Section 04. Skarvheimen

February 27, 2026

Day 13. Tyinkrysset to Sulebu. 10 km. 4 hours. 660m up. 180 m down. The small apartment had everything we needed, including a washing machine to clean nearly 2 weeks worth of grime. It was a great rest and a superb location beside the supermarket. I also managed to catch up with all my writing late in the previous evening. We had a short day today so we lingered a bit before setting off well after 1000. It was windstill in the valley but the forecast snow had already started to drift down in small flakes. Right beside the apartment was a ski poma to drag people up the piste. It was not operating and the line of the poma was a perfect way to access the mountains above. We skinned up the slope which was quite steep in places, where we had to herringbone. After just 30 minutes we had climbed nearly 250 metres to the end and were now above the trees on the hillside. I had come up just in a shirt, working hard, but now we needed to stop and put on more clothes as the snow was falling heavily and the wind was getting up. As expected the visibility was terrible and the light was very flat, meaning there was no definition to the snow at all, but it was not quite a white out.

It seemed there was a prepared track which was also marked by bamboo poles leading south from the top of the poma to a small tarn called Vesletjørnet and then further south to a larger lake called Tenlefjorden, where there was a small leisure cabin. We followed the bamboo which led up to the cabin climbing gradually all the time. The wind was certainly picking up now and it was already a force 5. Mist, snow and spindrift made every step a step into the unknown as apart from the bamboo 30 metres apart there was no reference point on the ground. Some 2.5 km from the top of the ski poma we reached Tenlefjordhytta. It was plastered in spindrift and looked grey against the featureless background.

Here the marked route veered right, which was counter intuitive to both of us and we checked the maps. However it seemed it was correct and there was even a signpost saying “Sulebu 6 km”. As we went across the undulating knolls on the north side of Tenlefjorden the weather got even worse with strong winds driving the snow into our faces. Stuart had a good glide on his skis but mine were totally balled up with ice and compacted snow. All I could do was shuffle forwards as if on sandpaper. These ski skins were great for climbing, but not gliding and I had to stop and change. Just then a maelstrom of vicious weather hit with storm force winds and huge amounts of spindrift and snow. I had to change skins but was also wary about losing a glove or even a skin in the total whiteout. I managed to do it but my hands were getting cold. Once on the new skins the glide was perfect and I soon caught Stuart up, who was standing with his back to the wind waiting for me. The maelstrom died down as quickly as it started and soon it was just a gale again.

To my great surprise it seemed we were on groomed cross country skiing tracks again, and had been for much of the day. There must be a network of groomed tracks up here. They were largely buried under new snow but occasionally they reappeared. It looked like they were going all the way up to the Sulebu cabin. We followed them as the snow showers came and went climbing in dreadful visibility beside the bamboo poles on the south east side of Gamlestogo Fjellet hill. It made for a relatively easy climb despite the conditions and with the bamboo poles every 30 metres or so you could read the lie of the land in what otherwise would have been a white out. On and on the route climbed with the sun trying to break through on occasion to no avail. Near the top we reached a gentle corner and there just 6-700 metres in front of us were the 3 huts of Sulebu.

However before we could get there another violent squall hit and it was very spectacular. I was being buffeted about but that was irrelevant compared to the huge amount of spindrift and new snow that was lashing me. It was impossible to see anything, not even the next bamboo say 10 metres away, and I just had to carry on with the snow peppering my face hoping I was going in the right direction. Eventually the cabins reappeared out of the maelstrom now just 100 yards away and soon we were there.

I have stayed here some 5 times since 1984 but could not remember which cabin was which. We checked all 3, and it was the last which was the best. One was just the warden’s store, toilets and wood shed. We immediately made a fire and started to heat the water so we could put snow into the boiled quarter pan and get a full pan of cold water. It was initially cold and miserable in the cabin and 3 degrees but within an hour it was 14 degrees and then after two hours 26 degrees and very cosy. Outside the wind was intense and it whistled round the cabin and sometimes obscured the other two. It was delightful to be in the cabin looking out and seeing the ferocity of the gale. I wrote the blog while Stuart had a siesta in the warm room before he woke to cook dinner from the provisions in the cabin. Tonight it was Spanish Bacalao and mashed potato followed by chocolate pudding. Thereafter we chatted in the fireside seats before going to bed early at 2100 hrs with the gale still raging just outside the well insulated walls.

Day 14. Sulebu to Skarvheim. 22 km. 6 hours. 260m up. 570 m down. The vicious wind from last night dropped through the night and the stars appeared. When the alarm went off in the morning it was a completely different day and in the first light I could see it was clear and cold with a shallow river of spindrift slowly flowing across the snow’s surface. The snow was well defined and every small drift and formation was visible. It had all the making of a good day at last. There was a notice in the cabin saying the usual winter route to Skarvheimen cabin over Suleskardet, about 1500m, was not recommended on account of little snow and there was a marked alternative via Sulevatnet lake that actually suited us better.

We set off at 0800 after tidying the hut. Initially we skied across wonderful snow. It was hard with a dusting of new snow and spindrift on top. The ski stick tips creaked when twisted in the snow meaning it was a bit like neve. I still had the narrow skins on and they gave me the perfect glide in these near perfect conditions. There was a chilly force 3 wind but it was just enough to keep you cool as we strode out up the slight valley towards Tysketjornet tarn on the east side of the craggy Sulefjellet mountain at 1812 metres. There were many avalanches on this side of the mountain where the snow from the last week had blown over and settled in the lee. Eventually this drift got too big and broke off sliding down the face. The valley was very wide and there was never a chance any would reach us. It was a wonderful ski in full sunlight.

At the end of Tskyetjornet we climbed a small rise and then started a superb descent down a gentle bowl to Sulevatnet lake. The snow was sparkling and you could see every ridge and ripple and you could also see the different textures of the surface, like where it was hard and icy and where it was soft and powdery, and react accordingly. This level of visibility made life much easier and it had been missing for nearly a week. With the confidence to see where we were going it was a wonderful descent and we could turn at will and enjoy it. The descent lasted for 10 minutes until we reached the lake itself. We kept to the shore where the twigs marked the route until we reached the dam which we passed on the north side.

From the dam there was a wonderful marginally downhill run for about 3 kilometres. The sun was still out as we strode out with a long forward glide on the leading ski. At last the skiing was excellent and we were really enjoying ourselves. In fact I felt euphoric. We passed a few old cabins which were probably there due to the hydro power but they could also have been some old historic hunting cabins from the local community. It was too high for sheep in the summer who prefer the lusher grasses near the treeline. After 3 km we crossed the frozen river and then climbed south over a watershed for a few kilometres to reach Masseringstjornet under some large cliffs. It was about here at the lake that the morning detour met the original route again. I much preferred the detour and will use it in the future.

It got slightly overcast as we started the main descent from Messeringstjornet down to the main valley of Mørkedalen. In total this descent was perhaps 5 kilometres and it was fantastic. You could just stand on your skis and plan your route down, swinging from bowl to ridge so it was a continual gentle gradient with no up. The snow was easy to read and we had some fun as we glided down. It was exactly what we needed after the last week.  Towards the bottom the gradient slacked off a bit. There were a few skiers coming up and we stopped for a chat with most of them. There was an Easter ambience to the mountains. At the bottom before the road we stopped for a snack and considered our options as I could now get a weather forecast again.

It seemed like it was about to snow, but tomorrow was good. Previously I crossed the road here and went up barren hillsides and across small tarns to reach Startjornet to gain the trail to Bjordalsbu cabin. In all it was about 14 km and about 5 hours. After yesterday’s white maelstrom when the wind picked up I was reluctant to embark on this unmarked route as route finding would be difficult in a blizzard. I had done it twice before in good weather and it was a great route but in poor weather and visibility it had its hazards. Instead we opted to go to the nearby Skarvheim cabin and then take the marked trail tomorrow. That meant skiing down to the road and then skiing down beside it on the snow banks which snow ploughs had piled up. It took an hour to reach the cabin but the skiing was not that pleasant.

The Skarvheim cabin was beside the road and I had never been here before. I was worried it had a special key but when I got there I was relieved to see it was the traditional DNT key. We let ourselves into the cabin and we were quite shocked by what we saw inside. It was like a house with electricity, a well equipped kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, 3 bedrooms with bunk beds and a wonderful cosy living room with a huge stove and open fire. It even had running water so there was no melting snow. Just after we arrived, so did Eric, a Belgian skier who had just arrived by bus and was spending the next 4-5 days heading to Finse – as we were.  I lit the fire and we settled in. I wrote, Stuart snoozed and Eric looked at his phone. By 1830 we were all active again to cook. That evening we had a stew and mashed potatoes from the provisions larder which was quite bare. Tomorrow we will go up to Bjordalsbu cabin and if the weather is as predicted we might even continue down the other side to Iungsdalshytta lodge. It had been a great day’s skiing – perhaps the best yet.

