STF Aktse Mountain Hut

STF Aktse Fjällstuga is a mountain lodge operated by Svenska Turistföreningen (STF), Sweden's national hiking and outdoor association. It sits at roughly 550 metres above sea level on the northern shore of Lake Laitaure, beside the historic mountain farmstead of Aktse, in the historic Swedish province of Lappland. The hut is widely described as the gateway to Sarek National Park, and the Kungsleden long-distance trail between Saltoluokta and Kvikkjokk passes just outside the national park boundary here. The facility comprises two guest cabins plus a warden's residence with a shop offering a large range of provisions. The first cabin has two rooms with 6 and 8 beds respectively, a large common room and a kitchen, and is described as relatively newly renovated. The second cabin has two 10-bed rooms, each with a kitchen and two sleeping alcoves. In total the hut offers 34 beds across the two buildings. A help telephone is located in the hall, and there is partial mobile phone coverage in the area via Telia. During the season, from mid-February to early May and from mid-June to mid-September, the hut is staffed by a hut warden and provisions are sold. Outside these periods a safety room with an emergency telephone remains open. Access is primarily on foot or by boat. Aktse lies about 1 km from Lake Laidaure and can be reached along the Kungsleden from both Saltoluokta and Kvikkjokk, with regular daily boat traffic during the summer season. A rowing route is also available, though the lake is large and exposed to weather. An alternative approach is the road from Tjåmotis to the Sitoälv bridge, followed by a ten-kilometre forest road (suitable for cycling) to the boat landing at the eastern end of Laitaure, from which a marked trail of about 6 km leads to Aktse; a paid boat transfer can reduce the final walk to about 1 km. All boat traffic is subject to a fee and cash is advised. Aktse is a popular base for day trips to Skierffe, which offers a celebrated view over the Rapadelta where the Rapadalen river empties into Laitaure; the path passes an old sacrificial site. Hikes into Rapadalen in Sarek National Park can also begin here, optionally with a motorboat transfer to the park boundary. Distances along the trail include 13 km north to the Sitojaure hut (four kilometres of which cross the lakes Gåbddåjavrre and Gasskajavrre, rowable or by paid motorboat operated by the Sámi of the neighbouring village) and 24 km south to the STF Pårte hut, three kilometres of which involve boat transport across Laitaure. To the southeast, a 30 km route leads to the village of Tjåmotis on the road between Kvikkjokk and Jokkmokk, 20 km of which can be driven. The name Aktse is the Lule Sámi word for the number nine. One explanation for the place name is that nine bears were once killed above Aktse; another is that the route from the northern tip of Lake Tjaktjajaure to Aktse is approximately nine kilometres. The hut is listed in standard Swedish trekking references such as Lantmäteriet's Fjällkarta BD 10 for Sareks National Park and guidebooks on the Kungsleden and Sarek.

Aktse takes its name from the Lule Sámi word for the number nine. Two explanations are recorded: that nine bears were once killed above the site, or that the distance from the northern tip of Lake Tjaktjajaure to Aktse is approximately nine kilometres. The hut stands beside an old mountain farmstead (fjällhemman) of the same name on the northern shore of Lake Laitaure, at an elevation of about 550 metres, in the historic Swedish province of Lappland. The lodge is operated by Svenska Turistföreningen (STF), Sweden's national hiking association, which maintains a network of mountain huts along the Kungsleden and elsewhere. STF Aktse is one of the stops on the Kungsleden long-distance trail between Saltoluokta and Kvikkjokk, and it lies just outside the boundary of Sarek National Park, which gives it its reputation as the gateway to Sarek. The current facility consists of two guest cabins and a warden's residence with a shop. The first cabin contains two rooms with 6 and 8 beds, a large common room and a kitchen, and is described as relatively newly renovated. The second cabin has two 10-bed rooms, each with a kitchen and two sleeping alcoves. In total the hut has 34 beds across the two houses. A help telephone is installed in the hall, and there is partial mobile coverage via Telia in the surrounding area. During the season, from mid-February to early May and from mid-June to mid-September, the hut is staffed by a hut warden (stugvärd) and provisions are sold. Outside these periods, a safety room with an emergency telephone remains open. The hut is listed in Lantmäteriet's Fjällkarta BD 10 for Sareks National Park and appears in guidebooks to the Kungsleden and Sarek, including works by Rüdiger Lohf and Michael Hennemann (2005) and Rebecca Drexhage and Benjamin Hell (2007), as well as Arvet Laponia (2005). Access to Aktse is by trail or boat. It lies about 1 km from Lake Laidaure and can be reached along the Kungsleden from both Saltoluokta and Kvikkjokk, with regular daily boat traffic in summer. A rowing route exists but the lake is large and weather-exposed. Alternatively, one can drive from Tjåmotis to the Sitoälv bridge and then follow a ten-kilometre forest road (cyclable) to the boat landing at the eastern end of Laitaure, from which a marked trail of about 6 km leads to Aktse; a paid boat transfer reduces the final walk to about 1 km. All boat traffic is subject to a fee and cash is advised. From Aktse, the Kungsleden continues 13 km north to the Sitojaure hut, four kilometres of which cross the lakes Gåbddåjavrre and Gasskajavrre, rowable or by paid motorboat operated by the Sámi of the neighbouring village. Southward, the trail runs 24 km to the STF Pårte hut, with three kilometres of boat transport across Laitaure. To the southeast, a 30 km route leads to Tjåmotis on the road between Kvikkjokk and Jokkmokk, 20 km of which can be driven. A popular day tour from Aktse goes to Skierffe, which offers a fine view of the Rapadelta where the Rapadalen river meets Laitaure; the path passes an old sacrificial site. Hikes into Rapadalen in Sarek National Park can also start here, optionally with a motorboat transfer to the park boundary.

• Aktse mountain hut operates on the northern shore of Lake Laitaure beside the historic Aktse farmstead, at about 550 m elevation.

• The hut is listed in Lantmäteriet's Fjällkarta BD 10 for Sareks National Park.

• Guidebook coverage appears in Lohf & Hennemann's Kungsleden guide (2005) and Drexhage & Hell's Sarek guide (2007).

A classic STF mountain hut on the Kungsleden, positioned as the gateway to Sarek National Park for self-catering hikers and skiers.

• STF Aktse Fjällstuga accommodation (34 beds in two cabins)

• Provisions shop with large assortment

• Safety room with emergency telephone (off-season)

• Boat transfer arrangements (rowing or paid motorboat)

1. 1STF Aktse Fjällstuga - Svenska Turistföreningensvenskaturistforeningen.se
2. 2Aktse - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Aktse - Wikidatawikidata.org