Juklavasskruna
- Juklavasskruna
- 1455 m
- Primary factor 325 m
- Location: North 60:00.028, East 006:07.816 (GPS on the summit)
- Rosendal, Norway
- Climbed August 17. 2003.
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Information:
How to get there:
This mountain is located in Kvinnherad, a small
community east of the Hardangerfjord. This area has
some of the most alpine peaks in Hordaland, between the
fjord and the glacier Folgefonna. From Bergen, one
can drive in about 1.5 hours to Gjermundshamn where
a ferry crosses to Årsnes (previously Løfallstrand)
in Kvinnherad.
Continue south for 5 km to the small village Rosendal.
Turn left in Rosendal and follow signs reading "Baroniet".
The road will take you right through a stone gate,
the Baroniet building is on your right. A bit later, there is a road
that forks left going uphill. Do not take this road, but continue
on the main road until the next road fork where there is parking
on the right hand side of the road. You should see the creek
coming down between Melderskin (1426m) and Laurdalstind across the
road (to the north-east).
Route description:
This route describes a "Grand Tour de Bjørndalen" including the
highest peak in the area, Juklavasskruna, along the route. The first
part of this route is described under Bjørndalstindane (1426 m), thus
this description starts at the highest summit of Bjørndalstindane.
From this summit, (GPS: N 59:59.812, E 006:06.971)
the route continues along a jagged ridge. The first part of
this ridge looks rather intimidating when viewed from the 1426 meter cairn, see
the picture below. However, the route is simpler than it appears from this
viewpoint since the south side of the ridge is more gentle. The entire route
across to Juklavasskruna never exceeds (YDS) class 3 in difficulty, a rope is generally
more of a problem than help provided that the party is careful and do know what
they are doing.
First descend while passing a couple of rock spires on the right (south). The terrain
has some loose rocks, so care is needed when if there are people below. Whenever the ridge
itself becomes too difficult, stay right (south). In this way you will reach a first
saddle connecting to the highest peak on this part of the ridge, here called
Bjørndalstindane, summit #2. This saddle is perhaps 1380 meter, leaving this
second summit unranked. Continue scrambling across the high ridge on solid (but narrow)
rock and proceed to climb the tiny summit #2. This summit has GPS coordinates
North 59:59.838, East 006:07.153, with an estimated elevation of 1420 meter.
It is part of the fun to climb this subsidiary peak and look back towards the highest
point that you just left. Again, the terrain that you just crossed (without much difficulty)
looks quite jagged and difficult as seen from this fine vantage point.
The route is by no means concluded. Continue on top of the ridge down towards the
saddle that defines the primary factor of Bjørndalstindane relative to the
higher Juklavasskruna still ahead. This saddle is 300 meter away with
GPS coordinates North 59:59.864, East 006:07.324. The GPS elevation of this
saddle read 1330 meter, exactly 100 meter lower than the first summit. If the first
summit is 1426 as the map indicates, then the primary factor is most likely just
short of 100 meter. Given the inaccuracies of the map and the GPS readings that we
obtained, we soft rank Bjørndalstindane assigning a primary factor of 100 meter.
Looking ahead from this saddle, the ridge that extends from the Juklavasskruna side
ends abruptly in a very steep cliff. To climb this head on is technical and likely to
take more time than a single day hike permits. Thus, the route continues on the right
side of this obstacle, there is a distinct grassy ledge climbing upwards that can be
easily followed. Continue an ascending traverse around following several more grassy
slopes and ledges, then climb up among larger rocks and cliffbands to regain the top
of the main ridge. Follow the top ridge as it curves slightly in order to reach
the highest point of Juklavasskruna, 1455 meter and coordinates N 60:00.028, E 006:07.816.
There is one distinct point just before the summit where care is needed, descend on the
left (very steep) side and move back onto the ridge around a rather large block.
From the summit, the ridge continues further, with no particular difficulties until
the broader, flat plateau of Juklavasskruna is reached. Another cairn is located near
the cliffs to the north, this is the point marked at the map as 1434 meter, coordinates
N 60:00.193, E 006:08.190.
In order to complete the "Grand Tour de Bjørndalen", proceed east on the broad, flat
plateau of Juklavasskruna, with the steeper drop into Bjørndalen on your right.
Locate the broad ridge that secends south directly towards the long, elegant ridge called
Bjørndalsnuten. This ridge forms the southwest side of Bjørndalen. Descend
about 200 meter and reach the saddle before a very gentle ascent along the ridge.
The Bjørndalsnuten ridge has two unranked summits above 1200 meter and a cairn
located at a low point near the saddle between these summits. The coordinates of the thw
summits are N 59:59.251, E 006:08.418, and N 59:59.031, E 006:07.838. The first one is
highest at about 1230 meter the horizontal distance
to the second summit being about 700 meter. From this ridge there is a very good view across
the valley to the long ridge connecting Bjørndalstindane and Juklavasskruna. Descend
into Bjørndalen north of this second summit, some care is needed, the slope is easier
further right. Once in Bjørndalen,
follow the creek and cross it before Øravatnet (632 m).
Continue to Stølsvatnet (630m) and the very nice mountain huts called Bjørndalen.
From here, there are two trails back to your point of departure. Option one is to follow the
trail that ascends about 200 meter to get back to the trail that was used before climbing
Andersfjellet (see the route to Bjørndalstindane). The alternative, and recommended
option is to take the trail (not marked on the map!) passing Isorvatnet (621m) and
Prestavatnet (610m) down to Murabotn at the end of Muradalen. This trail has two fairly
new suspension bridges crossing the river, the first right next to Bjørndalen.
The descent to Murabotn is rather steep, but the trail is well marked and has a chain
and a few man made steps in place to assist the hiker. Once you reach Murabotn, an easy
hike along the road back to the parking is all that remains.
Comments:
This route deserves a "classic" status. It is perhaps the finest
high ridge route in all of Hordaland.
I did this hike with my friends Arnt Flatmo and Jan-Frode Myklebust.
We started around 0930 and returned to the car at 2130, a total
of about 12 hours.
We kept a very slow pace at the end of the day, strong
hikers can complete the described hike several hours faster, but this
is a rather strenuous hike that should not be underestimated.
One should note that the map is not entirely accurate in this area.
In fact, the highest point of Juklavasskruna at 1455 meter is not marked on the
map, nor is there any 1440 meter contour line. From the map one would
easily believe that the point 1434
(GPS coordinates North 60:00.193, East 006:08.190) is the highest.
However, this point is 400 meter to the northeast of the true summit.
Moreover, the second summit of Bjørndalstindane is marked on the map
with a generous 1420 contour around it, indicating that it might be as high as
the first summit. This is not the case and the summit is indeed
quite small, we estimate
this summit to be no higher than 1420 meter, most likely slightly lower,
assuming that the 1426 meter elevation of the first summit is correct.
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