Day 15. Skarvheim to Bjordalsbu. 13 km. 4 hours. 660m up. 120 m down. Stuart was keen to get up and leave early. He got up even before the alarm went at 0530. I got coffee in bed by way of compensation. On the plus side it was a beautiful cold morning and by the time we were ready to go at 0700 it had been light for the best part of an hour. William, a late arrival last night, and Eric the Belgium were also up and preparing to go. We all left the cabin just after 0700 and headed down the side of the road to Briestølen lodge, which is always closed. The reason for the morning hurry was the weather forecast which predicted a strong gale or even storm from the mid afternoon onwards for 24 hours and we off course wanted to beat it. At Briestølen we could pick up an icy track which took us down to the frozen river and through a gate in a fence. The fence seemed to be erected to contain an animal disease called “Chronic Wasting Disease”. Once through the gate we were onto the mountainside and could follow the twigs poked into the snow.

Initially the path was very icy but as we climbed slowly up the alluvial fan where the river in Stardalen above disgorged centuries of silt and stones the snow got firmer. Soon we climbed the fan and entered a narrow valley which in places was a gorge. I had been up here once before 42 years ago but could barely remember it. It was a snow filled slot in the hillside. There was never an avalanche risk here with the exception of collapsing cornices after stronger winds. The branches stuck into the snow gave us a degree of confidence and you knew there was a route up this slot to the higher plateau above. There were the tracks of many other skiers also from the last week or two. Occasionally it was steep enough to herring bone up the slope but most of the time the ski skins provided enough grip. We climbed continually and efficiently, gaining 100 metres every 20 minutes or so.

Stuart was ahead and I suddenly saw him contending with a dog which was jumping up. There was someone running down the gorge to control him. I soon caught up and saw there were two campers in a tent on a shelf in the gorge and it was their frisky 9 month Samoyed dog who was wanting to play. He saw me and came bounding down the slope and was about to leap up when I brandished a ski stick. When that failed a quick delivery of the stick handle across the snout did the trick and he walked to heel back up the slope. It was a very playful but large dog. The owner was most apologetic and turned out to be an Englishman living in Norway, Tony Parker.

After a long chat we continued up the Stardalen valley which was opening out and becoming less gorge like. Soon it unfolded onto a sloping open plateau with  long easy slopes on lovely firm soft snow. It was about minus 5 and the snow squeaked when you twisted the ski stick. There were large patches of sun on the surrounding mountains and it looked plastered in snow. It was exactly as I hoped. Stuart was forging ahead but my ski skins did not offer the same glide and I lagged behind. On and on we climbed until there was a short descent down to Starsjøen lake. This was the lake I usually come across from the east on my way from Sulebu cabin, crossing the road where we met it yesterday and not going down to Briestølen at all. We crossed the edge of the lake and continued up the slope. It was getting colder and slightly windier and I had to stop to put on my gloves and jacket. Soon the wind had picked up to a force 3-4 and there was spindrift flowing across the surface of the snow. However there was still considerable amounts of blue sky and we felt optimistic we could carry on from Bjordalsbu to Iungdalshytta lodge. As we climbed up the last 5 kilometres these blue patches vanished and dark clouds gathered. But the time we crossed Nedre Bjordalsvatnet lake and skied up the final slope to Bjordalsbu Cabin at the pass with wind was a constant 4-5 and the light was very flat and the contrast in the snow vanished.

We went into the cabin to have our snack and consider the options. Stuart was keen to carry on for another 15 km to the next lodge but I was wary. It is a lovely descent most of the way but in the flat light and potential wind it would be difficult and there were always the predicted strong winds which were yet to arrive. William, the Norwegian, arrived and indicated in the light of the forecast he had recently seen it would be somewhat foolhardy so we decided to stay put. It was not as if we were in a hurry. We collected snow for water, fetched firewood from the outhouse and then settled down for the afternoon. Within an hour it had started to snow and the wind was up to a force 6.

Just then 3 French arrived from Iungdalshytta lodge. They had the wind in their backs but were a bit bewildered and excitable by the conditions. It soon transpired these older gents were a little hapless and out of their comfort zone. However they were joyful and happy and would make for a cheerful evening. A little later Mai-Kristin arrived having skied up from Skarvheim with the wind in her face. Unlike the French gents she was anything but hapless and very experienced. That made 8 of us now sheltering in the cabin.

