Norwegian Mountains, Møre og Romsdal

Rørsethornet, 658m
Ræstadhornet, 729m
Grøtet, 698m
Skåla, 607m

Fylke/Kommune : Møre og Romsdal/Midsund
Maps : 1220-II Vestnes (Statens Kartverk, Norge 1:50 000)
Primary factor : Rørsethornet: 55m
Primary factor : Ræstadhornet: 236m
Primary factor : Grøtet: 110m
Primary factor : Skåla: 169m
Hiked : Nov 2007 
See also : Klausethornet
See also : Oppstadhornet
See also : Bløkallen
See also : Drynjahatten
See also : Other Midsund mountains

Otrøya mountains

Otrøya mountains
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Introduction

Otrøya offers some of finest westcoast walks in southern Norway. Ræstadhornet - the 2nd highest peak on Otrøya (also known as Otterøya) island rises 729m above the ocean. A quite spectacular ridge (Mjåstien) between Rørsethornet and Ræstadhornet only add value to the experience:

Mjåstien

Mjåstien
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This web page describes a round trip hike across the tops Rørsethornet, Ræstadhornet, Grøtet and Skåla. The trailhead described is the easiest one if you want to visit Rørsethornet and Ræstadhornet. If your goal is Grøtet, then follow Vågsdalen valley south of Rørsethornet. If your goal is Skåla, either follow Vågsdalen, follow the west ridge from Rakvåg, or via Heggdalselva. See the Oppstadhornet page for the route via Heggdalselva. If you don't want to include SKåla on this round trip hike, then head into Vågsdalen and follow the valley back to the trailhead.

The view from Ræstadfjellet is outstanding. Only Blåskjerdingen block some of the view towards the Sunnmørsalpene mountain range. On a good day, enjoy the mountains from Fræna to Ørsta (including Romsdal and Sunnmørsalpene), and on an even better day, the views extend further.

 

Primary factor:

Ræstadhornet (Norge 1:50,000: 729m, Ø.K.: 728.92, UTM 32 V 388447 6956707) has a primary factor of 236m towards the higher parent Oppstadhornet (737m). The defining saddle is found between Grøtet and Foksåta. Ref.  Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is within the range 400-495m, interpolated to 493m.

Grøtet (Norge 1:50,000: 698m, Ø.K.: Highest contour is 695m, UTM 32 V 388755 6955643) has a primary factor of 110m towards the higher parent Ræstadhornet (729m). The defining saddle is found between the two tops. Ref.  Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is within the range 585-590m, interpolated to 588m.

Skåla (Norge 1:50,000: 607m, Ø.K.: Highest contour is 605m, UTM 32 V 387132 6955129) has a primary factor of 169m towards the higher parent Oppstadhornet (737m). The defining saddle is found between Skåla and Foksåta and north of Lomtjørna. Ref.  Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is within the range 435-440m, interpolated to 438m.

Rørsethornet (Norge 1:50,000: 659m, Ø.K.: 658m, UTM 32 V 386975 6956980) has a primary factor of 55m towards the higher parent Ræstadhornet (729m). The defining saddle is found between the two tops. Ref.  Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is within the range 600-605m, interpolated to 603m.

Personal GPS readings: Rørsethornet 663m on top of the cairn (1,5m), Ræstadhornet 730m on the ground, Grøtet 701m on top of the (small) cairn, Skåla 605m on the ground. All readings were fairly aligned with the official heights.

Google map

Google's interactive map. You can zoom, pan and click on the markers.

 

Google maps
Google maps
(Click on image)

 

Trail descriptions

Notes: Class ratings are in reference to YDS. Click here for more information.

The trails described below are not necessarily the *easiest* trails to this mountain.

Vågsmyran - all tops round trip (summer/autumn)

Difficulty : Class 2+ (YDS)
Exposure : Some along Mjåstien
Distance : Approx. 12Km round trip
Time : Approx. 6 hours round trip
Starting Elev.: Approx. 40m
Vertical Gain : Approx. 1000m (total)
Map of the area
Map of the area
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Detailed map
Detailed map
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Access

(all distances are approx. distances)

The city of Molde is a closer starting point, but Ålesund is the starting point for the route description below.

From Ålesund, follow highway E136->E39 towards Åndalsnes. From the E136/E39/Olsvika roundabout near Breivka, follow E39 13,3Km. Turn left onto highway RV661 (Skodje/Brattvåg/Vatne). Pay toll at an unmanned toll booth (coins + credit cards, AutoPass) 1,5Km later. 8,7Km after you left E39, you reach the 659(Brattvåg)/661(Vatne) junction. Turn left towards Brattvåg.

13,6Km later (from this junction), turn right towards the ferry to Dryna, and continue 600m down to the ferry harbor.

On Dryna, turn right and follow RV668 (signed Midsund) 23,3Km. You pass Midsund and Rakvåg along the vay. More precisely, the trailhead is 8,1Km after the Heggdal/Molde junction in Midsund, and 300m after the start of the 80Km/h zone once you've passed Rakvåg.

There is a small parking area on the left-hand (west) side of the road.

 

Part of the route

Part of the route
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The route

Rørsethornet:

Cross the road, and then a fence. Turn left and follow the path towards Rørsethornet's west ridge. In the beginning, the path runs across slab rock before it gets more distinct higher up. The path is (YDS) class 1 all the way to Rørsethornet, and does not involve any airy spots. Rørsethornet summit is marked by a cairn and a sign towards Ræstadhornet.

Ræstadhornet:

Between Rørsethornet and Ræstadhornet, you have to follow Mjåstien. This is certainly the highlight of the trip. The ridge is airy, but not difficult. One long step drives the overall classification of the route to (YDS) 2+, which means that some caution is needed. The view down is astounding. The Mjåstien part isn't long. Soon you'll be in safe terrain and the ascent to Ræstadhornet is quite gentle. Ræstadhornet summit is marked by a cairn and a trigonometric point. You will also find shelter from the wind.

Grøtet:

From Ræstadhornet, follow a vague path in the direction of Grøtet. The path runs very close to the steep drop to your left to avoid the boulder. Grøtet summit is marked by a small cairn.

Skåla:

From Grøtet, proceed southbound, on or off the vague path that runs here, in direction of the Oppstadhornet - Grøtet saddle. Turn right once you see fit, and enter the upper part of Vågsdalen valley. If you don't want to include Skåla on your hike, follow the (vague) path down to Lake Mørkevatnet and then down Vågsdalen.

To get to Skåla, leave the path once you're above Mørkevatnet. You'll lose some vertical gain, but not much. Then proceed off-trail in high-grass terrain towards Skåla. Skåla has two humps. The southernmost is the highest. Both humps have a tiny cairn.

Descent:

Descend Skåla's northwest ridge on path. You can either follow the path to its end in Rakvåg, or if you want a fast exit towards the trailhead, go off-trail (northbound) at UTM 32 V 385779 6955383, 320m elevation. Head for the road on the south side of the river. The terrain is quite easy to hike, and you may even stumble onto a vague path.

Trip reports and pictures


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