In this week, as Len went off for skiing in Chamonix, we went to a much better place called Tromso. It’s really up in the north of Norway and already part of the Polarzone, so we were even more north than Iceland. I went together with Dominik and Michael, which are both from Germany (Heidelberg and Cologne) aswell.

Plan and facts and packing:

Monday- Wednesday stay at Tromso city, Wednesday- Monday stay in huts in the mountains. Cooking every day at huts (gas, kitchen stuff provided). No electricity and running water at the huts.

Common gear:

• ski wax
• toothpaste, shampoo
• candles
• map, compass
• card game

Sleeping gear:

• sleeping bag
• matress

Clothes:

• 2 pairs of skiingsock
• 2 pairs of woolen long underwear
• 1 pair of woolen bra
• soft-shell trousers
• wind- proof trousers
• thin and thick fleece
• hardshell jacket
• gloves
• mits
• ski boots
• buff, woolen hat
• gaiters
• down jacket

Gear:

• Backpack 70l
• paper + pencil
• knife
• headlight + spare battery
• mobile phone
•  ski’s,  skipoles
• goggles, sunglasses
• thermos
• Knife
• sitting mat 
• camera

Hygiene and health:

• first-aid-kit
• rescue blanket
• towel
• sun cream

Monday:

We woke up at 5 am in the morning to catch our flight at 7:20 pm to Oslo and from there further to Tromso. Around 2pm we arrived at Tromso camping, which is approx. 2km away from the city center. We went to the city center to the tourist information to see what to do the next day and figure out where to get the key for the huts and suitable maps. In the evening we made a plan about what to buy for the week and cooked a nice dinner.

Tuesday:

After a long sleep until 10 am and breakfast we went into town, bought key, map and postcards. We did a long nice walk through the city, visited the main attractions and did some geochaching, which is a nice way to explore your surrounding. It was really windy and snowy so went to the beautifuly libary and had a long lunch break and wrote some postcards. Afterwards we went to the supermarked, did all the shopping until next Monday. In the evening we were lucky to see the northern lights outside our hut at Tromso camping, even though they weren’t that strong, it was a great experience. Before going to bed we packed our backpacks, which were crazy heavy (20kg I guess) with all the food. 

Wednesday:

Took the bus at 8:40 pm and went for one hour til Snarby, which is located at Troms fastlandet. It was 4,5 km to our first hut, Trollvassbu, but with the heavy 20kg through deep snow we were all really lucky when we finally reached the hut. After having lunch and make at warm and cozy inside the hut we went for a small tour to a lake, which was 2-3km away from the hut. In the evening we enjoyed our dinner rice mit scheiß and did some reading and writing. Dom and me slept right at the fireplace on some nice benches, which had small matresses on top.

Thursday:

• start: 10:30 am
• end: 3 pm

That day we went uphill through deep snow. Started at the hut with clear sky and sun, had fog and kind of white-out in between and ended up having sun on top of the hill, looking down to the clouds. It was incredible how fast weather changed up there. We did a nice tour around the other hills, had great views with sun and sea. We changed with doing the tracks. In the evening it was me cooking dinner again, but it doesn’t really bother me, because then I am sure about having nice dinner 🙂 Afterwards we had cookies and hot chocolate and played some card games.

• start: 10 am
• end: 2 pm

We changed plans not to stay one more night at Trollvassbu as the terrain was quite difficult and steep for our gear and another day trip, so we decided to go to Nonbsu, which was 8,6km away. Again with heavy backpacks and no slope it was quite heavy and exhausting, but not as bad as I expected. We had lunch on top of the hill in the sun. After having and relaxing at Nonsbu, the guys went out for another hour of skiing. I stayed at the cozy hut and enjoyed reading and being on my own. In the evening we made plans for the next day and decided to go for a big daytrip.

Saturday:

• start: 10 am
• return: 5pm
• 20km, 800m in just going uphill

Went to Blakollkoia and had our lunch break there. Met some norwegian students there, which were nice to talk to. Got on top of Blakollen and saw some reindeers, which were just 5m away from us. Going downhill again was kind of a challenge as it was really steep and the snow deep, so we couldn’t really do turns. On the way back to Nonsbu we had to cross the river, which was quite wide, so it took us time and energy. In the little forest afterwards we always got stuck with skis and poles, but that was maybe because we were also bit tired and there wasn’t much concentration and energy left. After reaching the top of the hill we had the most beautiful sunset. The surrounding peaks were covered in pink light, which had a really special atmosphere. Back at the hut we were all really tired and hungry, but also glad that we made it back before dark.

Sunday:

• start: 9:30 am
• end: 1 pm

We went to the last hut, Skarvassbu, 13km without any break! It was really windy and snowy. It seemed like we will never reach the hut and the last steep mountain was really never ending. The last hour I was really shacky and without any energy left in my body. I kept pushing my body forwards, even though I really needed a break. But every time going uphill, I thought, on top of this, there must be the hut, so don’t stop, but it never came. There was always another hill after reaching the top. We just made it in time reaching the hut, before the big snowstorm. It was so crazy outside and we were so glad being in the warm cozy hut. After lunch we had a long nap and just stayed inside, read, wrote and chat a bit. It was horrible going outside with this storm, so I hold on so badly before going to the toilet the whole day.

Monday:

• start: 10 am
• end: 01:40 pm

The snowstorm was still there and it brought tons of new snow, which made the tracking really exhausting. Sometimes the snow went up to my hip! After going uphill again and seeing the valley, sea and Tromso, we thought we are really clever and do a shortcurt. Main thing of the last part was going downhill and we ended up in deep, steep forest. Took so much time to get down to the prepared track. Michael was really struggeling and felt down every 5 or 10 meters, loosing his skis etc. I got a bit enoyed with it, because I got cold by all the waiting and I wanted to be back in time as we had to catch our flight. But in the end we made it in time, went straight to Tromso camping by skis, took a shower, had lunch and then went to airport. Taking a shower after one week, was just amazing! We were all really tired and happy to be home soon.

Personal outcome:

• improved skiing technique a lot
• good endurance training, esp. with heavy backpacks
• winter navigation
• “reading nature”: like the weather and respond to it. Weather can change so fast and you really feel and see how much you depend on it and to nature in general. You have to anticipate at for example calculating how long it takes to get to a point or decide which track is the best to get up or downhill
• learned to slow myself a bit down: I am a really active and outgoing person, so I can’t just do nothing if I knoe there are things to do. But the others (especially Michael) realised that and got more layed back. So I learned to deligate the others by telling them what needs to be done.
• I realised that this kind of trip and experience is the thing I really want to do. I felt so fullfilled by being with and in nature. Now I am so much more sure about my studies and my profession in future