Fuglafjellet from Hamlagrøvatnet (24.02.2019)
| Start point | Osen, Hamlagrøvatnet (596m) |
|---|---|
| Endpoint | Osen, Hamlagrøvatnet (597m) |
| Characteristic | Backcountry skiing |
| Duration | 9h 16min |
| Distance | 27.8km |
| Vertical meters | 1,289m |
| GPS |
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| Ascents | Fuglafjellet (1,334m) | 24.02.2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Visits of other PBEs | Kjerringtjørni bro (595m) | 24.02.2019 |
| Stølselvi bro (595m) | 24.02.2019 | |
| Vesletjørni p-lomme (600m) | 24.02.2019 |
Fuglafjellet from Hamlagrøvatnet
We parked at the small parking lot east of Vesletjørni and from there followed the marked trail towards Vending. Not the best skiing conditions, icy and with lots of areas already running low on snow, and with next to no wind and the sun peeking through the clouds it felt more like Easter than the late February the calendar was indicating.
After passing east of Vending, we skied down to the small cabin in Fugladalen, where we had a quick lunch before starting the climb up to Fossavatnet. From Fossavatnet we followed the river up to Øvre Fugladalsvatnet, thus avoiding the steepest sections at the bottom of the valley up from Fossavatnet. Note that one should be careful with regards to the snow conditions when heading up this relatively narrow gorge. Very low risk for avalanches this Sunday though, but instead we had to pay attention to avoid the areas where the snow had opened up to expose the river beneath.
The second potentially dangerous area with regards to avalanches, was when entering the wide valley up toward Fuglafjellet. Minimal risk today, but care should definitely be taken at times with less favorable conditions, and perhaps other routes considered on such occasions.
Shortly after starting our ascent up the valley, the fog appeared, getting denser and denser as we approached the summit. The visibility was so poor that we had to proceed very carefully, and our initial attempt to approach the summit from the east had to be abandoned due to not finding the right path. But after returning to the small hill northeast of the summit, we managed to find a relatively easy way to ascend. From there, the progress towards the summit was easier, although the icy conditions made sure that the steel edges on our skis were put to the test.
After now having been inside a dense fog for more than an hour, we were very surprised when, as if by magic, the visibility gradually started to improve seconds after reaching the summit, resulting in spectacular views, all the more enjoyable when compared to the non-existent views just minutes earlier! The fog did not disappear completely, or at least not before we decided to make the best of the improved conditions and start our descent, but this sudden and extremely well-timed change of visibility made the ascent into an unforgettable experience!
The improved visibility also greatly simplified the descent back to Fossavatnet, although the icy conditions were not the best for skiing. Upon reaching Fossavatnet we had another short break, before continuing back to Hamlagrøvatnet. It soon started to get dark and we had to rely on our headlamps for the last hour or so, resulting in relatively slow progress when combined with the icy conditions and the numerous areas with little to no snow.
In summary, a long but excellent trip, with spectacular views at the summit, a big surprise when we had more or less concluded that there would be no views at all due to the fog!
| Start date | 24.02.2019 09:45 (UTC+01:00) |
| End date | 24.02.2019 19:02 (UTC+01:00) |
| Total Time | 9h 16min |
| Moving Time | 7h 15min |
| Stopped Time | 2h 01min |
| Overall Average | 3.0km/h |
| Moving Average | 3.8km/h |
| Distance | 27.8km |
| Vertical meters | 1,289m |
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