Wrong footwear. Definitely…
Peaks visited:
| Peak | Height | PF | Municipality | Location |
| Garnestua | 653m | 415m | Ulstein | Map |
I was about to get ready for a drive to Sogndal, to start Anne’s and my Easter vacation there, and I wanted to walk the dog before the 3,5 hour long drive. I chose Garnestua as my hiking goal and from what I could see, there was not a lot of snow on the mountain. I looked for my gaiters, just in case, but I couldn’t remember where I had packed them.
The first 200 vertical meters were free of snow, but then… And the transition was not gradual, it was snow up to my knees once I reached the snow. On the path, and under the snow was a creek with melting water. I was soaking wet right from the get-go and the progress was SLOW! Karma (my dog) ploughed her way through the snow and I chose to adapt to her technique.
Arriving at approx. 400m elevation, my feet were so cold that I could barely feel them. I had to stop and dry my socks and give my feet a massage. And I had to repeat this 4-5 times throughout the hike.
On the summit ridge, I had approx. 1km of deep and wet snow to struggle in. And when we finally reached the summit, my feet were totally numb. I took a couple of pictures and gave Karma her reward (dog candy) and turned around.
The hike down the mountain was of course far easier than the ascent, and I was so incredible happy when we reached the car and I could turn on the heater. Hitting the snower back home offered a mixed sensation – as warm water and cold feet can be quite a painful experience.
The plan was that Karma would get tired and sleep tight during the drive to Sogndal. The plan was definitely not that I should get tired as well. But the trip went well and in Sogndal, Anne was waiting with a hot, delicious meal.
Pictures from the trip:
