Norwegian Mountains, Møre og Romsdal

Litle-Eidskyrkja, Tårnet and Middagshornet from Skinnviksætra, July 31 2010


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

 
The route from Skinnviksætra

The route from Skinnviksætra
(Click for larger image)

The time had come to visit Litle-Eidskyrkja. The natural starting point was Skinnviksætra, from where I skied to Eidskyrkja in March 2009. As I visited Eidskyrkja in fog, the plan was to visit Litle-Eidskyrkja in good weather. But when I arrived at Volda, the fog seemed stuck on the Eidskyrkja massif. As I'm running a bit low on new tops in this region, I decided to proceed with Litle-Eidskyrkja, and come back on a good weather day for Tårnet.

Driving along Austefjorden, the road was suddenly blocked by goats. Getting past these animals took its time, but there was no rush. I just love goats. I have this fantasy that if I should ever give up on computer programming, then I could be a goat sheperd in the mountains...

 

Most excellent animals

Most excellent animals
(Click for larger image)

 

I headed out from Skinnviksætra 12:26am and didn't bother looking for paths. I sat a direct course (off-trail) toward Litle-Eidskyrkja and stuck to it. For a while, I was under the impression that I could ascend Litle-Eidskyrkja's east ridge, but as I got closer, I couldn't say for sure that I would be able to get up this way. I decided to stick with my original plan, which was to ascend via the Tårnet - Litle-Eidskyrkja saddle. On the way upwards, I enjoyed observing nature at work...

 

Just ignore me...

Just ignore me...
(Click for larger image)

 

The route up to Litle-Eidskyrkja was quite straightforward, and I reached the summit 1:50pm - 1h:24m after heading out. It was a fairly short hike, so I started thinking about Tårnet. There would certainly be no harm in taking a quick look at the assumed obstacles? Surely not. But first, it was time to enjoy the views...

 

View from Litle-Eidskyrkja

View from Litle-Eidskyrkja
(Click for larger image)

 

I was now on my way to Tårnet, but had no ambition of reaching the summit of this sharp peak on wet and slippery rock and in fog. But at least I could do some research!

As I ascended from the saddle, Tårnet looked quite intimidating, and I was curious what "the most challenging peak in Volda" (which I had read somewhere) actually meant...

 

On the way to Tårnet

On the way to Tårnet
(Click for larger image)

 

I followed the ridge upwards, hiking turned into scrambling and scrambling turned into climbing. It was clear that if I kept on going, I might not be able to get back down. Because of the fog, I didn't see much, but I felt that I was pretty close to the summit. I decided to climb back down and return on a sunny day.

Halfway down, I got a feeling that I should explore the area on my left-hand side. I scrambled down a boulder field and stared at a section that seemed quite doable. And when I noticed a vague track, I knew that I had found the route. It took me a little while to become friendly with the "crux" (YDS class 4), but once past this point, the rest of the route up to the top was easy. I felt a good, good sensation inside. I had climbed Tårnet, in fog and on slippery rock. Not bad! And as to - "the most challenging peak in Volda" - that's probably an accurate description.

 

Tårnet summit seen from the west ridge

Tårnet summit seen from the west ridge
(Click for larger image)

 

Upon descent, I visited the viewpoint on the west ridge. The ridge was narrow, but easy. I chose to walk around one obstacle on the ridge, thinking it would be best to stay on the safe side. After all, no one knew my whereabouts...

Once back in the mountainside below the Eidskyrkja massif, I decided to visit Middagshornet. I sat course for the Småvatna lakes, ascended Middagshornet along the west ridge and descended along the valley between Middagshornet and Tuva. I returned to Skinnviksætra 5:15pm - 4h:50m after heading out. 3 tops in one day was a bonus, and even if I've had mostly fog on the Eidskyrkja tops, there's plenty much to do and see up here. I'm confident that I'll return one sunny day.

 

Skinnviksætra

Skinnviksætra
(Click for larger image)

 

Pictures

The first set of pictures were taken with a Canon EOS 550D + Canon EF-S 17-85mm IS USM F 4-5.6.

 
Javascript slideshow

(Full size images)

 

  Flash slideshow

(Images scaled down.
Right-click on images and select 'open in a new window' for full size version)
(No panoramas)

 

 

To Skinnviksætra

2. Trip tracks 3. Eidskyrkja massif 4. Goats! 5. Most excellent animals 6. The toll road 7. From the trailhead, go right 8. The parking

To Litle-Eidskyrkja

9. The tractor road 10. Skinnviksætra 11. Skinnviksætra 12. A frog 13. Litle-Eidskyrkja above 14. Below Litle-Eidskyrkja 15. Sheep stuff 16. Below Litle-Eidskyrkja 17. Rock-face 18. Tårnet 19. The Eidskyrkja plateau 20. Fallen snow 21. Matøskja massif 22. Towards Litle-Eidskyrkja 23. Litle-Eidskyrkja summit 24. Middagshornet - visited later 25. Wide-angle view from Litle-Eidskyrkja 26. Austefjorden - Voldsfjorden

To Tårnet

27. On the way to Tårnet 28. On the way to Tårnet 29. Høydalsdalen 30. Towards Tårnet 31. A bit lost 32. Turnaround point 33. Found the route! 34. Looking down at the crux 35. On the summit ridge 36. Just below the summit 37. Tårnet summit cairns 38. Me, on Tårnet 39. The west ridge 40. Skardhornet 41. On the west ridge 42. On the west ridge 43. On the west ridge 44. Rinddalsvatnet 45. The west ridge cairns 46. Matøskja 47. View towards Tårnet 48. Back at the crux 49. Towards the saddle 50. Towards the saddle 51. The ridge to Litle-Eidskyrkja 52. Looking back on Tårnet

Middagshornet + descent

53. To Middagshornet 54. Looking back on the peaks 55. It does not take much... 56. Tårnet 57. Wide-angle view from Middagshornet 58. Middagshornet summit 59. Storetinden 60. Skorafjellet 61. Sunndalsnipa 62. Tårnet and Litle-Eidskyrkja 63. Snøhornet 64. Sheep on Middagshornet 65. Sandegga 66. Blåklokke - Campanula rotundifolia - Bluebell 67. The Eidskyrkja massif 68. Skinnviksætra

No Javascript:

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68

 

westcoastpeaks.com Other Møre & Romsdal mountains Other Norwegian mountains