ARCTIC ADVANCE 2009

Monday 06 July

Fly from Oslo via Tromsø to Alta. Cold and rainy, 8 ° C upon arrival. From the airport, walk to the campgrounds at Øvre Alta : 11 km to go!

Camp on the Wisløff camping, and back to the city to buy gas and some food. Alta is a dispersed city with a cheerless and rather ugly modern center. Back to the campsite and a visit to the Boazo Sámi Siida, with some reindeer in the meadow and a lavvu-bar! Overall, 25.2 km marched todayd.

Tuesday 07 July

Today, we really get started. Largely still on the road: south of the city, and through the Tverrelvdal to the Østerelvdal. Here the asphalt gives way to a tractor track and starts the climb of several hundred meters to the high plateau. After 24.3 km, I halt at the Tverrfjelltjønna. Wide view of the hills, where the reindeer roam.

Wednesday 08 July

Woken at 0300 by the bells of reindeer nearby. 24 hours full daylight here! Sleep on for a while, breakfast with bacon on a beautiful morning, leaving only by noon. Because there is no need to worry arriving by dark, one can drop the annoying hiker's habit of "raising early".
The tour continues on the endless plateau. The track becomes a narrow path. Always straight, with endless views up to the mountains of the Čohkarášša range. The Reinbukkelv hut: time for a tea break. A bit further on: crossing a huge herd of reindeer, driven by a shepherd on his quad bike. Nothing or nobody else to see!
Camp near Bojobeaski, arrival after 27 km to 2330 under a radiant midnight! A quiet and deserted place, I decided to stay here for a day.

Thursday 09 July

A quiet day, in every sense of the word. Except a few birds, no living creature to be seen. There are of course the insects, but not so many to become annoying. This is really relaxing here! 0 km.

Friday, July 10

Departure 0600 in the morning. Soon the fording of Giellanjohka: refreshing to the feet! Seen one camper here around: the only one all over the area.
In the afternoon heavy rain. All soaking! By early evening the Čearru plateau is shrouded in a dense fog. The navigation is difficult, a navigation pole each 500m or a cairn do not give much help if the visibility is only 50m. Fortunately, the route goes straight in a southeasterly direction. Descending from the plateau, it clears up, and after 30.4 km I pitch at the Juolgelanjohka valley. Not a good pitch: uneven ground, many insects, but there is not much better here around.

Saturday, July 11

A beautiful day. From pole to pole it goes on, the plateau only intersected by the Stiipanávži valley, a lush oasis in this treeless plain.
By the evening I reach the Fjellstue at Gárdin, also known as Ravnastua. I am the only guest here, the main season being Easter here, for skiing is easier than walking. 22.2 km today.

Sunday, July 12

A morning walk with the landlady of Gárdin to lake Rávdojávri to fetch fish caught there by her daughter and boyfriend who went there by bike. The weather is beautiful: more than 25 ° C, currently the hottest place in Norway. Afternoon outside in the sun! In the evening a Norwegian couple comes in. Dinner at Gárdin: finnebiff, or fried reindeer strips with onion and mashed potatoes. Simple but very tasty meal! 7.1 km today.

Monday, July 13

Back to the inhabited world: first 15 km on the 4x4 track to Ássebákti. First birch forests, the pine trees on sandy soils, it seems like the Campine here. Then along the (quiet) road to Karášjokha or Karasjok. Arrival at the local campsite. The place is full of mosquitoes! There are many transit campers with caravans and camping cars, Germans, and of course Dutch! I have a chat with a couple of Finns from Turku. 27.7 kilometers.

On the whole trip through the Finnmarksvidda of the cities of Alta to Gárdin, I have seen only three people seen in five days! There is still space here, and an infinitely wide landscape. The terrain offers no special difficulties, there are not too much height difference, a basic knowledge of navigation is required. An exciting and interesting trip of 125 km for those who prefer solitude.