Join me on a final winter hike of 2021! - What a gorgeous Christmas it has been

For too many years, the idea of a white Christmas has been nothing but a distant dream. Despite living in Norway, a country I'm sure most of you will associate with snow during the winter, most Christmas eves in living memory have been wet, gray, and dark.

Of course, this is mainly due to my upbringing on the southwest coast. In a city as far away from northern Norway as it is from Paris. Being one of the cities in the world with the highest number of rainy days, it is quite uncommon to see snow for more than 2 weeks consecutively before the rain washes it away.

It is thus such a pleasant feeling to experience true winter at our family's cabin during the season. I guess I can thank covid for how this has become the new normal, as my family is now choosing to spend the time here rather than in the city (where we might be otherwise in order to spend time with other parts of the family).

But just because there is snow, doesn't mean that the weather will make being outside attractive. And boy has this year's weather been amazing!

^{Shiva and I looking back at the landscape we've just left behind having climbed some additional 300 meters in altitude.}

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Although the amount of snow is insufficient to allow for proper cross-country skiing, it still paints the landscape in a way that makes winter-hiking magical! Just look at these views from our 4-hour long hike today. Just stunning!

It's on days like this where I feel the most privileged to live in a country where most people are able to own their own vacation home or two. To then be able to just decide whenever you want to go for a walk in nature and straight into beautiful landscapes like this.

^{Close to the mountain top was a frozen lake bathing in the sun.}

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Interestingly, getting further up did not mean more snow. Typically, there will be more snow at higher altitudes as a greater amount of what might have otherwise come down as rain further down would then come as snow due to lower temperatures. However, with it has been mostly dry and cold so far this winter, that was not the case.

^{At the summit, the winds were getting quite harsh (it had been completely calm the whole time on our way up), but a mandatory picture was still needed! (Despite it being biting cold)}

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As always though, the view at the summit was worthwhile! We had been walking in the shades for quite a while and then arriving at the top and seeing the sun-covered snowy landscape all around was spectacular.

^{Finding some shelter shortly thereafter, we could enjoy some gingerbread and hot chocolate that we had brought with us in respect of traditions!}

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I can also confirm that the Christmas treats we had made and enjoyed tasted even better 1200 meters above sea level!

^{The sun setting down over the cabins in the neighborhood. Beautiful, isn't it?}

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Coming back down to the cabin area just as the sun was going down also provided one last beautiful view in its own way.

So there you go, I'm sure that for many of you, this will be quite distant from what you've experienced these past few days. But that's what makes it fun for me to sit down, have a few Christmas beers, and share what the Christmas holidays are like over here.

Cheers to you all! And yet again, I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season :)

Fredrik