Nearly exactly two years ago, we went with the colleagues from the Oslo office on the summer trip to the Jotunheimen National Park to do the famous Besseggen hike.
This hiking tour is very known and popular and so it also ended up on the "to do list" of excursions of Jana and Audrey. Well, I had already done it in 2009, but I'd join them again.
So, the plan was to do this on the second last weekend of July, 22nd to 24th.
During our summer trip to Rondane National Park 2 weeks earlier we had talked about this tour to our trainees and they all loved the idea of joining. Thus, apart from Audrey, Jana and me, it was initially also Lisanne (trainee of Jana and Michelle at Haman Scandinavia), Clém (my trainee) and Clément (trainee of Franck and Stéphanie) to come with us. Unfortunately the whole planning became to expensive for the two Clément so that they eventually dropped out; but Lisanne was still in.
Friday, July 22nd:
We agreed on leaving the office at 5 p.m. on the dot and meeting close to my place at the Avis car rental station to be out of town by 5:30 p.m. and off to Beitostølen.
Unfortunately, some tradgic events cast a shadow over this day which will forever remain in the minds of the people and the history of Norway: the devastating bomb attack in the government area in Oslo city and the horrible shooting on the island Utøya, 30km north-west of the capital.
The government area of Oslo is actually only 400m away from our office, so we could really feel the explosion and the shock wave.
We were still sitting in the office when at one point in the late afternoon we suddenly heard this huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge and super loud "bang" which made the building shake and the open windows slam with incredible strength. A window in a building opposite our office burst and so we initially thought there had been an explosion in our neighbour’s building. Only after the huge amount of sirens and flashing lights rushing through the city centre and a look at the internet, we figured out what had really happened. And it’s awful and incredible!!!
(click picture to enlarge)
However, me and all others in the office were fine!
By the time we had overcome the first shock, it was already after 4 p.m. and so we decided to send the trainees already home, advising them to stay there and not to go out anymore. My colleagues and I, though, we still stayed, at least for the time to finish the last urgent things before the weekend, like checking if all our tourists in town were alright and calming our clients who started ringing. However, as far as we knew, everything was fine. None of our tourists were in the nearby hotels.
Shortly after 5 p.m. Jana, Lisanne and I finally left as well, out of the office and luckily also out of town, out of the "danger zone" for a weekend into the mountains to Jotunheimen National Park.
Having been busy with finishing work, meeting Audrey and the car at Avis and leaving Oslo, we hadn't heard anything about the shooting at Utøya until the moment that we actually passed – or wanted to pass – exactly that road alongside the Tyrifjord lake with the island Utøya.
The quickest and direct way from Oslo to Beitostølen is towards Hønefoss along the road E16, passing next to Utøya. It was Audrey driving the first part towards the mountains when we suddenly had to stop behind a queue of cars. What initially looked like a normal traffic jam out of Oslo on a late Friday afternoon turned out to be the closed road after the awful shooting on the island right in front of us.
On the way out of Oslo we saw already a lot of ambulances and helicopters and we thought they might be on the way to Oslo to help after the bomb attack. Another explanation for that tailback would have been an accident, a bigger one, maybe with a tourist bus?
Ambulances and police cars were driving through the stuck cars, telling the drivers to all turn around and drive back to Oslo or to take other roads. So we actually asked one of the guys what had happened and if the road would eventually re-open if we waited for an hour. "No no no, just turn around, turn turn turn... take any other road. This is some bigger issue here!" was his answer.
Right while turning our car in the middle of the road, Audrey received a phone call that updated us with what had really happened: that a crazy guy has been shooting around an annual youth camp of politically interested kids killing whoever came in his way.
On the way out of Oslo we saw already a lot of ambulances and helicopters and we thought they might be on the way to Oslo to help after the bomb attack. Another explanation for that tailback would have been an accident, a bigger one, maybe with a tourist bus?
Ambulances and police cars were driving through the stuck cars, telling the drivers to all turn around and drive back to Oslo or to take other roads. So we actually asked one of the guys what had happened and if the road would eventually re-open if we waited for an hour. "No no no, just turn around, turn turn turn... take any other road. This is some bigger issue here!" was his answer.
Right while turning our car in the middle of the road, Audrey received a phone call that updated us with what had really happened: that a crazy guy has been shooting around an annual youth camp of politically interested kids killing whoever came in his way.
Still not able to realise or actually understand what had all happened that afternoon, we took the detour around the Tyrifjord lake... which made us lose over two hours of time.
I think it was already 9 p.m. when we finally arrived in Hønefoss. We decided to stop here for dinner and some last shopping for the weekend. Luckily we found a supermarket that was still open and where we found some nice warm food :-)
After this stop of about 30 minutes, we switched drivers (now it was my turn) and we continued northwards. We still had some road ahead.
It was actually midnight by the time we finally arrived in Beitostølen... exhausted!
We checked in to our cabin, made the beds and fell into bed. We were tired and had to get up early for our hike the next day.
