I am going to Lapland!

In Sarek National Park (Wikimedia image)

In a week I depart for Sweden. I fly Asheville-Chicago-Stockholm—I was amazed I could do it with just one connection. I spend a day in Stockholm and take an overnight train, an 18-hour ride, to a place called Ritsem on the border of Sarek National Park. I backpack with a group for nine days, going through valleys and making side trips to climb a few peaks. There are no trails in Sarek. Now you know why I was interested!

This expedition is organized by a British company called Nature Travels that specializes in adventurous trips in Sweden and Norway. They say the groups going to Sarek typically include quite a few Scandinavians. It is difficult even for Swedes to navigate through the park unassisted.

I ‘ll have one more good hike before I go, leading a Smoky Mountains Hiking Club outing up No Name Ridge, and I depart next week. I return early August—spending another day in Stockholm before flying home.

The park has many glaciers—you see in the photo a typical braided river, tinted blue from glacial silt, flowing through a U-shaped valley. Stream crossings are a major challenge. I hope to see reindeer and bears. We will have about 22 hours a day of sunlight. The whole thing is nearly impossible for me to imagine.

But I am sure of one thing—it will be amazing.

Location of Sarek