Sweden | Cody Duncan Photography: Travel, Landscape, Climbing and Life

Stockholm

Mar 012013

Gamla Stan - old town at night, Stockholm, Sweden

Photo: Evening in the Old Town – Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden. Oct 2011

I’m in one of my favorite cities in Europe, Stockholm, for the weekend. On Tuesday, I’ll be heading back to California.

I mentioned a week or so ago that I changed up my travel plans. Originally I had planned on returning to Wales today and then flying back to California at the end of March. At which point I would remain somewhat indefinitely depending on the condition of my bank account and if I could find some work. But, I’ve had the opportunity to switch things up a bit which will put me back in Europe at the end of April to meet with some fellow photographers up on the Lofoten Islands. Then in all likely hood, I’ll end up in Poland for a few weeks in May to meet some friends and maybe do some hiking in the Tatra mountains. After that, I’ll be back home in California again in June.

It would have been easier if I flew out of Oslo, but I don’t really like the city too much and feel more comfortable in Stockholm for a few days. Also, I had wanted to spend a few days here last Autumn but never managed to make it. So, for now, I’ll enjoy a few days in Stockholm before 24 hours of airports and airplanes…

Cafe lined Stortorget at night, Gamla Stan - Old Town, Stockholm, Sweden

Photo: Evening at Stortorget, Gamla Stan – Old Town, Stockholm, Sweden. Oct 2011

Kungsleden Trail Sweden – Part 4 – Alesjaure to Abisko

hiking, Landscape, Mostly Photos, Mountains, Sweden, Travel No Responses »

Feb 012013

Photo: Long shadows in late afternoon at lake Radujavri, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Alesjaure to Abiskojaure: 20km – Abiskojaure to Abisko 15km

[This is part 3 of my hike along the northern section of the Kungsleden trail, Sweden from Sept 11 - 20, 2012. Part 1 HERE, part 2 HERE, part 3 HERE. You can find a complete photo gallery of the hike HERE. For a general overview of hiking the trail in autumn, CLICK HERE ]

Even after a full day of rest at Alesjaure, our colds were still taking a toll on energy an motivation levels. The original plan had been to leave the Kungsleden trail proper and head west to Unna Allakas at the Norwegian border, but this would also add another 24km to our journey, something my stuffed up head and runny nose weren’t very excited for at the moment. Even the thought of staying another night at Alesjaure was discussed, but quickly dismissed. Best to get a move on, even if not all the way to Abiskojaure. After a bland breakfast, we were once again on the trail, heading north towards our final destination, which now sat only 35km away.

Overnight rains turned the trail into a boggy, slippery mess, and it was slow going around the lakes. We had heard that the forecast promised clear skies, but as noon neared, heavy clouds still guarded us against any possibility of getting a sunburn. The winds were calm however, giving the day a much more relaxed feeling than what most of the previous week had been.

Sometime around noon, we ended up at the small shelter near lake Radujavri. Taking a slow lunch, I began to notice the the clouds seemed to be quickly clearing. I then mulled the decision, to stay or not to stay. We had not even reached the halfway point to Abiskojaure, but on the other hand, we still had some extra days, and I didn’t mind laziness. Not to mention, I was hiking to trail to enjoy myself and hopefully get some nice photos; I was carrying too much camera gear to miss the possibility of a good photo opportunity just because I was in a hurry. The reason I purposely scheduled a few extra days than necessary for the trail.

I also knew that if the weather did clear, it would be better to remain up in the high country rather then head down into the forests which surround Abiskojaure. I’d also heard some mentions of a moth infestation which had stripped many of the birches barren. And so at that, the decision was made. We would stay at the small hut. And luckily enough, there was even one last log of firewood that had thus far survived the season. Though the saws and axes were in a bit of over-used state and it required a little creativity to get the log into a burnable state – no need to mention that it was also pretty wet.

As as the afternoon hours passed the sun finally emerged from the clouds. As dusk arrived the sky was now almost completely clear and my excitement grew at the possibilities of something that had thus far eluded us, Northern Lights. The night grew clear and crisp and dark. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars! It was a struggle to choose between remaining outside in the cold, or the warmth of the hut.

I soon settled into a restless sleep. No doubt because I set my alarm to go off over 30 minutes so I could check for Auroras. The hours passed and passed but the sky remained quite. Sometime around 03:00 am I gave up hope, knowing that if anything were to happen, it likely would’ve by then. I didn’t wake again until the light of dawn was creeping through the tiny window.

The morning arrived with a chill and not a single cloud in the sky. A good decision had been made to stay up in the high country. An added benefit was that the previous day’s boggy trail was now frozen solid, making for much easier going. Or at least most parts of the trail. The wooden plank sections were covered in a layer of ice and slippery as hell, needing much extra caution at times.

