Creature Comforts

Day Six: Helberghytta to Rjukan Fjellstue

The morning of my final expedition day starts with a discussion around the breakfast table. Kurt knows of a route that will, first, be shorter than my intended route and secondly be similar in nature to that used by the saboteurs... Of course, I jump at the chance :)

With my bag packed, I head away from the warmth of the hut and the security of the advised route. As I weave my way between the densely packed peaks, I can see why the saboteurs would use a route like this. Nobody would be able to find me in this maze of granite giants. There is a wonderful fascination about being amongst these majestic peaks. There are periods of quietude when all sounds recede until true silence reigns. For some people perhaps, true silence may seem unnerving, but for me it is reassuring, calming and conducive to feeling of peace and well-being. Here, beauty meets harshness; splendour meets seclusion.

I celebrate rejoining the main route (and shaving approximately 8km off my route!) with a short break to consume my special pink energy bar :) Just as I am ready to set off two Danish girls on their outdoor leader training arrive. We exchange pleasantries:

"where have you been?"

"where are you going?"

"yes, they are heavy skis!!" :)

I actually no longer mind answering this question as it is nice that people show a genuine concern for another human being. Incidentally, the next time I see these adventurous ladies, one will be upside-down and the other will be in a tree!

The main route winds it's way to a col where the descent to Rjukan Fjellstue begins...

I descend through tightly packed trees. It is like trying to sprint through a tube station during rush hour! There is no point looking for why I fall, just when. That said, my most spectacular tumble occurs when a branches catches my left ski, stopping it dead. Meanwhile I continue to balance on one ski for the next 200m with as much control as Frank Spencer on his wild roller skating journey. I eventually have to decide hitting the ground and hitting a tree. The ground gets my vote :)

Shorty afterwards, and panting heavily, I pop out onto the løype tracks and begin to meet people who are not kitted out to survive in the wilderness. This must mean that creature comforts are just around the corner...

A short, sharp descent from the tracks leads me to the cosy Rjukan Fjellstue. This historic mountain lodge is crammed full of farming artefacts from its days as a farmhouse. Tucked in one small corner is an exhibit to the Heroes of Telemark, which includes skis, outfits, parachutes, photos, the propeller of the plane that crashed,... It is all fascinating stuff and gets me in the mood for the final leg of my journey.

Trip by numbers...

Distance: 11.8km

Vertical: 668m