I started my journey when I was five-six year. With ski and skating shool and bonfire weekends with my parents. As fourteen years old most of my classmates went to the school disco. We went out for winter camping. At the same time i started competing in cycling. That hardened my mind, which have been good for my outdoor adventure. During my period in the service I got more interested in moving borders and challenge myself. At this time i didn’t know that I was becoming to be a mountain leader. But later on it become clearer and clearer. At one of my lecture one of the participant asked me if I got the pin? What pin I replied, the tour guide pin she answered. Well, I’m been to the Swedish mountains for over thirty years, ten as a guide. I’ve been to Argentina as expedition leader, but now, I dont got the guide pin i replied. At a visit at the Helags cabin a company of officers was there. I recognized one of them, and talked with them for a while. It showed up that they were tour guide (with the pin) One of them took command over the cabin Ostan. He ordered everyone to check the pot with boiling water. The pot must be full with water and it must boil. The steam was dense in the cabin, and the other guest has fled the cabin. So ok, I need to boil more water to get the guide pin…Today I think I am very close to get that pin. But to be more serious, you will never ever become fully-trained. As soon fifty-six years old, I am still learning. At the moment a lot about avalanches and skiing and winter skills. But hopefully I will get the pin soon. But what I have learned on the journey is the jurney is the way to knowledge, and always be curious then you might find that needle(pin) in the haystack…(Today I am a part of the IML training team of Sweden, so with a lot of pots on the stove with boiling water I soon will be there…)

And now over to something complete different. A new challenge has been brought up. Linnea and her sister Erika Nilsson-Waara has come up with two different challenges. The first is to ski the Kungsledenrannet(80km) +  Are 900 hillclimb (cycling)and at last the Idre artic mountain marathon(45km) The second will be the Mountain peak classic. Here you have to reach the highest peak in all of our four mountain counties. The Kebnekaise, Storsylen, Helags and at last Storvattehogna. All fours within 12 months. Are you ready, just go for it…

The Velvelettes – Needle In A Haystack (Original) – YouTube

Chris Stapleton – You Should Probably Leave Lyrics – YouTube

See ya soon…

Crisp morning -17 degrees. Slowly the body starts to wake up. The schedule for today is Avalanche rescue course. The first hours will be information and classroom training. Then it is time to put the skies on. We start with a group control of the transceivers  and continue up to the outdoor training area. The first step will be a safety assessment of the area. Breathing in the cold air in my nose and looking out of the view. After discussing the area and what risk that is related we got two stations of training. One with probe and the other with transceiver. It is really good to get a update on the technique. The probe technique is also relevant. We also go to know the RECCO system and how to use the RECCO hand held detector. Quite good to understand it and how to use/not to use together with transceiver. 

Day two it was a short recap and then equipment on, and up by the ski lift. At the training area it was time for safety assessment of the area, and after that going trough the scenario for a avalanche rescue set up. We also had to dig out one victim and do a medicine assesment out of the victim. We also looked into the technique of digging out an avalanche victim in the most efficient way. After a continuously training with the RECCO equipment and the examination for approval of the Avalanche Rescue leader assesment. So overall a real good course with very skilled instructors. Taylor Curtis-Avalanche specialist, Stefan Lundin Mountain Leader & Avalanche Expert.

See ya soon…

“If we were meant to stay on one place we’d have roots instead of feet”

Todays blog will be this Januarys deep dive…

Background, to begin with I will clear out about the context in this article. The leadership area is complex and very wide, so I need to frame it somehow. In this article it will be about the fact; can anyone become a leader? And what does agile leadership mean? I will also look into leadership from a guide perspective according to this areas.

The first and a very important question will of course be: can anyone become a good leader? This is a main factor due to if it not possible to read and learn to be a leader, then it will be waist of time for doing it if you don’t got the right condition for it . Due to research within the area the dominate perception is that generical factors, intellectual capacity and personality got meaning. This meaning you must got a minimum out of potential in these respects for becoming a good leader. One more factor that also will be boundary, is the motivation to become a leader and wanting to develop as leader. Some are natural talent, but lacks the will to be leaders. Others lack the conditions to become leader, but feel like taking on such tasks. The Israel Armed Forces has framed a formula for this. L= P x M L stand for Leadership development and P stand for Potential. The M stand for motivation. Ok, so what does all this means then?  Well, two conclusions. The first will be: everyone cant become good leaders. Some missing the necessary potential or motivation. The second will be; many can become leaders and they can be improved in the task.

Bloggers comment: My experience from the “field” is the same as concluded here. Some people are “born” leaders. But at the same time, it is possible to develop as a leader continually. I really think that it is a must. A good leader find out his moral and ethical code, choose a direction and continually develop.

Leadership styles. The developing leadership model is the one that is used as a “modern” leadership comparing to the conventional leadership. The developing leadership characterized by exemplary action, personal consideration and inspiring. But what does this mean in the relative? It means that give support, tutorial and/or training. This is also both in profession as well as in private life. When it comes to model, it means that having a ground base of values. The second will be to live as one learn. The third and last will be responsibility. The charisma is vital for a recognized leader. Personal charisma combined with humanistic values should be desirable. A charisma with egocentric and totalitarian values will be devasting. Inspiration and motivational leadership, a leader can be inspiring for his/hers coworkers. A strong personal charisma is not necessary, but will be helpful. A quite and withdrawn person could inspire others through actions that make an impression and convince. encouraging participation and encouraging creativity.

Blogger comment: What leader will you become? Who is the leader you want to follow when the ships sink? Where are you on that scale? Do you have a role model that you can compare with? As a guide it doesn’t matter of how good you can handle a Tranciever, if you cant organize a rescue patrol at the avalanche. A charismatic leader will always win in the long run, so how charismatic are you? How can you improve it?

Agile leadership. This is a method/term that has come from the IT area. It implies of that we using a leadership that follows the “outside world” and adapts to it. The background is that the organization shall be able to adapt and using all employees fully potential. A way of erase the hierarchy in the organizations. The leader shall in this type of organization, create the best conditions for staff to succeed in their tasks. You identify the value streams and dispose the leadership after the value streams. A delegate responsible to the teams, and see it as an investment. Abolish the managers. You can see the leadership in agile thinking as a burrito. The thin bread is the manager keeping the good filling, the content in place. Leadership just in time and just enough. When applying agile structure and way of working in a organization, it means that the coworkers got a great freedom(but within certain limits) in  to choose how the work will be done. That’s why you can’t combined an agile leadership together with a detailed driven leadership. It must be a trust between management and coworkers.

Bloggers comment: I might be wrong here, but let’s say we don’t look from a historical perspective which I think speak for it selves. Today such mature organization that got the ability to see and understand the customers as well the markets need, would be very rare. My thoughts about this is that the reason for a need of this type of organization can be found under the first chapter in this blog. With deficient leaders, yes we need it. But with good leader, this is a naturally part of the leadership. So either bad leaders or employees who relate to the second ones of the two different type of leaders. So it really means that the organization need to secure good leaders, instead of novelty and buzzwords..

Leadership in temporary groups. This is a area were the Outdoor guiding would have an interest. I have wrote about this area in an earlier blog(30/4 2017) and one main part there was to get trust in leaders when leading temporary groups. So the main word here is trust, there it is where it all begin. There is a very limited research in this area in Sweden. As in many cases connected to leadership Israeli Armed Forces is a pioneering in the area of research. So from there we can find material. When people is a part of a temporary group, the involved will become stressed. A quick trust will reduce the stress. What will the others in the group think, and how will they act in different kind of situations? One of the scientist means that fast confidence can be divided into three parts; the propensity to take risks, share the skills and finally to preconceived expectations of the group are toned down. Also the ability to improvise from the leader will become a success factor. So ok, how can I improve my ability to improvise then? This will be a side track but whatever…More time at school, studying will help. Workout will help you, reading books, learning a new languish, play an instrument, sporting, play games counter-strike. Watching crime series, networking with others, 5g of creatine each day can improve your intelligence with 15 points after 6 weeks. My suggestion will be challenge yourself with a new adventure of some sort…

Bloggers comment: Here it is a lot to learn. How can you as a guide force the feeling of trust in the group you are going to guide? Train to become better to improvising. Clear out how people think and how the “group” will act. What is the rules for the guiding session etc. Keep an extra focus on your own body language, live as you learn even in the body language. And try this with a agile leadership, that will become interesting…