As the afternoon wore on the wind picked up to a force 9 or 10. It was impossible to tell if it was snowing or not as there was so much spindrift swirling about in the air. It was spectacularly bad weather and the French were enthralled by its intensity. Bjordalsbu cabin sits on a pass so it was probably much worse here than where we intended to ski but we were glad we made the decision to stay. The cabin outhouse just 40 metres away was sometimes obscured but the white inferno outside. We all sat in the main kitchen/living area and marvelled at the ferocity of the weather. There was a branch right outside the cabin and even it was obscured from time to time.

Day 16. Bjordalsbu to Iungsdalshytta. 17 km. 4 hours. 130m up. 600 m down. The wind dropped off considerably in the night and by 0500 in the morning it was down to force 4, still enough to lift spindrift but not enough to stop us skiing. By 0700 in the morning it was almost windstill but the light was terrible as it was misty. According to the forecast the sun would burn off the mist and it would be a tremendous day. The French were up quite early and set off into the mist around 0800. It was about the same time the rest of us were just having the morning coffee and thinking about breakfast. There was an advantage to waiting if the sun would indeed burn off the mist. After breakfast we spotted the first blue sky and these patches only grew. Maj-Kristin and Eric set off first and then Stuart and myself and William last. We had about 16 km to ski to Iungdalshytta and much of it was gently down.

There were still some lingering patches of mist as we crossed Øvre Bjordalsvatnet lake but by and large it was sunny. The snow was superb as it often is after a storm. The spindrift had been blown for miles making it compact and where it settled it formed a firm surface. The skis glided well over them and we made good speed across the lake and up the slope on the south side. Wiliam soon caught up and overtook us as he had no skins on and was getting a long glide for each ski step.

We crossed another lake and then started a long downhill which was divided into a few steps. The upper ones were wonderful and the snow was so consistent. One could just stand there and glide down without even looking at the slope in front such was the smooth consistency. With this great light and smooth consistent snow the down hill was at last fun. I caught Willian and Stuart as they were chatting waiting for me. William then headed off down the next slope with his intuitive Norwegian skiing skills, almost part of his DNA, clearly visible, while Stuart and Myself were more cautious. It was a fantastic downhill section and superb fun. At last after 2 weeks we really enjoyed a down hill section in good light and snow.

As I descended I caught up with William again. He had stopped to chat to 2 people and I skied towards them. As I arrived William said ”James here is your fan club” I did not know what he meant until I saw the two people. They were Anni and Hege whom I last met 10 years ago when we were the only guests at Skogadalsboen. We had kept in touch ever since through Facebook. What a fantastic coincidence and lovely surprise. There were big hugs all round. It was great to see these sporty women again. Stuart caught up and we chatted for a good 10 minutes in the sunshine. They were heading over to Skarveheim and us down to where they had just come from. It was a shame our nights had not coincided in the same cabin.

After that joyous meeting we continued down keeping to the east side of a huge bowl which allowed us a two kilometre continuous glide as we traversed diagonally downwards to meet the twigs in the snow and the well established ski track which was getting more defined with every skier. There was a small rise now where Maj-Kristin and William were sitting in the sun Norwegian style eating their lunch. We passed them and carried on down. I felt the consistency of the snow waver a little underski as I came down which some suspect snow underneath. It was only when I slowed to turn I crashed through the top surface into the sugar snow underneath. The ski stopped but I and the rucksack kept going and I crashed into deep snow which was difficult to extricate myself from. Eventually I did but then 5 minutes later I did the same right in front of an ascending DNT group of about 10 people, mostly old Norwegians. It was humiliating. The leader warned me there was more suspect snow in the next few hundred metres until it got better again. I was very cautious for the last bit of the descent until I reached the valley at the bottom. There was now just a lovely run down the frozen river to reach the edge of the large Djupsvatnet lake near Toviki.

The day was now warm and comfortable and the surrounding mountains were plastered in snow. It was fantastic to have these conditions and I was at last pleased for Stuart who had to endure nearly 10 days of poor weather. This was now the best Mountain Norway had to offer. William and Maj-Kirstin caught up on the lake and after a quick chat overtook us and glided off to the lodge while we followed in their tracks, stopping to take photos. After 2 km we went over a spur and the lodge came into view on a prow above the lake with a spectacular backdrop of steep snow-covered mountains behind it. We sauntered along to it, climbing steeply to reach it.

