Location: North 67.77817, East 015.70293 (GPS at the summit)
Steigen, Norway
Difficulty: (YDS) class 2
Climbed July 6. 2021.
Information:
How to get there:
From E-6, take the signed exit for Steigen. This road enters a long (8 km) tunnel shortly after leaving
E-6. However, one should turn left well before this, only 400 meter after leaving E-6. Follow this dirt
road south to aa small fork where one should proceed uphill. There is a self serve toll road sign here.
Pay toll (NOK 100 in 2021), one may use the Vipps mobile phone pay app.
Continue along this road. It is ok for ordinary cars, but warrants slow driving. You first pass
lake Makkvatnet then keep right at a fork. The road will take you down into a nice valley just east of
lake Hopvatnet. This lake is only a couple of meter above sea level. Pick the road that continues along the
south side of lake Hopvatnet. About 2.6 kilometer after the laast road fork, you should find parking
on the left side of the road just before a small river that crosses the road. This is actually between
two creeks since you pass another creek just before the parking. (The two creeks are less than 100 meter apart.)
This location is N67.80669, E015.69480, elevation about 5 meter.
Route description:
Head uphill keeping the small river well on your right hand side. The terrain
is quite agreeable. Continue uphill between the two creeks. Follow naatural terrain,
but gradually move right in order to get closer to the creek on your right.
This creek drains from a small, but distinct valley higher up. A long ridge extends
downhill on its left side (as viewed from below). Ascend this ridge, but stay on
west (right) side of the crest. It is important to keep right at the lower part
before you gain the ridge proper. Follow this ridge uphill until you are near
950 meter of elevation. Early in summer (at least until mid July), you may get
onto snow in the basin
and complete the ascent to the summit ridge on snow, The
final slope may be steepish, it is best to ascend in the middle of the widest
snow slope. Finally, follow the
top ridge to the summit at the (right) end.
Comments:
This was planned as my final peak on this summer trip to the north.
The weather had been excellent the past week, but today was forecasted as
the last really good day. I started from Hamarøy in the morning and
drove down to the Steigen exit. Then more slowly along the dirt road
to the trailhead. Breakfast in the car, then ready to start by 0740.
The ascent went well, but I ended up ascending the lower part of the long ridge
on its east (left) side. This cannot be recommended. I followed a pretty narrow
and exposed ledge uphill for quite some way. Fortunately, I was able to climb out
(right) from this ledge before it became even more tricky. I crossed over to
the more friendly side, then onto snow in the large basin below the summit ridge.
I put on crampons and had a nice snow climb to the summit ridge. Finally, a short
and easy scramble along the ridge
to the summit, arriving there at
1120.
It was a very nice day, this peak is ranked no. 106 wrt. prominence in Norway.
It was the most prominent peak not visited yet. Being one of the highest peaks
in Steigen, I could easily see many of the other prominent peaks (already visited)
in this area. Helldalisen to the south-west,
and Hatten in north-west.
Even more north from Hatten, Storvasstinden,
a very nice climb only 5 days ago.
Next, directly across the top of Nattmålstinden,
I could see Store Forra
(climbed 2 days ago), with the higher Lille Forra slightly right.
Perhaps the most remote area in Steigen,
the peaks around Reinviktinden, visible
towards the bright sun, due south. I still have good memories from the climb
there 6 years ago. We discovered that we were indeed the first party to
ascend Søre Reinviktinden - one of the 85 Ribus in Norway.