Gullfjellet, 987m

Mountain area: Bergen

Map: 1215 IV Samnanger (Statens Kartverk, Norge 1:50 000)

Map: Turløyper i Bergens-området (Bergen Turlag/BT)

Click on image to see larger picture

Gullfjellet massif
seen from Sedalen

Introduction:
Gullfjellet is the highest mountain area in Bergen kommune. Parts of Gullfjellet reaches into Samnanger kommune. The mountain area spans the area south of fjord Sørfjorden, east of Bergen, north of Os and west of fjord Samnangerfjorden. The mountain area borders towards north, east and south are easy definable. My personal definition of the south border includes Totlandsfjell, although some perhaps would disagree.
My list of Gullfjellet high points include (click on link for individual pages):

  1. Gullfjellstoppen, 987m, Bergen/Samnanger Kommune
  2. S. Gullfjellstoppen, 962m, Bergen/Samnanger Kommune
  3. Blåmanen, 925m, Samnanger Kommune
  4. Kuftofjell, 921m, Samnanger Kommune
  5. Storeggi, ca. 900m, Bergen Kommune
  6. Ronamanen, 890m, Bergen Kommune
  7. Kvølvingane, 836m, Bergen Kommune
  8. Austlirinden, 808m, Bergen Kommune
  9. Kinndalsnipa, 799m, Bergen Kommune
  10. Vassavardene, 793m, Bergen Kommune
  11. Hausdalshorga, 775m, Bergen Kommune
  12. Rindebrotet, 757m, Samnanger Kommune
  13. Storlitoppen/Sletteggi, 744m, Bergen Kommune
  14. Toro, 733m, Bergen Kommune
  15. Kurlerinden, 724m, Bergen Kommune
  16. Skåldalsfjellet, 718m, Bergen Kommune
  17. Gråfjellet, ca. 700m, Bergen Kommune
  18. Herlandsfjellet, 694m, Bergen Kommune
  19. Livarden, 683m, Bergen Kommune
  20. Gassabrekkene, 669m, Bergen Kommune
  21. Steinfjellet, 650m, Bergen Kommune
  22. Tunesfjellet, 609m, Bergen Kommune
  23. Skåldalsnipa, 603m, Bergen Kommune
  24. Mannaleitnipa, 593m, Samnanger Kommune
  25. Nordnuken, 577m, Bergen Kommune
  26. Trengereidhotten, 577m, Bergen Kommune
  27. Totlandsfjell, 546m, Bergen Kommune
  28. Arnanipa, 456m, Bergen Kommune

Many high points have the same start point and lie close together. I will therefore describe some routes that include most of the summits.

Access:
From Osavatnet: On highway E68, between Bergen and Indre Arna, take the Bjørndalen/Unneland exit, and drive to the end of the road (about 5km from E68). From the parking at lake Osavatnet, all the summits are within reach through 1-3 hours of hiking.

From Gullbotn: On highway E68, between Trengereid and the Samnangerfjord, park at Gullbotn Turistheim. A trail leads to a lit round-trip trail, and from that trail, there are two main trails up to the foothills of the mountain. These trails take you to Gullfjellstoppen (987m), and from here you can go in all directions.

From Brekkedalen: On highway E68, between Nesttun and Os, take the Haugsdal exit (a few kilometers south of the Bontveit exit). Drive until the end of the road (10km). You cannot park at the bus-stop, but you can park inside the gate. After a little while, the trail forks into two trails. The trail straight ahead takes you through the Hauglandsdalen valley, eventually to the Redningshytten hut, being the central point in the Gullfjell massif. The trail turning right takes you all the way over to the Samnangerfjord. You will need to take a forest trail up to the left before you reach the trail's highest point - the Brekkehytten hut. From the forest trail you can climb a ridge and reach Redningshytten via Toro (733m).

The trails: (click on the image for a larger view)

1: Lake Osavatnet - Kinndalsnipa (799m), Gullfjellstoppen (987m), Korketrekkeren - Redningshytten hut - Lake Osavatnet

From lake Osavatnet, follow the wide trail through the gate until the first trail junction. Go left. The trail straight ahead takes you nowhere. Continue on this trail until you reach a bridge. Don't go through the gate and over the bridge. Instead, take the left trail.

Follow this trail up to lake Svartavatnet. Follow the trail to the north-west end of the lake, turn right and follow the trail to the north-east end of the lake. When you close in on the mountain, you might notice a vague trail taking off to the right. This will take you into the Glamragjelet valley. Don't follow this trail. The trail climbs on rocky terrain and continues on wetlands through the Kinndalen valley. At one point you cross a stream. Normally there is not enough water in the stream to cause problems.