Bloggers summed comments :Leadership will be a crucial part of a guides competence. This area must be developed continually. I fully agree about the point of who can become a good leader. With seventeen year in the Swedish Army as officer and twenty years as a manager in the IT Business area and twenty years as a Outdoor guide I think I got a broad view of this area. One of my most important findings is that it really make sense to become a charismatic leader, to listen and understand your clients/employees. And never think you can lean back on old victory’s. Never stop exploring. When it comes to agile, I must take a stand. For me this is provoking. This because for me this is something that’s included in the adapted leadership. By the way the organizations is build up today, it will be very hard to drive this form of leadership. With the generation X.Y, Z do a try to make it work. I wish you good luck. The manager shall always create the best conditions for staff, but someone shall also got the three-way thinking ahead. For who will take care for it otherwise? And who will secure the competence within the staff etc. I might get myself out on thin ice now, and become a bit provoking as well. But from my perspective this is something invented from persons who can’t or have not been promoted as managers or got less skills of the area. By have been working with lean and Scrum, which I really enjoy and like, Agile as such get my mind of today’s school in Sweden. An environment where the student decide by them selves what to learn. With a less good result. But don’t get me wrong, I think lot of todays companies use a lot of the thoughts from the agile thinking. And many leaders use the “agile” tools without using the “total” set up. Good leaders ha already adapt to this form of leadership, and got the structure and the focus for the business.

So what does all this words and text boils down to? Well this will be the conclusion.

-All leadership is decisions making.

-The first decision will be: do I want to be guide(leader) if the answer is yes, next step will be to understand your own ethical and moral index.

-For being able to lead others you need to able to lead yourself first.

-Work with how you make decisions, what is your ground for judgement and what and how should you develop within that? That’s the key for becoming the one they will follow when the ship is sinking. But how will that be done? Well as Rudyard Kipling said -That is another history…(and might be told in the future on this blog)

”My five coins”

When it comes to mindfulness, I think I might have been going a bit too far. Looking into the core of what it is, it might have been to commercial as all become when you can smell a profit within it. Maybe it is time for some mindlessness? How do you use your time of today? I think we have to speed down and reflect over what is important, and choose to do that. We only know what we have right now, and not how tomorrow will be or looks like. So slow down and live your real life, learn how to enjoy it. The really nice with this is that it is only you who can tell you how to enjoy it. How will you remember your life, that will be the key of how to live your life…enjoy it.

Ulf Bergman

See ya soon…

This is the first blog of this year. It is time for introducing something new. This year it will be one blog every month that will dig deeper in one area. In January it will be about leadership, in February about avalanches, in March about snow ice and winter skills. In April about winter equipment, and in may about navigation. In June summer mountain tours, and in July the topic will be wilderness first aid. In August risk planning and explorers knowledge. In September about weather and in October the topic will be planning. In November about competence and knowledge and in December it will be about high-altitude hiking and expedition planning. So this is something to look forward too.

Today I will start with some statistics about avalanches in Sweden. Since 1916 approx. 48 persons has died in avalanches. Between 2001-2018 has 41 Swedish people died in avalanches (most in foreign countries)

With a cup of coffee the hikers stopped throwing rubbish. At Storulvån a project to protect hikers from to trough rubbish in the nature has succeed. With free garbage bags and free coffee when you submittal the rubbish’s after the hike. The result was 4/5 less with rubbish on 10k controlled distance.

Life Wear is a Swedish company that has combined bamboo and merino in a interesting solution. It will be promotes by Wiges AB. https://wiges.se

Johan Skullmans company Garphyttan now got tractions assistance from established investor. It is the Open Air Group that will be minority owners in the Company. This will strengthen their role as strong on the hunting, dog and outdoor lifestyle area.

The days learning will be; A nice new years day. A couple of persons on their way to a cabin. At 14.00 the weather turns and a storm surprise the winter hikers. Two get lost and creeping together close to each other. Just two hundred meters from the cabin they meet death. How could this have been avoided? With a windsack, a survival sleeping bag and a sleeping matt you will survival a night in the cold…

See ya soon…

Time for a New Year again?! Well we can conclude that 2020 has been a different year. Here follow my reflection and all events that been happening during the year.

A The A meaning two thins for me; Anniversary 500 blogs have been done. And I also discover a real interesting hike, the Adlerweg in Germany.

B Bydalen will be the place for the Winter training for IML, The Dromskaran is a fantastic ravine. 

C Well another word than Corona would be wrong or? I think it is important to see the positive effect of it. A lot of new hiking, and as Steppo told us some of the adventure company has also got a lot of advantage of the pandemic.

D Djatlov expedition is still in focus. The Russia has started a new investigation during 2019-2020 and i June this year, the explanation of the accident was stated: The reason of the incident was hypothermia due to a avalanche that force the group out of there tent…

E Enaforsholm, it must be mention. This mountain cabin with its perfect location and hospitality.

F Fettjafallet, this waterfall were the Sherpas has build the stone stairs to simply the access to the fall…

G Goatback mountain(Getryggen) The mountain for skiing and were we did the Train the trainers for the IML rope moment.

H Erik Huss if you missed my blog the 22nd of March you can follow this link. Enjoy this story from Husky podcast…Avsnitt 224, Erik Huss! – HUSKY. (huskypodcast.com)

I IML, now the first history step of establish a real guide certification for Mountain Leaders has been set. The International Mountain Leader certification will raise the knowledge level for all guides in Sweden.

J Judgement, this must be the word of 2020. With the right skills, the right knowledge you will be able to make the right decision given a unique situation. Your judgement will be the result of your adventure…

K Katabatic winds, with Hakan Hultberg explanation of the winds in the mountains we got a better understanding. Look forward to his book in the beginning of 2021.

L Live as you learn, a very important insight. When it comes to routines, or the environment responsibility its up to you to lead the way…

M Mental strength, this area is as important as physicals workout. Find your way, and why don’t begin with meditation?

N Navigation, if you thought you was good at navigation you need to rethink. Train in dark, fog etc. you will need it when you are out there..

O Operation Böffel, this was a new acquaintance from the WWII. The movement from Trondheim towards Narvik for the  special mountain unit.

P The hunt of the Perfect Backpack. It is never easy to find it. But I think I got it with Ortovox…

Q When it comes to quality you shall never compromise. If it is about gear or your own knowledge. Are you the one you want to be in company with. Especially in a tough situation. Build your skills and knowledge to be the one to hold to during the storm…

R River crossing, this is one of the most dangerous moment in the mountains. Planned it good, and also got a plan when part of the group is over on the other side.

S Sylarna, another peak visit this year, also with a bath in the glacier tarn.

T Tanya Stevens a new singer for me, but really good vibes.

U Utefest, well invites to both Utehelg och Utefest and both cancelled due to Corona. I hope it will be realized in 2021.

V Via Feratta, Skule berget delivers as usually. I have hoped it have been more visits but hopefully upcoming year..

W Workout, a lot of fighting/boxing this year. And at the end of the year a lot of trail-running. To little skiing and skating this year.

X X-cross country, a lot of this running it has been. Orienteering which combines running and navigation is really a good way of workout.

Y Year 2020 has been a really good year over all. The IML a lot of hiking. A lot of tours to Jamtland I must summit up as good year.

Z Zipper, we have learned from Hilleberg that the tent canvas is not were the leakage will appear. It is at the zipper, so you better be doing the waterproofing there…

So for me 2020 has been a different year, but a good year. And now it is up to us all to get a new really good adventure year of 2021. And get more skilled with new experiences and training.

And you -Find your why. Change your beliefs about what is possible. Change your beliefs that limit you. Spend more time in your values. Surround yourself with catalysts. Build better feedback loops.  Pull” yourself forward with compelling goals.  See ya soon…

So today we open the twenty-forth door of the calendar, and we are done for this year. Today it will be about mountaineering. So why don’t try to develop your ski-skills…Or why not try snow shoeing. Every minute at the mountain will develop your skills and perhaps give you a peace of mind. And if your ski skills are up to date, why not sign up for a avalanche course? A spring-winter season is coming up and also a spring season with kayaking, Via Ferrata and why not downhill cycling. And why not hire a guide and go to a place and activity you never try. Why don’t challenge Nordic Light Adventure for the upcoming adventure? Merry Christmas everyone. And this year I think the calendar has been full stuffed:-)Or look here..

See ya 31/12:-) Merry Christmas…

Today it is the twenty-third of December and time to open the door. And maybe understand what we need more… This year has been quite special. I think we all been affected, and that we all been reflecting over our way of living from different angles. Many thing it has been a wasted year, but I asked Steffo at Aventyrligt in Are how there year has been. -Well, I can say we got more then ever. People has been doing all kinds of activities this year. And the camp site, it occasionally has a festival atmosphere here. And it has just been Swedish visitors? -Yes, and the number has been more than we normally have on a summer season. Ok, can you even see a more need on guiding and guides? Yes for sure, I think with all the inactivity and so the Swedes really wanted to get activated. -I can also already see a greater demand for this in the upcoming winter season. So what do you people will think and react after this Corona pandemic? -Well, as I said before a greater will of outdoor activities. I can also see that people value the time in the outdoor environment and yoga etc. It will give them more recovery with this type of activity rather then be laying on a beach. -So I look forward to 2021.

When it comes to new gear, what about a ”Heavy Duty” compass? The Sportneer Military Lensatic Sighting compass with carrying bag, Waterproof and shockproof, Army green.

BCA has also launch the new Tracker 4. In short: The BCA Tracker4 offers simplicity in an avalanche beacon that still maintains the needed capabilities of most backcountry skiers. With three antennas, multiple burial indicator, close-proximity indicator, and “big picture mode,” it checks many of the boxes required by backcountry skiers. And its claimed range of 55 meters is a middle-of-the-pack distance compared with competitors.

