Stefan's muffled voice reaches me: "Martin, you have to get up! I can't get the snow off the tent!" Oh dear, but if we don't want to fall asleep under a mountain of snow forever, we have to get out. In the middle of the night, far away from civilization and in arctic conditions, this is anything but pleasant. A snowstorm is raging around our small dome tent and the temperatures are in the region of the freezer at home.
Shoes and laces are frozen as hard as a rock and it takes a lot of effort to squeeze your feet into them. Outside, visibility is close to zero and the ice crystals, which are hurled horizontally through the air at well over a hundred kilometers per hour, hurt like pins and needles on every exposed area of skin. It takes us an hour to shovel the tent free and build up the protective wall. Then we lie back down in our down and synthetic fiber cover and go back to sleep...
Why?
To get RIGHT OUT again, feel the silence and space, hear nothing but your own heartbeat, snowboard for the first time, no lifts, no snowmobiles, no helicopters - and show your body that there is more than just a desk chair and computer.
WHY!
Hardangervidda, the largest high plateau in Europe
As we didn't want to fly halfway around the world, we came up with Norway after some brief research. With an area of 8,000 square kilometers, the Hardangervidda is the largest high plateau in Europe with a mountainous region in the west. Due to its proximity to the sea, it is very snowy and often has arctic conditions, making this region a tried and tested training ground for Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, prepared himself here. Today, a network of paths runs through the national park and in the summer months there is talk of a veritable rush of tourists. Even in winter, there are marked main routes with huts that can be reached in daily stages. However, if you venture away from these or venture into the mountainous parts that are difficult to access, you will find a lonely and extreme winter landscape in February and March.
The wind dies down and visibility allows for a day trip across frozen lakes and slightly hilly terrain. It's not a bad idea to have a GPS with you, as orientation is not easy depending on the region and conditions. Towards evening, I climb our local mountain and have the chance to explore some of the beautiful slopes in the area. Dusk sets in and the first stars can be seen in the sky. The barometer climbs from hour to hour and it looks like we can look forward to a sunny next day. We have a double pack of expedition food from the bag and a so-called "Nuocierten" (tea with a nuoce of rum). We quickly realize that our sense of taste is obviously fading and so it quickly becomes a "proper tea with rum"...
The night is pleasant, no wind, not too cold (-15 degrees in the tent) and ends with a glorious sunrise. We decide to climb one of the big peaks in the area.
Big mountain, really big panorama
With photo equipment and the day's food in our backpacks, we head uphill towards the mountain for a few kilometers. The gradient slowly increases. The intensity of the sun is enormous and we protect our already burnt noses with tape constructions that are not exactly worthy of a design award. Sweat is pouring down our faces. Shortly before the summit, the skis are deposited and the rest is tackled on foot. Once again I realize: summits are the summit! A breathtaking panorama, the feeling of having reached the top and, of course, the summit rest - these are the moments that are hard to beat. With the telephoto lens, you can just make out our camp surrounded by mountains and solitude, and the steel-blue sky literally crowns the scene. Back at the tent, it's time to turn up the heat on the stove, we have another delicious cup of tea and sink deep into the realm of dreams.
With 60 kg luggage sledges to base camp
A few days ago, we set off from our starting point in Haukeliseter over steep slopes, hilly regions and frozen lakes with skis, snowshoes and 60 kg luggage sledges into the mountains to set up a base camp after a few days of trekking. From here, weather permitting, we set off every day to an inviting summit or simply with light packs into different valleys and through the snow-covered dream world. Ideally, we are woken up in the morning by the sun's rays, which warm the tent slightly. This is not the case today. Although we have shoveled the tent free at night, the same procedure is necessary in the morning. That's why we have a good portion of energy bars while still in our sleeping bags. - No, not "heavenly yogurt light" tasting ones, but bars bursting with fat, sugar, protein and carbohydrates that quickly provide 1500 calories.
A few meters from the tent, we set up a small kitchen corner and a snow cave. The tracks there have disappeared under all the fresh snow and we have to shovel everything clear here too. Then the usual ritual begins: collecting water. Our stoves run for several hours a day to melt enough snow to keep our hydration levels in balance. In the snow cave, which is equipped with comfortable seating, there is even a "proper breakfast": wholemeal bread, muesli, salami, margarine and coffee from a titanium coffee press.
The next day is a "rest day" on the program. I use the day to take photos and go on short runs in the surrounding area. Stefan has a special project in mind: a "chill-out zone". This 20 m2 chill-out zone in the snow is going to be a lot of fun. It took him three hours of hard work to create two beds with an ergonomic neck support and windbreak. Now nothing stands in the way of relaxed sunbathing! On the following days, we have breakfast here in a princely ambience ...
Punctured return march
Rather wistfully, we dismantle our base camp, load up the pulkas and set off again, back to civilization. As the snow has settled and we have "eaten" some of the weight off the sledges, the route is no longer as strenuous as it was at the start. Shortly before reaching our starting point, the wind gets nasty again, so we have to completely cover our faces for the last time. On the penultimate day, my binding breaks out of its anchorage in the ski. I cover the remaining distance on snowshoes. A few traverses along steep slopes also cause us and the luggage sledges a lot of trouble. Our "trailers" have to withstand several rollovers. One kilometer before we reach our starting point, the fastening mechanism on my drawbar breaks in one such incident. Slightly damaged, we reach Haukeliseter again and treat ourselves to large Fjällburgers in the local restaurant. The red wine takes effect and we retire to the dormitory to sleep. It feels like the middle of the night, but in reality I can hear Stefan's muffled voice again: "Martin, you have to wake up, the return journey is coming up!"
