Day 10 – 29 Jun, South end of Holvunielas to Lake Ruhkojavri

(32km, total 213.5, 9h 10 , 0900 to 1810)

Like every night it rained and was windy. When I woke up it was still raining and windy. It rained while I had breakfast and packed but luckily stopped briefly long enough to pack everything into my pack and get the tent down.

Today started with a short downhill and then across a flat swampy bit before making a gradual climb. I was excited as there was green on my map and I assumed that meant trees. As I approached the first green bit on the map I saw a couple of individual trees then in front of me a line of trees.

A tree!

I dropped down steeply to a river crossing and climbed back out and that was it for the trees.

The trail now climbed gradually keeping to the side of the hills. There were occasional tracks to follow but they would disappear off in the wrong direction. The trail marking was excellent and quite close together.

While I was in the open I could look down at the bottom of the hill to trees along the river which was a nice change. The trail did go though a few small patches of trees before coming back into the open.

As the trail started dropping down of the hill Gieias, the trail was finally into a decent size forest of trees with bright green grass.

My morale skyrocketed. It is funny how much I miss trees. In New Zealand it is rare to go hiking and not be in forest for a significant part of it. I love the wide open spaces here but trees are comforting. I even got to hear some different birds apart from the shreiker that had been a constant noise yesterday. The trail dropped down the hill, crossing a reindeer fence. Not long after there was a small brown building which on investigation was a beautiful clean long drop toilet, it only I needed to go. There was nothing else around that I could see. Definitely a strange place for such a nice toilet, or any toilet at all.

The trail turned sharply to the right, well marked again. Then crossed a river and anther reindeer fence. The trail was now following a vehicle 4WD track for the next 4 km as the trail meandered though trees, open bits and swamps. Occasionally the trail left the vehicle track, I am assuming to avoid some swamp and a couple of times I had to backtrack when I saw no markers in front due to missing a turn off. There were a couple of occasions I was standing at a marker looking hard for the next one an not seeing it. This was usually in the swamps. I would move forward 20 meters and would usually spot the next marker, not always where I thought it would be.

Neat fluffy flowers

I am not sure if this was an emergency firewood store or just left over from improvised camp stove

The variety of flowers on this part was nice

The best bit of the day was when we climbed a bit higher out of the swamps and in full forest.
As I reached a river called Stuora Navggastatjohka (no idea of pronunciation) I stopped just out of the wind and had lunch. It was just as nice as yesterday.

Lunch spot

Now the trail climbed and was back in the open. It was a steady gentle climb on a 4WD track.

These black things on the ground had me curious. I could not figure out what they were. They were plastic and not rubber.

Mystery solved. The black shavings are where the Skimobile scrap against rocks. Here is the end result.

Not long after passing some small lakes on my right I came to my 200km point. I made a little sign and took some photos then celebrated with a drink – of water. It seems like I have been on the trail for ages and this little milestone was nice to get to. It is a little intimidating though that I still have 2,400km to go.

200km completed!

I kept climbing on the track. At one point another trail cut across at an angle. There were wood poles along the track in both directions. I checked the map and it indicated to keep going straight, and could not see any red paint on the poles on the new track so I kept on the same track I had been following. I was zoning out a little and when I paid attention I realised I hadn’t seen a marker for a while. I figured the trail must have turned off a little. Looking at my map the trail should be following the side of the hill I climbed and then go past a couple of lakes which I could see. I decided to just cut across to the first lake and was surprised I did not come across the trail. I looked at the end of the lake, labelled 381, and saw wooden poles. I could also see a track going up the hill so I decided to head to the poles and follow them. There were still no red marks but there were a few orange poles. I slogged though the swamp at the end of the lake and then climbed on the 4WD track, past another small lake and up a short steep hill where there was a cairn with the familiar red ‘T’. So this is the trail and I should have turned at the track intersection, however in my defence this was different to what is marked on the map.

Crossing the bottom of the lake

Now I climbed onto a ridge and just as the lake Bohkosjavri, came into view the cairns veered to the left heading down the ridge, Bohkosgielas. I knew the trail went around the bottom of the lake so I could see how far to go. I seemed to be going at a good speed and making progress but this track took longer than I expected.

The cairns led to another 4WD track and this led all the way to the river crossing at the end of the lake and continued on up a long gradual climb to the top of a long skinny hill.

Still patches of snow around

The vehicle track then continued down the long ridgeline. I could see lake Ruhkkojavri in the distance and this is where I saw some green on the map which could mean camping in trees without wind. It was a long descent and at one stage cairns veered right which led to another track that went all the way to the lake.

As I got closer to the lake I did not see many trees and my sheltered campsite did not seem likely.

I filtered some water for camp and to refill my water bottles. I have 2 x 500ml waterbottles for the day and I have not been drinking them. I generally am only drinking around 500ml while walking throughout the day. It is not hot enough and I do not feel thirsty. I still seem to be going to the toilet often though.

The track turned around a corner and it was a little sheltered but I thought I would see if over the next small hill would provide more shelter and it did. While still a little windy it is not too bad. As I was setting up I notice one of my poles was missing the connector which meant it was not useable. I put up the tent while thinking about it and on examination the inner collar had pushed down the pole. I used my skinny tent peg to try and lever it back out. It works for now but that is a concern. I also noticed the bottom of one of the poles was loose.

Just as I was sitting taking my shoes off I heard a cow bell and looked out of the tent to see a herd of reindeer walking by. They were looking at the tent but not reacting until I got out and stood up and then they took off. I was thinking it was going to be a rear day without reindeer but no.

Tonight’s dinner is potato flakes. This is my own mixture with bacon bits, onion flakes, parmesan cheese and dried peas. Unfortunately I have made the servings too big and could not finish it. Looking at my maps I may have a short day tomorrow and stay in the hut. I will see what the hut is like and decide then. While my dinner was cooking (saking) a quad bike drove up to the tent. I poked my head out and it was an elderly Sami gentleman who was hearding the reindeer to the summer pastrures. 10 minutes later I heard him ride back up the hill.

Sami Reindeer Herder

Night 10

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