Day 17 | To Singi Hut | 22km

I wake up around 11 pm, feeling quite warm. I remove a layer, but it's challenging to fall back asleep because the camp spot isn't entirely even. My usual practice of lying on the ground before pitching my tent to check for flat ground seems to have failed this time. Throughout the night, I experiment with different ways to position my sleeping pad. After what feels like an eternity, I resort to using my pack under my feet to achieve some level of comfort.

There's a slight drizzle when I wake up, but it fortunately stops by the time I finish my breakfast. I'm feeling relaxed because I'm confident I'll make it to Abisko in time unless something unexpected happens, like an injury, heavy snowfall, or incessant rain.

After lunch at the Kaitumjaure hut, after crossing a bridge a beautiful, wide valley opens up. I'm so happy that I can't help but scream for joy. Apparently, there's an echo, so Paul, who is quite a bit ahead, turns around a bit puzzled, wondering if everything is okay. "All good!" I shout, waving. The Singi hut comes into sight, but it's still quite a walk to get there. A handful of hikers pass in groups of 2 or 3. It starts raining a bit, but not enough for me to go through the hassle of putting on my rain cover. A giant rainbow appears.

Upon reaching the Singi hut, I'm initially inclined to camp and pay the 200SEK fee to use the facilities. However, Paul is contemplating moving on to the next shelter, 5 km away, as rain is predicted for the following day. Ultimately, we both decide to stay. The sun reemerges during dinner, and I take some time to explore the shop and chat with the young wardens. This is their first time as hosts, and they've been here for a total of 5 weeks out of 6. They went on hikes to nearby peaks, including Kebnekaise, taking them 10 hours with no special gear apart from good warming gloves. It's a day that ends with me retiring to my tent early.