[11-3] Trollheimen crosswise on "spring skis" [11-4]
[11-5] Oppdal - Surnadal [11-6]
[11-7] The days grow longer and the sun warmer. [11-8] The sky is bluer than before, and the sun has a grill party with cutlet faces. [11-9] It's spring. [11-10] It's when the mountains beckon most. [11-11] Ski tours at Easter time and throughout May are and will be the most glorious. [11-12] Trollheimen is one of our most reliable snow areas. [11-13] Here, ski conditions can be good until the end of May. [11-14] In the high mountains, conditions can be good until late June. [11-15] Long days afford opportunities to carry out ski tours such as Trollheimen crossways from Oppdal past Trollheimshytta and all the way to Surnadalsøra (Skei). [11-16] The last day's stretch is too tough for the tour to be suitable for children. [11-17]
[11-18] You can get to Oppdal by car, bus or train. [11-19] Go up towards Hovden or Vangslia. [11-20] If the ski lift or gondola is running, you can take it. [11-21] This 15 km long hike is in splendid high mountain terrain over Blåøret and down to the Viongen no-service cabin, TT, private. [11-22] Viongen is part of a charming cabin courtyard with in all nine log buildings standing at Skuggelia, north of the saddle. [11-23]
[11-24] The next day the hike goes westwards in Grøndalen. [11-25] Here you come in on the winter staked route at Svarthamran and follow it over the hill and down through Slettådalen. [11-26] After a day's stretch of 18 km, Trollheimshytta, TT, staffed at Easter time but otherwise self-serve, emerges among thick-trunk pines and jutting mountain peaks. [11-27] A side trip up to Blåhø from Svarthamran is recommended on the way. [11-28] Also see whether Blåsalen or Speilsalen are open. [11-29]
[11-30] When you are deep in the heart of Trollheimen, it can be very tempting to seek audience with Snota. [11-31] Two days are advisable at Trollheimshytta for a day hike to the summit. [11-32]
[11-33] The onward hike to Surnadal (Skei) is a long tour of in all about 40 km with some elevation differences. [11-34] The variant over Knyken (Honnstadknyken) is practicable skiing only for fit people on good, easy ski conditions. [11-35] From Trollheimshytta the tour goes over Bossvasshøgda and down Breidskardet to Vindøldalen. [11-36] From here there are two choices. [11-37] The quickest is to go into Fauskådalen, take the ravine westwards from Store Fauskåvatnet and down into Søyådalen. [11-38] It's steep down to the valley. [11-39] Find the best way down on the map. [11-40] In summer, there's a tractor road directly up the hillside from the trail head parking lot. [11-41] The road is plowed to here. [11-42] From here, it's about 12 km down to the State highway. [11-43] You can ski down the valley or get a lift. [11-44] From the intersection with the State highway down in the valley, it's about 4 km over to Skei where buses run. [11-45]
[11-46] It's more splendid but much tougher to take the tour along Knyken. [11-47] Follow then Vindøldalen down to Kudalen. [11-48] The ski track is set in Kudalen and up to Knyken where you get a majestic view in all directions. [11-49] 1000 meters elevation beneath you lie Surnadal, the fjord and the ocean far away. [11-50] This long day's stretch is rewarded with a super downhill run. [11-51] Follow the map carefully to find where it's best to descend. [11-52] Go on the north side of Tågliknobben and descend towards the north before Svarrafjellet and west over the stretch of marshes on the north side. [11-53] Or go through the hollow on the south side of the peak and northwards from a bit past Svarrafjellet. [11-54] Here there's summer marking. [11-55] Run northwestwards towards Ranesnebba, 520 m (Bjørnhaugen on old maps) and towards the west down in the woods. [11-56] There's summer marking down through the woods, first towards the west and then towards the nortn down to Skei. [11-57] Here busses run between Molde and Orkanger / Trondheim. [11-58]
[11-59] You can shorten the tour a bit by turning north after Litlkudalen and down to Mausetsetra. [11-60] The old pack road to Vindøldalen went by the summer dairy and up into the valley. [11-61] From here, the tour isn't long to Mauset along the forest road (not always plowed). [11-62] The tour can also end at Vindøla Valley. [11-63] Here the road is plowed year-round up to the parking lot. [11-64]
[11-65] Ending the tour towards Skei is practicable only when there's good snow in the mountain s and still plenty of snow in the woods. [11-66] Ending by direct descent from Vindøldalen towards Surnadalen is not very attractive. [11-67] The hillside is steep down to the valley to a road plowed in winter. [11-68] Then the alternative, a recommended easier return from Trollheimshytta past Buluvatna and down to Rindal. [11-69] Here busses run between Molde and Orkanger / Trondheim. [11-70] This tour is about 30 km long all the way to where busses run through Rindal. [11-71]
[11-72] Route descriptions: [11-73] For detailed route descriptions of the customary routes, see the TTs Guide, Sylene and Trollheimen or the TT website: www.tt.no [11-74]
[11-75] Maps: 1:50,000 Oppdal, Trollhetta, Snota and Stangvik (and Løkken and Vinjeøra for the return to Rindal). [11-76] Hiking and skiing map 1:75,000 covers the tour save for the last part to Skei. [11-77] The old 1:100,000 map doesn't cover the descent to Rindal either. [11-78]
[11-79] Jonny Remmereit