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adventure & travel

Fjord skiing in Norway

Ski touring trip with a two-master named 'Maud' - On the road in Norway's Hjørundfjord

by Totti Lingott 04/07/2015
It is not the legendary ship of the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, with which he sailed through the Northeast Passage at the beginning of the twentieth century. But the two-master is also called 'Maud': 'Maud of Ålesund'. The small fishing boat was launched a year after the famous original was trapped by pack ice on the American side of the Atlantic in 1930 and sank. Nevertheless, I feel a bit like the great polar explorer as the bow of the 'Maud' makes its way through the thin sheets of ice through the straits around Ålesund in the early morning.

Ålesund is one of the most important fishing ports in Norway and is spectacularly beautifully situated across several islands in the west of the country. In the town center, the many well-preserved Art Nouveau houses are immediately noticeable, which are more reminiscent of German old towns than a Norwegian fishing town. "The German Emperor Wilhelm II's enthusiasm for Norway and a major fire at the beginning of the twentieth century are to blame. He patronizingly offered his help and had the center rebuilt in the style of stone Art Nouveau houses. One of these houses was stylishly converted into the Hotel Brosundet. You practically fall out of bed straight onto the 'Maud' moored on the quay: and are greeted with a broad grin by skipper and ski tour guide Arne Fagerhaug - even though it is far too early, far too dark and far too cold. But that only seems to bother the German guests.

As befits a true sailor, he has of course not spent the night in a fancy hotel, but in the much too small, freezing cold cabin below deck. "There's nothing better than being rocked to sleep by the sea!" says Arne, who is undoubtedly one of those Norwegians who spend most of their time outdoors - whatever the weather. He has been exploring the fjords and mountains around Ålesund in summer and winter for almost 40 years. His father took him on his first ski tour at the tender age of 12. At a time when only a few dozen people in the area thought about ski mountaineering. He was particularly fond of the Hjørundfjord and the Sunnmøre Alps. A few years ago, he and his buddy Stein Magne came up with the idea of using his old ship 'Maud' - converted into a fishing boat - for hiking, climbing and ski touring trips. The company 'ACTIN your adventure' was founded over a glass of wine. A pleasant side effect of the collaboration: every evening, guests are served freshly caught fish, prepared on the barbecue right in front of the cabin - because during the day, Stein Magne indulges in his hobby and fishes in the fjord while Arne lets off steam in the mountains with the guests.

Sitting on the bow of such an old wooden ship and thinking about the ski tour that follows has its own special charm - but sometimes only the charm of the icy wind. Even wrapped up in all the layers of clothing your ski touring backpack has to offer, you can't really enjoy breakfast on deck. The biting sub-zero temperatures combined with the familiar wind at sea also make their way through three-layer Gore-Tex, down, Primaloft and merino wool. But who wants to admit that with such a view of the surrounding peaks and go below deck?

After a good hour's sailing, the 'Maud' reaches the Hjørundfjord and lands in Saltre shortly afterwards. Arne maneuvers the ship to the jetty with great routine. There are only two simple houses here. Two elderly locals push the curtains to one side and cast a skeptical glance in the direction of the approaching tourists. The fjord has been inhabited for centuries, but for a long time nobody thought of ski touring here. The dangers posed by the awe-inspiring steep mountain flanks are far too present. The tragic accidents that have happened time and again are also far too present. For example, in the early seventies of the twentieth century, 12 strong men set off in search of two lost goats. They were able to find the goats in one of the countless avalanche tracks, but two devastating avalanches swept the majority of the group towards the sea along with the goats. Hardly any of them survived. Or the sinking of the boat, which a quarter of a century earlier, close to the shore, was surprised by a large avalanche and swept down with its passengers - an entire family on their way home from a family celebration.

To this day, only a few dozen families live on the shores of the Hjørundfjord. No wonder the older residents have so much respect for the mountains and react with initial incomprehension towards ski tourers. Nonetheless, they open their windows with curiosity, are happy to see the unexpected visitors, enquire about their well-being and wish them every success on their mountain adventure. Open, warm and relaxed, as Norwegians usually are. The group makes its way to the first summit in high spirits. The skis still have to be strapped to the backpack up to an altitude of two hundred meters, as it often doesn't snow as far as the fjord in April. However, Arne promises the best snow conditions at higher altitudes.

