How to get there:
One can ascend this mountain from Sunndalen. Another good starting point
is from Storlidalen. This trailhead will be described in this report.
Drive west (on Hwy. 70) from Oppdal, after 21 kilometer, turn right, signs for Storlidalen.
Follow this paved road another 20 kilometer to the last farm on the road, Storli. There is
(pay) parking right there and also a bit more along the road on the left side.
Route description:
The road (closed to traffic) continues to lake Tovatna. Pay attention and take the left
fork shortly before the lake. A T-marked trail continues along the south side of the lake, then ascends
gently to Medskaret where you find a signed trailfork, this is about 3.5 kilometer from the start of
the trail by lake tovatnet. Leave the trail here and descend gently to the east side of lake Medvatnet.
Ascend directly (easy terrain) towards a small lake located at the base of the peak, location 62.6711, 8.9234, elevation
about 1167 meter. Cross roughly at the lowest saddle just before a minor descent to the lake. Do not try to
"save elevation" by heading slightly more south, the "reward" is crossing a section of bad talus. From the south end of
this small lake ascend south until it is easy to turn right and arrive at the base of the south-east ridge of the peak.
Ascend this ridge until it gets steepish and more difficult. Continue the ascent on its left (south) side, there is
some class 3 terrain here.
You should then gain the false summit, or directly to the west of this point, where
the east ridge from the summit
connects to the false summit.
An easy finish will
gain the summit, a pretty flat and
quite large plateau.
A track is posted on Peakbagger. Comments:
This peak had been high on my priority list already 6 years back. However, when my friend Jostein
bought a lot in Storlidalen with the purpose of building a mountain cabin, I decided to wait and then
see if we could climb this peak together using his new hut as a base camp.
Only a few opportunities across several years, but each time things did not work out.
Time has been running fast and when Heidi needed a couple of days in Bergen, I contacted Jostein
to see if we could do it. The forecast was excellent. However, Jostein had already invited a common
friend Rune, then Norway was playing England on Saturday night in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
I first drove Heidi and Pål to the train in Lillehammer, then continued to Oppdal. In Oppdal, I
visited Otto. Inger Lise also joined with waffles! We chatted a few hours before I continued to
Storlidalen.
This football match was in Miami and would last until near 2 AM, Norwegian time. Jostein suggested that he
should rather do a shorter hike with Rune that Sunday. Thus, it was decided that I would do this
ascent as planned, but solo. The match went into over-time and, unfortunately, Norway lost 1-2. Englands first
goal came after the ball hit a camera cable suspended in the air. The referee should have
halted the game, but he did not. Next, Norway made a goal accepted by the referee. This time, VAR interfered
with his decision and called attention to a minor push from Haaland where the English player (of course)
immediately "dropped dead". This incident did not interact with the goal made whatsoever. Anyway, it got late
and everyone slept when I left the house shortly after 0700.
I used Jostein's bike the first several kilometer. This is mostly uphill, the reward will come on the return.
The trail along the lake was nice and the brilliant early morning just added
pleasure to my walk.The lake looked
like a mirror and my target mountain was visible ahead.
I was soon at
the trailfork in the small local col named
Medskaret. I descended to the lake and started a very gentle ascent. Here I made a mistake, thinking that staying
high on the left side would save me a little reascent from the small lake. However, I soon observed that a pretty
big slope of good sized talus would have to be crossed.
This could be avoided if one hikes directly to the small lake,
then ascends from there. Still, it did not take too long before I was at the base of the ridge. Higher up, I went off
left and continued ascending. A few class 3 moves in the middle, then easier to reach the final east ridge. I arrived
on the surprisingly large and flat summit in just a bit more than 5 hours from Jostein's cabin.
very nice views in all directions. I spent about 30 minutes
on top before returning.
The return hike was equally
nice. More than 9 hours up here on a Sunday in mid July
and not a single other person. The concluding
bike ride back down to Jostein's place was nice and fast. There, Josteins daughter Sigrid and her husband Henrik
had arrived with their 3 children. Jostein and Rune had a late start and returned about one hour after me.
My return had taken about 4:30.
