How to get there:
Lillehammer may be the best starting point of reference.
Drive 6 kilometer north along E-6 to Fåberg. Make a left across the river as
you drive Hwy. 255 towards Gausdal. After 16 kilometer you reach Segelstad Bru.
Make a left here (still on Hwy. 255) and cross the river.
The signs will say Espedalen and Skåbu.
From Segelstad Bru the distance to
the trailhead is about 60 kilometer. Drive up the valley, then along the
lake Espedalsvatnet. Shortly before you arrive, look for the mountain
resort/hotel Dalseter on the left. This hotel also has a skilift
on the left hand side of the road. Immediately after this hotel, look
for a road called the Peer Gynt road, turning sharply right. Drive this
road 700 meter to a self-serve toll station. Most likely you should park
here in order to avoid the NOK 60.- (2005) in toll, since the trailhead is only
650 meter ahead. Continue by foot or car, along the road. As the road makes a distinct
left turn and heads very gently uphill, locate a post with several signs on the
right hand side of the road. There is space for parking on the side of the road
just opposite of the trailhead. This trailhead has elevation 960 meter. Route description:
From the trailhead, follow the pretty big trail in the direction
of the higher mountain ahead. Almost immediately, there is a trail
fork where the correct trail stays left, there is a sign here. Ignore
an old 4WD track/trail that crosses your path. Further ahead the trail
crosses a small creek then more or less follows this creek a short
way uphill. Another sign is seen near the treeline. From here, the trail
runs uphill, well marked with cairns and wooden poles. As you gain the
horizon, the Ruten summit comes into view a short distance ahead. A final
sign is placed at the base of the very last summit slope. Comments:
I was headed down to Lillehammer to do some shopping.
Fog and rain and not much to do, but I needed to get some more
gasoline for the generator at my cabin.
As I got
to Saksumdalen, I spotted some blue patches of sky further up north and
decided to make a hike. I drove up to Espedalen, I had for some time
been looking for a chance to climb Ruten. The weather continued to improve and
when I parked at the trailhead there was blue sky all over me, however clouds around
the horizon.
I started hiking at 1100, reached the top at 1205, stayed 15 minutes, then descended
in one hour reaching the car at 1320. An interesting place called "Hell".
About 17 kilometer before the trailhead, just south of the long lake Espedalsvatnet,
is an interesting gorge called "Helvete" or Hell. A stop to look at this
is highly recommended.
There is parking on the left (west) side, this is about 43 kilometer
from Segelstad Bru. In the tourist season, a small entrance fee is
collected, this is likely illegal (read about the Norwegian "Every man's right"
law) since it can be viewed as blocking access to a wilderness area. Pay, or just
walk around the fence, then descend to the gorge that was created by the big river
Vinstra, about 9000 years ago. This river and the lake drained this way and carved
the gorge. Later, the river cut a passage about 22 kilometer further north and
started its current path towards the Gudbrandsdalen valley.
What is left is the biggest gorge of this kind in Northern Europe. Big, circular
holes are carved in the rock. The gorge is very deep and narrow, in a few places
the distance across from rock to rock is as little as a meter.
Resources:
Images
Ruten as seen when leaving the trees behind.
The summit cannot be seen.
The Ruten summit as seen
after completing the first part of the climb.
