NOTYOURUSUALHUTTOUR

NOT YOUR USUAL HUT TOUR

Text: Anna Kernell / Photo: David Nilsson Törnblom Like hiking, but faster – running between cabins lets you cover long distances and enjoy the mountains without carrying a huge pack. We asked Elin Strannegård, the Swedish Tourist Association's sports director in the Jämtland mountains, to teach us more about cabin running – and got a far more adventurous story than we bargained for!

Elin started working at a mountain station in 2014 and immediately got hooked on cabin running. Since then, she’s run hundreds of kilometres through the Swedish mountains, participated in races, worked as a running coach, and created her own running events. Even her holidays in Spain, Norway and Italy have been running adventures. In other words, she’s got a whole bunch of running memories to choose from. But one of them stands out. It was a few years ago, and Elin was site manager at the Saltoluokta mountain station. She was single and her love life wasn’t anything to brag about; it goes without saying that there aren’t plenty of fish in the mountains. But then one day, the fire alarm needed fixing and her remote station had a visitor. They started talking. He had a dog, she had a dog – there was chemistry. Elin happened to mention that she often runs between cabins in her spare time and he said that was something he’d always wanted to do. And just like that, they’d settled on a first date. A running date – which would last for four days. - It’s so weird that I did that – running that sort of distance with a person I didn’t know at all, in a deserted mountainous area where there wasn’t even any phone signal. I had no idea how good a runner he was. Or even who he was! Would we get along at all? But I thought: “Whatever, it’ll be fun”.

ELIN’S 15-LITRE BACKPACK:

• Light rain trousers • Wind & waterproof running jacket • Extra base layers and underwear to sleep in • Thin, packable down jacket • Buff, beanie, gloves & cap (nice to have both in sunshine and rain) • Camping towel • Sunglasses • Snacks & own breakfast cereal (dinner consisted of simple dishes that we bought in the shops) • Powdered drinks to mix with water (rehydration tablets, effervescent vitamin tablets or instant soup) • Coffee! • Needle and dental floss (dental floss is super strong and great for repairing broken shoes and backpacks) • Limited first aid kit: tape, rescue blanket, blister plaster, painkillers, compression bandage

70kmin4days

In four days, this new couple would run 70 km from Vakkotavare to Nikkaluokta, a mixture of challenging and easy terrain, but always with magnificent landscapes in the background. - Even if you’re not a very strong runner, you can still manage something like this. The most important thing is that you understand the mountains. You have to be able to assess the weather, understand your own ability and know what to do if something happens. Just like when you go hiking in the mountains.

VakkotavaretoTeusajaure(16km)

To get to Vakkotavare using public transport, you take a train to Gällivare and change to the 93 bus towards Ritsem. STF Vakkotavare has its own bus stop and daily connections with Gällivare during the tourist season between June and September. The first stretch from Vakkotavare begins with Kungsleden’s steepest ascent. You’ll have a hard time running here – it’s closer to climbing. It’s a tough start among mountain birches and not really for rookie runners. - I was sure of my own ability, but he was an unknown quantity – he hadn’t run that much before and never for several days or with a dog. The hardest thing about being out with people you don’t know is that you don’t know how they handle challenges. Do they get angry when they’re hungry and tired or do they face adversity with a smile? The 16 km to Teusajaure is uphill, downhill and flat in equal parts and ends with a one-kilometre row across a lake. Here you can use the small boats provided by the County Administrative Board. Your reward? A night in a beautiful lakefront cabin. - I’ve visited 38 out of 43 STA mountain cabins, and in my opinion, the Kaitumjaure and Teusajaure cabins are the most beautiful of them all.

TeusajauretoKaitumjaure(9km)

You do the next stage in half a day. It’s 9 km to Kaitumjaure and you also have to struggle with a steep ascent right off the bat. But you’re soon rewarded with magnificent views over Kaitumjaure's mountain lake, framed by dramatic cliffs. The rest of the stages are slightly downhill but the terrain is very rocky, which makes the stage more technical and timeconsuming than you might think. - It’s not about running at a certain speed. You don’t have to run every ascent or where it’s super technical. I look like a tiptoeing dressage horse when I’m crossing rocky terrain. You’ve got to be careful – if you sprain your foot, you need to be able to take care of the injury yourself. And if it’s more serious than that and you need medical care, the only alternative is an air ambulance. Kaitumjaure is also situated by a lake, in a valley. Here, just like at Teusajaure, it’s very much a self-catering situation. The cabins are very simple: you fetch water from the lake and chop your own wood. But there’s a fully equipped kitchen, bunk beds with duvets and pillows, an outdoor toilet and a small shop with basic food and snacks. - This was far from a normal date. You’re wearing running gear and maybe have some base layers in your backpack to wear in the evening. There’s no make-up, fancy clothes or nice hairdos. When it was us two, it was very relaxed. We didn’t really have any of those awkward moments you sometimes have on dates, when you’re trying to figure out what to say next. We actually had quite a lot to talk about, and a lot of chores! All our energy went into running, cooking, chopping wood, taking care of the dogs, and meeting other people who were staying in the cabins. It was busy, and a long way from a relaxing dinner date!

