Page 35 - 2018 AMA Winter

A Lyngen day at the beach. The descent from Russelvfjellet (794m).
For the SF3 group, the first on-mountain day was an easy touring day to get the exped familiarised with the alpine touring equipment and introduce new skills. Rønestinden is recommended as an introductory peak to the Lyngen Alps, so it was a good choice for the first day. Richie Simpson took the SF3s on some introduction to skinning and transceiver work, with everyone getting used to their avalanche safety equipment. Geordie’s group headed-off to the summit. Now dear AMA readers, at this point I’ll need to take you on what I’ll call “a journey”. For the sake of anonymity, I’ll call this individual “Dave” (which is a bit a coincidence really, because his name is Dave, Dave Gomez actually). So folks, stick some more Joe in the Aeropress®, rip open your favourite Clif Bar and settle back for this real emotional rollercoaster. We first took “Dave” to Lyngen two years ago, but unfortunately, he was the unwitting victim of that glaring Training Objective omission in the JSAT Ski Scheme (HQ JSMTC folk, please take note) – “Fashion Sense”. Two years ago, Dave’s look could only be described as “Ray Mears Chic”. Rather than discretely blending into to the mountain environment with the latest ‘Teryx, ‘Gonia or Norrøna, Dave looked like he was off to a Ray Mears Appreciation Society meeting. Under a Sami teepee. Or something. Nothing was too olive green or grey. Tragic. How was this great bloke to progress as a ski-tourer? Not to mention his pack. Oh dear. If any pack said “1980s West Highland Way Walker”, it was that pack. It even had...side-pockets. Really. But, if there is any proof in the value of Level 3 Adventurous Training, fast-for- ward two Lyngen ski-touring expeds later and the man is now a Ski Leader 1, with more Jöttnar and Norrøna in so many clashing colours, he’d bring a proud tear to the eye of even Sip Powers or Col Kingshott. From DRAGON’S TROLL 16 to DRAGON’S TROLL 18, he’s went from
“Ray Mears Chic” to “Fishing Float Chic” in three expeds. Just superb. We’re proud of you “Dave”, just so proud...
FRI 13 APR 18
Rissavàrri (1251m). A classic Lyngen start to the touring day, as the exped crossed the Lyngen fjord on the Lyngseidet to Olderdalen ferry. A short drive along the fjord, and both parties headed-up Rissavàrri. The mountain’s name probably doesn’t mean “the hill of the false summits”, but if it isn’t, it should be. But the mountain eventually relented, and both groups met at a chilly summit for the ski down. Fairly unforgiving snow meant a bit of a contest to get back to the cars, and after the traditional Lyngen fight through the forest at the base of the hill, everyone popped out of the tree-line to a gentle ski back to the cars. A first Lyngen summit-to-sea day for most of the group, and still a superb experience for all.
SAT 14 APR 18
Russelvfjellet (794m). A now traditional DRAGON’S TROLL introductory tour, the avalanche conditions very much dictated the choice of this route, and Richie decided on “Russell Phillips” on the northern part of the peninsula. It started as a promising day, but on reaching the mountain’s first top, the visibility became very poor, so the party very reluctantly descended down
the mountain, but still enjoying the superb views east to Uløya island and deep into the Lyngen Alps. The area at the base of Russelvfjellet gave the group ample space and opportunity to work through group shelters, with Richie setting the majority a task of building a quinzhee shelter, with he and I constructing a one-person snow cave. After finishing off the quinzhee and looking at the snow-cave example, the party skied back to the car, where Paul Tate managed to find a tunnel under the fjord-side road, which meant the group’s skiing literally stopped on the beach. Again, a great experience for the Lyngen first-timers.
SUN 15 APR 18
Fastdalstinden (1275m). Certainly, a short journey to the start of Fastdalstinden, as the mountain is just outside Lyngseidet. A good climb, initially quite challenging for the SF3 personnel, which gave everyone a chance to use their ski-crampons. A real big-mountain feel for these new ski-tourers with slopes up to 30°, so Richie took everyone through avalanche consideration. Good progress was made, with a real treat of no false summits, with the summit being in clear sight for much of the climb. A good day to go through route selection and especially the effects of solar loading on the snow-pack. All good SF3 stuff.
The SF3 group on the ascent of Rissavàrri (1251m)
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