How to get there:
Drive from Bergen to Os, this is Hwy E-39 towards Stavanger. Make a left
in Os and continue about 5km to Hattvik, where there is a ferry crossing to Fusa.
From the ferry, drive south-east, then north east across a small hill and down
closer to the sea. There is a sign here pointing right indicating the old
post road (Gamle Postveg). You may find parking here, or continue around the next
small bend on the road and make a right. You may drive up this road about 500 meter
where there is a good parking area on your left. The trailhead down by the highway has
location north: 60:12.182, east: 005:37.774, elevation 20 meter. Route description:
A normal summer route to the summit of Fusafjellet is well marked by signs and most
likely a (YDS) class 1 hike.
This description covers our actual hike in late December. A primary goal was to visit
the subsidiary peak Langnuen (526 meter).
Follow the old post road uphill, then flat on the left of a meadow, until it starts
descending. Leave the post road here and follow a trail signed for Fusafjellet uphill
to your left. Higher up, leave this trail and traverse right. The objective is now to
enter the distinct valley Øykjadalen that climbs to the saddle separating
Langnuen from Fusafjellet. The terrain is rugged, either climb up and traverse above the
cliffs or descend a little and traverse below the cliffs. As you arrive in the
Øykjadalen valley, Langnuen is straight ahead, up a pretty steep slope. One may
follow the valley to the saddle, or as we did, ascend south of Langnuen, then follow the
south ridge up to the summit. Easier and less steep terrain by keeping a bit on the east
side. Langnuen has three summit points, additionally there is a lower trigonometric
point, 492 meter, separated by yet another distinct valley to the south-east. The middle
and the northmost point on Languen are the highest, both estimated at 526 meter.
The northmost of the three summit points has coordinates north: 60:10.930, east: 005:39.924.
From here to Fusafjellet, first descend to the defining saddle, elevation 433 meter.
This saddle is located at north: 60:11.037, east 005:39.914, thus Langnuen has primary
factor 93 meter. (OK with 300 feet rule, just misses the 100 meter rule.)
From the saddle, continue uphill to the north, pass east of point 577, the across
Vetlehorga 625 meter and onwards to Storehorga, 665 meter and the summit of
Fusafjellet. There is a cairn and trigonometric point at the west side of a short
summit ridge.
From the summit, either descend along the trail, or (as we did), descend south-west
in the direction of Bogafjellet. This direct descent ends with a fairly steep, but
not difficult slope between sprouse trees to find a farmers road near Ørnabrotet.
From here, a short hike down the road and back to the trailhead.
The route as described here had difficulty YDS class 2+. Comments:
I made this late December hike with my friend Arnt. His dog Troll also came along.
We started from the trailhead near the highway at 1030. The traverse in order to
climb Langnuen from the south, was a bit rugged, but not difficult. The ascent of
Langnuen along its south ridge was fun and we arrived in good style at the summit.
Arnt carried Troll in the backpack, thus had an extra load which suited me well as
it kept the pace down at a level that I had a chance to keep up with.
It was a bit windy and quite winterly on the summit, so we continued to inspect and
measure the defining saddle. Continuing to climb Fusafjellet, the weather took a turn
for the worse. First fog, which made orientation more difficult, then deeper snow,
sometimes covering water holes with unsafe ice, then an increasing wind. As we neared
the summit, Troll had to be put completely inside the backpack in order to give him
maximum protection from the wind. The wind continued to pick up and by the time we reached
the cairn, it was full gale with storm in the gusts. The trip had taken us 4 hours to this
point. Lunch got cancelled and we took
a careful compass bearing in order to get off this hostile place as quickly as
possible. The wind was now hitting us more directly on, snowdrift that was unpleasant
to get in the face increased our motivation to descend.
The snowdrifts were deep enough to cause delays, a few places
I more or less had to "swim" to get across.
Fortunately, the wind decreased quickly as we descended and soon conditions were
back to a more normal December hike with snow. We came directly down to Ørnabrotet
and were soon back at the car, soaking wet. The trip took 5 hours, quite a good
day only two days before the darkest day of the year.
Resources:
Images
Fusafjellet, as seen from the air, almost
exactly one year earlier. More snow this time.
Langnuen can be seen to the right.