At the base of the mountain, the trail takes you up between Vassavardane and Kinndalsnipa. At the top of the pass you have to cross the stream from lake 724 (which you hike alongside on the way up). Crossing the river and getting on the other side can be a little tricky (in winter this is easy). The clue is to cross the stream step on rocks just below the waterline and climb up a point a little further away. Head straight for the Kinndalsnipa (799m) summit, and then walk southeast downwards to the foothill of Storeggi (on the south end). The 100m climb up Storeggi is a little strenuous (in winter you could need an ice axe). On top of Storeggi, stay on the left-hand side of the lake and locate the cairn trail to the top of Gullfjellstoppen (987m), highest point in Bergen kommune.

Heading home, the cairn trail takes you soutbound over Gullfjelletdown before you head west over point 914. An obvious high point before the trail descends into Middagsdalen valley and Korketrekkeren (the corkscrew), before you arrive the Redningshytten hut. From Redningshytten, follow the main trail down to lake Osavatnet. The round-trip takes 4-6 hours.


2: Lake Osavatnet - Katladalen - Austrerinden (804m) - (Hausdalshorga 775m) - Redningshytten hut - Lake Osavatnet

This hike begins from lake Osavatnet, and you must walk the way you came to the southwest end of the lake. In summer, there is parking, and in autumn they round up sheep there. Locate the trailhead which is a cairn trail all the way up through Katladalen valley. At the top of the valley, you meet the cairn trail between Livarden summit and Redningshytten hut. Follow this trail to the top of Austrerinden summit (804m). Follow the cairns down to Redningshytten hut and back to lake Osavatnet. The round-trip takes 3-4 hours.

From Austrerinden (804m), you can also visit the Hausdalshorga summit (775m) where you walk a narrow (but safe!) ridge over to the summit. This trip is not recommended in winter. Also, to save a little time, you can ascend from Osavatnet parking, by crossing over the bridge just ahead of the parking. Follow the ridge and meet the cairn trail to Austrerinden as described above.


3: Gullbotn - Gullfjellhalsen - Gullfjellstoppen (987m) - Gullbotn

This hike begins from Gullbotn Turistheim (tourist center). Follow the lit trail to the left and around until you reach a bridge and a river. The trail follows the rivers upwards on the left-hand side. After a while you reach the first cairn. The cairn trail takes you all the way up to Gullfjellstoppen (987m). It is possible to descend to Storeggi (see trip #1) and climb down the steep hill down to lake Gulltjørni and then back to the first cairn. The are no trails on the descent to Gulltjørni. The round-trip takes 3-5 hours and is strenuous.


4: Lake Osavatnet - Herlandsfjell (694m) - Tunesfjellet (566m) - Skåldalsfjellet (718m)

This hike begins from lake Osavatnet, head a little back the way you came until you get to the red cabin. Behind the hut, the trail following the Ormarinden ridge takes you to the summit of Herlandsfjellet (694m). You can continue northwest heading for the Tunesfjellet summit (566m). You will cross a muddy valley. If you have time and strength, you can continue all the way to the Arnanipa summit (456m). From Tunesfjellet, follow the trail to the Skåldalsfjellet summit (718m). Cross this plateau and you will reach Skåldalsnipa summit (603m) and you have a beautiful view of Arna and the Ulriken massif. From Skåldalsfjellet, follow the trail back to Herlandsfjellet. Another route down to lake Osavatnet is over the Nordnuken ridge (577m). (I lost track of the trail on this route, and ended up in misery terrain). The round-trip takes 5-7 hours.

Gullfjellet map, Skaaldalsfjellet
Skåldalsfjellet
Region


Gullfjellet map, Central
Central
Region


Gullfjellet map, SouthEast
Southeast
Region

Notes:
In summer there is a lot of sheep on this mountain. Put a leash on your dog. At the Redningshytten hut you can buy chocolate and hot drinks. At the hut you can also get touring map of central part of the Gullfjell massif with cairn numbering (all cairns are numbered). In some week-ends, you might have to pay a parking fee (20-30kr) at lake Osavatnet.

