Sarek Highlights trip 2-13 of July, 2018

[omni96]

Hej guys and god jul to everyone!

I've been preparing and planning for this trip for around the last two years.
This here will be me and my friend's plan for hiking Sarek and visiting the two main attractions we like to see, Sarek mountain and the Rapa valley.

We will have enough food and gear for the period, but would like to get your opinion about a few issues:
- Climbing the mountain with trail runners but with thick wool seal skins - does it seem reasonable?
- Does the route (excluding Aktse-Kvikkjokk) seem okay in terms of exposure to mosquitoes? We'd like to avoid them as much as possible
- Are 11 days enough?

kml
gpx

 

[Celeste_26]

God Jul!
The route appears doable in 11 days, but weather has a great influence and can hold you back, especially when reaching for the Sarek summits. My only real question deals with what looks like a North-South traverse of the Sarek massif. To do it carrying all your gear and food for another week appears, well, unconventional and strenuous.

If you come for 'the Sarek experience', the real adventure ends at Aktse. Consider spending more time inside the national park and less on the Kungsleden trail.

As for mosquitoes, conditions vary a lot depending on season, location but most of all altitude. At 600 meters down in the Rapa valley, there is no escape. I wouldn't worry too much about them, but again, mosquitoes also make a case for avoiding the Aktse-Kvikkjokk stretch.

 

[kjpil]

Hej guys and god jul to everyone!

I've been preparing and planning for this trip for around the last two years.
This here will be me and my friend's plan for hiking Sarek and visiting the two main attractions we like to see, Sarek mountain and the Rapa valley.

We will have enough food and gear for the period, but would like to get your opinion about a few issues:
- Climbing the mountain with trail runners but with thick wool seal skins - does it seem reasonable?
- Does the route (excluding Aktse-Kvikkjokk) seem okay in terms of exposure to mosquitoes? We'd like to avoid them as much as possible
- Are 11 days enough?

kml
gpx

11 Days is plenty of time. Trailrunners Will be Good, I assume you're comfortable with them for easy climbing and crevassed glacier (the way you drew the route). Wool socks is probably enough but people seems to like sealskinz but I dont have experience of sealskinz.

Mosquitos be prepared for them!

It looks like a very nice hike

 

[omni96]

God Jul!
The route appears doable in 11 days, but weather has a great influence and can hold you back, especially when reaching for the Sarek summits. My only real question deals with what looks like a North-South traverse of the Sarek massif. To do it carrying all your gear and food for another week appears, well, unconventional and strenuous.

If you come for 'the Sarek experience', the real adventure ends at Aktse. Consider spending more time inside the national park and less on the Kungsleden trail.

As for mosquitoes, conditions vary a lot depending on season, location but most of all altitude. At 600 meters down in the Rapa valley, there is no escape. I wouldn't worry too much about them, but again, mosquitoes also make a case for avoiding the Aktse-Kvikkjokk stretch.

I'm not worried about starting with the mountain at the beggining.
It means that if we get into trouble, we can change our plans early. Also, though we'll carry all our gear, we'll only have about 15-16 kgs each so that shouldn't be too much of an issue either.

We might consider changing the route to go south from the mountain instead of turning south-east toward the rapa river.
My only consern is crossing the river, as the only bridge in the area is the Skárjá bridge which doesn't seem to cross rapa itself.

The mosquitos are my worse enemy.
They like me too much, and I can't stand them.
However, we want about one/two huts and the end of the trail to rest a little bit.

11 Days is plenty of time. Trailrunners Will be Good, I assume you're comfortable with them for easy climbing and crevassed glacier (the way you drew the route). Wool socks is probably enough but people seems to like sealskinz but I dont have experience of sealskinz.

Mosquitos be prepared for them!

It looks like a very nice hike

The seal skins are basically wool with waterproofing, since the trail runners are not water proof.

We didn't really look into the climb too much so the route is very flexible at that area.
I tried marking the route where there are less glaciers and more rocks, which I'm not sure is the best idea.

I'll read about it more in my books but I could use some help if you have an idea about best routes to the summit and from it.

Thanks!

 

[kjpil]

I'm not worried about starting with the mountain at the beggining.
It means that if we get into trouble, we can change our plans early. Also, though we'll carry all our gear, we'll only have about 15-16 kgs each so that shouldn't be too much of an issue either.

We might consider changing the route to go south from the mountain instead of turning south-east toward the rapa river.
My only consern is crossing the river, as the only bridge in the area is the Skárjá bridge which doesn't seem to cross rapa itself.

The mosquitos are my worse enemy.
They like me too much, and I can't stand them.
However, we want about one/two huts and the end of the trail to rest a little bit.



The seal skins are basically wool with waterproofing, since the trail runners are not water proof.

We didn't really look into the climb too much so the route is very flexible at that area.
I tried marking the route where there are less glaciers and more rocks, which I'm not sure is the best idea.

I'll read about it more in my books but I could use some help if you have an idea about best routes to the summit and from it.

Thanks!

If you look in the Sarek facebook group i have written a post with details of all the normal ways to the summit, with pictures. It is in swedish but read with translate program or just ask, maybe i have info of specific sections. West ridge is most easy and least committing.

There can be mosquitos even in the high valleys sometimes unfortunatly.

 

[pack]

You can get stronger mosquito repellent from the US or Hong Kong, maybe https://m.ebay.com/itm/3M-Ultrathon...789285&hash=item5900389221:g:nhYAAOSwB09YCDRA or https://m.ebay.com/itm/Coleman-100-...191028&hash=item3d2130633b:g:dhIAAOSw5dlaAiVH
Repel is also a good brand.
Add a simple bugnet and you are homefree.

 

[omni96]

If you look in the Sarek facebook group i have written a post with details of all the normal ways to the summit, with pictures. It is in swedish but read with translate program or just ask, maybe i have info of specific sections. West ridge is most easy and least committing.

There can be mosquitos even in the high valleys sometimes unfortunatly.

Can you send me a link please?

You can get stronger mosquito repellent from the US or Hong Kong, maybe https://m.ebay.com/itm/3M-Ultrathon...789285&hash=item5900389221:g:nhYAAOSwB09YCDRA or https://m.ebay.com/itm/Coleman-100-...191028&hash=item3d2130633b:g:dhIAAOSw5dlaAiVH
Repel is also a good brand.
Add a simple bugnet and you are homefree.

Yes, I will buy the repel 100 and we both have head bugnets
Will also treat our base layer with some permethrin

 

[qy]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/329492693857479/

I think you will need to be a member in the group before you can read anything, so apply for membership, you will probably find other good information there as well.

If you want to experience the Rapa valley you have done what you can to avoid mosquito in terms of route. Use clothing they cant penetrate as much as possible and get plenty of mosquito repellent. If you really want to do everything you can, buy one of these to get some respite at breaks etc.:
https://www.thermacell.com/products/repellents/portable-repellers

But the most important thing about mosquitos is to have the mindset "This isn´t to bad" - regardless of what it is like...

 

[TROY GARNER]

You can get stronger mosquito repellent from the US or Hong Kong, maybe https://m.ebay.com/itm/3M-Ultrathon...789285&hash=item5900389221:g:nhYAAOSwB09YCDRA or https://m.ebay.com/itm/Coleman-100-...191028&hash=item3d2130633b:g:dhIAAOSw5dlaAiVH
Repel is also a good brand.
Add a simple bugnet and you are homefree.

Man får starkare DEET från UK lättare med snabb leveranstid hit.
50% är en bra kompromiss och funkar väldigt bra gentemot 20%.
Man måste tänka på att DEET 80% och 100% går väldigt hårt på plast som i kläder och annat som solglasögon men effektivt är det.

 

[kjpil]

Also in your planned route. If wet conditions, suottasjåhkå can be hard to cross.

 

[Virhage]

You will be hiking in a very beautiful area, good choise!
People have already made clear that you will not be able to avoid mosquitoes =)

Are you sure that you will be able to cross the Sarek peaks carrying full equipment? The land is barren and very rocky. Might get wobbly in your trail runners up there with an 11-day pack.

Also I would strongly advice against ending in Kvikkjokk, that hut is miserable. The route from Aktse goes through nice forest but is comparable to the route to Saltoloukta. In Saltoloukta you have a great hut with restaurant, breakfast buffet and sauna. Much better option to end your trip there in my opinon.

God tur.

 

[omni96]

You will be hiking in a very beautiful area, good choise!
People have already made clear that you will not be able to avoid mosquitoes =)

Are you sure that you will be able to cross the Sarek peaks carrying full equipment? The land is barren and very rocky. Might get wobbly in your trail runners up there with an 11-day pack.

Also I would strongly advice against ending in Kvikkjokk, that hut is miserable. The route from Aktse goes through nice forest but is comparable to the route to Saltoloukta. In Saltoloukta you have a great hut with restaurant, breakfast buffet and sauna. Much better option to end your trip there in my opinon.

God tur.

I don't think it should be that hard, but I am considering leaving the packs at the bottom and climbing without them

Saltoloukta is a great hut but I've also been to Kvikkjokk and actually liked it there, they also have a decent restaurant