Norwegian Mountains, Møre og RomsdalLidaveten, Nov 23 2008To the main Lidaveten page (maps, route descriptions, other trip reports, etc.)
This hike had a very sad preface. Just after midnight, my neighbour's dog Chico suddenly fell dead to the ground. Chico was Troll's (my old dog) beloved companion, adding huge value to Troll's final years. My neighbours were naturally devestated by this sudden loss (Chico was only 7 years old). First Troll died in June. Then Chico died Nov 23, and two days later I moved out. From being a very lively place earlier in the year, things have changed at Gåseidnes. Every day, I keep thinking of my dear neighbours Pål & Eva and hope that they will get a new puppy soon. Gåseidnes is a dog's paradise. Cats, deer and foxes roam all over the place. The only scary part are the eagles that sometimes pass 5m above ground level.. In memory of Chico and Troll
I woke up early Sunday morning, still sad about Chico. I decided to take a break from all the packing and cleaning and went for Lidaveten. A practical choice, as I could stop by my new house along the way. It had been snowing for days, but for some reason, I didn't think there would be a lot of snow in the mountains. And if snow had fallen, it would certainly have blown away by now. As such, Lidaveten would be a short and easy hike. There would be no need for breakfast and no need for lunch. I was in full control.. It was a lovely day, and I looked forward to get on a mountain top again. I drove through Eiksundtunnelen (tunnel) for the first time, and enjoyed this easy mainland access very much. And within few years, the Kviven tunnel will allow me to get from Gurskøya to Stryn in about the same time it takes to get to Ålesund. He he. Opportunities.. I stopped at Sørheim and asked for route suggestions to Lidaveten. I was told to drive to Eidem, which I did. Well, I didn't drive up to Eidem. I guess it was a combination of me needing exercise and the anticipation of limited parking. I headed out from the main road 11:22am, and followed the Eidem road for 1km before I got onto a forest road. The forest road was not plowed and no trail had been broken. My feet vanished in the snow and I knew that if the mountain had more snow than this, the hike would be a painful one. On the way to Lidaveten
After having followed forest roads for 1,1km, I headed into the forest. I couldn't see where the summer path went, but as the ridge wasn't very wide, it had to be nearby, at least. The snow in the forest was deep. I had brought a 70 cm ice-axe, and it went all the way down to the shaft. Omigod! 400 vertical meters of this nightmare. Snow up to the groin. Moving forward was altogether difficult. Frequently, I had to use my hands in order to move my feet. If you've been in situations like this, you know how it's like. Tormenting. I sought out the steepest part of the ridge, which allowed me to move forward using bush and trees. 10 steps, then pause. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. Heavy breathing... 1-2-3.. 1:23pm, 2 hours after leaving the trailhead, the "beautiful" torture was over. I was on top of Lidaveten, and could enjoy superb scenery in all directions. The summit cairn was very characteristic. It looks like ... a witches hat. Lidaveten cairn
The descent was a bit scary. The deep snow invited long jumps and a fast pace, but danger lurked within the ground beneath. A long jump sent my right foot straight into a guaranteed leg-breaker hole, but the ice-axe (a natural extension of my right arm) stopped me from moving forwards when I got trapped. Afterwards, the leg hurt so much that I couldn't follow my tracks (which had a crust by now) down the mountain. I had to break trail all over again. 2:23pm, I was back at the car, 3 hours after leaving it. It had been an interesting day on the Ørsta/Volda border.. |
The pictures were taken with a Canon EOS 300D + Canon EF-S 17-85mm IS USM F 4-5.6
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To Lidaveten
Wide-angle views from Lidaveten
Zoom views from Lidaveten
Other summit pics + descent
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