Pictures: (move cursor to read notes, and click on the images to see full version)

Gullfjellet seen from Vidden. (216KB) Gullfjellstoppen seen from Nesttun-Arna highway. (68KB) Skaaldalsfjellet seen from Nesttun-Arna highway. (92KB) Gullfjell massif seen from Broknipa on Osteroy. (310KB) Gullfjell massif seen from Olsnessaata on Osteroy. (69KB) Sveningen and Gullfjellet panorama as seen from the Samnagerfjord (69KB) Gullfjellet seen from the Osterfjord (84KB) Lake Osavatnet on a cloudy April afternoon (72KB) Gullfjell massif seen from Hoklane on Osteroy. (204KB) Sveningen and Gullfjellet panorama seen from Fusafjellet (151KB) Gullfjellet seen from Ulriken high point (406KB) Totlandsfjell and Livarden seen from Nordaas (244KB) Gullfjellet seen from Fanafjellet (170KB) Gullfjellet seen from Djupedalseggene (110KB) Gullfjellet seen from Vasslifjellet (478KB) Gullfjellet seen from Vasslifjellet (174KB) Gullfjellet seen from Vasslifjellet (337KB) Gullfjellet seen from Vasslifjellet (323KB) Gullfjellet seen from Vasslifjellet (179KB) Gullfjellet seen from Livarden (349KB) Gullfjellet and Sveningen seen from Livarden (395KB) Gullfjellet seen from Osterfjord (109KB) Gullfjellet seen from Hananipa (285KB) Gullfjellet seen from highway 48 (159KB)

Pictures from 26 Aug 2001:

Lake Osavatnet (163KB) Trail to Sletteggi/Austlirinden from the south side of lake Osavatnet. Starts at the sheep fences. (143KB) Trail from the parking to Austlirinden (175KB) The Kurlerinden/Austlirinden ridges (182KB) Trail divide - lake Svartavatnet/Redningshytten hut (156KB) Herlandsfjellet seen from lake Svartavatnet (210KB) Lake Svartavatnet (156KB) The dam at lake Svartavatnet (163KB) A very little used trail goes up Glamragjelet to Kinndalsnipa/Gullfjellhalsen (113KB) The steep side of Ronamanen. (160KB) A minor trail above lake Svartavatnet takes you into this exiting valley (158KB) You pass this waterfall on your way to Redningshytten hut (80KB)

Hike to Kinndalsnipa 12 Sep 2001:

Dag & Gro at lake Svartavatnet, ready to hike Kinndalsnipa (133KB) At the summit, charm has gone away (153KB) Vassavardane seen from the way up to Kinndalsnipa (149KB) Dare devils on Kinndalsnipa (123KB)

Gullfjellet traverse 03 Nov 2001:

Kinndalsnipa seen from lake Svartavatnet (113KB) To the right of Kinndalsnipa lies Ronamanen (890m) Vassavardane appears when entering Kinndalen valley (114KB) Today's goal was a new route up to Kinndalsnipa (114KB) Lakes Svartavatnet and Osavatnet (parking), seen from Kinndalsnipa (120KB) Gullfjellstoppen seen from Kinndalsnipa. And then came the fog... (111KB) A splendid moment on top of Gullfjellstoppen, highest point in Bergen (75KB) A break from the fog as I come down from Gullfjellstoppen. On the middle of the massif, here. (203KB) Middagsdalen valley, the jump from safe proximity to Redningshytten, to the high mountain (184KB) On the way down to Redningshytten, Sveningen appears in the background (128KB) On the way down to Redningshytten, Haugsdalshorga appears in the background (126KB) Redningshytten hut (121KB) Markskilfossen waterfalls, seen from Redningshytten (200KB) View towards Kinndalen from Redningshytten - Osavatnet trail (164KB)

Gullfjellstoppen on skis, w/Petter Bjørstad, Mar 14 2002

Welcome to Gullfjellet! (273KB) S. Gullfjellstoppen seen from Redningshytten (84KB) Petter arrives Redningshytten (99KB) Just above Korketrekkeren, entering Middagsdalen (86KB) Petter does not want to be anywhere else (197KB) The summit is in sight (143KB) S. Gullfjellstoppen, also known as Sydpolen (120KB) Fine winter art (110KB) Another view towards Sydpolen (214KB) Gullfjellstoppen summit (113KB) North-west view from Gullfjellstoppen (359KB) East view from Gullfjellstoppen (317KB) South-east view from Gullfjellstoppen (171KB) Me on Gullfjellstoppen (99KB) Petter on Gullfjellstoppen (100KB)

See also Gullfjellstoppen pictures from the Trengereidhotten hike.

Other trail descriptions for this region: