Store-SkagastølstindScandinavian Mountains over 2000 metres - James Baxter
Areas › Hurrungane › 1.3 Gjertvasstind (2351m)
Gjertvasstind, 2351m, is a huge wedge shaped ridge and marks the east end of the Styggedals ridge, the eastern half of the famous view of Hurrungane as seen from Sognefjellshytta lodge and on so many calendars. Often touted as the longest uphill stretch in Norway, it in fact falls well short of Skåla 1843 metres, but it is over 1600 metres.
| The Route from Skogadalsbøen Lodge | |
|---|---|
 18km  1600m  9-12hrs |
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From Skogadalsbøen head north along the marked track Hu.4 to Krossbu for 2 km until you get to the bridge over the River Utla.
Cross the bridge to the west side and continue west along the path Hu.4 for about 600m when the path forks with a smaller branch heading southwards. Take this branch (Hu.15) for about 200 metres until you get to the Gjertvasselvi stream.
There is a ladder here down to a rock ledge where an large stone spans half the river.
The other half is usually easy except when it is in flood, then the submerged stepping stone cannot be seen.
Once over the stream follow a faint path west up the south side of the river for a km until it disappears.The route then starts to climb the steepish grassy slopes up to the saddle between knoll 1312m and the main ridge, probably best to keep to the west edge of this grassy slope.
On reaching the saddle the vegetation starts to disappear and bare rock and stones become prominent. Head up the broad ridge in a west direction for a good 2 km until you reach some large snowfields which are the remnants of the glacier to the west of knoll 1764m.
Head up these sustained snow slopes for a km until you reach the more prominent knoll 1924m.
From knoll 1924m you can look west across a small saddle to a rock band. Below this rock band to the south is another greatly diminished glacier.
The route goes across the saddle and to northern edge of the rock band. At the foot of the northern edge there are some cairns.
This marks the start of the route up across the rock band which ascend diagonally in a south west direction up across some 200 meters when it climbs about five 5 meter rock steps.
The cairns continue up through the rock band. There are some interesting scrambling sections here but nothing more than grade II. This scramble takes you to the top of knoll 1982m.
