Location: North 60:41.555, East 007:07.895 (GPS on the summit)
Climbed December 29 2003.
Information:
How to get there:
Uppsete is a good starting point for this area. Uppsete is a
railroad station on the Oslo to Bergen line. The station is just west
of the better known station Myrdal, a single. long tunnel separates the
two stations. The travel time is approximately 2 hours by train from Bergen.
The station is located at North: 60:43.517, East: 007:00.687, at elevation
850 meter. Route description: To Kaldevasshytta, From Uppsete, the normal ski route
follows the summer route that is marked on the map. Ski north-east up along
the river towards the lake Jernhusvatnet (1012m), but stay right. The route shall
circle around Sauafjellet (1339m) on the north side, then turn south on the east
side of this mountain. You will pass south of Geitavatnet (1127m), as you turn
south through a very distinct pass leading to a small lake at elevation 1200 meter.
Continue south-east climbing to point 1245 before descending back to the 1200 meter
level as you locate a narrow pass with a creek. Go through this gorge and climb the
hill on the left (east) side of the creek. Follow this hill as it turns south-west
and enter the Kaldavatni (1251m) area. The DNT hut is straight ahead on the small
ridge next to the lake. The coordinates of the hut is North 60:42.129, East 007:04.726,
elevation about 1270 meter.
The hut is open all year, there is no food, but otherwise fully equipped for receiving
hikers/skiers on a self serve basis.
Members of DNT (the Norwegian Mountain Club), have preference and receive
a substantial discount. To Baksafjellet, Ski right across the lake (east) and enter the
distinct bay, continue up the small valley to the south-east. This valley holds a
glacier, Vossaskavlen, higher up. The normal route climbs this glacier along its north-east
side, however, one can also ski up (more steeply, consider possible avalanche danger) to
the right and gain the ridge on the west side of the glacier. Continue up on Vossaskavlen, possibly
heading a bit left of the highest point. Baksafjellet will now be in view, the highest summit is
behind what may appear to be the top from this viewpoint. Head left (north) of the lake that
have formed behind Vossaskavlen. Care is needed, in particular in bad weather, as there are
cornices facing the col that includes this lake. Descend along a slanted ramp where there is
a break in the cornice and head across to the slopes from Baksafjell. Angle left as you climb the
slope and reach a very broad gully (small valley) coming down from your right. Turn right and climb to
the top of this gully. Beware of avalanche danger in the first part of this climb (from the
col to the gully) as the slope is quite
steep in the beginning. As you now head further left, the true summit of Baksafjell comes into
view. There is yet another saddle that must be crossed. The deep and steep Baksebotn valley
stretches north. The fairly steep slope down to the col may need careful navigation, again, there are
cornices. After this last saddle, the summit can be easily climbed on skis from the east side.
Return the same way, but cross over the top of Vossaskavlen (N60:41.500 E007:06.236) before the nice
ski run down to Kaldevass. Beware that one must stay left or right, since there is an enormous ice cliff
at the bottom of Vossaskavlen (see picture below).
Comments:
I made this trip with my sons Tor Erling and Pål Jørgen.
We started around 0830, just as dawn started to provide some light. We hit
the top at 1030, spent almost 30 minutes before returning to the hut at 1200, noon.
The temperature was around -20 centigrade when we started, real winter!
A thousand stars on the black sky before we started, blue sky, the very low, but intense
December sun making the landscape a mosaic of white snow and darker shadows. Every rock a snow
sculpture, it is a very nice time to be in the mountains.