I have Friday and Monday off so I can go to the mountains for a long weekend to ski (cross-country). One of my main goals for this holiday is to photograph Mittåkläppen covered in snow, so that’s where I headed first. As I got to Bruksvallarna, I was wondering if it it’s going to work, because it was suddenly snowing and visibility was poor. It had been sunshine in Funäsdalen… I decided to drive to Ramundberget anyway, and that turned out to a be a good decision. It’s only 9 km from Bruksvallarna to Ramund but the weather changes quickly and varies a lot from valley to valley and mountain. It still wasn’t sunny, but I really wanted to do the Mittåkläppen trail so I took my chances. And would you know it – by the time I was halfway up, the sun started to came out! But I have to say, the going up part is no breeze. I was profoundly wishing that I had dressed in lighter clothes. But then I finally came up on the plateau, the wind picked up and I didn’t have to work the skis so hard, and I found myself zipping up the jacket and pulling the hat deeper. It wasn’t very cold as such but the temperature seemed to vary quite a bit from place to place so when I stopped for a long while when Mittåkläppen finally came into view and took my time shooting it, my fingers started to freeze. At times the mountain was completely shrouded in clouds and snowfall but after a few minutes it was bathed in sunlight. Glorious! When I started the loop back towards Ramundberget, I noticed that I was developing some serious blisters. I already had one from last weekend, covered with a Compeed plaster, but it seemed like it was chafing around it. But there was no question about my right foot… definitely a new blister! Luckily it’s mostly downhill on the way back, so it wasn’t chafing all the time. But that downhill part then… you’d think that it’s a lot easier than going up? Well, that’s what I thought, as well, but breaking down is really hard work! My legs were aching badly before I got back to Ramundberget. I’m so out of shape, I am… But then again, this was the longest trip I’ve done on skis. Normally I do one or two rounds at home (the loop is 2.5 km) but the Mittåkläppen trail is over 10 km.

After a tour like that, I was famished. I drove to the hotel and checked in, but I had an hour before dinner would be served. The room was chilly so I ended up under the cover to get some rest and keep warm. And then finally, food. Lovely! Only spoiled by small kids running around. I don’t get that… what’s the point of taking babies and other small infants here? What do they do, drag the baby carriage with a snowmobile? Slap skis on them when they barely can stand on their own? I’m completely missing the point here, as usual.