Many eons ago, Northern Sweden made a deal with the South. We would get the longest winters in the world(8 -10 months), with endless pow turns, great compadres, some all day sunsets(“the dark months” as some call it) ;in exchange for a few summers here and there. This year we cashed in on one of those very rare, very real summers!
The BSB (our tjejgäng in Gällivare) has been getting loads of spontaneous outdoor adventure hangs. The day before these photos, a few of us had been climbing (also something a few of us tried out this year with the dry weather and tons of vitamin d pumping up our systems). After the climb + a swim, we drive home. The sunset was just insane.. so we got this idea to camp under it the next day if possible. We put the call out to the others, and got 6 on board for the sunset sleepover in mother nature.
Destination Dundret, Väst Toppen. Dundret’s wild west.
Most of my personal time on Dundret has been during the winter; on snowboard trips and visits for the past 10 years, and the last 2,5 living in Gällivare full time. And in that time, I’d been on this side during the summer, only once. To be fair though, on average, you can find snow on Dundret year-round.
But, this was the first time I had seen Dundret in this kind of setting.. summer vibes, sunset, the warm breeze, enjoyable hiking terrain; it was like we were hiking in the Andes or something (slightly less m.ö.h, but you feel the vision).
Everything surrounding us was so powerful, I’ll go ahead and say it was overwhelming. The view of Gällivare, the nature, the lakes-more lakes and rivers than I realized were there- were all like mirrors, and the sky was on fire(colourwise only, thankfully). When nature grabs you so strongly like that, its all encompassing.. and for some moments, youre only a soul with no attachment to your body or the world. I hope you have felt this before, or will someday! Anyhow, thats whats was happening for me. Then I took a look around, and was filled with gratitude taking in who was on this glorious mountaintop with me. Stunning, genuine, powerhouse women. And if we werent friends 4-ever before this, then we sure were now. Mountaintops do that to you! What it is!
We scored our friend, Galla’s, 8 man tent called “The Vigloo”, adding “slumber party” to the already epic evening. If you think the best part of the comedy would be setting up a huge tent on a windy mountaintop, stay tuned, theres more. When Alex went to leave Galla’s house with the borrowed tent, he said something along the lines of “good luck” as she left, but in a way that gave her a hint of suspision. Back to the windy top, tent package open… And surprise- no pegs to be found! I repeat, NO PEGS. And no trees to tie on to. HA HA HA, OK!
Luckily Alex is crazy smart and went with her suspision, packing some extras. But for the most part, this tent was creatively tied down by foraged rocks, putting our tent-life back in business. Its amazing how team bullding exercises can really “set you up” for success.
5/6 of us(Sayo took was behind the lens). Enjoying the view of Vassaraträsk, and a splash of kava in our coffee cups to celebrate.
As suspected, we stayed up gabbing and playing cards in the Vigloo till 3am. The good life.
Sovmorron, welcomed with another bluebird day, fruit and cold coffee (this was documented during the fire ban).
Here we are on our hike back down to reality, less than an hour away, where the trail head is just minutes from our doorsteps. Bonus move was made by Mango (Malin) who booked us all seats in the Golden Egg Bastu for the afternoon.
(What’s the Golden Egg Bastu?! Read about it, and our crew’s experience, in Jenny’s blogpost from 10/7 called “Bastu i guldägget”)
Want to check it out this view for yourself? Access is easy, follow the E:45, heading from Gällivare to Porjous, and turn left at the road locals call “Femman”. Follow this winding road up for 3/4 of the way, until you see a trailhead with a sign, on the right. Cant miss it. The trail is 2,6km to the top, and is well marked. A bit rocky, and steep at parts, but overall a great choice for most dayhikers!
Yours truly, Jana // Blogger/Ambassador
#itshersday #camping #mountiantop
