Friday Photo #222 – Matmora Winter

Photo: Winter on Matmora, Austvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. March 19, 2017. 10:33

Friday took me east to Solvær, first for a presentation by Tormod Granheim on climbing on 4000m peaks in the Alps, and then, on Saturday, an avalanche course up on Vesterålen. After the course ended in mid afternoon, we caught the ferry back to Lofoten with more adventures in mind: Matmora.

The sun was setting as we left the parking lot and headed up through the deep snow. Eventually, after some hours we cleared the trees and arrived on the flat northern ridge with leads to Matmora. In the darkness we setup camp and waited for what the morning would bring.

I was hoping for some nice pink light, but dawn broke flat and grey. Tired, I didn’t crawl out of my sleeping bag until after 8:00. Soon, we were under way through the deep snow to Delpheia and then up the ever steepening and narrowing ridge.

The weather continued to mostly deteriorate, and whatever clear moments became shorter and shorter before the passing slow flurries and sinking clouds. Had the weather been better, I might have had more motivation to reach the summit. But on this day, it was just step by step, continuing on and on. It wasn’t until the summit cairn appeared like a ghost in the fog that I was confident that we would reach the summit, and even then, I though, ‘what’s the point, I can’t see anything…’

This image is on the descent from Delpheia just before the route begins to climb again. The summit is visible in the distance, hidden in the clouds and still a couple hours away.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
14mm
ISO 160
f 8
1/500 seconds
WB Daylight