Iungsdalen is quite an old lodge, perhaps 100 years old and has a reputation of local old fashioned food as was found here historically due to the summer farms. We slept in a dormitory as I was sure we would be the only ones and had the whole place to ourselves. It was the self service cabin which was used when the main lodge was closed.  It was what we were used to so we lit the fire to warm it and dry clothes. It was just the same as last night but tonight we would not have to melt snow for water or cook from the provisions. Tonight’s supper would be various smoked fishes caught in the lake, dried lamb thigh, rommegrot (a porridge made of cream) and other local delicacies which the old summer farmers produced through the centuries. The whole meal was delicious and unique in Norway. We ate with William and Mai-Kristin who were both very easy going with great humour.

Day 17. Iungsdalshytta to Geiterygghytta. 27 km. 7.5 hours. 1060m up. 890 m down. Breakfast was at 0745 and we were quite sharp in eating as many calories as possible and then making our sandwiches as we wanted to leave early. It was a longer day and the forecast was for the wind to steadily increase in the course of the day. The recent wind at Bjordalsbu cabin 2 days ago was a good reminder we did not want to be caught in such weather. It was already overcast when we left but absolutely still.

We headed west up Iungsdalen crossing many frozen swamps and tarns until we reached Eivindbotn, a corrie to the north of the main valley. It was here Eivind Fredlaus lived for some 19 years as a fugitive outlaw in the 18th century. He had killed a man down in the valley in an argument over a field and fled to the mountains before retribution. It is difficult to imagine how he survived for these 19 years with a bounty on his head, evading vigilantes and finding enough food and shelter to survive. Eventually he was shot by someone from Laedal. His story is becoming legend with books and even a film made about him.

Near Eivindbotn the marked winter ski route headed south and started to climb up the southern flank of the valley side in a series of zig-zags. The cloud was thin and the sun sometimes broke through the veil and shone a golden atmospheric light onto the hillsides. Stuart was ahead making the trail with me, Wilhelm, Mai and two French brothers following. It took nearly 2 hours to climb the valley side, then ski up the higher valley and up the end of it to reach the plateau where there was a collection of lakes. The one we reached was Volavatnet. It was some 5 kilometres long and divided into various bays and sections by headlands of moraine deposits. It was often difficult to tell if we were on the frozen surface or skiing on the snow covered boulder fields. By now the wind was increasing significantly and by the time we reached Kongshelleren cabin it was at least a force 8 and there was spindrift filling the air. It was a relief to get inside. It was not cold outside at all and for the last 2 kilometres I had terrible problems with the snow clumping up under the ski and skins so in effect I could not slide my skis at all but had to walk on my skis – which made it worse. I even took the skins off so it was bare ski with no wax but it was still happening.

We were nearly an hour in the cabin waiting to see what the weather was doing. It was not getting worse so the 6 of us decided to continue. It was a mad 10 minutes getting ready with those who were waiting standing with their backs to the wind which was perhaps force 10 at times. Stuart was locking up and when he was ready he came to join us but was blown over en route such was the power of the wind. I think we all felt empowered by being in a group, but if any of us were on our own we would have probably stayed put in the cabin.

We fought our way south down Langavatnet lake for a kilometre with the wind and spindrift lashing us. Someway down the lake there was a small rise and we entered a shallow valley to the north of Langvassnuten mountain. The more we went into this valley the more it protected us from the south wind until fully in its lee the wind was a mere force 4. It got so hot skiing and with the lack of wind we had to stop and take off some clothes. Thereafter we had a great ski down the shallow valley, round a spur to the south and over a ridge to enter another valley. During this stretch all the twigs put in to act as waymarkers had had all their bark stripped off by passing reindeer looking for any sustenance in these meagre times.

I had forgotten there was a twist to the tail of this descent and that was a steep descent from the saddle at Bolhovd down into Rossdalen valley and then a long climb up the other side. With the wind directly against us Stuart and Myself found it easier to ski down than it might have been. Mai and Wilhelm were both good skiers and were down at the bottom in no time. The climb up the other side was taxing and it was hard work towards the end of a long day to reach the ridge.

