Day 13 | To Aktze Hut | 16km
The night brought rain, but inside my cozy sleeping bag, I remained snug and the air around was still warm. I contemplated having breakfast at the shelter, approximately 7 kilometers away, but I decided to have something to eat right away to fuel up.
Upon climbing a hill, I was treated to captivating views of the valley with its intriguing land formations. It was another beautiful morning, even if it was a bit foggy. Upon reaching the next shelter, I came across two Czech hikers who had completed the entire journey from Abisko and intended to conclude their hike in Kvikkjokk before catching a ride to Stockholm. They even carried a hip flask and offered Paul and me a sip, which we happily accepted. Soon, Zach and Asha arrived, and we all enjoyed our meals together.
The upcoming downhill stretch was quite relaxed, even though a rain shower made an appearance. We all reconvened at the shelter by the next lake crossing to wait for the boat, scheduled to depart at 5:15 pm. We had plenty of time to exchange PCT and other hiking stories, as well as indulge in more food. I also changed my clothes again, as I had gotten pretty soaked in the rain. It made me question whether my new and expensive rain jacket was about to let me down.
The water in the lake was peculiar and had an unpleasant smell. The boat ride across was fascinating, providing views into the Sarek National Park. However, as soon as we were back on land, heavy rain began to pour, not too far from Aktze hut.
The hut store had a pleasant surprise in store: chocolate and beer! While there, I had a chat with two German gentlemen who appeared a bit weathered. They had been exploring Sarek for several days but decided to leave due to the unfavorable weather conditions.
Curious about their experiences, I asked them about the conditions there. They explained that it could often be quite challenging, with trails sometimes non-existent. Walking through dense vegetation could be tiring, unless a moose had already created a path. Additionally, the terrain can get pretty muddy during rainy spells, and progress could be as slow as 2 kilometers per hour. It certainly sounded like an adventurous endeavor!
After shopping at the hut store, we sought refuge on the porch to prepare dinner and escape the rain. To our surprise, the warden was rather unfriendly and insisted we leave if we weren't planning to stay. We negotiated that we would at least finish our food before departing. Eventually, we decided to stay, and to our delight, we had a whole cabin to ourselves. Asha expertly lit a fire in the oven, where we hung up our wet clothes to dry.