For Information, maps, trailhead and route descriptions, click HERE.
My excellent neighbours volunteered to bring along my dog Troll, on their hike to Leirvågfjellet. This allowed me to take a trip on my own, without having to worry about the dog, shivering in the backback from gale force winds.
I decided to go to Sykkylven - only a short drive from Ålesund and a ferry trip with frequent departures. A convenient destination was Vardefjellet, which I hadn't been to. I drove up to the Aurdal farms, rang the doorbell at one of the uppermost houses, was given good information about the mountain, and permission to park by the house.
I headed out 11:00AM. The skiing conditions were not good - a semi-hard crust that didn't hold. My skis "vanished" under the crusty surface, and I had to work to get them back up. I followed the forest road for half an hour, before heading into the forest. Only a 10-minute section could said to be slightly cumbersome, and soon I was out in the open. I was still below the tree-line, but could ski pretty much where I wanted to.
Above 600m elevation, the hillside got icy. I aborted a direct attempt towards Rømerhornet, and came around on the southeast side instead. Halfway up the hillside, a snowshower came upon me. Visibility was low, and I had to put on more clothes. The feeling of solitude on the mountain is strong, when enclosed in fog and snowfall.
I reached the top of Rømerhornet 12:40PM. Visibility was restored, but it was windy and a bit cold. Not as expected, I had grown a bad blister on my way upwards. It was obviously bleeding. I had band-aids and sports tape, but not the will to commence a "technical" break. A lesson was to be learned here. A bivouac bag as a shelter from the wind, and a headlamp (for use inside the bag) would have done wonders. The band-aids would have come on then. Instead, I decided to ignore the pain, and carried on towards Vardefjellet.
Fog came upon me on Vardefjellet, but it came in "waves", so I never had any issues with my whereabouts. I reached the top 13:15PM, after having visited the eastern cairn - obviously not the high point. There weather didn't allow for many pictures, so I turned around immediately. Descending Vardefjellet into Sætregrova - on blue ice - called for caution. I had to descend a short section on foot. "Flat light" made it difficult to see how far down a potential fall would send me.
Descending on blue ice was pure heaven compared to the crusty surface in the forest. I felt completely helpless. Letting the skis flow would surely send me into misery, which they did. A 15cm bleeding wound in the leg was living proof. I skied down the forest like a novice. Signs of Zorro, all the way down the forest.
I was back at Aurdal 14:15PM, and it was snowing. Back home, I managed to have a meal before my dog and the neighbours returned. The dog gave me a good laugh. He didn't know that I had come home, and barked at my neighbour for being slow. After a hike, he can't wait to get indoors, and barks loud if the front door isn't already open. A bit confused, he eventually came lurking towards my front door.
To Rømerhornet
To Vardefjellet and back down
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