Now Updated with a *.kmz file for Google Earth. (look at the end of the post)
And some more photos !
And some more videos !
Better late then never?
This trip report should have been written a long time ago!
But bit and pieces got published on forums in differnt ways.
And i didn't feel like i needed too.
But some speculations about the trip came up on Picasa and i want to straight things out.
Me and a mate was planing a Alpacka adventure in the spring of 2010.
During the planing stages it became clear that the mate didn't kept up.
A divorce !
The mate understandably got busy with other matters.
But what should i do cancel or go solo?
I decided to go solo.
The plan was to go to a remote and not very well known nature reserve called Rogens, that's name of the lake in the reserve.
Here it is, Rogens Nature reserve.
Now, you might understand the Alpacka?
Mosquitos can be terrible up here, so i decided for an early visit, while we still had 0C at night.
Date got fixed to 5/6 -> 12/6 .
Here is the travel plan !
Day1, 6/6 : Car -> Camp 1 = 12.2 km
Day2, 7/6 : Camp1 -> Camp 2 = 20.7 km
Day3, 8/6 : Camp2 -> Camp 3 = 12.2 km
Day4, 9/6 : Camp 3 -> Camp 4 = 11.3 km
Day5 10/6 : Camp 4 -> Camp 5 = 25 km
Day6 11/6 : Camp 5 -> Car = 9.6 km
Sat 5 juni
Drove 550 km up to my familys cabin at Vemhån.
I spent the night hanging at our cabin.
I had the usual chat over a whiskey or two with our friendly old lady neighbor.
Strangely enough there was mosquitos around, but they didn't bite ?
Tarp = OES Standard
Hammock = Nano 7
UQ = IX (switched to Yeti)
TQ = Golite Ultra
I had 0C that night with the IX UQ and i was COLD !
Decided to switch to WB wYeti for the trip.
Sun 6 Juni
Drove the last 100km to Lake Rogens.
Started paddling around 10.00.
Did only a short stint , 12km to Camp 1.
2.1°c that night
Just before i leave the company car .
Finelly i can start paddeling
Talking Swedish in my Alpacka Day 1
Arriving at Camp1, Swedish
Camp 1
Camp 1
My beach at camp 1
Mon 7 Juni
Left Camp 1 at 08.30
My view leaving Camp 1
As an electrician this is a very strange thing to find in middle of nowhere .
Anyone needs to charge a Camera?
About to leave this shelter i passed, i would see it again
Boat attached to my pack, takes 10sec to get it off
Paddle converted to walking stick, with the Tenkara rod inside
Paddle broke 13.00, in open sea with 50cm waves, rain and windy.
NO FUN AT ALL
Manage to make the paddle paddable.
I got a shore and had a nightmare portage for 2km , that felt like 20km.
Missplaced boat ?
Nice 2km hike in front of me
view after 2 km hike
You are now looking at Norway folks
Me ranting unedited in Swedish (Stockholmish) for 5 min .
Camp 2
Less then 0.6 km/h . in this rocky nightmare
Got to camp 2 at 19.39.
Tot dist 22 km
Felt sick as dog when i hit camp !
What i did wrong today:
- I totally exhausted myself on this leg.
- I drove to hard.
- Didn't eat enough.
- Didn't drink enough.
- Sweating like a pig.
Shot taken at 23.22
ISO 200
Exponering 1/6 s
Bländare 3.5
Brännvidd 5mm
Blixt användes false
Tue 8 Juni
Woke up and felt better.
It was raining cats and dogs.
Checking the weather reports during breakfast,
it's going to rain for a week.
I decide to turn back.
Talking about leaving Camp2 in Swedish
Left camp 2 at 08.30.
Due to strong winds on the open waters on lake Rogens,
i made a bivouac in a shelter from 12:21 -> 18:02.
It is not that fun to cross a lake with +75cm waves,
with a small boat that has a 20kg backpack straped to it.
At the shelter all wood was out in the open, soaked.
I couldn't get the wood burning even if i laid it over the burning bushbuddy.
But the trash was safe in a small house containing 6 big bins !
The trash was safe in a house , while the wood was sooked ?
The wind turned and blow the rain in a 45 degree angle straight into my shelter.
After a quick search i found the biggest tarp i ever seen, behind the shelter.
The tarp was there to cover the opening for occasions like this, i am sure.
This is the same shelter i passed the day before
Where the switch and power outlet was
I dressed myself in everything that was still dry .
It was a dirt floor, so the wood bench was the only way.
But it was thin and angeled away from the wall, so it was a struggle to stay on it for 5 hours
But i sleept like a baby.
The winds calmed down and i crossed the lake between 18:32 -> 19:14 .
And i got over safely.
Now i just a 5 hour river system between me and my car.
Anyone missing a raindear ?
On this river i had 6 lifts.
Now i stopped using sneakers, it's was crocs all the way here.
Paddling or hiking.
All in all, i made a 2km hiking in crocs (sealskin socks)
Worked great !
At 23:56 i got to the car.
I just through everything in the car and drove toward Vemhån.
I got to Vemhån at 01:49 and i guess i am a sleep inside the cabin at 01:51.
Time and distances
08:28:34 --> 01:49:22
Total dist = 29.47
Färd tid = 8.30
Stopp tid = 1.49
Medel förflytt = 3.5 km/h
total medel = 3.8 km/h
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Get me right here !
It might seam like this trip was a failure but it was not !
I learned heaps , about my gear, about weather, about myself.
I learned humans are fragile
I learned that a spot (or simulare) would be nice on solo trips.
Hardly any mobile coverage here.
(even though i had 2 card from different operators)
I learned that mates are fun and a security.
And i learned that life is hard work, but fun and exciting.
Ps, Do you use Google Earth?
Download this file Rogens Naturresarvat.txt and rename it to Rogens Naturresarvat.kmz.
Now you know more about me and the trip than i probebly want, hehe.
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