I was preparing myself for the long difficult 2-3 kilometre descent down the other side but again with the wet snow, skins on and the strong southerly wind to slow us it was actually very forgiving. Mai and Wilhelm found it very easy and shot off down to the lodge, while Stuart and myself found it right on the edge of our comfort zone. I somehow made it down to the open valley without falling and then went round a corner to see the lodge just 300 metres away.

It was not busy with just 25 people staying and Stuart and myself got a 4 man room with 2 sets of bunks and a west view. It was ideal for us. There were free showers and a trough-style sink to wash my skiing clothes. The large drying room swallowed up everyone’s wet gear and by 1830 I was refreshed and clean and waiting for dinner. The 6 of us, 2 Norwegians, 2 Scots and 2 French who had made it over from Iungsdalen today sat at one table. It was nice that the team which skied together ate together. The food was good, not Fondsbu, or especially Iungddalshytta standard, but still very good and what it lacked in top quality it made up for in volume. We ate well but then by 2030 and the end of the meal I was ready for bed. It had been a great day really despite the weather which spiced it up. What really made the day was the company.

Day 18. Geiterygghytta rest and weather day. 0 km. 0 hours. 0m up. 0 m down. It was forecast to be warm and wet today with temperatures at just over zero. The 4 of us, Maj-Kristin Wilhelm, Stuart and Myself, who had become something of a team over the last 3 days all decided to have a day off. It was a nice lodge with a relaxed vibe, the food was good and there was no reason to push ourselves in this unpleasant weather. I spent most of the morning writing while the others read books with their slippered feet up on the sofa and a wedge of pillows behind them. As always on a weather day you are anxious that the weather will not be as bad as predicted and if it is too good you end up feeling guilty you are wasting a day. One look outside the window however allayed any guilt and we felt perfectly justified being in and reading.

In the afternoon I uploaded everything and then had a small snooze. But by 1600 I was up and joined the others. It had been a long day and we were all glad for the rest but by mid afternoon we were getting bored. Just at that minute Eric turned up having come from a different route to the one we took yesterday. He said I had gotten very wet in the sleety rain. At last supper time arrived and it was reindeer stew and real potatoes. Again good honest food and plenty of it.  The 4 of us and Eric sat at the same table again and by now the banter was becoming quite fluent and we told more personal stories of our past. On the neighbouring table there were two more Scots and we learned we had mutual friends here. Fjell Norge (Mountain Norway) is a small cosy world.

Day 19. Geiterygghytta to Finse. 18 km. 4.5 hours. 530m up. 530 m down. Breakfast as usual was a rush to eat enough for the morning and make a packed lunch for the day. There was a huge buffet to help yourself from and lots of great bread which had been freshly baked. The quality of the food at all the serviced lodges was high, yet it was practical, delicious and honest also. Stuart and myself felt we were getting great value for our money. Maj-Kristin left early as she had to catch a train at Finse. Stuart and Myself later at 0900 and Wilhelm after us. We said goodbye to Maj-Kristin as she was a great skier, natural sportswoman and we stood no chance of catching her.

It was great weather with just a slight NW wind, but the sun was out and there was plenty of blue sky. The only issue was it was so warm and wet yesterday that all the lovely snow which fell in the storm 3 days ago had melted and it had refrozen in the night so the surface was icy. Our ski skins did not really provide enough grip so we both had to stop and change to thicker ones. Even then it was difficult to ski on the icy surface. The route went up a series of small lakes on the valley floor which were completely frozen over and covered in drifts. There were a few steps between the lakes, some of which were quite steep but after a glorious 4 km we reached the larger lake of Omnsvatnet.

To the south of the lake were flanks of Hallingsskarvet, a long ridge at about 1800 metres high and some 30 kilometres long. In many places it was wide enough at the top, perhaps 4 kilometres to be a plateau. We would have to climb over this barrier and drop down to Finse on the other side. On the north side of the lake were a line of mountains which were plastered in snow. Indeed at this point there was as much snow as we have seen anywhere on the trip so far. Huge drifts and large cornices threatened anyone who wanted to go up these sides. The ski down the lake was a delight. It was a winter wonderland with the sun shining and little wind. I could see the slope at the end of the lake we would have to climb and it was plastered in deep snow with huge drifts.