KaitumjauretoKebnekaise(23km)

The third day is a bit longer. The first part is easy, the path winds its way through the valley where it follows the river and crosses beautiful mountain moors. Then you have a choice: run to the Singi cabin and turn off towards Kebnekaise or take a shortcut that takes you higher up the mountain. This shortcut works well, but only if the weather’s good and there isn’t too much snow. - The weather was very nice at the start of our third day, sunny with temperatures over 20 degrees. We stopped for a dip in the river with the dogs, in a place where natural pools form in the mountain – it was dreamy! But despite promising weather earlier in the day, the weather got worse the higher we got. Strong winds and sleet forced us to take shelter behind a rock. We sat there crouching and eating snacks for a while. But when we managed to make our way down to the Kebnekaise mountain station, we were extra happy about the shower, sauna and the opportunity to buy wine and cooked food. At the Kebnekaise mountain station, you can enjoy a cooked meal in the restaurant, private rooms and even room service. You can also spend the night in a dormitory and cook your own dinner in the self-catering kitchen. The station has 200 beds and is one of STA's larger facilities, but during summer it’s often packed, so make sure to book your stay well in advance. - We didn’t book our stay in advance, but I knew some people there, so we crashed in a colleague’s room. I also had a good friend there whose parents were visiting, and since I knew them well, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hang out. That was the first time the situation felt a bit awkward, being in a social context with several other people. I mean, here I am, sitting with a guy I’d just met, playing games and drinking beer with one of my best friends and her parents. Haha!

KebnekaisetoNikkaluokta(19km)

The last 19 km to Nikkaluokta are easy. This stage is very flat, easy to walk and often crowded. First, it runs along trails and then halfway through, widens out into a forest access road – not necessarily something you’d drive your car down, but good enough! If you get hungry and just can’t wait until you get to Nikkaluokta, there’s a restaurant by the pier in Láddjujávri. Otherwise, just take the opportunity to enjoy one last spectacular view of the Kebnekaise massif. From Nikkaluokta you can take the Hörvalls bus to Kiruna, where you catch the night train home. - On reflection, I can’t believe I did something like this. It could’ve been a complete disaster. On a regular date, you only show your best side, but a situation like this is very intimate and you can’t really hide! It's a great way to get to know someone quickly but it can also end in disaster. Luckily, he was good fun and had just the right mindset to cope with an adventure like this. So, it’s a nice memory but no, we didn’t go on a second date. Although I guess you could say that we sped through four dates in one.

MOUNTAIN CABINS

A simple form of self-catering accommodation without electricity and running water, where you share rooms and communal spaces. The mountain cabins are scattered along trails in roadless land about 10 to 20 km apart. What you get: bunk beds with duvets and pillows, outdoor toilet, kitchen, cabin host who can answer questions and explain how everything works. Many cabins also have a small shop, and some have saunas. WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO: bring your own sheets (travel sheets), cook your own food, help fetch water outdoors and chop wood to light the fireplace and sauna.

REMEMBER: pre-book your stay before you head out. If you’re going to run in the mountains with very little in your backpack, it’s important to know that you have a place to sleep when you arrive. If you pre-book, you’ll get a discount and are guaranteed a proper bed to sleep in (if you arrive before 6 pm). If you arrive later than that, you’ll still have a place, but it could be a camp bed inside the mountain cabin or other indoor space.

WHAT TO PACK FOR YOUR DOG:

On STF's website, you can see on a map which places welcome dogs.

Dogs are allowed in all STF’s mountain cabins and can stay overnight at no extra cost. The cabins have special dog rooms, but they can’t be booked in advance and are subject to availability. Specify that you’re bringing your dog when you book your stay so the cabin host can plan. They’ll always try to ensure that you and your dog room together. In exceptional cases, however, you may need to sleep in different rooms, which is why it’s important that your dog is used to sharing small spaces with other dogs.

At the mountain stations, you always have to book a room that allows dogs in advance.

GOOD TO REMEMBER: - Between March the 1st and August the 20th, dogs aren’t allowed to run loose in the wild. Dogs should always be on a leash year-round when you’re in the mountains, this is to protect reindeer and other wild animals. National parks and nature reserves have their own rules, so be sure to check what’s what in the area you plan to visit. - Adapt the route to your dog’s fitness, breed and health. - Customise your first aid kit for dogs (e.g. tick hook, rehydration tablets, slippers). - If the dog is able to carry its own bag, it can be smart to invest in a dog pack. - Bring a food bowl, a water bowl and more pet food than usual.