Molden

  • Molden
  • 1121 m
  • Primary factor 808 m
  • Location: North 61:20.651, East 007:19.184 (GPS at the summit)
  • In Luster, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
  • Climbed on skis March 26, 2006.

Information:

How to get there: This mountain is located west of Lustrafjorden, the innermost part of the Sognefjord. From Sogndal, drive 16 kilometer north on Hwy. 55, and locate a small road that forks right. The elevation at this point is 300 meter and the location is N61:20.108, E007:13.943.
Drive this road uphill until a saddle with a parkinglot on your left. There are signs for Molden and an information board with trail information in Norwegian, English and German. This is the trailhead, elevation 502 meter, location N61:19.999, E007:16.255.
Route description: From the trailhead information board, continue a few meter along the road (to the right) and locate a small sign saying Molden. This trail is marked with numerous wooden signs saying Molden, as well as with red paint on trees and rocks.
The trail first runs up through the forest, pretty narrow and a challenging route to ski down. Higher up, it breaks into more open landscape. An old farm cabin (Svarthiller) sits prominently overlooking the Lustra fjord just above treeline. Continue uphill near or slightly left of the southwest ridge. The last few meter to the cairn are fairly level.
There is a big nice cairn, however in the wrong location. The cairn is marked as 1116 meter, the true summit is 200 meter further east directly overlooking the Lustrafjorden. Unfortunately, this location has two rather ugly antennas. Still, the view is much more impressive from this true summit and it is a mystery why somebody would put the cairn elsewhere.
Comments: I skied this mountain with Helge Larsen and Olav Glosli. We left the trailhead around 1100, and arrived at the summit at 1230. It was a bit windy and after 15 minutes of cold but good fjord viewing we started back down. The ski back to the car took 45 minutes.

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