The long-awaited day is finally here! My Fjällräven Classic Sweden Day 1 officially kicked off, and I stepped into the wild Lapland wilderness. After morning prep in Kiruna and a bus ride to the start in Nikkaluokta, I chewed off the first twenty-plus kilometers of this iconic route.
Morning Shuffle in Kiruna and Reindeer Cheese on the Bus
Even though the bed looked incredibly soft and the room had that slightly stale, dry air, I slept surprisingly well. I only got up once for the loo and took my meds at 5 AM. By six, I was still tossing and turning, packing the last bits, and at eight, I headed out for a solid breakfast.
Before we left, I managed a great shower, charged all my batteries, and did a final gear check. At the event check-in, I snagged a pen and filled out my passport and the tag for the gear transfer bag to Abisko. In return, I gifted the organizer a Polish “krówka” (caramel candy). I also swapped out my tube cheese for the much-hyped smoked reindeer meat version. At 10:02, we boarded the bus from Kiruna towards Nikkaluokta, spotting massive LED light bars on Swedish cars and a surprising number of Škoda vehicles along the way.
Starting from Nikkaluokta, Reindeer Burger, and the Whims of Nordic Weather
The weather at the start in Nikkaluokta was decent. I set off in shorts, with Rab rain pants over them. My upper body was covered by a sun hoodie, a Polartec Alpha fleece from NaLehko, and a rain jacket from NaLehko. The kit was rounded out by Altra Lone Peak shoes, Darn Tough socks, a merino neck gaiter, and a Fjällräven cap. In my pocket, I stashed a merino beanie and running gloves.
Just two kilometers in, I had to ditch the rain pants because of the deceptively cool warmth. At 12:50, I reached the first stop at Lake Ladtjojaure, where there was an option for a boat crossing. I refilled my water and treated myself to a reindeer burger (160 SEK). What struck me on the trail was the sheer number of local hikers, families, and kids, mostly heading the opposite way and lugging enormous backpacks. I even ran into some Czech travelers, though they weren’t part of our event and were also heading against the flow.
Tough Terrain, a Twisted Ankle, and the First Camp
The trail consists of wooden boardwalks and endless rocks, where you really have to watch every single step. As I was curiously checking out the surrounding nature, I stepped wrong and twisted my ankle. Luckily, from previous hikes, I’m used to it, so I could keep walking without a problem.
The weather kept changing. At quarter to four, the sun peeked out, and I was sweating, but just three-quarters of an hour later, a freezing fog rolled in from the mountains. Just before five in the afternoon, I found a fantastic spot for my tent. While setting it up, a brief shower gave me a little scare, but the cloud passed quickly. For dinner, I cooked up some excellent chicken curry from Real Turmat (yesterday it was pulled pork), recapped today’s 21.62 km, and crawled into my sleeping bag with a view of the Lapland mountains.
The first day of this Nordic adventure is successfully behind me, and my body is working perfectly. How do you handle the shifts from warm to cold on Nordic trails? What dehydrated meals are your go-to for long treks, and would you try a reindeer burger?
Daily Summary
- Distance Today: 21.62 km (according to Garmin)
- Total Distance on Fjällräven Classic Sweden: 31.62 km
- Highlight of the Day: The reindeer burger at Lake Ladtjojaure and gifting a “krówka” to a member of the organizing team.
- Weather: Mixed – pleasant initially, sunny and hot in the afternoon, then foggy from the mountains and a brief drizzle in the evening.
- Interesting Encounters: The lady at the check-in crew, people with huge backpacks heading the other way, and a Czech couple not on the event.
