I’ve been on a trip to the Hoga Kusten area in the north east part of Sweden. With a couple of good days in the Skule skogen area.

And so near to Skuleberget a Via Ferrata session was naturally.  A warm but very fine day, resulted in two routes and a couple over hours hanging on the cliff side.

The yellow route at Skuleberget..

The training follows the plan, and at this time of year there are two focus, endurance and preparation. Preparation for the upcoming guide season.

Its time for the preparation of the upcoming guiding time.

And how to do the training, well 30 minutes of pull-ups, push-ups, dips and row. And this combined with 5k running. Tonight there will be a 30k fast hiking with 30 kilo back-pack. that endurance training..

And here some new interesting equipment:

Suunto Spartan Ultra will be awaiable in august. A new collection of GPS clocks for multisport and adventures.

A new back pack from Gregory:

Gregorys Baltoro, a new back pack.

Lundhags Makke pant, a smart field trouser. With ventilation on the inside of the thigh. One of the best trousers I have test (without scale protection)

And you, don’t forget the Utefest at Docksta 9-11/9.

http://utefest.se/

See ya soon or on upcoming Sunday!!

BR Uffe

Trail running in history areas. During the weekend I went up to Jämtland for some trail running.

I started from Tossasen on Saturday morning and run to Lunndorren mountain cabin. The old trail between Jamtland and Harjedalen.  Quite interesting place. During winter you can fins some real fine ice climbing routes. But be aware of this is one of the toughest place to be at when the wind is hard. So this is the place to prepare for a tough expedition. If you able to set up the tent here in a storm, you are ready for high peaks. There was no people at all at the trail, so its not so very often used this days.

And now over to the guides tips. It can be hard to set stiches in the field, but then you can use some surgery tape instead.

And this weeks music will be an old goldie:-)

See ya soon..

For becoming a good mountaineerer you need to strengthen your mind.

To build up your mind strength, you need to improve your; confidence, courage, commitment, control and your purpose. To start with the confidence. How to build it up: Stay away from the negativity and bring on the positive. Change your body language and image (pulling your shoulders back etc.) Don’t accept failures and get rid of the negative voices in your head. Be prepared, read and learn all about the area you are going in to. For tough times, when all else fails: create a great list.  a list of all your life experience. all things you have accomplish.

A mountaineerer thoughts:  This time of year is very hectic. We planning for all upcoming events, and there is a lot to planned and get fixed. But the most important will be to remember to live the life you want. I also think it is important to do some unplanned adventures as well. Just go out with no special purpose, let the purpose be to live and enjoy. A good cup a coffee in the mountain environment will be good enough. So keep up your spirit, and do some easy adventures as well:-)

And the training, still going strong and follows the plan. Today there has been a trail running workout, and a time at the gym. 180 strict press within 9 minutes is quite good.

And some gear: I have tried Dynafits Enduro 12. A trail running backpack. It is sitting perfect on the back, and you almost don’t feel it even packed with equipment. A good friend at the mountain trails..

And this weeks music will be Swedish with a message about that the road is the target. Good thinking enjoy the ride, reaching  the top will be a bonus:-) A good thought.

See ya soon..

The summer is upcoming. You can feel the power of the nature when you out there. At the moment the training is in the best of ways. You can combined everything. At the moment it is planning time, lot of activities is coming, and need to be planned. So there will be a time to spent in Chamonix. And there will be some tours to Skuleberget to look forward to.

Ulf Bergman, in a guides best position. Out there with clients.(Photo Goran Karlén)

The training follows the planning, and 8 sessions this week. real tough ones also.

This weeks product will be Grivels back pack. Grivel always got real good stuff. High quality, and with real god detailed solutions.

Grivels Zen 30L (also available in 20L and 40L) Ski slot and Ice axe slot. A prefect friend on the mountain.

Calazo has also coming out with a new guide book. Mountain hikes in Harjedalen. Quite good information of the Harjedalen area in Sweden.

And some good old training music..

See ya soon.

Last weekend we went to Skuleberget again.  With 3 different routes we was real satisfied. On the last I got company by a viper.

Two expectant climbers for via Ferrata (Michael and Göran).

A satisfied client at the end of the via Ferrata route, with a magnificent view over the High coast.(Höga kusten).

There has been a intensive debate about the night trains in Sweden. The entrepreneur SJ want to stop all night trains. The tourist associations have tried to change or at least to have some impact of the decision. From my point of view, I think they can stop it. With the high prices, bad service and old railway waggons it would be better for someone else to take it over. They have not been interested of the area for the last 10 years, so let someone else who can combine it wit good service for the travellers to take over. A perfect start for a nice mountain adventure.

Change entrepreuneur and let us get service when we travel to the mountains.

A fantastic summer season is upcoming. Trail running, Via Ferrata, Mountaineering, kayaking a hall of bunch adventures. At the moment I am planning for some trail running. Maybe it will be in the Härjedals/Jämtlands area.

Lunndörren a nice area for trail running.

And the training, well this week has been a good week. with 9 workouts with 670 minutes, and including a swim run workout. The swim run season is here…

Swim run season is here..

And if you are interested of what a mountain guide will use for clothing, maybe this one can be interesting.

 Elevates clothing is developed by Jimmy Odén (mountain guide).

httpelevenate.com/

And at the end some music for the memory of Freddie Wadling who past away recently..

See ya soon..

We can now see a new era coming up. The mountaineering hikes people was doing before, has become more rare. The Samis in Swedish Lappland can confirm this. Today people go for a action weekend for climbing or off-pist skiing. This are good in the way that it will become more wilderness then before, but the trails will risk to be overgrown.

Rapadalen at Sarek will become more wild, since people change their hiking habits.

As a mountaineerer you always must improve your self. The mental strength is also one of the most important parts. This will be some of the characteristics you can develop:

Unwavering self belief, Ability to visualise success in detail, Ability to accept and deal with fear, Ability to manage doubt, Bulletproof positivity, The enjoyment of suffering,  Mental Endurance, Sharp Focus, Confidence in your ability, Risk management skills.

Peter Habeler, a mountaineerer with those skills..

And if you want to make a difference and make yours and others life better:

1. Dedicate yourself to things that gives you meaning and purpose.

2. Commit to continually bettering yourself.

3. Engage with people in open mutually-beneficial way.

4. Invest your time and energy not in what is, but what can be.

5. Spread your knowledge and what you know.

6. Uplift others as you ascend.

7. Use the power and influence well..

The training follows the plan, even the number of hours of sleep has decreased. this due to a Siberian Husky puppy. But today I felt strong and made real good effort:-)

And now some music related to one of the subject:-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FBD0OZaX5o

See ya real soon..

Yesterday morning, I woke up early. The gear was already packed and the car filled up with fuel. Just after six I was on the road hiding for Skuleberget and Via Ferrata. Halfway I stopped for a coffee brake. That coffee tasted as paradise. I was feeling free and with a sense of expectation. When I arrive, Tero and Latte the guys at Skulebergets Via Ferrata welcomed me as usual. Real great buddies.

So this time I got the opportunity for two routes, the yellow and the red one.

This morning it was the reflection day. I was thinking of yesterday over a nice cup of coffee. And I think it feels good becoming a mountaineerer. The thing is that you always can develop some skill. If you just a cliff climber, you can become very good in that. But as a mountaineerer just be good in all areas. And there is so much areas to discover. You can always get better knowledge of a stove, or get stronger in the arms or whatever. You will never get all knowledge and you must always strive for developing, that’s nice:-)

Ulf Bergman glad, becoming a mountaineerer at Skulebergets Via Ferrata…

And now to John Muir’s quote:  The mountains are calling and I must go. This one is not complete this word are often forgotten: The mountains are calling and I must go & I will work on while I can, studying while I can. With this wisdom I got a good compass:-)

Yea, and the training. well a hard week with totally exhausted legs from Friday at the Via Ferrata = a struggle:-) But still a great workout week.

See ya soon..

So now it is trail running. But I have change the training set up. so now I always put in a strength part, or a mobility training. This week it has been 9 workouts within 620 minutes.

The other day in the dressing room, a mate told me I was a inspiration for him. That really made me happy! If I can be a inspiration, that is real good:-) And it as well make me more positive and even more focused. So becoming a inspiration will gives you even more inspiration..

And a new backpack to present: The MHM salute 34.

http://www.mhmgear.com/

A new American brand. With innovative solutions. Gear of the year from National Geographic. Quite interesting.

And at last some new music, from Sweden..

See ya soon…

This week it has just been 6 workouts. But good ones. The reason therefore I will come to. But now it is time for some more endurance focus. Yesterday I went up early as usual, put on my backpack and the harness. The car-wheel was also brought with me. When I just got 10 minutes left I met a couple with there dog. They told me that they always follows the track from the ”wheel man” every Saturday. And they sad, you look very strong:-) The man, the myth the wheel-man:-)

This week I got a new training partner. Kenai a 8 week old Siberian husky.

A future loyal training mate..

Garmin has a new GPS clock. Altimeter log, and of course barometer function. You can register up to 1000 waypoints. Bluetooth, heart rate measurement and you speed etc.  A real good electronic expedition mate.

This weeks tips of endurance and strength training will be the kettle bell Squat workout.

A good workout for the upcoming climbing season..

And now over to some good music, hope this is better Mikael:-)

See ya soon, and thank you all followers..

withSo this week the training becomes a bit different. 680 minutes and just six! workouts. A structural and endurance week, great for the recovery. Bur now it will be more hill focus again, so here we come:-)

If you going to the mountains, they will be challenge you, in one way or another.  So you have to be prepared, for bad weather, for you own tiredness, lack of focus or your inner strength. I have been talking about it before. You can train physical, but that will not be enough. You must have a will that is hard as Nordic granite. Train your emotional stability. Stay objective even when it is hard times (like it often is in the mountain environment.) Perspective, it is always important to all in to the right perspective. For keeping upcoming challenges and troubles in the right dignity, this will be an important mental strength. Readiness for changes, well conditions will always change how good is your ability to that? Detachment, learn to dant take everything personally. Strength under stress, if you have good capacity and experience of this, you can handle a difficult situation in a much better way. Unwavering positivity, stay positive even –especially when you encounter negative people. Elevate them; never bring yourself down.  Don’t allow naysayers to ruin the spirit of what you’re accomplishing.

So get yourself a granite hard mind…

During the weekend, I was up to Jamtland in the Swedish mountains. The weather forecast told us that it would be tough wind a class one warning because of the wind and snowy weather. Well, I got a good tour of training my mental and physical strength.

When its tough in the mountains, the mental and physical strength will be tested..

Going with the wind blow upfront, with 20m/s (72km/h) is tough and demands strength and toughness. A salute to my two daughters who make it in the best of ways. They will understand how good it is to challenge your comfort zone….

Still winter at Helags in the Swedish mountains.. and the way down, well that one was nice…

See ya soon..