximity of a sauna can enhance the feeling of needing to clean up ?

Upon arrival I raised the tent in my favorite spot before entering the cabin and greeting Torgny who was pretty surprised to see me again so soon.

Inside the cabin is another guy on rest day, Birger, who started his hike on July 10th and now is on his way to meet his girl friend I’m Abisko, hike the next part together with her and then finish alone towards the very northern parts of Norway.

Amazing conversations, great company and lots of food made the day fly by while the cabin slowly filled up with people, leaving us with a very international lot from 6 different countries including a couple from Austria mountain biking along the trails, a guy from Belgium who had hikes the glacier of Storsteinfjellet alone (NOT recommended) and was lucky enough to come down alive…

And a group of mountain runners arriving later in the evening!

Birger

Belgian Alpinist

The Runners

Lisa from Germany and Guido from Italy

Sauna was fantastic as expected and the view extraordinary!

After some more chatting, dinner and a few cups of tea I was ready for the tent.

The journey continues, please leave a comment to tell me what You think and share this with friends and loved ones who might benefit or be interested!

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Peace // Claes

Off the Grid Hiker Live, and a Pilot Trip that´s double deadly!

Let me be up front with You…

No videos here – nope, not even one…

No pics either…

Just probably the most lovely information so far if You´d like to try out the Swedish Mountains in style 😀

As You might already guessed typing isn´t my favorite way to communicate so rest assure I think this post important due to all the text!

Now, let me adress the “double deadly” part of the head line, it´s not only there to get Your attention…
I use this phrase for a few things in life, Lappert´s Ice Cream on Kauai being one of them, and it just means that what I refer to is:

Worth killing for
Worth dying for

So, basically it´s something really cool, enjoyable, fun, extraordinary, unforgettable, magical, formidable, wonderful, fantastic, majestic, marvelous, etc (enter any superlative that comes to mind).

Just to get clear – there is nothing dangerous out there in these mountains, ok? 😀

For years people have asked me when I would start bringing people with me on tours as I´ve been in the mountains so many times and done so many trails up there.

It is a question that has been taking up more and more space in my thoughts since I got the idea for this blog and I started planning for doing the first group trip in August 2018.
To be able to serve people with different levels of experience, physical and mental performance and ability for time commitment I decided on building three different tours:

Beginner – Little or no experience of hiking
Intermediates – Done some hiking and camping and/or been on a beginners tour
Advanced – Done the intermediate tour with me and want to get into wilder areas

So, what does this mean and what are the requirements?

First thing first – all three tours are planned to go for a week, usually noon Sunday – noon Saturday, which allows for an extra night out if needed before I go on the next tour.
The plan is to be back Saturday, we just need to plan for the plan not working out 100% 😉

Why a whole week? Well, that´s an easy one…
No matter how prepared we think ourselves to be, this is a new experience for the body every single time. It takes a few days to adjust to carrying a back pack and move over uneven ground where no step resembles the one before.
So, if we only go hiking for 2-3 days You never get into the flow where You really get to enjoy the surroundings and the experience of nature I want You to have.

We hike in small groups, I put the cap at 10 people/group (and if You´re the 10th person Your spouse can come also, that´s it though) to make sure everyone gets some personal attention and one-on-one time with me.
This has the potential of being the hiking experience of a life time, if I can enhance Your journey, just let me know along the way!

In my experience the month of August provides the best conditions, usually the nicest weather in the season, mosquitos start to disappear and the ground has dried out from the melted snow.
That´s why I do all three tours back to back – I wanna give You all the best possible circumstances to enjoy the hike!

We always start from one of the larger Swedish Tourist Stations were You can get a cooked meal (yes, with adult beverages if You like), sauna or shower and a room (if You,re tired of Your tent) upon return from the tour:
I highly recommend to stay a day or two extra at the station when back from the mountain as there are beautiful day tours to be had and just chilling for a day isn´t that bad either!

Please observe that we carry everything we need with us, detailed equipment lists are provided once Your application is accepted, there are some cabins where You can by additional provision yet I don´t recommend counting on them.
We´re in the wilderness and weather conditions, blisters (they are preventable and I´ll tell You what to do), physical exhaustion (shouldn´t happen if we are all honest with each other) might force a change of plans.

BTW – Your cell phone does not work once were out of sight from civilization, put them in flight mode to save the battery and use the camera function only!
This is part of being Off the Grid and a highly therapeutic experience!!!
Now let´s get to the differences between the groups!

Beginners:
You always wanted to go on a hike, just never got to it due to a million reasons, or maybe You used to hike years ago and want to get back into it again. Whatever reason You have to join You want a relaxed and safe experience away from the main tourist trails and enjoy the company of a few like minded people.

Requirements:

You have Your own personal gear: clothes, boots, rain gear, back pack, sleeping bag, mattress, stove, cutlery, etc
A detailed list is provided open admission and I kindly ask You not to get anything before You know what to buy, ok?
You carry Your own provisions (food), detailed instructions on what to bring and how to prepare it are provided.
You are prepared to leave any extras behind at the station if I consider that necessary to keep the weight of Your pack down
You can carry 20kg (44lbs) for up to 20km (12.5 miles) in a day (this is the maximun, most days are shorter), this is important for the safety of the group.
Please talk to me if You´re not sure, ok?
If You don´t have (or can borrow) a tent that is fit for mountain use (if Your not sure about it, talk to me), You must let me know upon admission for me to provide a solution!
I can get some extra and am happy to help out if I just know it´s needed.
Failing to do this results in having to rent a tent from the tourist station at Your own expense.

What You get:

A one week specially designed tour through some of the most beautiful valleys and ridges of northern Sweden (and maybe Norway)
One day tour climb to see the view from a mountain peak, this is provided that the weather conditions allow for it to happen in a safe way
Should You prefer to have a rest day instead, You have the option to stay in the camp or take a short walk around the area
Detailed instructions what to bring/not to bring
Six week email course on preparation of equipment and provision
3 group calls with Q&A on preparation
Personalized suggestions for physical preparedness (if needed)
1 personal call to answer individual questions not adressed on group calls
Learn to use the map and the compass for navigation in mountain areas
Every two participants are provided a map and a compass to use for the duration of the tour
A short routine to warm up muscles and joints to get ready for the day and prevent injuries
Learn how to light and maintain a camp fire in a safe way, provided that the weather conditions allow for it to happen in a safe way
Personal attention and one-on-one time to get Your questions answered and help You make the most out of the experience

What´s the deal?

Admission is on a first come, first serve basis – payment secures Your space in the group
Be upfront with any physical or mental challenges, most of them can be solved
Safety comes first, my decision is final on that point. Even if it means someone has to abort the tour early due to challenges
Make sure You comply with passport and visa requirements, this is of no concern to anyone living in the EU, I can´t do anything if You get stopped at the border control
Every participant is responsible for having insurance coverage, please check with Your provider that they cover physical activity (while traveling)
No refunds, You can always transfer Your spot to another person if You can´t come, as long as he/she can be admitted
I can´t do anything about the weather yet in every other area I promise to over deliver on my promises. You´ll have a blast when going through the experience as instructed!

Intermediates:
You either did the beginners tour with me or have some experience with hiking in the past and consider Yourself a somewhat advanced hiker (in any case we do a personal interview to make sure we have a fit). You want to see some more remote areas of the mountains in north Sweden and Norway and are willing to sacrifice some comfort and sweat equity for the experience. You know that Your physical and mental fitness carries You through the week even if weather gets rough or the hike is rather strenuous for a day or two.

Requirements:

You have Your own personal gear: clothes, boots, rain gear, back pack, sleeping bag, mattress, tent, stove, cutlery, etc
A detailed list is provided open admission and I kindly ask You not to get anything before You know what to buy, ok?
You carry Your own provisions (food), detailed instructions on what to bring and how to prepare it are provided.
You have Your own compass and map of the area and know the basics of navigation
You are prepared to leave any extras behind at the station if I consider that necessary to keep the weight of Your pack down
You can carry 20kg (44lbs) for 15-30km (9.32-18.64 miles) in a day (this is the maximun, most days are shorter), this is important for the safety of the group.

What You get:

A one week specially designed tour through some of the most beautiful valleys, passes and ridges of northern Sweden and/or Norway
Several opportunities to climb peaks, this is provided that the weather conditions allow for it to happen in a safe way
Detailed instructions what to bring/not to bring
Six week email course on preparation of equipment and provision
3 group calls with Q&A on preparation
Personalized suggestions for physical preparedness (if needed)
1 personal call to answer individual questions not adressed on group calls
Advanced use of the map and the compass for navigation in mountain areas, preparing You for navigation in all weather conditions
A short routine to warm up muscles and joints to get ready for the day and prevent injuries
Mountain safety, do’s and don´t’s when hiking in these areas
Personal attention and one-on-one time to get Your questions answered and help You make the most out of the experience

What´s the deal?

Admission is on a first come, first serve basis – payment secures Your space in the group
Be upfront at the interview – I use it to maximize the experience of the whole group
Safety comes first, my decision is final on that point. Even if it means someone has to abort the tour early due to challenges
Every participant is responsible for having insurance coverage, please check with Your provider that they cover physical activity (while traveling)
No refunds, You can always transfer Your spot to another person if You can´t come, as long as he/she can be admitted
I can´t do anything about the weather yet in every other area I promise to over deliver on my promises. You´ll have a blast when going through the experience as instructed!

Advanced:
You have done the intermediate tour with me and want to take it one step further. We always do a personal interview to asess preparedness and any challenges needed to be solved up front.
No exceptions, for safety reasons I need to know You and what You´re capable of!
This is a partly very strenuous tour with tough climbs and potentially long days.

