After having a good sleep in, I awoke to a crystal clear day. Unfortunately, it was already almost middday, so not much day left :) Guido came and helped me move my bed into my new house, and then I decided that it was time to go up Esja again. I'd not been up there since the end of August, I'd kept putting it off and blaming it on the weather and the snow, but it was time to do something productive with my weekends again.

An auspicious start, I sliped on the icy footpath about 2 steps from the car, but I was not to be deterred. And nor were the many walkers charging up and down the hill. There are two normal ways up Esja. One guys left, and rises quite steeply, across some normally muddy and wet terrain, often quite slippery. The otherway is a bit longer, but gentler, and follows a generally more sensible path. Normally the mix of walkers is noticably weighted towards the gentle way.

I thought, given the conditions (ice) that the steep way would be horrible, but it didn't seem to be stopping anyone. I should have followed the others. Seems the slightly different slopes greatly affect the ice buildup. Going up was fine, but coming down was pretty crap. I saw people casually jogging down the steep path, while I was picking my way gently down the gently path :)

Anyway, I made it up past the creek, and heading up to the shoulder, casually hiking up steps someone had kicked in a snowfield. Up til now the snow had been far preferable to the ice on the track. Then it got steeper, and the steps smaller, and then I almost slipped off.

Hmm, I reckon I should have stuck to the rocks. Or maybe even have justed turned back a while ago. I was by myself, and the sun was well and truly setting by now. So I turned around, and slowly and carefully way made my back down the snowfield and the icy path and eventually back down to the car. Just in time for a glorious sunset over the city. And from a slight rise just a few minutes walk from the car, there is a perfect viewpoint to take pictures of a sunset.