I used to have the dream of crossing Greenland, but as it starts to look that will never happen, I settled for crossing the Hardangervidda as a consolation prize.
In the Spring of 2014 we made it: we crossed Hardangervidda on skis, from Haukelisetter to Eidfjord. This is a short diary of our tour.
Saturday, 29th of March: Turnhout to Bergen.
The first challenge Hardangervidda presented us was how to get there. On Saturday we flew from Amsterdam to Bergen. It is always strange to arrive in a city you know but not that well. Fortunately Bergen is small and we could remember enough of the city to find the way from the bus station to our lodging for the night, the delightful Steens hotel.
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| Steens Hotel is an old house of the old Bergen gentry. Just the breakfast room is worth a visit. |
Beautiful scenery along the fjords of Western Norway, including a ferry crossing.
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| Beautiful fjord view on the way to Hakelisetter. |
Suddenly the road becomes steep with switch-backs and immediately the landscape changes from fjords to snow covered hills. We are arriving to Hardangervidda.
We have very fond memories of Haukeliseter, where we spent a week eight years ago, when we were just staring to discover Norway. It was a pleasant coincidence that we were lodged in the same building as before.
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| Photo of the building where we were lodged... taken in 2006. |
Sunday afternoon was spent enjoying the sunshine skiing around the lodge.
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| Warming up for the tour about to start. |
Monday, 31st of March: Haukeliseter to Hellevassbu (25km)
The first leg of the tour was one of the longest. To make it worse, it starts with a steep climb on icy snow to which neither skins nor edges seems to grip. We had to carry the skis for a while.
At the top we started to follow the marked path... until it turned west and we saw the road in front of us again. So, go back and find an unmarked route. We were not the only ones to be fooled: two Brits who were doing the same route made the same mistake.
More steep climbing (now the skins held) and we find path markings again. All is well, the terrain becomes easier and the snow softens under the warm sunshine.
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| Short break on the way to Hellevassbu |
At Hellevassbu we were welcome by four Norwegians who had arrived earlier from the North.
Tuesday, 1st of April: Hellevassbu to Litlos (20 km)
Another bright, sunny day. After the initial climb out of the lake the terrain was easy. Except the descent to a lake just before the hut, which provided the Skipper the opportunity to perfect his technique of head-plant.
On the way we crossed some skiers going the opposite way who told us that there was no gas in the cabin. However, when we approached Litlos we saw the guardians were already there preparing for the opening of the staffed lodge next day. They changed the gas bottle and also allowed some people to sleep in the main building when the small self-service cabin was full to capacity.
Wednesday, 2nd of April: Litlos to Sandhaug (26 km)
Thanks to the glorious weather, the tour is going well... too well. If we continue heading North we risk reaching the end too early. So we decided to make a little detour to the West, to Sandhaug.
For the first time in this tour the day started cloudy, but dry and with little wind. The day starts again with a climb, before it becomes easier.
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| Cosy Hellevassbu |
Another bright, sunny day. After the initial climb out of the lake the terrain was easy. Except the descent to a lake just before the hut, which provided the Skipper the opportunity to perfect his technique of head-plant.
On the way we crossed some skiers going the opposite way who told us that there was no gas in the cabin. However, when we approached Litlos we saw the guardians were already there preparing for the opening of the staffed lodge next day. They changed the gas bottle and also allowed some people to sleep in the main building when the small self-service cabin was full to capacity.
Wednesday, 2nd of April: Litlos to Sandhaug (26 km)
Thanks to the glorious weather, the tour is going well... too well. If we continue heading North we risk reaching the end too early. So we decided to make a little detour to the West, to Sandhaug.
For the first time in this tour the day started cloudy, but dry and with little wind. The day starts again with a climb, before it becomes easier.
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| Around here, ptarmigans seem absolutely unafraid of people. |
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| Tea-break. |
The lodge was staffed, so we could have shower and proper dinner and breakfast. Utmost luxury!
Thursday, 3rd of April: Sandhaug to Hadlaskard (21 km)
The bright sunshine has returned and we had a beautiful, easy tour to Hadlaskard, with the perfect shape of Hårtegen always in view.
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| On the way to Hadlaskard, with Hårtegen in the background. |
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| View from Hadlaskard to the South. |
We seem to be a bit off the beaten track, so we had the cabin for ourselves. The draw back is that we had to do all the work of carrying wood and snow, keep the fire going, clean, and all the other chores of staying in self-serviced cabins.
The night was clear and cold. When I went out, the sky was so full of starts that almost made me dizzy from looking into the infinite. So sad that living in a crowded, light-polluted place I had forgotten what the night sky is supposed to look like...
Friday, 4th of April: Hadlaskard to Garen (26 km)
A chilly SE wind and mare's tails in the sky announce a change of weather. Anyway, it is our last day as we are heading to Garen on the road.
The route was not marked and having to find our way added interest to the tour, which was easy until the village of Vivelid. After that it goes steeply up (skins) and passes near the end of the incredibly steep Eidfjord.
Than steeply down for a while along a snow-scooter track with switch-backs and icy snow (we walked most of this bit), up again and finally a looooong flat stretch before the final descent along the groomed loipe.
As we were 50m from the road the last bus connecting to the train to Bergen passed in front of us. Good thing that we still had a reserve day!
Back to civilization
We called a taxi to take us to Eidfjord twon, which turned-out to be another scenic ride down the steep fjord, including a descent by a spiral tunnel!
In Eidfjord town we enjoyed the luxury of a hotel, and on Saturday we only had to make our way to Bergen, by bus and train. Just in time as the weather changed and it was windy and raining. It wouldn't have been fun on the mountain.
The whole tour was magic, and already on the way back we started making plans for a return to Norway next spring.
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| Cosy evening in the cabin |
Friday, 4th of April: Hadlaskard to Garen (26 km)
A chilly SE wind and mare's tails in the sky announce a change of weather. Anyway, it is our last day as we are heading to Garen on the road.
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| Passing Hedlo, on the way back to civilisation. |
Than steeply down for a while along a snow-scooter track with switch-backs and icy snow (we walked most of this bit), up again and finally a looooong flat stretch before the final descent along the groomed loipe.
As we were 50m from the road the last bus connecting to the train to Bergen passed in front of us. Good thing that we still had a reserve day!
Back to civilization
We called a taxi to take us to Eidfjord twon, which turned-out to be another scenic ride down the steep fjord, including a descent by a spiral tunnel!
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| Eidfjord town in the evening light. |
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| Leaving the mountains behind as the weather closed. |
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