We made quick progress towards Abiskojaure and arrived by late morning. The stories of the moth infestation was true and we near suffocated as we had to hike though clouds of them that hung over the trail at times. And indeed, much of the forest was nothing more than brown twigs, the leaves not failed, but eaten.

Abiskojaure turned out to be a pretty crowded place as it seems many people make just a single overnight trip there from Abisko. A lazy afternoon followed and thoughts of our last night in the wilderness. The morning would see us back to civilisation, at least as much as Abisko can be called as such. We turned in for an early night.

the final 15km to Abisko went by quickly and we arrived before noon. We checked into the hostel for a couple nights and then quickly headed to town for something that had been on our minds a lot in the last days, food! I generally know better than to go shopping while hungry. I should have definitely known better than to go shopping in a Swedish supermarket after 10 days in the mountains. To say we overbought for the next two days would be a fairly large understatement.

The hostel in Abisko was a much more popular place than I was expecting and we had the unfortunate benefit of a school group of teenagers from Kiruna who pretty much ran uncontrolled about the place. It took some harsh words by a middle aged German dude before that at least quitted down somewhat. I guess the Swedes are a little more relaxed in their supervision of youngsters, though I don’t think the teacher were much pleased when they heard the Sauna had been left littered with empty beer cans. Kids will be kids…

Abisko markets itself as a ‘Northern Lights watching destination,’ and it appeared many of the guests at the hostel where there for this. Our first night passed uneventful, mostly thanks to the clouds. But finally, on the second night some Aurora’s finally decided to make an appearance, though still mostly hidden by clouds. The photographer in me wished I could have been back at the hut on the shores of lake Radujavri as I don’t actually find Abisko to be that scenic of a place. I don’t quite know why it is such a popular destination, other than perhaps ease of access and the fact that the weather is often better than over in Norway, where there seems to sit a perpetual wall of cloud quite literally at the border to Sweden. Quite funny actually.

In the morning came the train back to Kiruna where our journey had begun 10 days and 130km earlier. All in all, it was a brilliant week in the Sweden’s mountains with some excellent days and a much greater variety of weather than my first trip. No doubt I’ll be back again. [As I type these words I'm working out the possibility of a winter tour on skis for the coming months, but will more likely have to wait until Spring 2014]

Photo: A rare photo of me. Practicing my rock jumping skills, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: A more balanced approach to standing on a rock, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Yellow grasses of Autumn, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Snow covered mountain peaks in Autumn, Kunglseden trail, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Mountain sunset, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Twilight comes to the mountains, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Blue hour on the shores of lake Radujavri, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Keron rises in the north, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Descending back into the trees near Abiskojaure, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Autumn hiking under bluebird skies, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Enjoying some afternoon sun outside Abiskojaure hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Final morning on the trail, Abiskojaure, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Hiking under a golden birch canopy in the final kilometers to Abisko, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Wandering the shores of lake Torneträsk, Abisko, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Northern Lights shine from behind clouds, Abisko, Sweden. Sept 2012

Kungsleden Trail Sweden – Part 3 – Salka to Alesjaure

hiking, Landscape, Mostly Photos, Mountains, Sweden, Travel No Responses »

Jan 292013

Hiking Kungsleden trail Sweden

Photo: Hiking north through the scenic Tjäktjavagge, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Sälka to Tjäktja: 12km – Tjäktja to Alesjaure: 13km

[This is part 3 of my hike along the northern section of the Kungsleden trail, Sweden from Sept 11 - 20, 2012. Part 1 HERE, part 2 HERE. For a general overview of hiking the trail in autumn, CLICK HERE ]

I woke in the morning with a sore throat and a bit of a headache, which for me typically means one thing. I’m about to get a cold. I probably picked something up in Germany, most likely from my coughing neighbour at the festival, who also happened to sit behind us on the train, constantly coughing until we had to change trains.

It was another blustery day as we left Sälka, heading north towards Tjäktja pass, the highest point on the Kungsleden’s northern section. And unfortunately this day, the wind was heading directly into our faces. It was also on this section in 2009 that the wind was so strong, it blew my rain cover right off my pack, which unfortunately I didn’t notice for a few minutes then had to turn around and go chase it down.

At 1,140 meters in elevation Tjäktja pass is not especially high. But as it sits at the northern end of the long Tjäktjavagge, the views south are some of the most spectacular along the trail. Unfortunately for my camera, I didn’t choose the most scenic day to head over the pass. I gave some thought about spending the night in the shelter at the top, but eventually decided to continue to to Tjäktja hut. Arriving at Tjäktja hut, we were now a little more than half way though the 110km distance of the trail.

