Mixed bike-and-hike and the Saudehornet traverse
Index
| Date | Peak | Height | PF | Location | WCP/FP | MAP |
| 20.10.25 | Storebroren | 620m | 177m | Hareid/Ulstein, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 21.10.25 | Gjøna | 531m | 163m | Sande, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 22.10.25 | Haddalshornet | 611m | 103m | Ulstein, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 23.10.25 | Melshornet | 809m | 567m | Ørsta, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 24.10.25 | Rjåhornet | 600m | 107m | Herøy, M&R, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 25.10.25 | Saudehornet | 1303m | 825m | Ørsta, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 25.10.25 | Vardehornet | 1010m | 101m | Ørsta, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 26.10.25 | Huldrehornet | 271m | 113m | Herøy, M&R, Norway | WCP | MAP |
Storebroren (620m), Oct 20 2025
Monday: Daylight was running shorter by the day, but there would still be time to do the new route to Storebroren that I noticed when I visited Sneldelida a couple of weeks ago. I planned to bike from Flø and expected to be back within two hours.
The 30-some minute bike trip got easier with the Drivkraft podcast episode with Sigrid – one of Norway’s big pop stars on the international scene. I enjoyed the episode. This girl has guts and talent!
Then I got to lake Brørevatnet and could leave the bike. I could follow a path to the innermost cabin. From there, the terrain was so-and-so, but hiking wasn’t difficult.
After a while, I could start ascending diagonally and got into the distinct slope that I planned to follow upwards, at approx. 400m elevation.
From here, the hike to the top was easy enough. I was very happy about doing this route!
I’ve always regarded Storebroren to be the most remote of all tops on Hareidlandet and Gurskøya, but through this route (and the route via Vasshaugen) it doesn’t take so long to get up there.
Of course, you can drive to the end of the road (which was closed today!), but It’s still 4,5km of hiking to the top along the normal route. My route from the road was just 1,6km.
The easiest way back down was the same way I came up. The descent went smoothly although I managed to step into a deep hole. Somehow, I always come out of these situations with just a bruise.
The bike trip down took 9 minutes. I could have gone faster, but the gravel on this road is nasty. I’d rather get back home and blog about it, than explaining it to a doctor (or a surgeon) …
Trip statistics: 7,1km on bike, 3,1km on foot, 640 vertical meters, 1h:45m
Gjøna (531m), Oct 21 2025
Tuesday: After a rainy morning, the forecast indicated an overcast afternoon and I decided to do a repetition of the route I did from Røyset and straight up to Gjøna, on April 11, 2009.
I didn’t remember anything from that hike, other than having done it. So whatever nightmares that hike brought along, I didn’t remember.
I left my bike at the trailhead on the north side and then I drove to Røyset and tried to find an opening in the forest.
The terrain was nasty. Juniper bush everywhere and so I aimed for a distinct boulder field.
The rock was slippery and loose, but at least I didn’t have to worry about the bush. I moved with care, as I didn’t want an injury here. If I am heading into ugly terrain, I might text Anne where I am heading, but she was on Crete now and I didn’t want to bother her about it. So, the primary goal was crystal clear – no injuries.
I brought my “grass axe” (an ice-axe used on grass). It wasn’t required, but it was helpful.
The couloir was never difficult, but it was steep throughout.
I was quite happy when I could see the end to this awkward terrain.
And then I was up!
I don’t see that I will be repeating this route for a 3rd time, but there are other interesting couloirs on this mountain…
I headed down the north side path, and the grass axe was quite useful there. The ground was super-slippery after the rain and the axe saved me from falling on two occasions. None of them in critical terrain, but there are indeed places on this route where you just can’t slide.
Eventually, I was back at the bike. I never leave my bike in the open like this, but there were no other places to lock it properly. I returned to the car and one minute later, I saw raindrops on the front window.
In the evening, Anne sent me an update from Crete…
Trip statistics: 3,1km on foot, 2,6km on bike, 550 vertical meters, 1h:41m
Haddalshornet (611m), Oct 22 2025
Wednesday: After work, I looked out the window. It had been raining, but it wasn’t raining now. The weather looked quite OK and so I decided to do a longer bike-and-hike trip; up Haddalshornet from Haddal and descent to the bike, awaiting at Aursnes. Then bike along gravel roads back to Haddal.
I hadn’t gotten very far before I could feel the first raindrops. But it was just dripping, not raining and so I continued.
When I got up in Klungsbotnen, I decided to take a route that leads into the Klungsgylet route, but above the steepest part.
I don’t think there are many people who knows about this route. And why should they?
When I got to the top, it was no longer dripping. It was raining. Still, I decided to go through with my plan and sat course for Aursnes.
It wasn’t windy, so it wasn’t totally unpleasant. I was just wet to the bone.
I was happy when I was closing in on Aursnes. Haddalshornet seemed far away now.
When I got on the bike, I had a 5,4km bike trip ahead of me. Not only was I soaking wet when I returned to the car – I was also dirty from top to toe.
But hey – nothing a shower and a washing machine can’t fix!
