Norwegian Mountains, Møre og Romsdal
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Norwegian Mountains, Møre og Romsdal
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Location
Hjørundfjorden cuts deep in between two large peninsulas that hold the most rugged and wild mountains on Sunnmøre - the southern part of Møre and Romsdal Fylke (county). Kolåstinden is located on the westernmost peninsula, where the valleys Standalddalen/Follestaddalen and Bondalen form three major mountain regions. Kolåstinden is the highest peak north of Standaldalen/Follestaddalen, and this region is also known as "Kolåshalvøya" (the Kolås peninsula). Dalegubben (1344m) dominate the Standaldalen - Bondalen region while Skårasalen (1542m) dominate the region south of Bondalen.
A grand peak
There is an everlasting debate - which is the finest and most spectactular peak on Sunnmøre?. The two widely accepted candiates are Kolåstinden and Slogen (1564m, located east of Hjørundfjorden). As there will never be a winner in this "contest", Kolåstinden is known as the "king" while Slogen is the "queen". As genders are equal, this seems to be a good solution to the "problem".
One of the pioneers in Norwegian climbing history, William C. Slingsby, was never in doubt, and referred to Kolåstinden as the "monarch of Sunnmøre". As a matter of fact, Slingsby stood on Slogen when he uttered the famous sentence;
I know of no alpine environment, be it in Norway, Switzerland or the Alps in general, which possesses such magnificent beauty as that to be found in Sunnmøre."
A popular peak
Kolåstinden is mainly visited in the April-May timeframe. This is because of a) the glacier crevasses, b) winter closure of the road to Standaleitet and c) the spring weather. The Kolåstinden enthusiasts are however likely to visit the top any given month of the year. Nowadays, the standard route runs from Standalsætra (or Standalhytta) northbound up Kvanndalen and up to Kvanndalsskardet. The route from Ytre-Standal through Romedalen also comes up here. You pass a ridge of pinnacles through a narrow point called "Stretet", enter the glacier and continue up to the summit. This route is described in further detail in the route description further down on this page.
Climbing history
In earlier days, the peak was named "Kjølåsstenen" and later on "Kjølåstinden". It is assumed that the peak was first climbed in 1880 by Anders Hovden, Betzy Kjeldsberg and Nils Kolås (the elder). Slingsby made an attempt in 1876, but because of fog, it cannot be stated if he was on the highest of the tops that surround the glacier. Various sources do however state that Slingsby did the 1st ascent of this mountain on the standard route in Kvanndalen and then directly up the glacier.
Other routes are (a.o.) the southwest wall (climbed in 1933 by H. Hagen and E. Heen), the west ridge (climbed in 1939 by E. Kraus and R. Mørch), west ridge pinnacles (5 were climbed in 1875 by E. Mohn and the highest pinnacle was climbed in 1895 by C. W. Patchell and J. Simpson). The northeast (Romedal) and southeast ridge had not been climbed per 1953m.
The views...
...cannot easily be described, so I won't even attempt. I can only refer to Slingsby's famous words (see above).
Storegjøltinden...
... is point 1338m above the glacier, 810m north of Kolåstinden summit. Only a few other pinnacles/points on the Kolåstinden massif have been named. "Fingeren" and "Sylen" are some examples. It is highly recommended to visit Storegjøltinden for a great view towards Kolåstinden. For photographers, Storegjøltinden is a good substitute for Kolåstinden - which summit is narrow and incredibly exposed.
Standalhytta
Standalhytta is a popular place to stay for those who set out for skiing or "peak-bagging" in this area. The cabin is owned by Ålesunds Skiklubb. A self-served annex w/10 beds, kitchen, living room and shower has been made available to Ålesund-Sunnmøre Turistforening, a branch of the Norwegian Touring Association (DNT).
Sources for the above information has been "Rock Climbs in Sunnmøre" (Norway Travel Association, 1953) and "Sunnmøre", 5th edition (Kristoffer Randers).
Kolåstinden (M711: 1432m, Ø.K.: -, UTM 32 V 360383 6905926) has a primary factor of 1164m towards the higher parent mountain Skårasalen (1542m). The defining saddle (approx. UTM 32 V 358887 6893392) is found along highway RV655 at Bondalseidet. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is within the range 265-270m, interpolated to 268m. On this map you will see the 270m contour between Lakes Tretjørnane and the road.
Notes: Class ratings are in reference to YDS. Click here for more information.
The trails described below are not necessarily the *easiest* trails to this mountain.
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Standalsleitet - Kolåstinden (spring)
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Access
From Ålesund, follow highway E39 towards Bergen/Volda to the ferry at Solavågen. Take the ferry over to Festøya. Turn left in the direction of Standal and follow the road 14,8Km to Standal where the road turns to the southwest. Continue approx. 5Km up to the top of Standaldalen valley. Find parking where appropriate.
The road between Store Standal and Follestaddalen has traditionally been closed during winter, but according to standalalpesenter.no, the road is now open all year around (one of the pictures in the trip report says the road is closed in winter, but this is incorrect). Per May 2008, the road is not a toll road.
Access from the Ørsta side has been provided here by Petter Bjørstad.
The route
A good place to start is just west of the stream coming from Noklane (not the Kvanndalen river). After 800m, turn northbound towards the entry of Kvanndalen valley. Continue up the valley which takes you up to Kvanndalsskardet pass. The route from Romedalen also comes up here. From Kvanndalen you may see tracks down the icefall from those who (hopefully) determined that it was safe to descend the glacier.
Head south-to-southwest from Kvanndalsskardet up to "Stretet", the glacier entry point. Just ski along the ridge up to your left, and you will find this convenient entry point. The hillside up to Stretet is a bit steep, and you will be better off with crampons if the snow is hard as ice. The "penalty" for sliding down to your right will depend on the amount of snow. Late in spring, rocks begin to surface below you.
The route from Stretet to the glacier is considered dangerous in summer/autumn, but is fairly straightforward on safe snow. Once on the glacier, head upwards and follow the natural route to the base of Kolåstinden.
Some skiers continue on foot directly north of the summit, some ski higher and walk only the last hill on foot. A few bring their skis and ski down from the summit. The final hill to the summit looks trivial when you are standing in front of it. However, the upper 5-10 meters suddenly become very steep and the ice-axe is the preferred tool if you aim to stand on top of the summit. The summit ridge is extremely airy, and if you want to touch the highest point, you have 10 airy meters ahead of you. Be *very* focused up here, and don't step on any cornices. Depending on the conditions, getting on and off the summit ridge can call for YDS class 3 moves.
Descend your ascent route, but stop by Storegjøltinden (point 1338m) for a great view towards Kolåstinden and Romedalen.
This route is described in the book "Skiturar i Sunnmørsalpane" and is rated "Vanskeleg", which means hard or difficult.
A picture of the skiing route is found here (external link).
Kolåstinden on skis, Apr 30 2006
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