Jämtland Day 4

As we woke up it was still snowing, which would not have been a problem if the wind had not been gusting at 20-25 m/sek, i.e., almost storm. We were supposed to walk 19 km (almost 12 miles) to the lodge at Sylarna 1035 meter (3400 feet) above sea level.
Harald, who is a very experienced mountaineer, is checking out the situation.
He, and all the other guests at Blåhammaren, realized that it would not be safe to hike to Sylarna since you could not see the trail very well. Therefore, we had two options, either wait at Blåhammaren and walk the following day, or head back to Storulvån. Some people stayed at Blåhammaren, but we decided to walk back to Storulvån for several reasons. 1. We knew the way, and it was only 12 km. 2. We would have the wind at our backs. 3. After about half the way, we would be down at considerably lower altitude, where the weather usually is better. 4. There was nothing to do at Blåhammaren.
So, here we go.

If you think we were wimps, read this link. The article is about two athletes who died last week when they were caught in a snow storm while participating in a race up Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze. The weather there was nice when the race began but turned bad a couple of hours into the run. True, this was a much higher mountain, and they were running, not hiking, but the problem is that you have to have respect for the weather in the mountains at all times.
Another example of this problem the fate of "Armfeldts Karoliner," the army of the Swedish King Karl (Charles) XII. In 1718 Karl came up with the brilliant idea that he could redeem himself from his humiliating defeat by Peter the Great of Russia with a quick conquest of Norway. In August he took his army across the border near Blåhammaren. In October he headed for the Norwegian city of Trondheim. However, after the king himself was shot and killed on November 30, his main general, Armfeldt, tried to make it back to Sweden. As they were crossing the border a sudden snow storm hit. 3000 of 6000 men died. Of this we can learn two things:
1. Don't fight the Norwegians.
2. Don't hike in a snow storm.

The Carolingian Death March is memorialized in a famous painting. A reproduction hangs on the wall of the lodge in Storulvån:
We fared better. As we suspected, after about two hours of hiking down the mountain, the weather cleared up a bit. Snow was replaced with rain and the wind died down considerably.

We reached the 'vindskydd,' the hut half way down, ate our lunch and waited to see if the rain would stop, which in fact it did.
When we came back to Storulvån the weather seemed almost agreeable, at least for the time being.
Now we could relax with a book, take a sauna, play some cards and wait for another delicious meal.