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.
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 ?
About to leave this shelter i passed, i would see it again :D 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.
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.
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) :D
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 :D
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.
01-08-2011, 16:17
OutandBack
Wonderful report Great Pictures. thank you for sharing them.
01-08-2011, 16:45
hunter
Love that aria:)
01-08-2011, 16:48
Otter1
What an awesome report and GREAT pics! I want to go.
I take my kayak down some rivers to hang in Florida from time to time and love it. Beautiful country you have there!
01-08-2011, 18:13
Shug
Although I don't speak Swedish .... I understood you!!!!
Something about rocks...........
I like the Alpacka .... a lot. Looks like a fun change of pace.
Shug
01-08-2011, 18:27
Shewie
What a great trip, thanks for sharing
01-08-2011, 18:44
Stavros
Great trip report!
Seems like you need to get back to Rogens but maybe not alone next time.
Would be great to see that area and also great to try one of those boats.
We´ll need to discuss this at the SKAHOw.
01-08-2011, 18:44
mbiraman
Thanks Moski; beautiful country. Thanks for sharing the trials and tribulations. As long as we learn, its a success. Seemed like you made pretty good time in your alpaca when things were going right. Beautiful blue pic. Thanks for sharing.
01-08-2011, 18:53
Poppabear
Great pictures and report.
01-08-2011, 19:33
turnerminator
Stunning pics Moski, thanks for posting.
I'm tempted to go to Sweden instead of Norway next year now.
I went to Funasdalen a few years ago in the summer and remember well the beautiful country and the insane mosquitoes!
01-08-2011, 20:03
gargoyle
My kids have been waiting for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer...apparently he is swimming still?? :D
Nice report. I'll bet that area looks a little different right now.
01-09-2011, 02:54
moski
I thank all for your all posts and kind comments !
Thanks guys !
Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter
Love that aria:)
Why ?
It is just rocks :D
Kidding, especially the Swedish side was nice, the border sucked :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shug
Although I don't speak Swedish .... I understood you!!!!
Something about rocks...........
I like the Alpacka .... a lot. Looks like a fun change of pace.
Shug
Yeah, something like:
**** FU**ing rocks!
How the fu*ck could i be so stupid,
to plot a route in the wilderness without a trail !
But i had fun :laugh:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bieggolmai
Great trip report!
Seems like you need to get back to Rogens but maybe not alone next time.
Would be great to see that area and also great to try one of those boats.
We´ll need to discuss this at the SKAHOw.
Sure!
Anything to get sucked into the world of Alpacka's :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by mbiraman
Thanks Moski; beautiful country. Thanks for sharing the trials and tribulations. As long as we learn, its a success. Seemed like you made pretty good time in your alpaca when things were going right. Beautiful blue pic. Thanks for sharing.
I had a good time !
But there was moments when i thought:
God, what am i doing here :D
I agree with you, it's all about getting new experiences without paying
the ultimate price .
Quote:
Originally Posted by turnerminator
Stunning pics Moski, thanks for posting.
I'm tempted to go to Sweden instead of Norway next year now.
I went to Funasdalen a few years ago in the summer and remember well the beautiful country and the insane mosquitoes!
The cool thing about is area, is that you don't have to choose !
Because it's on the border between Sweden and Norway.
On the Swedish side it's Rogens and on Norwegian side it is femundsmarka
But if you have been to Funäsdalen, you have already been here :laugh:
It's only 25km SW of Funäsdalen.
The way to trick the mosquito's is to go early or late in the summer.
01-09-2011, 02:55
moski
Quote:
Originally Posted by gargoyle
My kids have been waiting for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer...apparently he is swimming still?? :D
Nice report. I'll bet that area looks a little different right now.
Then they have to wait :D
Yeah, it's whiter now i think :D
01-09-2011, 07:35
turnerminator
Quote:
Originally Posted by moski
The cool thing about is area, is that you don't have to choose !
Because it's on the border between Sweden and Norway.
On the Swedish side it's Rogens and on Norwegian side it is femundsmarka
But if you have been to Funäsdalen, you have already been here :laugh:
It's only 25km SW of Funäsdalen.
The way to trick the mosquito's is to go early or late in the summer.
I checked it on google earth, I only missed it by a few miles! I spent my time in the mountains to the north and west.
Thanks for the links :)
01-09-2011, 16:53
Bearpaw
Nice trek with the options for floating and hiking. I've seen some similar trip reports from hiker/paddlers in the Pacific Northwest, but this is the first Skandinavian report. I'm jealous. I miss Norway and Sweden. I was there a couple of times while I was a Marine.
