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Storfjellet (Big Mountain) is indeed a big mountain, or more precise; a big massif with several tops where Storfjellet point 950m (also known as Fonnhesten) is the highest. Other notable points are Hellandshornet (883m), Keipen (916m) and Urfjellet (839m). Storfjellet is the 2nd highest mountain in Haram kommune, following Blåskjerdingen (1069m). However Storfjellet is #1 in terms of primary factor.
There are several ways to get onto this massif. This page describes various, popular trailheads which will take you up to the nearest point. Once on the massif, you can easily travel between the tops. Grønhornet is not considered to be ON the plateau. Øygardsheia is the southern, lower tip of this massif, and shares some of the Storfjellet trailheads (Slyngstad and Reme).
This massif offer a lot in terms of views; rough and steep nearby coastal mountains such as Blåskjerdingen and Hildrehesten, sea view with a number of islands between Løvsøya and Otterøya and the mainland with an "infinite" number of wild mountains, including the famous "Sunnmøre Alps".
The "crown jewel" on this massif is the hike across Bergetindane, which is Urfjellet's northwest ridge. This is an airy and exposed ridge which require the use of hands, in order to get across. Experienced hikers will not require a rope on this ridge, at least, as long as the rock is dry. Bergetindane/Ringstaddalen is the only roundtrip where you can get back to the starting point, without going off-trail or having to walk kilometres on road.
Storfjellet (Norge 1:50,000: 950m, Økonomisk Kartverk: 950,05m, UTM 32 V 373383 6941997) has a primary factor of 892m towards the higher parent mountain Blåskjerdingen (1069m). The defining saddle (approx. 32 V 376543 6937380) is found on near Eidet by Vatne. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is within the range 55-60m, interpolated to 58m.
Hellandshornet (Norge 1:50,000: 882m, Økonomisk Kartverk: 883,5m, 32 V 371934 6943289) has a primary factor of 101m towards the higher parent mountain Storfjellet (950m). The defining saddle (approx. 32 V 372424 6942717) is found between Hellandshornet and Keipen. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), states the saddle through a fixed point; 782m.
Keipen (Norge 1:50,000: 916m, Økonomisk Kartverk: 916,38m, UTM 32 V 372905 6942838) has a primary factor of 38m towards the higher parent mountain Storfjellet (950m). The defining saddle (approx. 32 V 372979 6942609) is found between Keipen and Storfjellet. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is within the range 875-880m, interpolated to 878m.
Grønhornet (Norge 1:50,000: 658m, Økonomisk Kartverk: 653m, UTM 32 V 374317 6944086) has a primary factor of 53m towards the higher parent mountain Storfjellet (950m). The defining saddle (approx. 32 V 373774 6943680) is found between Øvrenakken and Grønhornet. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle is defined as a fixed point - 600m (559,7m).
Urfjellet (Norge 1:50,000: 839m, Økonomisk Kartverk: 838,78m, UTM 32 V 371732 6940015) has a primary factor of 145m towards the higher parent mountain Storfjellet (950m). The defining saddle (approx. UTM 32 V 372837 6940736) is found in Breidskaret between the two tops. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle defined as a fixed point - 694m.
Øygardsheia (Norge 1:50,000: 399m, Økonomisk Kartverk: 399,48m, UTM 32 V 371226 6937471) has a primary factor of 125m towards the higher parent mountain Urfjellet (839m). The defining saddle (approx. UTM 32 V 371386 6938324) is found along the road across Remefjellet. Ref. Økonomisk Kartverk (5m contours), the saddle defined as a fixed point - 274m.
Google's interactive map. You can zoom, pan and click on the markers.
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.
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Route 1: N. of Helland - Hellandshornet - Storfjellet (spring)
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Access
From Ålesund, follow highway E136->E39 towards Åndalsnes. From the E136/E39/Olsvika roundabout near Breivka, follow E39 approx. 13,3Km. Turn left onto highway RV661 (Skodje/Brattvåg/Vatne). After 1,5Km, pay toll at an unmanned toll booth (coins + credit cards + AutoPass). Approx. 9,7Km after you left E39, you reach the RV659 (Brattvåg)/661(Vatne) junction. Turn left towards Brattvåg.
Follow the road towards Brattvåg 8,1Km before you turn right towards "Hellandhamn". Follow this road 6,5Km and you should see the "Hellandshornet" trailsign on the right hand side of the road. Follow a dirt road 100m to the parking.
The route
Hellandshornet
From the parking, go east and locate the path that begins just behind the gravel area. As this is a route description for spring, I assume the trailhead is snow-free. The path heads up the Høgenosa ridge (the first ridge to your left) and even if the path is covered with snow, you should be able to follow the narrow corridor.
Once above the treeline, head up towards Skjervheian before you approach Hellandhornet's NE ridge. On Hellandshornet summit plateau, you arrive at a hut (with a chimney!) A few meters further south is the summit cairn. The unmarked high point is 143m SE of the stone hut.
