Norway on Alpine gear

My son is living in Oslo.  He can ski (downhill on Alpine gear) but has no touring experience.  I have plenty of ski mountaineering experience on Alpine gear but am fairly incompetent on Nordic gear.  I'm looking for ideas for a good area for a hut to hut tour on Alpine gear.   I'd love to join the Eagles boat-based trip to Lyngen but can't afford it!

I would welcome any suggestions.

Is it possible to hire Alpine touring gear in Norway?

Hi Steve,

In a previous incarnation as AC meets secretary, I met Knut Tonsberg who lives in Norway & offered to run a couple of meets in Jotunheim if I remember rightly. These were not particularly well-attended but those who did attend had a good time. Check out the Alpine Club website: back issues of the AC newsletter will have reports on the meets in 2011 & 12.

There is only 1 brief report in the July 2011 AC newsletter but more details in the meets information. I'm pretty sure they were using alpine skis as Derek doesn't have any nordics.

From Oslo Jotunheimen would be your best bet. I've only toured on Nordic backcountry gear in the area, but there are enough peaks to make touring there on AT gear worthwhile. In fact it's really taken off in the last few years. Have a look at the DNT (Den Norske Turistforeningen - Norwegian touring association) website for a map of the huts. Fondsbu is probably your easiest access point and can be reached by bus and weasel from Oslo. You can only access Gjendesheim from the North in winter which makes it quite a long trip and I don't think there is public transport.

 

Try Sunnmorsalpane, its a ski tourers and climbers  paradise. Look back at Eagle yearbooks for 2003, 2004, 2005. Also Hurrungane area to west of Jotunheim.  I was on all three trips. There is a photo of Fingeren on cover of Eagle yearbook 2005.  You will need good weather though. It's brilliant for peak bagging, but needs careful planning for hut to hut trip.  Other good source of information is the guide book 'Skiturar i Sunnmorsalpane' and 'Molladalen'  in Norwegian, but with 319 pages of superb photos. See www.iriss.no  for full details.

The area has expeditionary feel, and alpine crowds you will not see. Snow texture is good, even down to near sea level.

If you like adventure and exploration there is no finer place to be.

Mike Thewlis

For inspiration more than information, I've recently been sent the following link to a short film made by Fred Buttard UIAGM on skiing in Finnmark earlier this year:

https://vimeo.com/50940402

John Barnard
honsec@eagleskiclub.org.uk