After a cold windy day hiking, my cold had worsened, and infect we were both now sick. I loaded up on Ibuprofen and tried to make the best of it. If there is one hut that seems to be most often skipped along the trail, it is Tjäktja. And as it ended up, it was just the two of us there for the night. I actually feel a little bad about staying in an empty hut, as it takes a lot of wood to head the place up for just two people. The hut warden, an old lady that didn’t speak much English, but was always smiling, must of thought me to be a bit crazy as I was running around and setting up my cameras to shoot time-lapse sequences. I tried to explain what I was doing, but I’m not sure I got the point across, but she did seem amazed at the amount of crap I was carrying!

As the morning light increased, a fresh layer of snow was covering the ground around the hut. And so once again, we headed out into the wind and snow and rain for a relatively easy hike to Alesjaure hut. Luckily the wind was back to our backs again, it what turned into a pretty grim day for the most part.

Partly because of our colds and partly because we were a few days ahead of schedule, we would spend two nights at Alesjaure hut. I knew the area around the hut to be fairly scenic, so this would also give me a change to see if the weather might decide to clear up. And as luck would have it, I would have the pleasure of meeting another one of my blog readers here, this time from Austria. I’m always amazed at how small the world can be sometimes.

So some lazy days passed. A few photos here and there, but the light largely remained elusive. We even spoiled ourselves and bought a can of beans, perhaps the most expensive beans I’ll ever eat in my life, and instant mash potatoes to bring some variety to our bland diets of couscous thus far. I think even one of the worlds most expensive apples was bought, though I don’t think I received any. Oh, and a nice warm sauna in the evenings was nothing to complain about!

Hiking Kungsleden trail Sweden

Photo: Mountain sidewalk, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Hiking Kungsleden trail Sweden

Photo: Hiking north towards Tjäktja pass, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Hiking Kungsleden trail Sweden

Photo: Awaiting the arrival of a snow flurry, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Hiking Kungsleden trail Sweden

Photo: Hiking over rocky terrain, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Autumn snow from Tjaktja hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden

Photo: Overnight dusting of snow at Tjäktja hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Hiking Kungsleden trail Sweden

Photo: A brief moment of light on the way to Alesjaure, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Alesjaure mountain landscape kunglseden trail Sweden

Photo: Dark skies to the south from Alesjaure, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Autumn mountain reflection in river, Alisvagge from near Alesjaure mountain hut, Kungsleden trail, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Mountain reflection near Alesjuare, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

holding axe to cut firewood at mountain hut, Kungsleden trail, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Perhaps I should sleep with one eye open? Alesjaure hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

cutting firewood at mountain hut, Kungsleden trail, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Preparing the evenings firewood at Alesjaure hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Kungsleden Trail Sweden – Part 2 – Kebnekaise Fjallstation to Salka

hiking, Landscape, Mostly Photos, Mountains, Panoramics, Sweden, Travel No Responses »

Jan 282013

Female hiker with mountains in distance, Ladtjovagge, near Kebnekaise Fjällstation, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Leaving Kebnekaise Fjällstation under sunny skies, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Kebnekaise Fjällstation to Singi: 14km – Singi to Sälka: 12km

[This is part 2 of my hike along the northern section of the Kungsleden trail, Sweden from Sept 11 - 20, 2012. For part 1 CLICK HERE. For a general overview of hiking the trail in autumn, CLICK HERE ]

As morning came to ebnekaise Fjällstation and we prepared for our third day on the trail I had already seen more sun than my entire 10 day journey in 2009. With an easy 14km to Singi hut, we lazed around for a bit, not taking to the trail until mid morning. This goes slightly against my normal advice to take advantage of good weather when you have it. It is never a question of if it will rain, but rather, when. And so in tempting fate, we hiked west into the Ladtjovagge while surrounded by some of Sweden’s highest peaks which already carried a dusting of the season’s first snows.

About an hour into the day we came across a group heading our way. “You have three options – wet, wet, or wet.” The warning from a Swedish woman who had just passed through the particularly flooded and boggy section along the trail, which we now faced. Another couple from their group sat on the side of the trail putting their boots back on, having given up any attempt at keeping their feet dry and preferring a barefoot crossing of the river.

