A trip down memory lane!
Index
| Date | Peak | Height | PF | Location | WCP/FP | MAP |
| 14.05.23 | Vardeggi | 1406m | 104m | Balestrand, Norway | – | MAP |
Sunday: This Sunday offered a trip down memory lane! Anne proposed that we should go skiing on Gaularfjellet and asked me to not pick the longest route. She gets her fair portion of ski-trips through her work as a Park Ranger and especially at this time of the year. When looking at the map, I found that I completely overlooked the existence of Vardeggi – barely a pf100 top.
But first, Anne had to go to Sogndalsfjøra for the regular Sunday swim.
Afterwards, we sat course for Gaularfjellet and only had to wait 10 minutes for the Hella – Dragsvik ferry.
This would be a short trip and a perfect choice, given the combination of rotten snow and Karma. She would have to pull out her A-game today.
So, what about the memory lane? Well, in May 2004 a group from Bergen Fjellsport (me included) skied across Meneseggen and Jostefonn and came down on Gaularfjellet – after spending one night in our sleeping bags (no tent). This was an epic ski-trip for all of us.
Below Gottophesten, we met a group of other skiers and Anne Rudsengen was one of them. This was the first time I met Anne. It would take another 5,5 years until we met again – and we haven’t stopped meeting since then.
As such, the trip up to Vardeggi – close to Gottophesten – had a romantic side to it.
Karma barely survived when she walked in our tracks, but what’s the fun in that? Once she stepped outside, she went swimming.
When we got Vardeggi in view, we stopped for technical adjustments.
I had not cut my toenails in a long time and now they were cutting into my skin. Painful. As we didn’t have any scissors, I had to put sports tape around my toes. Clumsy! But eventually, we got going again…
If it had just been Anne and me out there, we would have gone to Gottophesten today. But that was just not an option for Karma. Getting her up and down Vardeggi was already a big ask.
But we got up!
It was nice to see Jostefonn (aka Sunnfjordsbjørnen) again. Almost 20 years had passed since we came across there!
It was windy on top, so we didn’t stay long.
Upon descent, we took a steeper route down. We both had randonee skis and were more than ready for a good run down the mountain. However, the snow was incredibly sticky and took away at least 50% of the fun.
Despite the rotten snow, Karma kept an incredible speed, plowing her way down. We never had to wait long for her.
In order to get the skis gliding, we had to lean backwards all we could. Then it’s a big surprise when the skis actually start gliding and you’re not ready for it. I eventually got used to it, but not without taking a couple of falls…
We also quickly learned to lean backwards even when stopping. The alternative – flat facing into the snow was not very tempting.
All in all, a fun trip!
Trip statistics: 6,9km, 790 vertical meters, 3h:02m
Pictures (Canon EOS RP/Iphone 13 Pro Max/Samsung) from the trip:
