A night out. Some photos.

[torjusg]

I finally managed to shrug out of the claws of the woman and get out for a night. Built a crappy lean-to, wanted to do it with stone tools only. No problem, but remaining daylight was at a premium. Next time I will rather improve upon a natural shelter to save time. Especially when staying for only one night.

The plan was to fish, but it is rather late in the year, so no luck in that department. Also, my shelter was meant to withstand snow only. And that night it started to rain.

So here are some photos.

Found some cowberries, they made a decent field snack.

Gathered some good tinder from juniper bark. Lots of big juniper in the area.

The snow was very hard to walk in. Loose underneath and a crust ontop, that you just break through.

The rather poor lean-to.

The night line of nettle cordage with an antler hook. The bait was some fat from the piece of elk I had for food.

Campfire, with boots and socks drying. The hoop is one of two bear-paw snowshoes (traditional in Norway) in progress (juniper).

Not from this trip, but today I found a group of big rowans that had been cut of a beaver. Looked like some easy paddle blanks at first, but they were broken too short.

 

[fred gordon]

Great pictures. Makes me look forward to our snow here in Scotland.

 

[leon-b]

looks like you had a great time
leon

 

[chrisanson]

We rarely get snow here in the midlands, something I miss quit badly
Nice pics
Chris

 

[stovie]

You'll have to get up earlier to make a more efficient shelter Torjusg...

What I would give for a white winter....

 

[torjusg]

You'll have to get up earlier to make a more efficient shelter Torjusg...

hehe
Since it is usually not neccesary to build a free-standing structure, I think I will go for the improvement option. Not because I like to sleep (though I like that too ), but because I can't get out to the location before.

 

[11binf]

it appears you had a great time...its always good to practice your bush /field skills and to just enjoy the outdoors....my turn comes in two weeks in northern arizona my buddy has an elk hunt and i'm going to be cook and fire poker ....by the way great pic's...also show us more of the kit you took in the field....thanks......vince g. 11b inf...

 

[Tony]

Excellent stuff there Torjusg, I’m jealous of the snow

Did you get anything on the nightline?

 

[Dougster]

That's what it's about. Looks fantastic.

Roll on the snow .

 

[torjusg]

Vince

Had with me a sleeping bag, a rucksack with food, some addtional dry clothes and some antler for projects. Also two knives, but I hardly used them.

Primitive gear:
- Two throwing sticks.
- Two antler axes (works excellent, but red deer antler is a little fragile, need to make one of reindeer).
- Some flint and antler tools.
- The fishing line above.

Tony

The nightline wasn't long enough. Only 6m long. As the fish stands a little deeper now, so I was probably unable to reach them. There was only a little ice on the lake, so not possible to fish directly from above. Conclusion: No fish.

 

[The Joker]

Thats it I want to move to Norway.

Looks fantastic..............Im very jealous

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Hi Torjus,

Looks like you had a wonderful time

Thanks for sharing the pictures - I just showed my son before he went to school he was please to know that there are beavers in Norway as we are planning a summer long expedition of Norway, Sweden, Finland and a few other countries on the return leg in 2008.

Neither my partner or I have been to these countries and as we have started our research could you give any advice on particular areas of interest, beauty, etc. in Norway please? Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

Best regards,

Phil.

 

[torjusg]

Hi Torjus,

Looks like you had a wonderful time

Thanks for sharing the pictures - I just showed my son before he went to school he was please to know that there are beavers in Norway as we are planning a summer long expedition of Norway, Sweden, Finland and a few other countries on the return leg in 2008.

Neither my partner or I have been to these countries and as we have started our research could you give any advice on particular areas of interest, beauty, etc. in Norway please? Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

Best regards,

Phil.

The beaver has quite recently been reintroduced into the area which I currently reside, Trondheim. It is however far more abundant down in Telemark and Aust-Agder, where I come from. The area in Norway from where all of the beavers in Norway come from.

Beauty, there are numerous location, but the western part is the most dramatic. All of these are quite easily accessible.

Geiranger

Prekestolen

Trollstigen

Jostedalsbreen

Heddal Stavkyrkje

Hardangervidda

In Sweden (Haven't been there, but I want too):

Sarek

Just ask if you have additional questions.

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

That’s great information Torjus – thank you very much. The scenery in the pictures from you links looks awesome!

We are planning on getting a ferry from Newcastle in the UK to the Southern end of Norway, travelling by 4x4 up the West coast then crossing into Finland through Northern Sweden, then back down through the East of Sweden, ferry to Denmark and then onto various other countries and then finally ferry back to the UK from France.

If on our travels we are in your area perhaps we could have a night or two in the wilderness? We have a son who will be eight in 2008 when we plan to travel. Anyway it’s a long time before we expect to go and there is plenty of time to plan things.

Thanks once again for your feedback and links, much appreciated :You_Rock_

Phil.

 

[torjusg]

If on our travels we are in your area perhaps we could have a night or two in the wilderness?

I might just have moved back home then. PM me when things are drawing closer.

 

[sam_acw]

Do you have any pictures of the snowshoes in close up or construction? They look a lot simpler than the raquet style American ones.

 

[torjusg]

Do you have any pictures of the snowshoes in close up or construction? They look a lot simpler than the raquet style American ones.

They are still at the stage seen on the photo.

They are very simple, these will be made with stone tools only and since the blanks were so curved to begin with I didn't bother with thinning the hoops as usually done traditionally. As in tradition, they are made from juniper branches, but I will use branches for the framework too while they in recent times used steel wire.

I can post a photo when they are finished.

 

[Jackdaw]

Haven't been to Norway for ages. Note to self: Go back soon!

 

[Snufkin]

Great pics. Have you made a bow from juniper? I understand it is great backed with sinew.

 

[torjusg]

Great pics. Have you made a bow from juniper? I understand it is great backed with sinew.

No, I haven't tried sinew backing.

But I have made kids/survival bows from juniper limbs. It is an excellent wood for that purpose. The best I know of in fact, since it is quite springy, even when green.