So there I stood in my light trail runners, still fairly dry at that point, looking for any sort of weakness in the in 100+ meters of Swedish super bog interlaced with series of small rivers that needed fording. The following few minutes weren’t particularly elegant: a quick hop onto a slightly submerged rock, almost slipping into knee deep and ice cold water. Another long step saw me onto a broken bush, the bog creeping up around my shoes with every second my foot remained. Moving fast I found another, more secure bush with which I could use scout out my next few moves. More steps and more cursing as the mud crept up around my feet, the first hints of moisture beginning to penetrate though. Another small stream to hop across and then I came to the final section with no way around. I put my trekking poles as far forward as possible and did a sort of flying leap into another clump of small bushes. My poles flexed and sank as I used them like crutches in a desperate attempt to keep from sinking past my ankles. Finally across I surveyed the damage: left foot somewhat wet from taking the worst of the bog, right foot muddy, but overall pretty dry. Success. Or at least success for my preferred use of trail runners in a country where people often hike in wells.

The next hours passed uneventfully as the valley narrowed and we hiked in the shadows of mountains and along crystal clear rivers and waterfalls, everywhere. We passed another large group of school age kids taking a break on the side of the trail. My thoughts immediately diverted from the scenic terrain to one of dread; that we might encounter another such a group at Singi, where they would literally take over the whole place. While I don’t go to the Kungsleden expecting some isolated wilderness experience, I also don’t expect to share a small mountain hut with 19 (yes, I counted) teenagers. It’s good to give kids an outdoor experience, but I feel such large groups have too much impact on their surrounds in an isolated mountain area and the small huts that shelter us. So it came to my relief as we arrived at Singi just prior to the rain that we would have the place almost totally to ourselves, just an elderly Swedish couple across the hall in a separate room.

Morning arrived to clear skies once more, but a fresh, to put it nicely, wind was coming from the south and I knew it wouldn’t be long before some not-so-nice hiking weather would arrive. So before 8:00 we were back on the trail, this time heading almost perfectly north, towards the Sälka hut, 12km away. This part of the journey was now familiar with me, as Singi had been my southernmost point while on the Kungleden in 2009 when I hiked from Abisko to Singi and back to Abisko again after I learned there were no more busses running from Nikkaluokta for the season.

With the wind at our backs, I wasn’t paying much attention to the weather behind us until I stopped for some quick photos and saw a wall of snow quickly heading our way. Having taken chances in the morning and not wearing rain gear, we we both in for a rather chilling change of clothes on the side of the trail. Minutes after our backpacks were back on a terrible mix of snow, sleet, and icy rain hit us with a fury.

A couple more hours of hiking saw us arriving to a warm fire at Sälka. It is here that I learned some wisdom from the hut warden: wood warms you twice. Once while preparing it for the fire, and once while in the fire. It was also at Sälka that I learned that I was somewhat known in this part of the world, as a nice young Australian couple at the hut had read my blog about my 2009 journey. Cool!

I knew Sälka to be a nice place. I knew there to be some good potential for photos in the area, but once again, like 2009, the weather chose otherwise. This is a frustration that I, and we, as landscape photographers often face I think; that I’ve hiked several days to get to an isolated place, only to be shut down by the weather. I made the most of the light and conditions that I could, but already put a note in my mind that I’ll have to come back once again, not that I would complain!

And so our 4th night on the Kungsleden arrived as we sat warm and dry from the heat of a glowing birch wood fire.

Photo: Enjoying the day, Kunglseden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Autumn colors fill the landscape in Ladtjovagge, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Mountain peaks surround Ladtjovagge, Kungsleden Trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Night arrives at Singi hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Candlelight at Singi hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Autumn colors and snowy mountains; late season hiking on the Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: ‘Mountain sidewalk,’ Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: Are your feet wet? Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Photo: A river flows near Sälka Hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Small river flows south into Tjäktjavagge, near Sälka mountain hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden

Photo: A river flows near Sälka Hut, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. Sept 2012

Kungsleden Trail Sweden – Part 1 – Berlin to Kebnekaise Fjällstation

hiking, Landscape, Mostly Photos, Mountains, Panoramics, Sweden 2 Responses »

Jan 242013

Autumn view over STF Kebnekaise Fjallstation mountain hut, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Kebnekaise Fjällstation mountain huts in Autumn, Lapland, Sweden. Sept. 2012

Days 1-2 Berlin – Kiruna – Nikkaluokta – Kebnekaise Fjällstation

[This is part 1 of my hike along the northern section of the Kungsleden trail, Sweden from Sept 11 - 20, 2012. For a general overview of hiking the trail in Autumn, CLICK HERE ]

Beep, Beep, BEEEEEEPPPP! WAKE UP!!! My imaginary mental alarm wakes to the 4:00 am darkness of Berlin. My real alarm wasn’t too far behind; my head likes to give me a bit of a warning so I have a moment of brief calm before the day begins. Showered (would be the last one for a week) and packed, we head out the hostel door into the mild morning air barely 12 hours after we’d arrived in Berlin the previous afternoon. Hopping on the U-bahn, we ride with the early morning commuters, most looking like they wouldn’t have minded a few more hours in bed. But despite our tired faces our backpacks give us away. Just passing through…

