Kungsleden Day 4 – Rudolph in the Rain

8 miles

Through the misting drizzle that is becoming a theme on this trip I see a collection of moving rocks strolling gently along the far side of the river. In thinking better than sentient rocks I realize that what I’m seeing are grazing reindeer. Their gently snuffling noses picking through moss and rocks in search of the choicest grass. Keith and I stand for long minutes watching the beauties in their silver-grey coats as jingles from my childhood dance through my head. Unfortunately, finally, the rain and wind get to be too much and we continue our push up to the pass. For the last three days we have climbed methodically up this massive drainage and today we will tip gently into the next one where the rain, ever the rain follows us towards camp.

By the time we hit our mileage for the day we are wet and have been for most of the day. What is worse is that the wind has picked up and has no sign of clearing until well into tomorrow. However, there’s an out. The Kungsleden, like other trails I’ve hiked in Europe, supply a series of backcountry huts offering hikers the opportunity to either wild camp or else pay a moderate fee to sleep in a bunk-style cabin. And tonight I push Keith into abandoning setting up our wet camp and paying for a buck. It’s a decision that which bares some internal dilemma. As an avid outdoors person and someone who posts about this aspect of their life online, I feel the need to put my brave face on, to tough out hard situations so that some invisible audience might think me worthy of their attention. While my more accepting self reminds me that sometimes being out in nature is kinda crap and really sometimes sleeping inside is awesome. And besides, nature is what we make of it, and being challenged is amazing and I love it, but not always and not tonight.