Trip statistics: 7,1km on foot, 5,4km on bike, 740 vertical meters, 2h:11m
Melshornet (809m), Oct 23 2025
Thursday: When I finished work, I was so happy to notice that the weather was quite lovely. As I am getting a bit bored by the local mountains, I quickly decided to drive to Ørsta to hike Melshornet.
I took the route from Rystefeltet and brought the bike up the 1,1km forest road. It was hard work and I wasn’t really sure if it was worth it, given the short distance.
Once on foot, it didn’t long before I reached the fork where you turn left for “Pølsa”.
This route offers a lovely view.
On “Pølsa” (referring to the wind pennant) I enjoyed the classic Ørsta view.
Little did I know that I would be doing the Saudehornet traverse 2 days later.
I was a little surprised about not seeing any snow on Saudehornet. Only 6 days earlier, the snow line was at 500 meters – way below Vallahornet.
The next goal was the top of Melshornet. I could also see the slanting ledge that I would be following down to the lake.
In the final hillside, I met a woman – on her way down. We had a short, nice chat. I don’t think I’ve met anyone coming down here, so it was a nice change from the “normal”
I reached the Melshornet cairn 1h:10m after heading out. I had estimated this round to take approximately 2 hours. I was curious how close to the estimate I would get.
I didn’t stay for long. I moved over to the high point (check!) and started my descent.
The path down to lake Dinglavatnet is steep and it was quite slippery. I found it very satisfying to know that I can still move rapidly in challenging terrain. Any rock I stepped on was a potential problem, but it’s all about reading the rock (centre of gravity, will it move, etc) and I think I’ve gotten quite good at it.
I loved the mist rising from the warm ground…
I also loved the sun setting, even if it was cloudy.
Eventually, I got down to lake Dinglavatnet and could embark on a less steep, but way more slippery path into Osdalen.
It was nice to be back on Melshornet. I am a hug fan of this mountain!
Even if the bike trip up the forest road was hard, I looked so much forward to get onto the bike and blast down. When I got back to the car, I took a detour on a tractor road that I’ve never hiked or biked. It didn’t lead anywhere, and I biked back to the car.
I was back at the car 2h:04m after leaving. Which is close enough to 2 hours, but if I subtract the detour, the elapsed time was 1h:55m. So, my 2-hour estimate wasn’t all bad, given that I done (at least) 700 vertical meters.
Trip statistics: 5,3km on foot, 3,7km on bike, 700 vertical meters, 2h:04m
Rjåhornet (600m), Oct 24 2025
Friday: The forecast promised incoming rain at 5pm, but I figured I could get to a top before it started raining. I logged off work at 3:30pm and 20 minutes later, I had left my bike at Leikongeidet (160m) and was ready to hike from Leikong (28m).
I hiked up to Bakkehammaren and could see for myself that the forecast wasn’t far off. Rain was definitely coming in from the east.
I kept a good pace. I don’t mind rain on my way down from a mountain, but I hate it when I get it on my way up.
One thing was for sure – the rain was moving very slowly. I was almost up and started to mentally prepare to get wet.
I reached the top 53 minutes after heading out. It hadn’t started raining yet and I had to make a decision. Should I head back down the same way or continue to Leikongeidet. If I chose the latter, I would surely have an unpleasant bike trip from Leikongeidet. Therefore, I chose the bike. I cannot explain it, but I guess it has something to do with challenging my comfort zone. Not that this was anything extreme, but it’s about choosing the least favourable of two options.
The rain came 5 minutes after I begun my descent. It wasn’t raining a lot, so it was OK. Passing Sletteheidane, I didn’t focus enough and ended in unpleasant off-trail terrain.
I figured that on the upside – I would get some new tracks on my GPS map. Well, almost. I’ve seemingly done this route before – with or without intention…
As I had reckoned, the bike trip down to Leikong was unpleasant. It was raining much more now. I really looked forward to that warm shower…
Trip statistics: 6,5km on foot, 2,4km on bike, 625 vertical meters, 1h:46m
Saudehornet (1303m), Vardehornet (1010m), Oct 25 2025
Sunday: This trip is featured on a separate post…
Huldrehornet (271m), Oct 26 2025
Sunday: I got up at 6:30am to check on a DST issue for work. Unable to fall back asleep due to an unidentifiable noise, I discovered it was water overflowing from the rain gutter, which wasn’t draining properly.
I fixed the gutter quickly after finding tree needles blocking the drain, not Saharan sand. The ladder was not very stable on the sloped gravel, but I completed the maintenance work without an incident.
Then followed hours of indoors cleaning, making the house shiny for Anne’s arrival the following day.
I tried to convince myself to skip hiking today, as I didn’t really feel like going out one more time. But in the end, the thought of skipping was not … pleasant and so I decided to do a quick hike up and down Huldrehornet.
Fortunately, it stopped raining when I parked the car. I enjoyed a dry hike up the forest.
I felt tired when I reached the top. I was out of steam. Maybe the body needed some rest after the hike to Saudehornet the day before. Or maybe because I hike almost every single day and I don’t really focus too much on rest, recovery and good sleep. Need to change that…
In any case, I was happy having done it. My weekly goal of 3500 vertical meters was never in danger, and I ended the week on 4840 vertical meters.
Trip statistics: 2,4km, 250 vertical meters, 0h:44m