At 7:00 am we were in the air heading north to Stockholm. A few hours later, we were landing north of the Arctic Circle, under the grey, misty skies of Kiruna, Sweden. Though it doesn’t really ever appear on any schedule, or at least not the two times I’ve flown to Kiruna, there seems to be a bus that appears from somewhere mysterious and takes you to the city center. The last guy to get on the bus asked if there would be another one later that night, as his girlfriend would be arriving on another flight. ‘Nope,’ the driver replies. ‘Only one bus today.’ That seems to be how things work in the north, and I’m always wondering if the info I read, especially if found online, is accurate. Does the bus actually come when the schedule says it will? Or do they just go by their own rule. Luckily, the bus taking us to Nikkaluokta did show up at the bus station in Kiruna and by late afternoon were were deposited at the trail head. The next 120km would be by foot.

The clouds hung low in the valley, concealing the peaks around us. A light drizzle fell from the grey sky. One of those rains that temps you not to put on rain gear, but then ends up getting you unexpectedly wet somehow. After taking shelter to change into full waterproofs, we took to the trail for several hours of uneventful hiking into the fading afternoon light. At the estimated halfway point, I found a nice flat spot amongst the autumn birches and setup camp. I did put a little effort into trying to find someplace slightly scenic, trying to remain optimistic that I could put my camera to work at sunrise. As morning came heavy drops pelted the tent, a bit more sleep seemed the best idea.

The only thing worse than setting up a tent in the rain is taking down a tent in the rain. And the rain was falling, and falling as the morning hours passes. Finally tired of waiting to see if the storm would relent, we packed up camp and continued along the trail. In my best swag (scientific wild ass guess) of an estimate, we’d reach Kebnekaise Fjällstation is about 3 hours, around noon or so.

The rain was relentless a we continued down the sloppy trail and through forests of golden birch trees. We passed the ghostly silhouettes of hikers, hoods up and heads down, more closely resembling waterfalls than men. My (supposedly) waterproof shoes soon began to show their submission to the weather, and my thin fleece gloves left my hands wet and cold. We continued in silence towards the dream of warmth and of fire, of a place to dry off and relax, of an expensive bunk at Kebnekaise Fjällstation.

And then, out of nowhere, the clouds parted and a brilliant blue filled the sky! My first thoughts where that we should have waited in the tent longer. My next thought was that it probably would have rained for a week straight had we waited. I think the North sometimes likes me to suffer a bit before she offers me any rewards. As we neared the surrounds of hut, my thoughts drifted to finding a nice place to camp and maybe a few nice camping photos. And then reality reminded me that the tent was completely soaked, sleeping bags were damp, clothes were wet, and most importantly, if I set up my tent, it would rain again. And so I forked out the 500 SEK for a bunk bed and went even more extreme and bought myself a beer or two. And since I was carrying a laptop for no other reason than I had no place to leave it, I even made use of some internets. Luxury in the mountains.

Kebnekaise Fjällstation turned out to be a busy place, or at least much more so than I imagined, it being so late in the season. And entering the guest kitchen I was presented with the dilemma I always seem to find myself in: Yummy free food to eat or the beginnings of a lighter backpack. A mix of both would do on this night. And so my head hit the pillow that night, full, dry and warm. Luxury in the mountains…

Photo: 1662 meter Tolpagorni – Duolbagorni rises above Ladtjovagge viewed from near Kebnekaise Fjällstation, Lapland, Sweden. Sept. 2012

Photo: Autumn tree with summit of Tolpagorni – Duolbagorni in distance, viewed from near Kebnekaise Fjällstation, Ladtjovagge, Lappland, Sweden. Sept 2012

10 Best Landscape Photos 2012

California, Landscape, Lofoten Islands, Mostly Photos, Mountains, Night, Norway, Panoramics, Sweden, Travel 15 Responses »

Dec 252012

Photo: Night comes to Reine, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February

-10˚ C with not even a hint of wind, the end of an absolutely perfect winter day on Lofoten. This was the first clear night after a week on the islands, so I was waiting around the Reine area in hopes of seeing some aurora’s later that night, but first, I was presented with this scene as an extra gift. Perhaps my favourite image of the whole year, as well as the coldest day of 2012 on Lofoten.

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis in night sky behind Olstind mountain peak, Reine, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Aurora behind Olstinden, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February

I had been waiting a week for the right conditions to hopefully make this photograph. To me, the pyramidical peak of Olstinden, as is rises out of the cold waters of the Kjerkfjord, is an icon of the Lofoten Islands. The Aurora wasn’t as big as I was hoping for, but it’s a start to an image that I hope to refine over my next journeys to the islands. I think the clouds make it almost look like an erupting volcano.

