Across Hardangervidda 2022
When the corona restrictions were at their worst and the paper flags saying "it's going to be okay" (a sort of slogan and common sight in Norway during the covid-19 pandemic) started to wear thin, I realized that I needed something to work towards, a project. But maybe not as intense as an expedition to Mt Everest. I had the opportunity to go on a trip for about a week and the choice fell on a winter trip to Hardangervidda.
Then it hit me; what if I planned it as if it were an expedition to a completely deserted area? If I were to manage completely on my own and carry out (almost) regardless of the weather conditions, what would I have to pack, plan for, acquire, research and learn?
I wrote a long list of questions and points for follow-up (how do you get a tent and a primus up and down in the shortest possible time, alone and in strong winds? How much and what should I eat? What snacks are easiest to eat with mittens? Why do polar explorers hold their poles differently than skiers? How do polar explorers train?). I then set about finding the answers to these questions through conversations with people with varied hiking experience, testing and reading countless books and blogs about hiking and expeditions, repairs, diet, training and weather conditions, etc.
After several postponements, I finally completed the trip at the beginning of Easter. The result was 7 days in a tent and 120 km on skis with a sled, from Finse to Haukeliseter, with fantastic nature experiences and the mountains showing themselves in all their shades. The preparations were definitely worth the effort and I really enjoyed myself, even though this was a different way of being on a trip than I was used to. Well-being was key, but I also followed clear routines for sessions, daily stages, establishment and operation in camp. I learned a lot through the process in advance and had a few "Aha!" experiences along the way that I will take with me in the further development of my expedition skills.
