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Bergehornet, Grøthornet and Liahornet are three characteristic peaks located above Vartdalsfjorden in Ørsta kommune. These mountains offer nice ridge-walks in summer and nice (downhill) skiing in winter. This page describes a traverse (summer) across all peaks, from Vartdal to Liadal. If you wish to return to the starting point, see the map for descent options.
Bergehornet is easily recognized by the "bowl" above Lokedalen, and Liahornet for its "ski-jump"-looking northwest ridge. Grøthornet is more anonymous, often covered by the other peaks. However, Grøthornet is the highest of these three peaks. Bergehornet is for the most part visited from Vartdal, Liahornet from Liadal and Grøthornet from both sides.
All of the peaks are excellent viewpoints, giving you both the ocean and fjords, as well as "countless" Sunnmøre alps. Saudehornet, Kolåstinden, Vassdalstinden and Molladalstindane are mountains you will immediately recognize. If you let your eyes wander, you have clear view towards other high mountains, such as Trollvasstinden, Eidskyrkja, Matøskja, etc. Even Gjegnen/Blånibba in Nordfjord is easily identified from all of the peaks.
In summer, you can traverse these peaks without any difficulties other than boulder terrain. Across Raudetindane - the ridge between Bergehornet and Grøthornet, you will need to bypass some of the larger rock-features on the ridge. In winter, the snow will make things harder. Cornices will build between Bergehornet and Grøthornet, and the east ridge of both Grøthornet and Liahornet will be narrow. All three peaks have flanks for great skiing.
Bergehornet (M711: 1024m, Ø.K.: -, UTM 32 V 347330 6908529) has a primary factor of 154m towards the higher parent mountain Grøthornet (1045m). The defining saddle (approx. UTM 32 V 347270 6907317) is found between the two tops. Ref.the M711 map (20m contours), the saddle is within the range 860-880m, interpolated to 870m.
Grøthornet (M711: 1045m, Ø.K.: 1045m, UTM 32 V 346542 6906845) has a primary factor of 555m towards the higher parent mountain Saudehornet (1303m). The defining saddle (approx. UTM 32 V 349325 6905230) is found just W of Lake Trollkoppevatnet. Ref.the M711 map (20m contours), the saddle is within the range 480-500m, interpolated to 490m.
Liahornet (M711: 1035m, Ø.K.: 1036m, UTM 32 V 345183 6906947) has a primary factor of 246m towards the higher parent mountain Grøthornet (1045m). The defining saddle (approx. UTM 32 V 345820 6907040) is found between the two tops. Ref.the M711 map (20m contours), the saddle is within the range 780-800m, interpolated to 790.
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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Vartdal - all tops - Liadal (summer/autumn)
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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 right in the direction of Volda and follow the road 16Km to Vartdal. Turn left onto a smaller road, signed "Skytebane/Knutegården". Drive 500m (turn right in the first Y-fork) to the end of the soccer field. Park here.
The route
Bergehornet:
From the soccer field, you enter a Y-fork. Take the road to the right. Follow it up to houses. Turn right on a smaller road and you will have a grassy field to your left. Follow the fence on the right-hand side and you will run into the forest path which leads you to a viewpoint at approx. 210m.
The forest path seems to continue on the west side of the Kornfjellet ridge. I suggest you head onto the ridge instead, and follow the open space up the ridge. Fairly soon, you may notice that there is a path on the left-hand side (east) of the open space. Higher up, the ridge becomes narrower and you will in any case run into the path here. The path continues on Kornfjellet with a view towards Risaskaret. Break away from the path and head over to the base of Bergehornet's northeast ridge. You will see a faint path that leads up to the summit, which is marked by a proper cairn.
Grøthornet:
The route to Grøthornet is obvious - across Raudetindane and up Grøthornet's east ridge. You will run into rock features along the ridge that you easily bypass on the left-hand side. When you run into a "cliff-system" near the lowest point on the ridge, bypass on the right-hand side before you hike up to the cairn at approx. 960m. The highest route on the ridge toward Grøthornet is cumbersome and is easily bypassed to the left. This is boulder terrain. Grøthornet summit is marked by a small cairn.
If you want to return to the trailhead, head back to the cairn at 960m and follow the east ridge down to the valley southwest of Lake Risaskarvatnet. Pass the lake to the west and descend Risaskaret along the pipeline. I have not hiked this route, but I have been told that one can walk ON the pipeline.
Liahornet:
Follow the ridge westbound towards Skålaskaret pass. If you follow the ridge route, you will be forced to gradually shift your course southbound before you can get down to the pass. From the pass, follow Liahornet's east ridge up to the summit, which is marked by a proper cairn.
Descend Liahornet to the south, gradually southeast towards the river from the Skåla basin. Find a good route down the birch forest (you may run into a few "odd" steps, but the forest is in general easy) to the Leitet cabins. You can follow Liadalsdalen northeast to Lake Risaskarvatnet and descend Risaskaret.
If you want to descent to Liadal, cross the river by Leitet. There is no bridge, and the river crossing may be difficult in the peak of the snow-melt season. As there are several cabins on this side of the river, I assume that there is a good place to cross .. somewhere.
In any case, you will find a path on the other side of the river at Leitet. Follow this path past more cabins and down to the end of the road in Liadalsdalen. Note that just before you reach the road, you enter a trailfork. You must turn left here, and hike UPWARDS to the road. That said, I suspect that you end up on the road anyway. Follow the forest road (cars can drive here) down to Liadal. Above Liadal, you come to a junction. You can go either way in order to reach the main road. You may either time your hike to match a bus coming from Ørsta, or you can call the Ørsta taxi. The week-end fare (per June 2006) was approx. NOK 500.
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