The mountains are not high compared to the European Alps, but for the longest part of the winter you are skiing directly at sea level. In this respect, the 1092 metres of the 'Schweinespitze' (Norwegian: Svinetind) are a good acclimatization destination. Nevertheless, after a quick descent to the frozen Storevatnet lake, the tour is spontaneously extended to include a second summit, Rametinden. And Arne didn't promise too much: The descents are quite something and the snow is more reminiscent of Canadian conditions than April ski days in the Alps. The great snow is a pleasant side effect of the northern, near-pole location. As is the long-lasting daylight - even in mid-April, the sun doesn't set until around 8.30 pm and the day offers an incredible 14 hours to let off steam in the mountains.

Back on the 'Maud', the lines are untied and Arne surprises us with Norwegian tradition and a casual attitude: a barbecue is mounted directly on the railing of the wooden boat! The cold wind quickly fanned the embers and soon salmon and the home-made venison sausages he had been given by the two locals were sizzling. It is already clear why Kaiser Wilhelm became a Norwegian lover. The further we go into the Hjørundfjord on the way to Sæbø, the higher and steeper the surrounding mountains become - the peaks are now up to 1600 meters high. After landing, we move into our accommodation right by the water in the rustic wooden cabins of the Sagafjord Hotel. Grass-covered roofs and thick wooden walls provide the right insulation - in some cases for over 200 years. As always, Stein Magne has been fishing successfully and the fresh fish is served in front of the open fire. Afterwards, the tour for the next day is discussed over a glass of wine. This time it's off to the starting point in Kvistadsætra by car.

But the trip is already over at 200 m above sea level because there is already too much snow to continue. From here, it's a six-kilometre hike to the summit of Skårasalen - at 1542 m, already one of the higher mountains in the Sunnmøre Alps. The effort is rewarded with a magnificent view along the steeply sloping Kvistadkjerringane ridge and down to the fjord. Now it becomes clear why Arne recommended the ascent from the west side: In Skår, Stein Magne then picks us up again with the 'Maud', as we can descent almost to the water! Heading east, the valley of the Litle Skåradalen leads directly to the fjord. The descent offers great and consistently steep terrain, which makes every skier's heart beat faster. Only the short walk to the landing stage in Skår can be a problem if you don't quickly find the narrow path on which you have to cross the stream several times. It's easy to end up backwards in the ice-cold water. The only advantage: already soaked, the decision to jump from the railing of the 'Maud' into the (rather) cool water of the fjord is no longer so difficult ...

It was foreigners who recognized the great tourist potential of the region. Once again, the English were the first to come to the Sunnmøre Alps as mountain and ski tourists. The Scotsman C.W. Patchell in particular left his mark. He built Norway's most famous hut around 1920: the Patchellhytta just below the popular summit of Slogen - the declared favorite mountain of Queen Sonja of Norway. However, she only climbed the peak in summer. Shortly before arriving in Sæbø, Arne makes an extra loop so that the imposing summit comes into view. After all, this is to be the ambitious goal on the last day. The summit of Slogen (1564 m) is just one kilometer as the crow flies from the shore of the fjord and its impressive south-west face drops vertically 1000 meters. It is not for nothing that the view is described as 'royal'. For now, however, it's time to enjoy the fresh fish, the crackling open fire and the Norwegian serenity ...

Information on ski touring in the Hjørundfjord and the Sunnmøre Alps

Best time of year: February to May (there is usually still snow at higher altitudes until well into June)
Ski and sail trips: ACTIN your adventure
Accommodation:Hotel Brosundet, Hotel Sagafjord
Visit Norway:Tourism Center of Norway
Fjord Norway: Tourism Association of the Fjord Regions
Online map material(of the whole of Norway)
Weather information (for all regions in Norway): Meteorologisk Institutt

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This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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