After this stop of about 30 minutes, we switched drivers (now it was my turn) and we continued northwards. We still had some road ahead.
It was actually midnight by the time we finally arrived in Beitostølen... exhausted!
We checked in to our cabin, made the beds and fell into bed. We were tired and had to get up early for our hike the next day.
Saturday, July 23rd:
We got up early and left our cabin at 08:30 as we planned to take the boat from Gjendesheim to Memurubu at 09:30.
The boat would bring us from Gjendesheim over the Gjende lake to Memurubu, from where we then walked the 17km back over the Besseggen trail to the car park in Gjendesheim.
After 45 minutes we arrived in Memurubu, starting point for the hike. At this point I quickly want to describe what is to follow now:
There is a rather steep incline on the way up from Memurubu during the first hour, before the terrain gradually levels off and you descend towards the "strip" between the lakes of Bessvatn (1,374 m.a.s.l.) and Gjende (984 m.a.s.l.). Many visitors choose to take a little rest here and enjoy the view of the dark blue Bessvatn Lake and the emerald green Lake Gjende before proceeding along the actual ridge. There is a roughly 400 metre drop straight down to Lake Gjende in this area. Segments of the ridge are very narrow, and manoeuvring can be challenging if one meets hikers walking in the opposite direction. However, this situation is resolved through good cooperation! Once you have ascended the ridge, it is common to enjoy your lunch pack now, if you haven't already taken a food break at the "strip". And be sure to turn around and enjoy the view towards Gjende and the Gjende Alps! The hike continues along a well worn trail towards Gjendesheim over Veslefjell Mountain. You pass a large pile of rocks at the top of the mountain, which marks the highest point of the hike at 1,743 m.a.s.l. There is a fork in the trail about one kilometre from Gjendesheim, the route to the left goes towards Glitterheim and Bessheim, and the other one leads down towards Gjendesheim and Gjende. The hike down from Veslefjell Mountain can be steep in areas, but the trail is excellent. Due to the high volume of traffic over Besseggen, the DNT is working on pitching the trail with stones. It is therefore asked that you only walk along the trail itself, and not beside it. This will prevent unnecessary erosion on the vegetation and nearby terrain. This hike covers a total distance of 17 km. [read more]
What was not in the above description, though, were our bad weather conditions that we encountered: a looooooooooooot of rain and super thick fog that we weren't able to see most of the highlights of the tour as mentioned in the above text. We could neither benefit of the spectacular view of the two lakes nor could we see any ridge or Gjende Alps... We could partially see as far as 1o metres :-(
Already on the way to Gjendesheim and on the boat to Memurubu it was raining and so I changed my hiking pants already on the boat to my "kind of" rain pants - they are water repellent, but not water proof... as I would feel later!
Nevertheless highly motivated, we started our 17km hike, which started with a steep incline.
Already the socks in the sandals are a scandal. But with sandals, this hike? I assume that lady has no clue what to awaits her! I don't know how she will do it with these shoes.
At this point one usually has a fantastic view... as I said: usually.
At one point that was all we could see from the below Gjende lake.
Between the above and the below picture we haven't been taking any pictures at all, nor did we have our lunch as planned in this part of the hike. It was simply raining too much. Taking out a camera under this rain would have destroyed it. And though we were totally drenched with rain and coulnd't get any wetter we didn't really stop for something to eat. I assume even the food would have been swimming away.
This was actually the point when I felt that my pants weren't rain proof... which I knew though at the point of buying them. I was wet up to the underwear... The same actually for my shoes. There wasn't one point in my shoe that wasn't wet. They were totally soaked and with every step I made it felt like walking on a sponge I'm squeezing. Luckily they had the effect of a diving suit and the water in it was warm. Frozen feet would have definitely been the last thing I'd needed.
The last couple of hundred metres!
Back in Beitostølen.
After this hike we were in need of a good and long night sleep!
Sunday, July 24th:
As we had to check out from the cabin only by noon, we had decided to sleep in, i.e. until 10 a.m. After a relaxing breakfast and some cleaning we left at 12 p.m. back towards Oslo.
The road along the Tyrifjorden at the Utøya side was still closed on our way back and so we had to do again the 2 hours detour from Hønefoss.
So it was only by 5 o'clock in the afternoon that we were back home.
I dropped the rental car, prepared some dinner and went to bed early.
So it was only by 5 o'clock in the afternoon that we were back home.
I dropped the rental car, prepared some dinner and went to bed early.
It's really a pity for Audrey, Jana and Lisanne to have done this hike with this shit weather. This hike and the views are so beautiful and they couldn't see anything of all this. So I think they put this excursion back again on their "to do" list, with hopefully more luck for the weather. Not sure though, if I'd go again for this tour. It IS pretty strenuous and I'm physically not really in best shape.
And at last the link to my blog entry from June 2009, showing how it all looks like with great weather! :-)
P.S.: No way I was going on Monday evening to my usual bachata dancing evening! My legs in somehow didn't feel like dancing :-)
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