Keipen
Descend Hellandhornet's south ridge. Chances are that you can not ski down here, but you don't necessarily have to take them off. Approach Keipen from the south side. The high point is marked by a large cairn, and you will find a number of upright rocks (put in place by humans) close to the summit.
Storfjellet
Skiing from Keipen to Storfjellet is trivial, and you might also get the "glacier feeling" when you wonder when this hill actually ends. There may be a small cairn below the snow. Per Apr 2006, a wooden stick marked the Storfjellet summit, 73m NE of the 950m point on the Garmin GPS map. The stick sits on top of the summit cairn.
Descent
Upon descent, ski into Ævelsdalen opposed to climb Hellandshornet for the second time. Stay on the Keipen side of this valley, as there may be cornices below Hellandshornet. Once you reach Skjervheian, descend your ascent route.
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Route 2: Skoradalen - Øvrenakken - Grønhornet (all seasons)
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Access
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.
Follow the road towards Brattvåg 8,1Km before you turn right towards "Hellandhamn". Follow this road 8,8Km until you find a feasible turnout on your left-hand side, just before crossing the stream from Skoradalen.
The route
Head off-trail up Skoradalen. Closer to the river is good - less turfs and soft ground. Pick any route you'd like in the direction of Skoranakken. A vague, vague path runs up the steepest part, where the ground is firmer. Once up on the plateau, head eastbound to avoid the steepest section below Øvrenakken, then traverse the hillside to the southwest. You top out at the northwest corner of Øvrenakken. The final meters here drive the classification from 2 to 2+ (YDS). Care is needed here, and even more so when there is snow, or if the mountain is icy. The overall route is class 2.
Proceed across Øvrenakken, on the shortest route to Grønhornet. Descend your ascent route. *Possible* alternative routes (these have not been walked yet) are a) descend from Grønhornet to Skoraegga and down along Kloppelva, or return your ascent route from Skoranakken. b) head up Keipen's northeast ridge and descend Hellandshornet's north ridge (see route 1).
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Route 3: Reme - Urfjellet (all seasons)
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Access
From Ålesund, follow highway E136->E39 towards Åndalsnes. From the E136/E39/Olsvika roundabout near Breivka, follow E39 approx. 13,3Km. Turn left onto highway RV661 (Skodje/Brattvåg/Vatne). After 1,5Km, pay toll at an unmanned toll booth (coins + credit cards + AutoPass). Approx. 9,7Km after you left E39, you reach the RV659 (Brattvåg)/661(Vatne) junction at Eidet.
From Eidet, turn left onto highway RV659 and follow the road towards Brattvåg approx. 7,3Km (passing the two tunnels). Turn right towards Reme (not signed). The road curves sharp to the right and in the upcoming Y-fork, turn left. 300m after you left the main road, find a place to park.
The route
Follow the nearest forest road up to Remefjellet. Halfway across the upper meadow, turn left onto a marked path (T's painted in red). This is just west of the stream from Remeheia. Follow the path in the northwest direction until it turns northeast at 540m elevation. Cross Remeheia, and continue up to Urfjellet. The upper part of Urfjellet is boulder terrain, but fairly easy traveled.
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Route 4: Slyngstad - Øygardsheia or Urfjellet (all seasons)
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Access
From Ålesund, follow highway E136->E39 towards Åndalsnes. From the E136/E39/Olsvika roundabout near Breivka, follow E39 approx. 13,3Km. Turn left onto highway RV661 (Skodje/Brattvåg/Vatne). After 1,5Km, pay toll at an unmanned toll booth (coins + credit cards + AutoPass). Approx. 9,7Km after you left E39, you reach the RV659 (Brattvåg)/661(Vatne) junction at Eidet.
From Eide, turn left onto highway RV659 and follow the road towards Brattvåg approx. 3,5Km. Just after crossing a bridge, turn right onto a road that takes you the long way around to Brattvåg or Vatne. Follow this road 400m until you reach a road junction. Park here.
The route
Follow the road to the left 260m upwards before the road turns into a forest path just after you have passed a house. Follow the path 150m and you will join the forest road from Slyngstad. Turn right and follow the forest road all the way to the top of the road on Remefjellet. Refer to route 3 for the further route to Urfjellet
If your target is Øygardsheia: Locate a bench at 210m elevation, just before you enter the long meadow across Remefjellet. Follow a vague path southwest towards Øygardsheia. Don't be too concerned about sticking to the path, as the direction should be quite obvious. On Øygardsheia, you will find two cairns and a broken trig. point. The high point is somewhere in-between.
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Route 5A: Helland Skole - Bergetindane - Urfjellet (summer)
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Access
From Ålesund, follow highway E136->E39 towards Åndalsnes. From the E136/E39/Olsvika roundabout near Breivka, follow E39 approx. 13,3Km. Turn left onto highway RV661 (Skodje/Brattvåg/Vatne). After 1,5Km, pay toll at an unmanned toll booth (coins + credit cards + AutoPass). Approx. 9,7Km after you left E39, you reach the RV659 (Brattvåg)/661(Vatne) junction at Eidet.
From Eidet, turn left onto highway RV659 and follow the road towards Brattvåg approx. 8,2Km. Turn right onto the road to Hellandhamn (signed). Follow this road 4,7Km and turn right when you see the "Helland skule" sign. Drive up to the school (300m) and park there.
The route
Important: You have to determine what is the best route FOR YOURSELF. This site is only providing information that MAY COME INTO USE as additional information. You, and only you is responsible for actions on this route.
To Bergetindane:
From the school at Helland, follow the forest road into Ringstaddalen. After approx. 700m, and once you have passed Lundafjellet (on your right-hand side), leave the forest road and follow a vague path (if you can find it) across the boggy meadow towards the Ringstadnakken hill. You have to cross a river along the way, but as this is a description for summer/autumn, you shouldn't have too much problems crossing it.
Continue up Ringstadnakken's north ridge. If you are following the vague path, you will pass Ringstadnakken on the west side, avoiding (assumed) cumbersome terrain on top of the ridge. The path leads you up to the ridge again, only to descend to the west again, a little further ahead. The reason why, is perhaps not so clear. Deer tracks perhaps? The path continues up the ridge leading to Bergetindane. Don't follow vague tracks that seem to take you below and around this ridge. Stick to the center of the ridge all the way. Note that there is also a vague path across Bergetindane, helping you to see the common route, in case you are in doubt.
Across Bergetindane:
The interesting part of the Bergetindane ridge begins at approx. 550m elevation. The ridge starts easy, but it doesn't last long until you reach the first of four "interesting" points on the ridge. This point ("Point One") is marked by a pole, and you have balance across a few large rocks before you are back on steady ground. You can bypass this section by going around down on your right-hand side, but don't do it. It is useful to get into the "rhythm" already at this point. And if you can't make it across this point, you certainly will not be able to finish the rest of the route.
The next interesting point ("Point Two") is a narrow section, resembling a bridge. They slant down to the right, which require EXTRA CAUTION if the rocks are wet and slippery. You can head across these rocks, or go halfway across, then bypass them on your left-hand side.
The third interesting point ("Point Three") is a narrow section along the route, where you either walk on the left-hand side of the ridge, looking for handholds on top of - or just below the ridge, or stay on the crest. There is nothing difficult about this section.
The fourth interesting point ("Point Four") is the "crux" (the hardest point) of the entire route. The ridge narrows, you are going downhill from a ridge top and see that the ridge makes a sudden drop a bit ahead of you. You move towards this point, and discover a 2,5m drop along the ridge. It looks possible to backtrack, downclimb a steep section and follow a grassy ledge below, to your right. But stick to the ridge. A vague path will tell you that this is what most people choose to do.
There are (at least) three ways to descend the 2,5m drop. If it hadn't been for a pointy rock on the middle of the ridge, the easiest thing to do, would be to get down on your stommach, and lower yourself backwards. Your options are a) go left of the pointy rock, concentrate and jump down without bouncing your body and fall off the mountain, b) lower yourself backwards on the right-hand side of the pointy rock. It helps if you are a slim person, or c) sit down on the right-hand side of the pointy rock, put your left hand ON the pointy rock, lower yourself WHILE you rotate and get your right hand on the rock also. As you hang there, face in, look down, aim and let yourself go. Some may possibly choose to bypass this section on the left-hand side, outside of the ridge, but I never considered this a safer option as opposed to staying ON the ridge. Besides, if you are traversing a ridge, you should perhaps stay on the ridge (personal opinion).
Continue towards the point where the ridge ends in a large drop, and locate a short scramble route (a long crack) on your right-hand side. If you will, you can climb this route face out, lowering yourself gradually along the way. This is a less exposed scramble, but some will still feel uncomfortable here.
Ascend up the ridge that continues for a little while. The worst part is over. A bit higher up, look back and see if you can figure out why I called the final section "the dog". It should perhaps be called "Pluto". The ridge still have further scramble opportunities unless you choose to bypass these sections (you don't climb off the ridge, just bypass what have to be called OPTIONAL scrambling). Once on Urfjellet, continue up the northwest ridge to the summit.
Class 3 is a fair grading for the overall ridge traverse, but the descent from the pointy rock is surely a class 4 move. Descend route 5B - Ringstaddalen
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Route 5B: Ringstaddalen - Urfjellet (summer)
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Access
Same as for route 5A. See above.
The route
From the school at Helland, follow the forest road into Ringstaddalen and continue until road end. Continue on path up Ringstaddalen. The path begins to fade as you enter Austerdalen, but the terrain is easily traveled. Head up to Breidskaret pass and turn right towards Urfjellet.
This is also the most convenient route to Storfjellet. Just turn left in Breidskaret.
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