20-27/03/22: FVMC Member on Hut to Hut XC Ski Tour in Norway, Jotunheimen region

The relaxation of the COVID restrictions both at home and abroad allowed FVMC member BR to resume his yearly Norwegian Hut to Hut XC Ski Tour…the first since 2019. This time he booked a trip called Jotunheimen: Pines to Peaks, organised, administered and run by Tracks and Trails Guided adventure holidays in the Alps - Tracks and Trails (tracks-and-trails.com) partnered with The Off-Piste and Telemark Ski Company Telemark skiing holidays, cross-country courses, Nordic ski touring, Alpine off-piste (telemarkskico.com).

There was a group of eight and the planned itinerary for the tour was;

20/03: Group meets at Vinstra, minibus to Dalseter Mountain Hotel, stay one night.

21/03: Ski to Oskampen self-service DNT Hut, stay one night.

22-23/03: Ski to Bygdin Mountain Hotel, stay two nights.

24/03: Ski to Yksebdalbu self-service DNT Hut, stay one night.

25-26/03: Ski to Fondsbu DNT Hut, stay two nights.

27/03: Travel back to Oslo

However inclement weather forced a third night Bygdin and the taking of a minibus to Fondsbu the following day to resume the last two planned nights there.

Taking account of local tours from Bygdin and Fondsbu the total distance covered was about 110km and 2400m of ascent.

When going on a tour such as this you travel carrying everything for the duration, so ski boots are worn all the time except for the use of hut slippers! The only luxury is any left luggage in a locker or a hotel store. The above shows BR on 20/03/22 awaiting the bus to take him from Comfort Runway Hotel (Gardermoen Airport) to make his train connection to Vinstra. (Pic BR.)

During our stay at the Dalsetter Hotel on the evening of 20/03/22, I met husband and wife team TP (BASI Ski Instructor) and LCP (one of the directors of Tracks and Trails and qualified ski instructor/guide) who also joined our group as part of their Honeymoon! (Pic TP.)

First day 21/03/22. The group of 7 lined up, AR, BR, KB, TP, LCP, DS & GR, with the photographer the 8th member, before skiing to the Oskampen self-service DNT Hut. (Pic JF.)

Oskampen; we reach our first DNT self-service hut. (Pic KB.)

The first things first…GR fetches some water – whilst someone lights the fire! (Pic TP.)

Small but cosy…with the stove fired up and ice melting GR & KB prepare the meal. (Pic TP.)

Sunset from the hut. (Pic TP.)

Second day 22/03/22. This year there was much less snow in Norway than usual but it was very rare that we had to remove skis to cross patches and even then it was a very short carry. Here the group head toward Bygdin. (Pic TP.)

Crossing the frozen north western end of lake Vinstre to reach Bygdin. (Pic TP.)

Bygdin Mountain Hotel and a well-earned rest. (Pic BR.)

Third day 23/03/22. The group split up to do local tours from Bygdin Mountain Hotel. Part of our group is seen above, comprising tour guide JF, GR, AR & DS with the northern slopes of Bitihorn in the background. After a Telemark Turn tutorial by JF we embarked on a clockwise tour of the slopes and frozen shores of lakes Raudfjorden, Seksin and Kjelda. (Pic BR.)

As well as the Telemark tutorial, tour guide JF also supervised the construction of a snowhole at the western sloped shore of lake Seksin, in order that the group gain experience of such a task. It takes more time than AR, DS, GR & BR had anticipated! (Pic JF.)

Yes it is cosy inside and would require a fair bit of more work to make enough space for the five of us but it would certainly work. (Pic JF.)

The view of the way out. (Pic JF.)

Heading back toward Bygdin over the frozen northern shore of lake Seksin. (Pic JF.)

Fourth day 24/03/22. Given that the forecast was due to deteriorate over the period of time we had planned to reach the Yksebdalbu self-service DNT, it was decided to stay another night at this hotel and do another local tour. Above are AR, guide JF, DS & GR taking a rest as they do a circular tour north of Bygdin Mountain Hotel. (Pic KB.)

Sometimes the skis just have to be carried, GR, KB, AR & DS going through their paces. (Pic JF.)

The view from the cairn at the top of Rasletinden, 2105m. (Pic JF.)

Fifth day 25/03/22. Having decided to not go to Yksebdalbu self-service DNT, due to bad weather, we took a minibus from Bygdin to the southern shores of lake Tyin where we boarded a Bombardier tracked vehicle to Fondsbu for our final two nights.

Sixth day 26/03/22. The last day of skiing and perhaps the best weather wise. Tour guide JF, DS, GR & AR, stopping for a blether having left Fondsbu and skied along frozen lake Bygdin. (Pic BR.)

At the start of the climb from lake Bygdin, on the south east slopes of Hoystakkane. (Pic BR.)

A lunch stop before the gradual ascent to the plateau, AR, BR, DS & JF. (Pic GR.)

Looking west from a high point 0.5km south east of lake Gravatjernet. (Pic BR.)

Having traversed lake Gravatjernet GR is delighted to be pictured in his element! (Pic GR.)

Final downhill run of the tour! Heading south east then south to the outskirts of the settlement around Fondsbu. DS, BR & JF on their final run. (Pic GR.)

The comfortable inside of the Fondsbu DNT Hut, where last two nights of the tour were spent. (Pic GR.)

Overall it was an excellent tour with thrilling days, very good accommodation, food and great company. Next year Tracks and Trails are doing a tour called Hardangervidda Classic Crossing, 12-19/03/23 Norway off track skiing - Tracks and Trails (tracks-and-trails.com) and I would be seriously interested.