GB Day 8:

West of Čearročohkka-Šalmmejohka

Saturday 17 July 2021

We woke early to a drizzle and had breakfast in our tents. The rain stopped so we could pack down a dry tent. Here somewhere was the last time anyone saw Kim's toothbrush (luckily it wasn't made of plastic at least, not even the straws). Kim used her knee support today since her knee was a bit strained from yesterday - well-needed!

We continued upwards, and just as we started getting some height, the rain started again. We walked in the rain until we could make our way over the valley and up in the mountain pass between Duoptečohkka and Olmáčohkka where it got very wet and a lot of up and down, as well as block terrain. Here Kim felt like her experience of the Tjäktja pass in 2018 but on steroids - wet, rain, rocky and steep. But when we got up in the pass the rain decreased a little, and when we had passed it, the rain stopped.

We walked down a bit to get away from the worst block terrain and soon stopped to have lunch while the weather seemed okay. Kim's mood got a lot better after this.

We continued on the same height after lunch, just to get too far down on Davip Duoptejohka so we needed to go upstream towards the lake to be able to cross. Fording the stream took a while - Kim didn't find a good spot, and then decided to change shoes on a rock in the middle of the water, just to have a slight panic attack while crossing. But it went fine! :) (It was her first river crossing, alright!)

Then up, up over the sea of rocks over the pass south of the highest peak of Bálggesčohkka. Already in the pass the view was amazing, but it was just going to get better. We made our way upwards over the spur and here came the crescendo of the view! Wow!

We then made our way down towards Šalmmejohka. Incredibly steep and 400 m to go down. Along the way we saw some cool stones, then crossed over Šalmmejohka (incredibly cold!) and pitched our tent close by and had a nice dinner.

Today's:

Favourite: The view from the pass between Váivvánčohkka and Bálggesčohkka, and also on west side of Bálggesčohkka

Distance: 22.2 km

Start time: 7:33

End time: 18:26

Ascent: 656 m

Descent: 842 m

Snickers eaten: 1

Totals (from Treriksröset)

Distance: 158.1 km

Ascent: 3884 m

Descent: 3608 m

Snickers eaten: 9