Kungsleden: Some Reflections
The huts
All are beautifully situated and well stocked. You might be able to get away without bringing an inflatable pillow or sleeping bag–those items were more necessary on my night train from Ostersund to Stockholm. Anyway, there is provided on the mattress (adequate, no need to supplement with a Thermarest) a pillow and comforter. I was there very end of August til September 1, and I was too warm in my room at night
I hiked without a stove, fuel, pot. This saved greatly on weight. I thought, from reading trip diaries and YouTube that I might want a mid-day warm up, a hot lunch. No. I kept going and my stops to refuel were tortilla sandwiches from the cheese, meat, and cucumber I bought at the Coop grocery at the Stockholm Central train station. More about food under those reflections.
The huts also provide propane to heat up water, etc. Every other hut sold pantry items.
From hut to hut, the layout was basically the same. Except not really. And this is embarrassing. I only spent a total of 9 hours at any given hut, the rest of the time I was on the Kungsleden. So how could one layout be more etched into my memory than another? I'm asking because at, perhaps, the third hut I continually walked into someone else's room. Instead of heading toward the kitchen/communal eating area, I'd turn toward the huge group sleeping area at the opposite end. That night I got up to pee and literally could not find my way out. I had a headlamp but was so disoriented, I kept walking into the drying room.
Also, and this could go under food, there are recycling stations at every hut. So if you decide to bring tinned fish, etc you can wash out the can and leave it at the hut instead of carrying it around.
Toilets
Outside. Communal outhouse like POW latrines. Smelly. Gross. But considering how much traffic they got, normal.
They were wooden construction with like a Styrofoam laminate where one sits. With a Styrofoam top to fit the donut hole. On top of that was a wooden safekeep and on top of that something heavy like rocks, antlers, etc. I felt like I was breaking into Fort Knox just to take a pee.
And were they close? It depends upon the size of your bladder. For me, not close enough. When the suggestion of having to go happens, it turns within seconds to more than a concept– if you get my point. So the one night I was desperately trying to find my way out of the hut and ended up in someone's room and then the drying room, I ended up relieving myself outside the door beside the front deck, ON THE WAY to the portos. Sheesh. Not a confidence builder.
Some of this I put down to nerves, some to having a kid, mostly to being an old woman. Again, none of this makes me feel invincible. Quite the opposite.
At least, toilet paper is well supplied. You only need to bring enough for the occasional porto by the trail. On trail, I drip and dry.
Food
I was convinced I had too much. How heavy was my food bag? It depends on which food bag. At home I started out with one and that was well under 8 pounds. Then I had a snack bag with nuts and dried fruit. Healthy stuff. Then there are the items I picked up at the Coop at Stockholm Central to round out my menus. Where I threw in a few extras. I'm guessing around 11 pounds, total. I threw in a packet of cookies.
It was the cookies that ended up sustaining me. Don't forget the sweets, they're a motivator.
My plan was at the mountain station before starting the Kungsleden and at the first hut to eat the heavier items in order to bring weight down.
I had what I called: Loaded ramen. Noodles with sardines in tomato sauce on top. That way I could do away with the tin.
Later on it will be couscous, using the flavor packet from the ramen. I also had a rice mix.
Long story short: I ate everything.
True to form, though, while actually hiking, I hardly consumed calories; I was more interested in getting somewhere. I ate my cheese, meat, cucumber tortillas and stray snacks, but there were some days I skipped the granola bar. I did have 2 of those left over.
I had just enough of my salty/sweet and fruit trail mix left for the long trip back to Stockholm.
All are beautifully situated and well stocked. You might be able to get away without bringing an inflatable pillow or sleeping bag–those items were more necessary on my night train from Ostersund to Stockholm. Anyway, there is provided on the mattress (adequate, no need to supplement with a Thermarest) a pillow and comforter. I was there very end of August til September 1, and I was too warm in my room at night
I hiked without a stove, fuel, pot. This saved greatly on weight. I thought, from reading trip diaries and YouTube that I might want a mid-day warm up, a hot lunch. No. I kept going and my stops to refuel were tortilla sandwiches from the cheese, meat, and cucumber I bought at the Coop grocery at the Stockholm Central train station. More about food under those reflections.
The huts also provide propane to heat up water, etc. Every other hut sold pantry items.
From hut to hut, the layout was basically the same. Except not really. And this is embarrassing. I only spent a total of 9 hours at any given hut, the rest of the time I was on the Kungsleden. So how could one layout be more etched into my memory than another? I'm asking because at, perhaps, the third hut I continually walked into someone else's room. Instead of heading toward the kitchen/communal eating area, I'd turn toward the huge group sleeping area at the opposite end. That night I got up to pee and literally could not find my way out. I had a headlamp but was so disoriented, I kept walking into the drying room.
Also, and this could go under food, there are recycling stations at every hut. So if you decide to bring tinned fish, etc you can wash out the can and leave it at the hut instead of carrying it around.
Toilets
Outside. Communal outhouse like POW latrines. Smelly. Gross. But considering how much traffic they got, normal.
They were wooden construction with like a Styrofoam laminate where one sits. With a Styrofoam top to fit the donut hole. On top of that was a wooden safekeep and on top of that something heavy like rocks, antlers, etc. I felt like I was breaking into Fort Knox just to take a pee.
And were they close? It depends upon the size of your bladder. For me, not close enough. When the suggestion of having to go happens, it turns within seconds to more than a concept– if you get my point. So the one night I was desperately trying to find my way out of the hut and ended up in someone's room and then the drying room, I ended up relieving myself outside the door beside the front deck, ON THE WAY to the portos. Sheesh. Not a confidence builder.
Some of this I put down to nerves, some to having a kid, mostly to being an old woman. Again, none of this makes me feel invincible. Quite the opposite.
At least, toilet paper is well supplied. You only need to bring enough for the occasional porto by the trail. On trail, I drip and dry.
Food
I was convinced I had too much. How heavy was my food bag? It depends on which food bag. At home I started out with one and that was well under 8 pounds. Then I had a snack bag with nuts and dried fruit. Healthy stuff. Then there are the items I picked up at the Coop at Stockholm Central to round out my menus. Where I threw in a few extras. I'm guessing around 11 pounds, total. I threw in a packet of cookies.
It was the cookies that ended up sustaining me. Don't forget the sweets, they're a motivator.
My plan was at the mountain station before starting the Kungsleden and at the first hut to eat the heavier items in order to bring weight down.
I had what I called: Loaded ramen. Noodles with sardines in tomato sauce on top. That way I could do away with the tin.
Later on it will be couscous, using the flavor packet from the ramen. I also had a rice mix.
Long story short: I ate everything.
True to form, though, while actually hiking, I hardly consumed calories; I was more interested in getting somewhere. I ate my cheese, meat, cucumber tortillas and stray snacks, but there were some days I skipped the granola bar. I did have 2 of those left over.
I had just enough of my salty/sweet and fruit trail mix left for the long trip back to Stockholm.
Comments