Ã I Lofoten, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Approaching storm, Å, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February

My last full day after two weeks on the islands was one of winter storms sweeping the lands. One of those days when you watch the snow heading towards you, take shelter for 20 minutes, then rush out again between flurries to hopefully grab a few photo. The cliffs here, past the village of Å, and looking west towards the end of Lofoten are one of my favourite winter locations on the islands.

Lofoten Islands winter, Norway

Photo: Ice flower, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February

Warm temperatures brought snow melting rain to the islands. My hope of ‘snowy mountain landscapes’ was lost and I was left searching for other interesting elements of winter to photograph. Here, in a small tidal bay near Eggum, a rock had created a ‘flower’ like shape as the ice receded. Now that the snow was gone, this added an element of interest to what would otherwise have been a fairly flat and mundane scenic.

Photo: Olstinden winter panoramic, Lofoten Islands, Norway. February

In the cold and the calm of this evening the surface of the fjord began to freeze over. With the inner waters still, Olstinden reflects in near perfect symmetry. I wish there had been a bit more interesting light to work with, but I think the subject is still strong enough for me to like this image.

Mount Whintey, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Photo: Camping beneath mt Whitney, California. April

I like the contrast of my yellow tent and the deep blue of the evening sky while camped at Iceberg lake on the mountaineers route to mt. Whitney.

Horseid beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Horseid beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August

Horseid is a brilliant, Isolated, beach on the northern coast of Lofoten. I hiked several hours through rain and whiteouts that at first I thought I had made a mistake heading there. But by the next morning, the rain had stopped while the dramatic skies still hung over the mountains.

Summer evening twilight, Stamsund, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Summer twilight over Stamsund, Lofoten Islands, Norway. August

Even in late August, Lofoten’s sky still glows at 1am as the next day quickly approaches. I took an evening stroll up the hill behind the hostel to check for auroras but found this scene instead. I just stood there for a while in the stillness, glad to once again be in the north.

Kungsleden trail, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Autumn on the Kungsleden trail, Lapland, Sweden. September

I can feel the cold in this image (as well as remember it). The bright reds and oranges or the small scrubs in the sub-Arctic tundra of northern Sweden’s mountain, combined with snow covered peaks and grey skies are what the Kungsleden trail in Autumn is.

Offersoykammen, Vestvagoya, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Afternoon light on Offersøykammen, Lofoten Islands, Norway. October

After an unsuccessful afternoon of chasing light around the islands, I finally decided to head up the small peak of Offersøykammen and see what cards the weather would deal me. As the sun neared the horizon, clouds began to rise around the mountain. But before I was enveloped in a gray so thick I could hardly follow the trail back down, the mist lit up in the sunlight shining a golden light across the Autumn mountain landscape.

Time for another year to draw to a close, though truthfully, I can’t say it comes too soon. 2012 was a difficult year for me, one of more setbacks than accomplishments. A few dreams have fallen through the cracks or been put on the the back burners indefinitely, with little hopes of revival. I also didn’t get out photographing nearly as much as I’d planned (as I write this now, I haven’t touched my camera in almost in 2 months.). If it wasn’t for a few trips to Lofoten, I’d basically have nothing to show for the whole year; 8 of 10 images here being from the islands, although maybe that speaks more about the brilliance of Lofoten. I felt I was often stuck in the paralysis of inaction, unable to make any decisions or move myself or my career forward. Maybe I put myself under more pressure to return with something ‘good,’ and ironically, chose locations to travel to where this is less likely to happen. Or maybe I’ve simply raised my standards to something that I can only rarely achieve; and thus that lack of apparent achievement continues the cycle ad infinitum. Who knows.

On the positive side, I do think there are a few good images here. Maybe even a couple that I’d say are some of my all time favourites. Although I’m not sure if this isn’t more based on my memories than of the actual photo.

In a couple more days I head north to Scotland to bring in 2013 on a small little island at the edge of the world. So here’s to a good start of the new year; one that hopefully I can find some focus and kick some ass in!

Kungsleden Trail Autumn Photo Gallery

hiking, Landscape, Mostly Photos, Mountains, Sweden 2 Responses »

Dec 132012

Kungsleden trail hiking sweden

Photo: ‘Mountain sidewalk’ along the Kungsleden trail, Sweden. September 2012

I’ve added a new gallery of images from my mid September hike on the northern section of the Kungsleden trail – from Nikkaluokta to Abisko. In a few more days I’ll hopefully add a more detailed writeup about the whole journey. But other than getting a bad cold halfway through, I had much better conditions than my previous hike in 2009; even some days where I could hike in a t-shirt, something I never thought possible!

