Norwegian Mountains, Møre og Romsdal

Kolåstinden (1432m) on skis, Apr 15 2012


To the main Kolåstinden page (maps, pictures, other trip reports)
 

The route, as seen in Google Earth

The route, as seen in Google Earth
(Click for larger image)

 

It was a gorgeous Sunday and I decided the minute I got out of bed that I wanted to revisit Kolåstinden. I reckoned it would be a crowded mountain, like it normally is on sunny April weekends. I looked forward to go skiing again. After all, I've hardly been on skis this season.

I left a spring-ish Gurskøy and traded +3 degrees C. for -3 and winter in Follestaddalen. Ahead of me was Kolåstinden. Big and mighty...

 

Kolåstinden

Kolåstinden
(Click for larger image)

 

The Standalseidet parking was full (of course) and the visitors had begun parking their cars alongside the road. I saw a long string of skiers on their way into Kvanndalen, and I assumed it would take a miracle if I could have the summit all to myself. Not that I mind company, but it would be easier to take pictures without being packed in between other skiers. Oh well ... time would show...

I left Standalseidet 10:40am and took a bad route which forced to take off my skis in order to cross a creek. Back on track, I tried to pick up the pace and painted a virtual "X" on the back of the nearest skier. Once he or she had been overtaken, I repeated the procedure...

 

Into Kvanndalen

Into Kvanndalen
(Click for larger image)

 

Well into Kvanndalen, I met Jonas Eriksson - a colleague that I've previously only emailed with. It was nice to meet him and especially up here. He was skiing with other friends so after a quick chat, I continued upwards - targeting the next "X".   

I have only been to Kolåstinden once before - in April 2006. I remembered that the trip through Kvanndalen was one, long WOW, and the sensation was certainly still there...

 

Stunning scenery

Stunning scenery
(Click for larger image)

 

I collected one "X" after the other and lost count after passing 20. To my delight, the snow up to Stretet was good, and it was safe to ski all the way up to the ridge crossing.

 

On the way to Stretet

On the way to Stretet
(Click for larger image)

 

Now it was easy street to the summit. Well - to be honest, in 2006 I did find the summit to be a bit steep and that's why I had brought ice-axe and crampons. But I would have to worry about that later, because more skiers turned up in front of me. All with a big virtual "X" on their backs...

 

Almost there

Almost there
(Click for larger image)

 

Just as I began the final yards to the place where most leave their skis, 4 skiers began their descent. This meant that I was #5 on top today and I had the summit all to myself. Amazing! Moreover, the pitch up to the summit point did no longer seem so steep and I left the skis and headed upwards. Just as I arrived on the summit ridge, I saw that there was a big rock between me and the highest point. Very strange, but the only explanation was of course that there was a WHOLE LOT LESS snow in 2012.

I didn't want to climb across the rock, and tried to bypass it on the outside. It felt too awkward with just one axe so I put on the crampons too. And at 1pm (sharp - 2h:20m after heading out) I could celebrate the high point. Other skiers arrived below me, but no one seemed to be interested in the high point. I didn't mind much.

 

On top!

On top!
(Click for larger image)

 

I had considered skiing down the glacier, but given my "finding" about snow depth anno 2012, plus the fact that I don't like the idea of skiing solo on a glacier, I decided to descend my ascend route. After an enjoyable run down the mountain, I was back at the car 1:44pm.

It was still early in the day, so when I returned to Gurskøy, I took a bike trip from Myrvåg to Larsnes and back. The final result was 37km and 850 vertical meters. Given the 1050 vertical meters on Kolåstinden I figured that I had blown enough steam for one Sunday...

 

Tracks from the bike trip

Tracks from the bike trip
(Click for larger image)

 

Pictures

The 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 Kolåstinden

1. Saudehornet, Ørsta 2. Saudehornet, Ørsta 3. Kolåstinden 4. Kolåstinden 5. Sætretindane 6. Kolåstinden and Fingeren 7. Sætretindane 8. Into Kvanndalen 9. View up 10. Mighty Kvanndalen 11. In Kvanndalen 12. Colleague Jonas 13. View up the glacier 14. Summit in view 15. Rugged terrain above 16. I am not alone in Kvanndalen 17. Nonshornet 18. In Kvanndalen 19. More rugged stuff 20. More rugged stuff 21. Even more rugged stuff 22. In Kvanndalen, looking back 23. Skiers - probably impressed 24. Skiers on the way to Sætretindane 25. View upwards 26. The glacier 27. Grøtdalstindane and Blåtindane 28. On the way to Stretet 29. On the way to Stretet 30. On the way to Stretet 31. Storegjøltinden 32. On the way to Stretet 33. In Stretet 34. Kolåstinden in view 35. Kolåstinden in view 36. The glacier 37. Looking back on Stretet 38. To the ridge crest 39. Storegjøltinden 40. Looking back on Stretet 41. Kolåstinden summit 42. To the ridge crest 43. Not far now 44. A happy skier? 45. View across Hjørundfjorden 46. The summit ahead. I am all alone. 47. The rest follows 48. Summit, here I come

Wide-angle view from Kolåstinden

49. Wide-angle view from Kolåstinden

Zoom views from Kolåstinden

50. Zoom view from Kolåstinden 51. Zoom view from Kolåstinden 52. Zoom view from Kolåstinden

More pics from the summit + descent

53. A happy skier. For sure! 54. More happy skiers 55. Hello! 56. View down 57. View across Hjørundfjorden 58. View across Standalsdalen 59. Molladalstindane 60. View across Romedalen 61. Masdalhornet and Storhylla 62. Windy summit 63. Winter art 64. Lower part of the glacier 65. OK.. that is FAST

Afternoon activities

66. Afternoon activities

No Javascript:

1 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

 


westcoastpeaks.com Other Møre og Romsdal mountains Other Norwegian mountains