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Errata: On the 1216-IV map, this mountain has been known as "Glennefjellet", and this is the name I have used on this website. The correct name is however "Gleinefjellet", and I expect that a new edition of the map will show this.
Glennefjellet is located just southeast of Matre, and is part of "Matrefjella" (Matre mountains). This is one of the areas where the Bjørn West home front group fought during the second world war (the Bjørn West museum is located down in Matre). The Matre mountains are also a gateway to the large Stølsheimen mountain range and the views are long reaching. When you drive north on E39 towards Sognefjorden, The large antenna on Glennefjellet is easily seen ahead of you when you reach the top of the Romarheimsdalen/Haukelandsdalen pass.
The main trail to Glennefjellet most likely runs from Litlematrestølen and provides access from the east. This assumption is based on the markers I saw from the summit, coming from the east. The trail described in this document is a direct winter ascent from lake Storevatnet.
Note: Class ratings are in reference to YDS (Yosemite Decimal System).
The route described below is a direct winter ascent from lake Storevatnet. I have classified this route to 2, but additional difficulties are introduced when everything is icy.
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Lake Storevatnet - Glennefjellet (winter)
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Access
From Bergen, follow highway E39 northbound (Førde/Ålesund). Pass Nordhordlandsbrua bridge about 30 minutes north of Bergen. Toll fee for passenger cars per Sep 2004 is NOK 45,-. Go through the Eikefet tunnel and drive up the long Romarheimsdalen valley. From the top of this valley, you have Glennefjellet in view ahead of you. Drive down Haukelandsdalen with lake Storevatnet on your right hand side. Just before the tunnel that runs down to Matre, exit to the right - "Haugsdal" (this exit is 51,3Km from the Nordhordlandsbrua toll booth). Drive under the highway and at the first junction, exit right. Follow this road for approx. 1,7Km. You should have a power mast just up to the left. The path runs under this mast. Find parking nearby.
The route
Locate a path that runs under the power mast. The path continue up along the waterfall, on the left hand side. Above 420m, the terrain leves more out. Follow the creek until you enter a meadow.
From the meadow you just entered, you see Glennefjellet in front of you. Two distint ridges (to your left and right) lead up the mountain. Don't ascend onto any of these ridges, but climb up a boulder section just below the ridge to your left. This route takes you up to a plateau, from where you see the summit tower. Cross the plateau and follow a distinct gully that runs all the way to the summit.
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The regional weather forecast suggested clouds in the south and south in the north. However, the northern cloud had a sun hidden behind it. I started looking for a mountain closer to the Sognefjord, in hope I would be able to catch a few rays of sunshine. I looked at Glennefjellet, which I had attempted once before, but surrendered to the deep snow. It was time to do this mountain once and for all. The wind was hammering the car as I drove north. Trees were bending over alongside the road. I anticipated the winds higher up would be hilarious, and decided to wear triple-layer headgear. Further north, I saw the grey band of clouds end, and pockets of blue sky. I sent a warm thought to the weather people. The road alongside lake Storevatnet was icy, as always in winter. I parked 150m from the icy river at 10:45AM, and expected to mess about up through the forest. I was quite satisfied when I found a trail under the powerline, which allowed for a quick and easy ascent up to the Middagsskardet pass. Troll was riding the backpack, of course. From the pass, I could see my route up to the summit. To my right, a ridge was leading up to the mountain, but there was no way to get up on this ridge unless I backtracked. To my left, another ridge led to the mountain, and this was more accessible. However, I decided on a distinct snowfield running below the left ridge. This snowfield covered a large bed of boulder, and was quite strenuous, in addition to dangerous. Well onto the next plateau, I spotted a gully that was going towards the summit tower, which I barely saw. I was quite happy for this gully, because the mountain on my right, although easy in summer, was icy and simply dangerous without crampons. I was right about the winds higher up. It was freezing cold, and I had to zip every pocket to keep the wind out. I decided to let Troll walk the remaining distance to the summit. The snow was either icy and solid, or soft. From my perspective, it was easy to distinguish, but it was worse for Troll. He ended up in one snowhole after the other. The whole hike went amazingly fast, and we arrived the summit 11:45AM, just one hour after leaving the car. As we were walking the final distance to the summit buildings, I was thinking that I wouldn't have traded that particular moment for anything. The sun was shining from a blue sky, and the dog was obviously happy there he was rolling around on the snow. The views felt endless, and the strong winds felt insignificant. The mountain wasn't particularly strenuous, high or challenging. But it was there, we were on it, and no one else. It was our moment. Troll walked the whole way down, after having fallen into a number of holes down the boulderfield. It took us only 35 minutes down, and I decided I would do Sætrelifjellet (628m) - an easy peak on the other side of the valley before I headed home.
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Pictures are presented in the order they were taken.
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