Troll Hunting in Norway

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Troll Hunting in Norway Mike Pratt & Suzy McQuoid couple of summers ago while Bergen has a campground but it is a showed considerable damage from we werel based in London, we long way out off the city. As "free camp- chlorine poisoning. On our trip realised that the reputation of ing" is permitted in Norway, most through to Vetti, we passed Ardal terrible English summers was not a backpackers make use of the park at where there is a large aluminium joke. Frustrated with rain and smog the top of thel Floibanen funicular rail- smelter. For a long time, chlorine was we decided to visit Scandinavia. After way, as it is much closer to the city used in the process, with no control experiencing Fiordland in NZ, we centre. When we ventured up there over the emissions. Although this has wanted to go to Norway to see how we saw that we weren't alone, with now stopped, much of the vegetation the Norwegian fjords compared. several tents already set up. in the Utladalen still shows the effects of chlorine. It was further along the We consulted the DNT (the Norwe- With its high mountains and deep Utladalen that we were able to get a gian equivalent of DOC), and decided fjords, transportation in Norway can spectacular view of one of the largest on ten days in Jotunheimen National be a challenge. To get to Jotunheimen waterfalls in Europe. Vetti Falls is an Park. Apart from the promise of huge took a day on trains, ferries, anda a bus. impressive sight, falling over 270m glaciers and fjords, Jotunheimen also The train went from Bergen along the into the Utla River. had the attraction of claiming the two spectacular Sorfjord and western highest peaks in northern Europe. mountains through to Myrdal. From As we continued up the Utladalen, we here it descended sharply, passing looked for opportunities to branch out Forewarned about sky-high prices in huge waterfalls before arriving gat Flâm, into the Hurrangane Mountains. Fi- Norway, we stuffed our packs with ati the head off the Aurlandsfjorden. The nally deciding on the Midtmaradalen tramping gear, wandered down to the ferries in the Aurlandsfjorden and Valley, we established a campwith the supermarket and loaded up with Sognefjorden also passed through typi- goal ofreaching the glacier at the head enough rice, pasta and other food for cal Norwegian fjords. of the valley the next day. The ten days, and staggered out to Midtmaradalen offered views back Heathrow. An hour later we arrived in From our camp in the small village of down the perfectly U-shaped valley. Bergen on the western coast of Nor- Vetti, we started heading up the Typical of many of the valleys we saw, way. Located between mountains and Utladalen Valley. The Utladalen is al- the Mitmaradalen has been carved to coastal fjords, Bergen has been a thriv- most a gorge and it was a very steep this shape through the eroding action ing sea port since the days when ity was climb that brought us up to the of the receding glacier. lt was in this one of the Hanseatic cities, respon- Stolsmaradalen. Although we were still valley that we saw our first lemmings. sible for a large amount of the trade surrounded by beech, spruce and Small rodents about the size of a to Europe. other conifers, a lot of the trees guinea pig, these mammals seemed Midtmaradalen Valley, Jotunheimen National Park Mike Pratt TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996

Sognefjorden Mike Pratt to have no fear of humans. Often a tioned that huts were only $4 in com- sharp ascent of 100m and the top. By lemming would rush out of its burrow parison to the $20 in Norway. passing many other trampers, we to stand up on its back legs, squeakreached the summit in less than 3 ing loudly at us. When we tried to get From the Utladalen valley we headed hours, to be amongst the firstupt there. past, they became more agitated and up towards the mountains and peaks Half an hour later, however, we nomade even more noise. As they of the Jotunhiemen Range. We estab- ticed human "ant trails" coming up weren't defending any young, we lished a camp, ready for an early as- both sides of the mountain. By middidn't think this was a terribly intelli- cent of Galdhoppigen. Unfortunately, day there must have been 70 or more gent defencestrategy, but not a lot can the next day low cloud obscured the people up there. The feeling of achievbe expected from animals that have mountains so we decided to head up ing the summit was somewhat diminthe peculiar habit of gathering in large the Svellnosbreen Glacier. Despite not ished with the arrival of these hordes groups and jumping off cliff edges. having a rope, we managed to climb ofp people. Glittertind, on the other side onto the glacier and explored some of the Visdalen Valley, is a less popu- Aday's walk brought us up to the face fissures and small crevasses. A worth- lar climb with equally spectacular of the glacier, right in the heart of the whilej jaunt but itmade us all the more views; however, our time was running Hurrangane Mountains. After scram- keen to get up Galdhoppigen. out and we had to head back to civilibling around taking photos, we headed sation and work. back down the valley, only to realise The next day was clear and we set off that we were on the wrong side of the early to "bag" the highest peak in Although we had two days left, we had Midtmaradola River. With the water northern Europe. Expecting only a few to spend the rest of the time walking level too high, we were almost re- other climbers to tackle the 1,200m out down a road to catch buses, trains signed to spending another day head- climb, we were surprised to meet an- and a ferry down the Sognefjorden ing back up the valley to cross at a other 20-odd people also trying to back to Bergen. After days of eating safer point, when we met two Nor- "bag" Galdhoppigen. rice and pasta, we decided to splash wegian guys (happily for us, on the out on a meal in Bergen. right side). These guys were students Although steep, the ascent was relaspending 3 weeks rock climbingin the tively straightforward, initially over We were extremely fortunate to have Hurrungane Mountains. After setting rock and scree slopes and then onto had mostly beautiful, clear sunny days up a belay and throwing us the rope hard packed snow most of the way. in Norway. Travelling in early August they managed to assist us safely across As we climbed higher, the view ex- also meant long days, and a few times the river. panded to encompass several large we continued tramping until about glaciers, including the four kilometres 8pm, still allowing plenty of time to Despite our understanding very little of the Svellnosbreen that we couldn't set up camp and cook a meal. The Norwegian and their limited English, see the day before. scenery was indeed breathtaking, and we managed to strike up a conversato some extent could be likened to tion about tramping. Theyseemed very Following a well-marked path over the Fiordland, although Norwegian fjords keen on NZ, especially when we men- Piggbreen Glacier brought us to a are on a much larger scale. TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996