Something New

A lot of recent changes for me: leaving employment for the foreseeable future, back to a state of unknown. A world of opportunities: I’m keen to make the most of it.

I want to finish my year and a half in Norway with some new skills and experiences to show for it, and also get myself back into old, but good, habits. So, a big challenge before I’m off.

This particular one has been the culmination of months of scribbling on maps, day-dreaming, learning new skills, researching equipment, testing, refining. The aim is to ski solo across the north of Norway, above the Arctic Circle. Starting near to Tromsø, and finishing a stone’s throw from the Russian border at Kirkenes, about 650km (400miles) from start to finish. (Disclaimer: as the border situation is likely to be tense, no stones will actually be thrown).

The type of skiing I will be doing, fjellski, is similar to standard cross country skiing, with slightly more robust skis. It’s a slower form of Nordic skiing but allows venturing further into the wilderness: imagine long distance hiking versus track running.

I will also be towing a pulk, a sled, with all of my equipment in it for the duration of the trip. The aim is to be self-supported, and if I have counted calories, fuel consumption and battery usage correctly I shouldn’t need to pick up any more supplies along the way. But for those that are wondering, yes, there are a couple of towns dotted around if I need them, as well as huts scattered about the mountains.

A scaled down trip from what I’d originally planned, as the date has drawn nearer it has become unbelievably daunting. I can’t think of anything I’ve ever attempted on the same scale as this. A lot of spreadsheets, headaches and organising logistics. A rollercoaster of panic, excitement, nervousness. Delays, problems with overpacking, concerns about underpacking. But now, just a desire to get started.

Sitting in front of me are the bags, around 75kg of equipment that will be my lifeline, my ticket to the wilderness, and my ball and chain for around a month. My back is still complaining from throwing them on and off buses, and through airports. All in, it weighs about the same as me. Now I need to haul everything over Norway’s largest mountain plateau, through national parks, and across the heartlands of the native Sámi people.

For me this is an experiment in a lot of ways, I have an aim, but just want to see how far I get. I’m not sure I’ll manage to see it through to the end, as a lot can, and will go wrong. But I want to start, and see how far I get. It’s a unique situation to be in, and with no real pressure other than my own desire to see what I can achieve.

Why am I doing it? I want to be outside exploring new places, trying new challenges, pushing myself. I want to see how I cope with a month or more in almost total isolation. I want to see if I can survive the hostile weather in the furthest reaches of mainland Europe. To see if I chose the right equipment, learned the right skills, if I’m physically fit, and mentally strong enough. No promises of a finish, but a promise to start, and keep going as far as I can.

A huge thanks to those who’ve answered my endless questions, been patient as I invaded their floorspace to pack gear, and those who were willing to join me on swear-filled ski trips as I learned many mistakes the hard way. The process has already been more than memorable.

But for now, I have a bus to catch, and a sled to drag. Over and out.

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Trip report is published, find it here