Våganipen

  • Våganipen
  • 819 m
  • Primary factor 716 m
  • Location: North 60:10.756, East 005:49.841 (GPS at the summit)
  • Location: Near Sævareid, Hordaland, Norway
  • Climbed November 9. 2003.

Information:

How to get there: Drive from Bergen along Hwy. E-16 to Trengereid, make a right there towards Nordheimsund on Hwy. 7. After 13 km on this road, just as you exit a tunnel, turn right onto Hwy. 48 with signs for Gjermundshamn. Drive 36 km along Hwy. 48, passing the community Eikelandsosen along the way. Make a right turn again onto Hwy. 549 and go 4 km. Locate a sign pointing left (uphill) at this point saying "Sævareid Kapell", proceed a short way up this road and park on the left, just before the small church house. The GPS coordinates of this spot is N60:11.760, E005:47.794 and the elevation about 25 meter above the nearby fjord.
Route description: Hike around the small chapel on the left side, descend to the small creek, cross it and locate a small trail a little up on the opposite side, near the end of a farm area. Follow this (faint) trail as it climbs steeply staying on the left side of the creek. Higher up, the trail forks and becomes harder to follow. One branch descends into the small valley on your right and crosses the creek. It is likely that the best option is to seek higher ground to your left and climb this ridge (Stegane 301 meter). Higher up, one can then proceed with nice view of the main valley on your left, cross at least one gully and locate a few small meadows near the saddle where the ridge you just climbed connects with the base of the north ridge of Våganipen.
Proceed straight uphill, gaining about 200 vertical meters until you reach the east end of Middagshaugen (556m), at about 500 meter elevation. From here, the north ridge becomes a bit more distinct as one proceeds above treeline. Stay left and enjoy the good views (the east face of this mountain is quite steep). Soon, you will stand on the top of one of the best viewpoints in Hordaland.
See also the more complete description on Arnt's Hordaland page, including an alternative route up the south-west ridge.
Comments: I did this hike with my son Pål Jørgen, age 14, and my friend Arnt Flatmo. We started a bit after 1100, hit the summit in less than 2 hours, stayed 30 minutes enjoying a perfect view in all directions before descending to reach the car 4 hours after we left. Southern Norway had experienced unseasonally warm weather most of the previous week. Vesoldo, that we climbed last week was now completely free of snow. We recorded 7 degrees on the summit. The entire mountain was free of ice and snow with dry rock.

Resources: