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…

Today it will be a history that might will affect you, what knowledge do you got about first aid? The history of a Guardian angel on the mountain.  (Torgy Roxå was saved due to a guides with knowledge and sensory presence)

The 10th of March, the day before the first death of corona in Sweden, Torgny Roxå are at the Storulvan mountain station. He and his wife has decided to go towards Sylarna on ski for the first time. Due to their lack of experience, they have decided to use a guide and be a part of a group. It is after breakfast, and the group has started the skiing. After they have reach the saddle at the west part of Lillulvafjallet the group stopped for a photo and breath out. Then of a sudden everything become black for Torgny. He is laying totally still, not breathing. The heart has stopped beating. The two guides in the twenties has recently completed a CPR training. They start the CPR and at once alarms the mountain station and the ambulance helicopter and the mountain rescue. One of the crew at the mountain station jump up on a snowmobile and bring a defibrillator with him. After 10minutes the snowmobile is in place and they can put on the defibrillator. Of a sudden they can here a noise from Torgny. He probably grasped for breath. The mountain rescue shows up with a oxygen mask, and now his back. A couple of minutes later the helicopter lands, and bring him to the hospital. Today Torgny is back, but follow the restriction after the surgery.

At the mountain station you might have the opportunity to meet a lot of different personalities who nests here.  First the ”polar fox” they are easy to recognize. always wearing the Fjallraven out fit. And everything else in the gear will be classic. Due to that they don’t use wool (using synthetic instead) you can smell them. Or you will here them telling you that it is much better to be in  cabin, less with people and less service that’s the best they tells. The second one will be the beginner. This one can be a bit difficult to recognize, due to their gear is mixed. A backpack borrowed from the neighbor (probably a Haglofs Skarja from the 80s) but a new sleeping bag from the brand Everest. They are easy to recognize in the reception asking 200 question of weather and the trail they are going to hike next day. The next personality is the Messersmith.  He is easy to find, he is sitting in the sauna and telling all tours he has done. If there is any possibility to start  bonfire anywhere, be sure i is there trying to fire. He also often help the reception crew to tell the beginner what or how to do everything. The gearjunkie, is the next one. He or she always got the latest color on the Gore-Tex jacket. With a new ice axe and never used crampons he/she is the real explorer. When the Messersmith is trying to light up a fire the gearjunkie bring up his ignition steel in stealth carbon. Looking at his watch telling its going to be +4 degrees tomorrow. However we got the biggest nerd left. He/she is easy to recognize. Sitting in a corner, with long hair preferable in a ponytail and with a google tan. Hanging over a map, quite looking around the room. Yea, you guess right it is the guide. A quiet thinker, that the profile…

Take a nice cup of coffee, turn up the volume. Laid back enjoy this movie..(great Simon Jaktlud)

See ya tomorrow…

Time to open door eighteen, and today we will meet Pata Degerman from Finland. Pata is the only real explorer from Finland. He has been doing a lot of adventures. Being an explorer Pata has travelled globally on adventures involving, different climbing discipline’s, kayaking, hiking, off-road driving and many other forms of adventure. His expeditions have ranged from the Arctic to the Antarctic, Himalayas, Jungles, Oceans and many other somewhat unexplored regions, sometimes even to regions that have never been drawn on maps. The last 20 years Pata have organized and led numerous expeditions around the globe. Over 40 trips to the Arctic areas in Iceland, Spitsbergen and Greenland and five expeditions to unvisited areas on Antarctica (Ellsworth mountains and Queen Maud Land). Expedition Arcada – Adventure for life.  Arcada University of Applied Sciences and 45 students joined forces with adventurer Patrick ”Pata” Degerman and a wheelchair athlete Aron Anderson during spring 2015. Our goal was to scale a 300 meter tall, perfectly vertical mountain wall in La Grave, France, after months of preparations in Helsinki, Finland. The students got to climb the wall, but also work with things related to their studies. Not only was the expedition learning by doing at its best (what Arcada is all about). The adventure also gave all parties involved a chance to stand out, test and develop new products, methods and concepts. To help us we had a great team of experts, mentors and sponsors. Check out our adventure below! The climbing expedition took place 7-15 May 2015 in La Grave.

See ya tomorrow…

The seventeenth of December and todays topic will be Mental strength. While be in the mountain environment you will need to have a mental strength. Why? Well you will end up in situation were you will need to have the strength to continue or stop. So here you will get some advices for developing that skill. First of all train to focus on the moment. The challenge is here and it is now, focus you energy on the present moment and not what is right before you. Next will be to embrace adversity, remember the obstacle in the past you have overcome. Exercise you mind , To gain stamina, take on a daily task that stretches your mental endurance. Challenge yourself, with to easy goals you will always be in the comfort zone. Get out of it and do it harder and in new ways. Respond positively you can not control everything, bur what you can control is your reaction of things. Incredible progress can happen in your life and leadership when you take control of your reactions. Be mindful, To be the most resilient and mentally strong, make the time to  be mindful so you can focus on what you truly want. Train the ability to become more mindful. Don’t be defeated by fear, so what does this really mean? If you know (which of course you know) some of your fear, try them. Hold the lecture, write the book, dispute the decision etc.  Always remember: failure is an event, not an identity. When you feel as if you have tried everything you can to achieve your goal, and you still haven’t made it. Keep the focus up, and strive, strive for it. That will build up your mental strength. So, tell me what is your next step for becoming stronger mentally?

See ya tomorrow..

A calendar without Torsten Boberg is not a calendar. So today we honor the role model of Swedish outdoor.

From the book Beyond the paths (bortom sigarna) I will give a part. The first winter ascending of Kebnekaise. The sun would be the master, and at the thermometer we could se the quicksilver pillar raised during the day. Standing close to the top shelter we went to the South peak of Kebnekaise.  Looking toward the sky,, in the east and south the sky still is clear, but north west something is going on that does not escape attention. where the white cold clouds approach in an endless line. And if listen carefully you can hear a hiss in the air. Here it is still calm, but the nice weather will soon end. We isn’t got a minute to loose.  The distance between the peaks is approximal 800m the ridge passage normally will take us an hour. At twelve a clock we were standing at the north peak. The ascend was fully done. The grey haze had moved closer. Of a sudden we was interrupt in our dreaming of a small detail. A protective paper from the camera film has been laying on the snow. A wind caches the paper which goes up with the wind. Our eyes tunes toward north, and we can se the ”smoke” over the peaks. Kebnekaise has started to breath. Now it is the wind shelter we must heading for before the storm will catch us.  The only way is the ridge. The snow ridge shall not be forced, all care must be taken even on the way back. The wind blows and strikes in our clothes, already the cloud sea starting to cover the sun…

The thing that is interesting about Torsten Boberg is that the trails we hike today, such as the Jamtlandstriangle for example has been done/planned from him. So give him a memory next time you going toward Sylarna.

See ya tomorrow…