Requirements:

You have Your own personal gear, know what to bring and how to use it. You agree to 100% personal responsibility here
You carry Your own provisions (food), You know what you need and how much and the right preparation
You are responsible for the contains of Your pack, don´t pack what You don´t wanna carry
You can carry 20kg+ (44lbs+) for 15-30km (9.32-18.64 miles) in a day (this is the maximun, most days are shorter) in rough country with steep parts, this is important for the safety of the group
You are prepared that some days might drag out to 12 hours or more with no other stops than short snack & water breaks, depending on conditions

What You get:

Basically the coolest tour possible accounting for weather conditions, snow depth, ground conditions etc.
7-8 days in company with like minded people enjoying nature pure with as little as possible contact with civilization
You learn to asess the mountain side before the climb, chose the path on rocky ground and the most efficient way of moving on rocks
Join me for the real favorite tours few people ever get to hike
An incomparable adventure that´s challenging physically, mentally and emotionally, leaving You with an unsurmountable feeling of power and joy upon completing

What´s the deal?

Admission is on a first come, first serve basis – payment secures Your space in the group
Be upfront at the interview – the safety of the group, and Your own, depends on this
Safety comes first, my decision is final on that point. Even if it means someone has to abort the tour early due to challenges
Make sure You comply with passport and visa requirements, this is of no concern to anyone living in the EU, I can´t do anything if You get stopped at the border control
Every participant is responsible for having insurance coverage, please check with Your provider that they cover physical activity (while traveling)
No refunds, You can always transfer Your spot to another person if You can´t come, as long as he/she can be admitted
I can´t do anything about the weather yet in every other area I promise to over deliver on my promises. You´ll have a blast when going through the experience as instructed!

Costs involved:

The costs for personal equipment vary and depend on what You need to get new and what You could possibly borrow.
Provision and snacks – depends on what You get and where You get it, I usually end up with approximately $100-150/week (SEK 900-1400:-) when shopping locally and preparing most of my food at home
Air fare or train ticket to Kiruna – depends on where You travel from
Local transportation – no more than $100:- (SEK 900:-)
Sauna at the mountain cabins – approximately $12:-/person (SEK 100:-)

My fees:
Origin of participant determents currency, prices in US$ and € may be adjusted with exchange rate fluctuation.

Beginner: $497:- / €455:- / SEK 4500:-
Intermediate $297:- /€275:- / SEK 2700:-
Advanced $197:- / €185:- / SEK 1800:-

The “double deadly” Pilot Trip

Which brings us to the best part (I told You to read on, remember?) – July 30th I attended a very nice dinner in Kapaa, Kauai, HI with some good friends. Walking one of them, Andrei Jablokow, over to his car on the parking lot we talked about my project with Off the Grid Hiker and the live events I planned for 2018. Long story short he spent some effort influencing me to do a pilot trip in 2017 to get some testimonials and I agreed reluctantly. Not really sure back then if I´d have the time for all the planning and preparation.

Anyway, the decision was made and now it´s time to make it happen!

Here´s the deal for 2017:

Remember the Intermediate tour mentioned above? I know You do!
And You can always check the details above.

The Pilot Tour takes place July 30th through August 5th 2017 (Sunday-Saturday) with August 6th as back up day if needed.
I arrive in Abisko on Friday July 28th and stay near the station to help You out upon arrival, Sunday August 6th I go back into the mountains yet I recommend You to stay in the area a couple of days, it´s beautiful, serene and peaceful!

This is the one time opportunity to get in on that tour (with some add ons You find out about later) at the price of the Advanced tour. That´s a $100:- You can spend on other cool stuff like a couple of extra nights in Abisko or something like that.

More important is that I want Your honest testimonial to rave about the experience so I make this one a little special:

We hike through one of the most beautiful and famous valleys in the area, Cuonjavaggi (Lapporten), and camp at a beautiful water fall (Day 1)
Continue through Bessivagge before crossing Aliseatnu and follow Vierrojohka toward the mountains pass of Mårma (Day 2)
After crossing the pass (one of my favorite passes in this region) I leave You the choice of camping on a soft and comfy meadow at a beautiful lake or continue down to Vistas cabin for an evening sauna (Day 3)
Depending on the weather we follow Vistasvagge or Unna Vistasvagge on our way back towards Abisko (Day 4)
Staying east of the lakes and crossing over north of Radujavri adds some spice with a really marvelous river crossing most people never experience (Day 5)
After passing Bieggalouppal we turn northwards and follow Alip Hongganjivra which leads us into Ballinvagge (Day 6)
A nice and easy hike down to Abisko completes the tour (Day 7)

I know that these names don´t mean anything to most of You yet still think it´s nice to have the opportunity to look them up if You like.
This is not a tour I´d recommend anyone to go on by oneself as a first time exposure to these mountains, knowing what we´re doing it´s just a wonderful experience You remember forever!

That´s it for now, please share this with people who might be interested, I can always cut my vacation a week short and take on another group back to back with the first one. Price is gonna be the normal for Intermediate then, though, the tour is the same beautiful one!

Let me know if You want in, I expect this one to fill up and the rule is first come, first serve!
Mahalo, I appreciate You!

Peace // Claes