Norwegian Mountains - Route Descriptions

Norwegian Mountains, Møre og Romsdal

Blåtind (697m) via Hammarselva & Hestedamselva,
Dec 29 2011

To the main Blåtind page (maps, route descriptions, other trip reports, etc.)

The route
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I don't remember exactly what time it was when Terje, Lena, Anne and me decided to hike Blåtind (the highest mountain top on Hareidlandet island) via the Hammarselva and Hestedamselva rivers/creeks the next day, but it was definitely well past midnight. We had wined and dined and were brave as kings and queens. As we parted well into the next day, we had agreed to meet at Haddal at 11:30am the next day...

The next morning (which surprisingly enough was a very good one), Anne and me decided to go from Myrvåg to Haddal on bicycles and we arrived at the Blåtind trailhead at the same time as Terje and Lena. Terje and me had done this very route back in June 2009, and we looked forward to present this fun river and creek route to the girls. The first section of the Hammarselva river was easy enough, but soon we had to use our hands, fingers, feet and toes...

Scrambling up Hammarselva
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We had to bypass the crux of the Hammarselva river, as the chance of plunging into the pool was simply too big. Apart from this section, we stayed true to the river and turned left when we got to the Hestedamselva junction. It didn't take long before we reached a nasty section which only Terje completed.

Hestedamselva challenge
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After a little while, we reached snow and decided to skip the biggest waterfall - which would have involved taking risks. The rest of the route up along the creek was easy enough, but still big, big fun...

On snow and ice
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We reached the top of Blåtind 2pm - 2h:20m after heading out. It was snowing lightly and Blåtind did not offer its usual superb views, but the hike was nevertheless a big success! No one had fallen into the river or broken a leg. We were all cold and wet, and the plastic bags in our hiking boots proved to be a smart choice. I cannot imagine how cold my feet would have been without the bags...

On Blåtind summit
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We descended into thick fog and returned to the Haddal trailhead 2:50pm. And after a 15-minutes bike trip, Anne and me were back at Myrvåg. Many thanks to Lena and Terje for their excellent company. And for staying true to their late-night commitment ;)