First of all, we wish you a happy 2012!
We wanted to make a memorable start to the New Year, so we packed our sledges on 28 December, walked up on skis to the Dovrefjell mountains, and stayed in our tent until 1 January. Of course we were in the tent only during the nights (which happened to be quite long – 14-15 hours daily), and we spent the days photographing muskoxen or just shiver in the chilly wind sweeping over the mountain tops. We were freezing specially this time, because I packed in a hurry, and our warm bubble jackets were left home in the wardrobe… Huge mistake!
I usually do not catch cold in the field, but this time I got a tickle in my throat already during the first night. Anyway, I had to hold out, because I did not want to let Erlend down, who was really looking forward to this trip. My cold got worse with the days, and by the fourth night, it was difficult to take a breath (what an unforgettable New Year's Eve in the tent, with an outside temperature of -16-18 degrees...)
However, the muskoxen did not disappoint us. A large herd of approx. 40 individuals were grazing just a few hundred meters from our tent, so we did not have to climb much to approach them during the first days. Later they moved to higher elevation, which was just as great, because we warmed up a little while following them. The wind became strong for periods, carrying snow and thus creating a tough wintry atmosphere.
The last day started with snowing and sudden squalls, which soon turned into a quiet day, with low-lying clouds rolling over the majestic mountains. We walked around, but could not spot the animals in the thick fog, so we took down the tent, and came home to “recover” before we would set out for a long trip in the unique winter Norway!