Røldalssåto

  • Røldalssåto
  • 1422 m
  • Primary factor 332 m
  • Location: Røldal, Norway.
  • Location: North 59.77488, East 006.72231 (GPS on the summit)
  • Difficulty: YDS class 2.
  • Climbed September 21. 2019.

Information:

How to get there:
Locate Hwy. E-134, the southernmost east-west crossing of the mountains in Norway. Just west of the village Røldal (on E-134), hwy. 520 connects to the village of Sauda. Take this road from E-134 and drive until you have lake number 3 on your right hand side. This lake is called Halvfjerdingsvatnet, elevation 902 meter. Find a small turnout on your right hand side, park here. This is location N59.76128, E006.72002, elevation near 920 meter.
Route description:
Walk 100 meter downhill along the road and find a sign at the beginning of a trail. The sign says Røldalssåto, this is the name used locally. The map just calls this peak Såta.
The trail descends to the lake, you cross the small river near the lake, then follow the trail to the base of the mountain. The trail is well marked with cairns and red paint. Look carefully if you cannot see the continuation. There are two slightly steeper spots, both very short (3-4 meter), the rock forms a stair-like structure and ascending/descending is easy. The trail gains the main crest a bit north-east of the summit. Descend slightly, then follow cairns the remaining short distance to the rounded summit.
Comments:
The forecast called for a very nice September weekend, one simply had to visit the mountains on such an opportunity. I left Bergen after work and drove to the trailhead where I slept in my car. Woke up at 0600 and after a quick breakfast, on my way by 0630. The hike was delightful in the crisp early morning air. I arrived at the summit at 0800, a very nice morning indeed. I stayed 10 minutes, then descended along the same trail - back at my car by 0920. A small amount of new snow covered the ground in patches above 1200 meter. The first sign of winter.
The day was still only beginning. I decided to spend the night at the DNT hut Middalsbu and make a longer hike from there.

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