–CLICK HERE– to view photo gallery from September 2012.

lake Radujavri along Kungsleden trail, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Evening comes to lake Radujavri, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. September 2012

Alisvaggi, Kungsleden trail, Lappland, Sweden

Photo: Incoming storm over Alisvaggi, Kungsleden trail, Lappland, Sweden. September 2012

A Few Kungsleden Trail Photos

hiking, Landscape, Mostly Photos, Mountains, none, Sweden 1 Response »

Sep 302012

Kungsleden hiking trail sweden

Photo: Kungsleden Trail, Sweden. September 2012.

I’m back on the Lofoten Islands now after having finished the northern section of the Kungsleden trail in Sweden; starting in Nikkaluokta and finishing in Abisko. Overall the trip was fantastic. Some days of bad weather which is to be expected, but also some amazing days as well. I even found myself hiking in a t-shirt at some points, a far different experience than my last time on the trail in 2009. I was even happy, and to my great surprise, to meet a few readers of my blog out there.

If you are looking for more info on hiking the Kungsleden trail in autumn, I have a more detailed writeup -HERE-

I’ll make a full writeup of the trip later on when I have a bit more time. The weather here in Lofoten has been surprisingly good as well this autumn so I’m out and about more than I had planned. So for now just a few photos…

Kungsleden hiking trail sweden

Photo: Afternoon sun, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. September 2012

Kungsleden hiking trail sweden

Photo: A moment of sun between the rain, Kungsleden Trail, Sweden. September 2012

Kungsleden hiking trail sweden
Photo: Mountain sidewalk, Kungsleden Trail, Sweden. September 2012

Kungsleden hiking trail sweden

Photo: Afternoon light, Kungsleden Trail, Sweden. September 2012

Hiking Gear Packlist For Lofoten Islands Norway and Kungsleden Trail Sweden

hiking, Lofoten Islands, Mountains, Norway, Sweden, Travel 2 Responses »

Aug 172012

Lofoten Islands Norway mountain camping Reinebringen

Photo: Camping on Reinebringen, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 2010

Photo: Backpacking gear 2012

Backpacking gear list for travels to Lofoten Islands, Norway and hiking the Kungsleden trail, Sweden.

Here’s a quick rundown of the gear I’m taking with me on my travels this year. First part is 2 weeks of late summer on the Lofoten Islands – a mixture of camping and hostels. Next is camping at a festival in Germany for a few days. This is followed by 10 days of hut-to-hut hiking on the northern section of the Kungsleden trail in northern Sweden. Then I’m back to the Lofoten Islands again for another 2-3 weeks of chasing autumn storms; I’ll probably mostly stay in hostels this time around, but maybe a night or two in the tent if I get a good forecast. Finally I’ll slowly head south. I’ll probably hang out in Stockholm for a few days and then head down to either Germany or Poland for a few weeks before flying back to the UK.

1 – Backpack
Golite Odyssey – 1.6kg/47oz – 90 Liter

2 – Clothing
Shell Jacket – Mountain Hardwear Trice jacket 489g/17oz
Shell Pant – Marmot Minimalist pant 292g/10.3oz
Insulation 1 – Patagonia R2 fleece 371g/13.1oz
Insulation 2 – Patagonia Ultralight down shirt 167g/5.9oz
Pants – Mountain Hardwear Nima pant 607g/1.5lb
Shorts
T-shirt – 2 cotton, 1 synth
Socks – 3 pair
Underwear – 3 pair
Gloves
Beanie
Sandals (for hostel showers)
Shoes – Montrail Mountain Massochist II Outdry

I’m trying something new with clothing this year. I probably have mentioned several times that I don’t really like hard shell jackets, as I often get way too hot in them until the temperature drops a few degrees below freezing. But from my wet, cold, snowy, windy experience on the Kungsleden trail in the autumn of 2009, I think a shell jacket will make sense (of course with my luck, every day will be 15˚ C and sunny. Not that I would complain!) My reasoning is along the lines of: Most days I will need to wear a fairly weather resistant jacket while hiking. If I were to wear something like a soft-shell or Marmot DriClime windshirt, I would still need to carry a rain shell anyhow, albeit a light one. So I might as well just hike a heavy duty rain shell and avoid carrying the extra couple hundred grams of a second jacket.

I’m also going without a second pair of ‘normal’ pants, instead taking only a second shell pant. This will also help to save a bit of weight. For my normal day to days pants, I chose something a bit warmer, so again, I hope I don’t overheat.

For footwear I’m going with waterproof trail runners. It’s possibly a bit risky and I’ll likely end up with some wet feet at a few points, but since I’ll probably be staying most nights in the STF mountain cabins, and with a warm fire to dry everything off, I don’t think it will be a problem. If I knew I was going to be in a tent the whole time, I would definitely take a lightweight waterproof boot or mid level shoe.

3 – Sleeping
Tent – Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 Platinum 992g/35oz
Sleeping Bag – REI Sub Kilo -7˚C/20˚F 820g/29oz
Pad – Thermarest NeoAir 397g/14oz (old version)

The only new addition here is the tent. It’s 2 person and lighter than the old 1 person tents I used to carry. And costs a hell of a lot of money! The sleeping pad is a bit heavier than if I were to take a foam one, but the savings on space, as well as added comfort, is worth it for me. The sleeping bag should be plenty warm.

4 – Cooking & Food
Stove: Primus TiLite + Titanium pot (.9l) – 9 oz.
Water filter – Katadyn mini
Food
Fork and Spoon

5 – Trekking Poles
Black Diamond Ultra Distance 297g/10.5oz

6 – Hygiene
Toothbush/toothpase
Camp soap (multi-use)
Camp towel
Hand cleaner
Deodorant (only because I feel sorry for anyone who has to sit next to me on a train/bus/plane if I haven’t showered in a few days)

7 – First Aid Kit

8 – Rain Cover

I’ve also made these gear list for the past couple years:

-CLICK HERE- for my list from 2010 for a few weeks in Lofoten Islands and central Norway in summer.
-CLICK HERE- for my list from 2011 Autumn/Winter in Lofoten Islands and northern Europe. It was similar to this trip but with more time in cities and no long distance hiking.

Reindeer in mountain landscape, Kungsleden trail, Lapland, Sweden

Photo: Reindeer, Kungsleden Trail, Sweden. September 2009

Lofoten Islands – Germany – Kungsleden Trail – 2012 Europe Travel Plans

Festivals, Germany, hiking, Lofoten Islands, Sweden, Travel, Updates 2 Responses »

Aug 012012

Summer twilight over mountains of Lofoten islands, Stamsund, Norway

Photo: Twilight over Lofoten Islands, Stamsund, Norway. July 2010

I’ve finally finalized my travel plans for Europe for late summer and autumn.

First stop: Lofoten Islands. I fly north of the arctic circle to Bodø, Norway on August 20th. From Bodø I’ll catch the late night ferry to Moskenes, arriving to Lofoten in the early morning of the 21st for a 2 week trip to the islands. I’m traveling a bit later than I had originally planned, but the summer has been pretty cold and wet so far, so I don’t think I’ve really been missing much. Hopefully I’ll get a few days of decent weather so I can get up a few mountains and maybe a few nights camping on the coast.

In early September I leave Lofoten for a quick trip down to Germany to see a few bands play at the Festival-Mediaval in the small town of Selb, in northern Bavaria. I was there in 2010 and had a good time. I can already taste the Flamkuchen and Käsespätzle. Should be good fun.

Next I’m flying back north of the arctic circle to Kiruna, Sweden for my second journey along the northern section of the Kungsleden trail. Lasts there three years ago in 2009, I’m looking forward to another week wandering among the rugged mountains of the Swedish arctic. Hopefully the weather is a bit warmer than my last trip; fingers crossed. I was originally thinking of heading into Sarek national park, but I’m going to be a bit short on time, so that will have to wait till another year.

After a week or so on the Kungsleden, I’ll head back over to the Lofoten Islands for another 2 weeks to photograph the autumn color; again, weather dependent.

By mid October I’ll be looking to head south again. Here things aren’t so planned out. I love Stockholm in the autumn, so might head back there for a few days. I also have Gotland on my mind as well. I almost went there way back in 2001, so maybe it’s finally time. Otherwise, and if the weather is cooperating, I might spend a week or so in the western fjords region of Norway, trying to get a bit more autumn color. As usual, the best plan is no plan. Will have to wait and see how the weather looks once the time gets a bit closer.

All and all, I’m excited. I think it’s a bit strange for me always to head north during the time all the birds are heading south to warmer climes. But ehh, bad weather makes good photos …sometimes. Mostly it’s just bad weather and I get to complain about how much I don’t like the rain.

In the next weeks I’ll make a few post about the gear I’m taking. I’ve changed things up a bit in the last year and will try a few new things all in the hopes of shedding a few more grams from my backpack weight.

Faun Festival Mediaval Germany

Photo: Faun live at Festival-Mediaval, Selb, Germany. September 2010

Kungsleden trail, Lapland, Sweden

Photo: River flows through mountain valley, Kungsleden trail, Sweden. September 2009

Dramatic light over mountains and coast, Maervoll, Lofoten islands, Norway

Photo: Stormy light, Maervoll, Lofoten Islands, Norway. Octover 2011

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