A gate as Are to the adventure are fine, so lets open door nine. Chamonix will be the cradle of Alpinism and Mountaineering but in Sweden Are is growing as the Swedish cradle of alpinism. Very often if you are heading for an adventure, or going back from one you pass Are. Already during the 12th century Are was well known. Many of the pilgrims hiking towards the St Olavs grave in Nidaros did pass the village. Are old church is dated to 13th century, but is was in the late 1800 it was known as a tourist resort. In 1892 the first top cottage was built of the Swedish Tourist association. In 1910 the mountain railway was built in Are. In 1952 the first cable car was built, this one runs from Fjallgarden towards Humeln one of the gondolas is still at the Are square for admiration. 1976 is a important year for Are, now the new cable car is built, and with a investment of 73 000 000:- a high alpine zone for skiing has been opened up. Today Are is a real tourist magnet. This corona year it ha been well visited I can tell… Whatever Are is also associated for good food and pastry. When I am in Are I’m trying to visit A e pastry. A good cup of capuchin and a cinnamon bun will do the day. And in the evening a dinner at Wersén will never become a disappointment. The Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes will make you sleep as a baby after an adventure day. Here I will give a recipe from Bustamoon, a reindeer clamp.

When it comes to off pist skiing,, first of all hire a guide. This will help you out to get the best and safest skiing. The backside of Areskutan, The Husatour, eastern  ravine, The Tvaravalvet. In December its not to recommend, with less snow and no settle snow means dangerous skiing and ruined skies. January, good skiing, but avoid the high zone. the wind got hard to the snow. February, the high season, means early start for good skiing. March Monday-Tuesday nice days and cold snow perfect for skiing(avoid weekends = crowded). April, this is the best time of the year warm and long bright days. Just enjoy. May, why don’t put on the skins and become an expert together with the locals. at this time people make a pilgrimage to good skiing at Are.

See ya tomorrow…

Time to open door eight, have control and stop before is to late…When it comes to avalanches I think it could be a whole calendar of the topic, and it still will not cover it all. So I will just notify you of same parts of the topic. First of all, there are rarely  spontaneous triggered avalanches. So we can start to put a human factor into the risk. So it all starts with you, and your approach to the risk of avalanches. The knowledge curve is the main thing here. In the beginning you think you know, then you understand what you don’t understand. Here the humility comes in. The next step you know that you know but will improve your knowledge. So if you are ready for expose yourself for the risk of avalanches, you might take a course in the topic. Another good suggestion from my side will be to gather yourself with people that got experience. That will be your life insurance. Self I would never go to a avalanche area without people around me that I can rely on. When you got the skills and the company for off pist skiing how to avoid avalanche’s? Talk with locals and check the homepages for avalanche information of the area. Choose the way from a safety point of view and follow the leader.  Well, don’t ski in a avalanche area after a storm, avoid steep slopes(avoid slopes over 28 degrees). Stay to the windward side of the ridges, avoid treeless slopes, watch for cracks, listen to the snow, for be sure dig snow pits for understanding the different layers in the snow. And always bring your avalanche device such as Tranciever, shovel, probe, ABS back pack. But this will just help you, it will not stop a avalanche…And observe it will not help you assess or improve your ability to predict avalanches. It will help you with the rescue…

Se ya tomorrow…

Now we have come a bit into the calendar, and its time for open door seven, which tent should I choose, it might be written in heaven… When it comes to tent, there is a lot of choice. And that means it can be hard to choose. Today I might help you to reach out the advantage and disadvantage with the different types. So first of all you need to ask yourself: What will you use the tent for? Expeditions, mountaineering, skiing, hiking, kayaking etc. This will be the first thing to decide. For the three first categories you will need a four season tent, for the others you might can be using a three season tent. Next thing to ask will be; how many will you be sleeping in the tent? 2-3-4 persons will be the normal options. If you have the answer for this questions we can run in to what choice there are.

First we have the tunnel tent. The tunnel tent is big, and almost always have a big apse, were you can store stuff and cook in bad weather. This is the perfect choice for a family. And it is very good for a skiing tour when you got a sled. Then you can have stuffed as a sausage and with the poles put together. That will means that you will be able to put it up very fast. The disadvantage will be the weight and that it is wind sensible. You have to place it right regards to the wind direction. It will also need bigger place on the ground. And another suggest will be, get up one size. This will give you more opportunities and give you more space for a little more weight. This is not suitable if you know you will doing mountaineering. Then its better with a smaller 2 instead of 3 persons tent for example.

The dome tent is very stable, it normally got more poles than a tunnel tent. It got less weight than a tunnel, and will need less space on the ground. It is very easy to move to another spot, you just lift it and move. The disadvantage will be that it is a bit harder to set up. You will have less place to store stuff and if you are three or more in a dome tent it will be crowded. 

So how will you reach out this, here comes some thoughts from my side. If you usually go for long tours, you might choose a tunnel tent. Especially if you often go on skies, with sledge. Then you can prepare a fast set up etc. You will also have a better space. Going for a hike, you got the opportunity to choose from a feeling point of view. But with the condition that you are at least two and can share the weight. Otherwise the dome is to prefer. Going for climbing, mountaineering/alpinism the dome will be my first choice. Stable to the wind, lighter and take less space on the ground. At high altitude at camps it normally is crowded and it is less of space to put the tent on. But the dome got less space over all, so it can be good to choose one with a good ceiling height so you can sit and have a good ”work” space. 

The Helsport Trollspiret will be one of my favorite’s, A perfect alpinism/mountaineering tent.

See ya tomorrow..

6th of December and about Kebnekaise and the glaciers. During the panemic, the roof of Sweden has become a hot spot. As I reported earlier the pressure of the are is hard. With visitors that not so used to be in the environment new phenomen will appear. Such as they left ther equipment, tents and other stuff! Well,, while you are in the area you should put some extra days for explore the immediate area. The glaciers has been in focus for the scentist since 1886. When Fredrik Enquist photographed the glaciers in the Kebnekaise area he left a invaluable data to the posterity. The Storglaciaren becomes over time the most researched glacierin the world. The standards used for measure glacier worldwide will be settled here. So why get up up on the peak of Kebnetjakka for a view over storgalicären och Björlingsglaciär and at the same time the view over The south peak and north peak of Kebnekaise. One question that is relevant is; Why study glaciers in Tarfala area? There was o lot of glacier to choose but, Storglaciären got the rigth size and got the best location for tranports etc. How many glaciers do we got in Sweden? We got over 250 glaciers, middle size of them is 1 square kilometer. Is it humans fault that the glaicers is melting? Yes and now. The global heating from the beginning of 1900 is a natural oscillation. But after1950 the human have contributed with more than 50% of the heating. How old is the glaciers in the Kebnekaise area? Well they are about 3000 years old. In the storglaciären has organic residues from 200 year BC. been found. Is it ok to drink the melt water from a glacier? The water is often clean from salt and are very like destilled water. In big amount and often is not so good. But for cooking it is ok. At the top surface  there may be digested lemmings and reindeer droppings so be careful where you take the water. This how it will looks like comparing 2013 and 2100.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJf69GXuJI4

See ya tomorrow and then it will be about to choosing tent.

Today its time for the 5th of December, and a reminder of the safety always remember…When it comes to mountain Safety I can write a whole book or a pair of books about the topic. But let us start with a quote:  “Prepare and prevent, don’t repair and repent.” That’s a good start. This topic is more current than ever, with a lot of beginners in the mountains due to the pandemic. What is mountain safety? Well from my point of view it begins with your own knowledge and experience. Add the factor weather and how challenging environment you are adventuring in. So when you start the adventure, think over these factors and you will know how to act. If you want to challenge your experience, you might bring a more skilled friend or why not a guide? The basic for me in mountain safety will be; a good knowledge and experience in navigation. Well experienced with all the help device for the safety, such as 1st aid equipment, wind shelter, shovel, etc. And ”safety it something that happens between your ears, not something your hold in your hands.” In real life, it’s about having the right judgment. You will never have such a stress that you have to chance or be careless, its to late to regret when the accident had happened. When it all comes to its nature it is about not expose yourself or others for danger. And buy using your ”stomach” feeling, you will know what will be the right decision in a given situation. When it comes to mountain rescue patrol, and all there mission, we all from stand position can have opinion about have carless people are. But in the city life we don’t have any opinion’s of  people use 112 etc. Observe that I don’t mean that unnecessary rescue mission  is ok, but it is easy to to have opinion form the side. And with right judgement, you will call in the right time…And you, don’t forget to report to your relatives, your planes and when you will call again during your journey/adventure. And always bear in mind, you can never replace lack of experience with a tool or a gear. A new ice axe will not make you an alpinist…And always remember; never trust a guy with shiny gear. So even if you got a new shovel, with combined snow saw, you still need to practice within beore you can use it in hard condition in real life on the mountains..

 Mixed climbing under heavy weather – YouTube

Mountain safety advice from Tryfan, Snowdonia – YouTube

See ya tomorrow…

The fourth of December and about a qualification that will permit guiding in several nation. Today I will write about UIMLA IML. I will be doing it from two different angles. One side from the guide perspective and also from the client side. Bur let us first find out what a IML is. An IML is a person that has been trained and assessed against the challenging requirements of UIMLA. The IML qualification lets the holder lead groups in different mountains all over the world, where the skills and equipment of alpinism are not required. IMLs can work with groups on high altitude treks as well lead groups on snowshoes.

(Navigation training at the Swedish IML  training 2020 Photo Dominique Olbrecht UIMLA)

So from a guides perspective, why have a IML certification? As a guide you will have a huge responsibility, and for being able to live up to that this qualification will help you a lot. You will  not be standing in a complicated situation and not have the knowledge in judge making. The training is tough. First of all you need the Fjalledarnorm as a basic. Then you have to do the summer and winter training and add summer and winter assessment to that. The training include parts as navigation in forms of conditions, ways of travel, emergency bivouacs, river crossing, leadership including judgement training among others.

(Rope technique training at the Swedish IML training Oct. Photo Dominique Olbrecht UIMLA)

With the IML certification you have a real good ground to rely on. As a IML you as well must keep on your knowledge development, meaning you will always be a better guide. So if you will feel comfort and safe as a guide, you better become a IML.

(River crossing training at the Swedish IML training Oct. 2020 Photo Dominique Olbrecht UIMLA)

From a client perspective what is the value of a IML? Well here you got an approved, assessed mountain Leader. She/he will be ”battle tested” this qualification means that you got an real quality check of the guide. You will know that if something is going wrong, this guide will have it in control. You will also know she/he is always updated with latest in the area. This person is and work as a professional. She/he always do a security planning etc. This guide also have a very broad network of guides all over the world, which is a prerequisite as good as any.

More information about the IML you will find here: uimla | SFLO (svenskafjalledare.se) and UIMLA – Union of International Mountain Leader Associations

See ya tomorrow…

Some path we don’t know were they lead, as when we for example a new book read. So today it will be about book, and suggestions for how you can spend some hours in front of the bonfire with a good cup of coffee. 

The first suggestion of mine will be The Mountaineers: great tales of bravery by the Royal Geographical society. The book features fact files for over 100 famous mountaineers and stunning photography of the mountains they scaled, and contains rare artefacts that were found on their journeys, previously unpublished photographs, and specially commissioned route maps to recreate history’s greatest ascents. Mountaineers: Great tales of bravery and conquest: Royal Geographical Society, The Alpine Club: 9780241298800: Amazon.com: Books.

I also can suggest The Soldier: Respect is earned by Jay Morton. This guy got four years in the Parachute regiment, ten years in the SAS and two Everest summits in his CV. So here you will be involved in how to develop the physical and mental endurance and resilience.

And when it come to mountaineering technique I will suggest this two books: Climbing self rescue: Improvising Solution for serious situations. This book will includes fall on rock, glaciers etc. knots and emergency procedures. Helicopter support and also 29 different rescue scenarios. The second one will be UIAA Alpine skills: Summer. With its 340 slides with developing information for a mountaineerer it will be a good investment.

When it comes to books from the nordic mountains I will suggest Fjall i akvarell by Gunnel Lundholm. This contains paintings from a tour in Kebnekasie area and also a winter tour in Oviksmountains of Jamtland. Alf R Jacobsens Angrepp i Gryningen is a book about the battle of Narvik i Norway in April 1940. With Alf’s present way of telling, this book in very good.

See ya tomorrow…

Today we open up number two, and it is all about the weather for you. Heading for the mountains nothing else will be so important as the weather. That is quite funny, due to is there something which we cant influence. It is something we just have to relate to. But with competence/knowledge we can plan due to the circumstances. First we need to understand how the weather function. By ”reading” the clouds you can predict how the weather conditions will be. First we have the feather clouds, it is as it says feather like. They will appear high up and will have some foggy look. If the cloud got a hook in one of the ends, you can count on rain within 24 hours. The next variant will be the foggy clouds. This clouds got a lot of ice crystal’s, and often they build a halo around the sun. Also high up and you can count for rain within 12 hours. The layer clouds indicates it will be raining within a couple of hours. The sun will be covered more and more and it looks like it shine under a glass disc. The cumulus clouds are white and bumpy clouds. This clouds can be dark in the bottom, As long as they are as broad as high there will be no rain, and just overcast. During the day this clouds will grove in the height and in the noon it will be rain. But late evening the sun will be coming trough again. Thunder clouds is a sign to really notice. Now it is bad weather incoming. With its filamentous top and broad and dark bottom they are is to recognize. Ok so now we got the first knowledge of how to predict weather. We can also use some equipment for our help. The altimeter, is good to use. It is working related to the air pressure. If the air pressure sink, it will indicate that the weather will be bad. A barometer at is self is of course another tool to use. Also Silvas ADC can help you to check temperature, wind speed and altitude(air pressure). When it comes to winter activities the weather is more important due to avalanches, but that is a chapter for it owns. So if you are going to a mountain area read the prognosis and understand how the weather works in the area. Chamonix for example, in July normally a thunder cloud is build up during the afternoon. Knowing that you can plan your journey..

See ya tommorow…

1st. of December and the Calendar for 2020 starts today. Today we open the first door for this year. Today the knowledge of shovels are about to score, about which one to choose you will learn more. When you are hidden for the mountains during the winter you will need to have a really good shovel. This because of the presence of avalanches but also for being able to build a shelter and more. What is important to look at when choosing a shovel? Which material is the shovel build of, it should be stable to cope heavy snow. Metal is a stable material. Aluminum is good as well, avoid plastic when its not so durable. Next thing to focus on will be the shovel’s blade. The design of the blade as well as the size. Here it is a ocean of variants. So choose one that fits your backpack. The advice here becomes, however a shovel with as big blade as possible. It will help you to dig amount of snow easier. A blade with prickly edge will help you hew trough compact snow or ice. A one with more curved blade will help you to shoveling the snow in a better way. The shaft shall be adjustable. Because when shovel snow it is good with along shaft, and in a avalanche or in a snow cave/shelter it is better to work with a short one. There is also three different handle/grip to choose; D, L or T. The two last is best for to carry, but digging with gloves the D ones is preferable. The weight of the shovel is a good indicator for how stable it is. It is important that you have test it before you use it, and that its suits you and your special needs for the adventure. When it comes to clean avalanche shovels I will suggest this ones; Pieps shovel pro, Mammut alugator Light hoe, Black Diamond Evac 9 and Voile XLM. 

You can also have a combined shovel if you want, and here you got some suggestion of that. The Voile T-Wood Avalanche shovel has an integrated snow saw in the shaft. So here you got two tool in one.

BCA also got one shovel with a combined saw. The BSA A-2 EXT Avalanche Shovel system.  Also Ortovox got a shovel with a combined ice axe, so here you also got two tool in one.

As well BSA got one shovel/ice Axe tool. The Shaxe Tech Avalanche Shovel will be another example.

But my own first choice here will be the Mammut Alugator with D grip. This one is real reliable. In China soldiers train for being able to handle the snow. This might be something for you.

See ya tomorrow…

With just 32 days left of the year, I can conclude that this will be a very diffrent year. A survey that has been done, show us that hiking is one of the most common world when the Europeans google for vacation 2021. It also show that insurance and condtions also will be important. It alos has been a discusion about how to save more of the pre-mountain forest. And there is a suggestion to protect a distance above 100 mile of the pre-mountain forest from being affected of forest industry. In my ear it sounds good.

When it comes to workout, we all have to be inventive. With the gym closed, and no workout partners it will be up to you to take responsible. So here you got a suggestion of a good programming..By the way I checked how long I been hiking so far this year..5120km. You can see that on my boots:-)

This week it is time to look close up for new adventures. So living in the Stockholm area, what to do? Well, here is a lot nice trails that is just lying and waiting to be hiked. My first suggestion will be The Sandhamn trail. The trail is 8km and the difficulty is middle. I really should like to hike this one in teh winter. If you have fly over the Stockholm archipilag you know what I mean.  The trail starts at Sandhamn brygga, I suggest you to take the boat from Stavsnas, it will take you 45 minutes to get there, while you can enjoy the archipilag from the boat windows. As soon as you have get away from the harbour a fantastic island open up its tresures. If you follows the red marks you will hile 8km around the island. Check if the Seglarhotellet or värdshuset bed and breakfast is open and you can stay here and go back the next day.

Ten year ago we were in Argentina and Aconcagua, this will be a tribute for that jurney..

See ya on tuesday the advent calender starts…