On the 26^th of February through the 1^st of March, some of my classmates and I were to plan a winter back packing trip of a life time. We were to go from one city in Norway to another, camping outside for at least two nights. The week’s weather forecast predicted some wind and moderately cold temperatures. It was good conditions to cross country ski because of the fresh soft powder on the ground which made the down hills easier to handle. The incline in this area was going to be harsh going up, but we knew we could push through to make it to the top.

First, forming had to take place for this trip to happen. There were already a few groups that had an idea of who they wanted to go with and where they wanted to go. With fourteen of us classmates left with no idea in mind, we spoke to our teacher for ideas to on how to go about planning our first trip on our own. He gave us a few suggestions on where we could head to and said it would be best to split into smaller groups. We thought of things that set people apart from one another. We figured out that some wanted to go out in the mountains for a week, others only wanted to go out for a couple days. We split everyone up based on how long they wanted to go for. The next step was to figure out where we wanted to go, how we would get there, how long to go for and what supplies everyone would bring.

After brain storming with my group, for hours we finally came up with a plan. Our plan for this journey was to catch one of the first buses out of Kristiansand to Hovden. We would arrive a little after twelve in the afternoon, hopped on the path and begin our cold up ward journey toward Sloaros.

Once on the path we would travel by skis for about 5 kilometers until we found a good place to set up camp for the night. We would all eat dinner together, sleep with four people in one tent and three in another. The next morning, we would wake up early to eat breakfast, then we would quickly pack up camp and continue our way to Sloaros. After skiing another 10 kilometers we would arrive at an open DNT hut where we could stay in for the night. Again, we would eat dinner together, sleep and wake up early to head back toward Hovden. After traveling around 10 kilometers, we would then set up camp around the same area as the first night. Wed have our final dinner together, get some sleep in the same tents as the first night, then head to the bus station in Hovden the next morning to get back to Kristiansand. Each person was given a task and a list of supplies to bring along. We split into three groups and each group oversaw bringing dinner for one night. Almost nothing went as we planned.

The first morning we all came from different places around the city, so we decided to meet at the bus station. Luckily with a few seconds to spare the last two people in our group made it on the bus. After listening to a couple of drunk guys bicker at each other for hours, we all made it to Hovden. We took out our maps only to realize the bus station was not located on it. We then searched the city for two hours while carrying all our equipment for the beginning of the trail. Using up two kilometers of energy before getting on the trail, we were all getting tired and needed a snack to boost our energy. We then started our journey two hours later than we expected. Conquering hill after hill, we made it four kilometers before realizing it was already starting to get dark. We found a flat patch of snow just off the ski path that we thought would be a good to set up camp. Even after stomping the powdery snow down, the tent pegs we brought were not long enough or strong enough to keep our tents up.

By using our ski poles and skis instead, we improvised. We made dinner together and went to cuddle up in our warm sleeping bags. The next morning some of us witnessed a stunning sunrise.

We had breakfast and started to take down camp when I realized my stomach was not feeling right. Thinking I could tough it out, we went on. We skied for about eight kilometer, stopping every couple kilometers for me to use the bathroom, before meeting the path of a Norwegian family. They told us about the path to Sloaros being closed. As a group we discussed what our best option would be. We could go on another eight kilometer to Sloaros by making our own path or we could head back to Hovden to try to catch a bus back to Kristiansand. I thought about how my stomach felt and knew going home was the only option for me. Together we went back to the city. There were a few bathroom breaks along the way, but we ended up making it to the bus station with 20 minutes to spare. The trip was shorter than we thought it would have been, but it brought us closer in ways none of us planned on.

In the beginning, having to carry a backpack with not only equipment for myself but also some for my group members, was difficult. After a couple of kilometers, it started to get easier, I got used to balancing the weight and getting up with the pack wanting to pull me back down. I think as a group the supplies we had worked well for us. We improvised on our shelter but in the end, we slept peacefully through the night and saved ourselves from carrying extra weight. The next trip I plan to bring another cooking stove. In the morning we got cold because we had to make water. Having more than one stove would cut the time in half. I would also set a time in the morning on when we want to start the day. There were a few people laying around in the morning making others wait in the cold for them to wake up. One thing I would not have changed is the food plan. Even though we only got to eat one meal together, everyone planned a delicious nutritious meal. Splitting up dinner was good because it spread out the weight and gave us a chance to try new meal ideas.

All together this trip had great potential. I would love to try going to Hovden again and make my way to Sloaros. After going up a few kilometers all signs of life were gone. Every once in a while, we crossed paths with an oncoming cross country skier. Later, we found out the reason the path to Sloaros was closed because of wild reindeer, not sure if they closed the path to protect us from them or to protect them from us. In the end everything happens for a reason, we were not meant to mess with the reindeer’s environment

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