However the route did not go to the end of the lake but about ? of the way along it climbed steeply up the north side over a spur coming down from the mountains. I followed Stuart and the sticks up here without really questioning it. The reason for it was because there were large deep drifts at the end of the lake where the natural route could have been. DNT have been marking the routes for decades now, perhaps even a century, and they would never mark a route which went into a dubious area and which might have had a history of an avalanche in the past. One can rest assured that the routes marked by the DNT are tried and tested, and the safest. The climb up this spur was a little taxing but at the top there was a gentle downhill run to the valley at the end of the lake and pleasingly above the problematic area with the big drift. Stuart had caught Eric up and the pair of them were snacking in the sun when I arrived. Wilhelm was right behind me having caught everyone up.

I did not stop but started up the steep flank of mountains to the south to the apex of the Hallingsskarvet ridge. My ski skins now became an advantage and gripped the snow so well I could just about go straight up. I looked back and the others were having to zig-zag more, as Maj-Kristin had. The icy conditions of the valley and Omnsvatnet lake were a thing of the past as this lee side of the mountain was receiving all the spindrift which was blowing about and it lay where it settled covering all the ice. It was a good, hot, half hour to climb up the ridge to the undulating plateau on top. Just as we reached the top a large group of about 15 skiers came towards us. They were mostly Norwegian I think as despite their age they were all competent and confident skiers. They were on a DNT arranged tour. Their leader lingered to chat with us but it was mostly a dictat of “be careful here, don’t do this, watch out for that”. It was a one sided dialog in English that was not endearing and it went on even when I interrupted him in Norwegian. His fussy manner and teaching instincts were etched on his hard drive.

At the top the wind veered to the NW so it was frequently behind us. Initially this was an advantage as it helped us along on the deep spindrift and snow fields of the undulating plateau however as we started to descend the surface became icier bit by bit and the wind hurled us down the slope. Although it was misty, the mist was thin and the sun could frequently break through the veil and illuminate the snow’s surface. It was quite easy to see the whiter, more luminous spindrift patches and the duller areas of wind polished ice. We could ski accordingly from a softer spindrift patch to another and brace ourselves for the icy corridors between them. But as we descended further the spindrift became less and less and the ice more and more and we had to really dig the metal edges of the skis in and traverse widely from side to side. It did not take long to descend the 250 vertical metres to the powerlines but it was sore on the legs which were often straining to keep the skis on edge.

At the powerlines Wilhelm caught us up. He had been keeping his skiing ability hidden under a bush but now he whizzed down the slope with all the aplomb of a Norwegian who was born with skis on. He zipped down carving beautiful turns on the difficult icy surface and was soon out of sight and nearing Finse. Indeed Finse had just appeared below us. Stuart and myself were far too timid to follow Wilhelm’s example and continued to traverse with the wind pushing us hard.

We soon reached Finse itself and skied across the train tracks to the Finse 1222 Hotel just in time to catch Maj-Kristin before she caught her train. Eric soon joined us and we said good bye again. From here it was just a short 500 metre ski around the edge of Finse lake and away from the Hotel and Station hubris to the large isolated Finsehytta lodge, one of the Flagship lodges of the DNT. It had a hubris of its own and at the reception we learnt there were over 100 guests. Stuart and myself managed to get a 4 man room which we would hopefully not have to share as there were still 100 beds free at the busy lodge. I settled down to write the blog while Stuart, Wilhelm and Eric sat in the main room and sampled the IPA beer brewed by the lodge in its basement. The beer was something of a legend now.

An hour before dinner I went over to the hotel Finse 1222 where a couple of acquaintances were staying namely, Louis and Amelia Rudd, who I wanted to have a coffee with. Louis is arguably UK’s leading polar explorer, certainly in Antarctica, and Amelia is very active in Antarctica and now Spitsbergen. It was after meeting with Louis 3 years ago on Hardangervidda that I made the decision to go to Antarctica. As I skied over to the hotel some 500 meters away I bumped into Cat Burford, AKA the Molar Explorer, who was also a South Pole Soloist and who I sold some of my radio equipment to. I had never met her but we recognised each other immediately and there were more hugs. At the hotel I met Louis and Amelia for a half hour chat before rushing back for my meal at 1900. The dining room was busy and the meal was good but not up to Fondsbu or Iungdalshytta standard. There was an element of army catering to it, as there had to be with the number of guests. I sat with Stuart and we seemed to be surrounded by Scots. There was also a witty Danish guy I met 10 years ago and we shared a laugh about a lady with a cello from our last meeting. It had been a great skiing day despite the icy conditions and a very sociable and happy evening at Finse. The only downside was saying goodbye to Maj-Kristin today and then Wilhelm tomorrow.

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