See ya tomorrow…

A calendar without a coffee blog, it is not a calendar. So today the twenty-second of December it will be about coffee. The number of days in the outdoor is always to few. So when your out there, secure you really  got a real good cup of coffee. Nescafe is nice, but now its time to step a up a pair steps. I suggest a percolator, With one of this you will have a moment to enjoy. Quite easy to bring, and easy to use. And by the way, you can have it in your car, and just bring it when needed. Another suggestion will be a javapress. GSI:s 30 fluid Ounce javapress. This one will give you 6-7 dl new  brewed nice coffee. The second suggestion will be the Handpresso’s Wild hybrid black edition. With this you can have a premium coffee. You have the option to use pods, or be more sustainable and use new ground beans. Warm up 50ml water in a pot and pressed with 16bars through the presso and there you go. Third choice will be the Nanopresso. This solution will give 45ml espresso coffee. Now we got three different choice for the the connoisseur. Now it is time to get a real good coffee to use for the solution you use. Björklunds coffee brewery is a really good suggestion.Why not try the Musasa, Dukunde Kawa means ”let´s love coffee” in the Kinyarwanda language Floral tones with flavors of pear and red berry.  Here you also got the link to the brewery so you can botanize on your own. https://webshop.bjorklundskaffe.se  

See ya tomorrow…

The twenty-first of December and today it will be about cabins. The feeling of coming in to a cabin after a long day at the mountains, light up the fire and start warming up the body. I think nothing can be compered to this. The first cabin I will recommend will be the Faltjagarstugan in Jamtland. This one can be reach from either Helags mountain station(12km) or from Ramundberget (16km) The cabin it self it not so remarkable, it is the view on the way, and from the cabin. With Helags and Skardorrsfjallen. To sit outside the cabin and see the sunset, it will be hard to beat. Now we move upwards to Muddus. In the northern part of Muddusjaure a small cabin is situated. The Arvidsson cabin. A small cabin with two beds. It got its name from the park guard Lennart Arvidsson. A visit to the cottage is a small time travel, located in a fairytale landscape. at the same area (in Muddus) you also got the Manson cabin. With only 4km from the eastern entre its perfect for the children’s hike. It only got three beds, but there is a lot of good tent sites in the near of the cabin. Another forgotten cabin will be the Sårjåsjavrre cabin, close to the Norwegian border this small inconspicuous cabin is situated. Build in 1920 it is one of the oldest. he water is turquoise blue of glacial mud from the glaciers high up around the lake. Below the cottage’s vestibule, at Sårjåsjávrre’s outlet, the water forms a foaming waterfall that plunges down through a narrow rock canyon. At last I will give Lunndorrsstugan a place on this list. This is a cabin situated in the mid of Valadalsarea. With its sauna and hospitable location it will have a special place in my heart. And do you remember the morning there Jansson, when we woke up with a reindeer herd outside the window…

See ya tomorrow…

Today it is time for the door twenty, and today it will be about hand and gloves. We often talk and learn about different tools and how to use them. But the most important tool in addition to brain is the hand. So this tool you must be very careful with. The anatomy of the hand tell us that the hand isn’t got any muscles, only tendons. The most important finger is the thumb, because with this you can ”lock” a grip. So it doesn’t matter how good tools you got, if your hand doesn’t work. So you have to keep it warm and dry, and avoid to hurt the thumb. So how to do that? When using the hand to example digging in the snow for building a shelter or at a avalanche, secure you got a good grip. Place the hand on the tool(shovel) and lock the grip proper. Doing that you will avoid injure. Be cautious and meticulous. 

Now you got the technique, then we can start looking into the protection and heat. The glove area is a galaxy of choice. First of all when to wear gloves and when mittens? If it is really cold the mittens is preferable. But as soon you need to ”work” with the hand it will be more difficult. Normally you use mittens as reinforcement garment. But as always let starts from the beginning. Use a liner closest to the hand. And then a glove. If you gonna climb, work with rope etc. The glove shall be made of leather. So make them a half or one size bigger than normally, so you can add the liner. If you will be in wet/moister areas, you need to have a glove with good waterproofing and a shell that is protecting from becoming wheat. My own experience is to choose a pair bit more expensive then the average, it will reward you in the long term. And remember as said before, this is your second important tool at the adventure…

(Smartwool liner glove, a good suggestion closest to the hand) And at last, don’t forget to workout the hand, train the ability to grip. This will help you in every situation you will end up in. a strong grip will always be good.

See ya tomorrow…