Location: North 63:14.651, East 008:49.665 (GPS at the summit)
Location: Near Kyrksæterøra, west of Trondheim
Difficulty: YDS class 2.
Climbed March 13. 2005.
Information:
How to get there:
Drive south from Trondheim on E-6. After approximately 14 km, take E-39
west in the direction Orkanger. A completely new road will open in late 2005.
There is currently a toll of NOK 15 to be paid at two different Toll Plazas (NOK 30
in total one way).
From Orkanger, continue on E-39 as it crosses the river Orkla and heads west
while Hwy. 65 continues south towards Berkåk. Another 35 km and you will
arrive at the intersection where Hwy. 680 heads north to Kyrksæterøra.
Measure from this intersection. Head north along Hwy. 680 towards Kyrksæterøra.
Soon, the big lake Rovatnet (elevation 13m) appears. After 6.9 km, the road makes a sharp
left curve and crosses a bridge. Be prepared to stop, a dirtroad heads sharply left at
7.6 km, this is your road. Go up a first hill, then after only 50 meter, turn right.
The road climbs a hill and passes the farm Mo, at km 8.2. Continue straight, then make a sharp
right at km 8.8. Continue uphill to the small farm Myra at km 9.5. There is parking on your
left side. Do not block anything and ask the people at the farm if anybody is there.
This location is north 63:15.939, east 008:59.007, at elevation 180 meter.
Note: The road may (depending on the winter conditions) continue to Bjørksetrin, a
4WD would have made it easily when we were there. Route description:
Note: This route heads west more or less directly on the border between
M711 map 1421-II (south part) and 1421-I (north part), be sure to carry both maps. The
ski route described here is about 20 km roundtrip.
From Myra, head directly south-east through some local trees, you cross a ditch and a small creek, but
there is really not a problem and you will soon emerge on a more open meadow. Note the farm Momyra, clearly
an alternative strating point. Proceed east up a gentle slope on the meadow. Stay well to the right of
the creek Fiskåa that runs on your left side nearer to the ridge extending above Momyra. Cross further
to a new meadow closer to the mountain Kippfjellet above you. You will cross the creek and head up a new
meadow that leads across the shoulder that extends from Kippfjellet. Stay left (south) of Kippfjellet and
in open terrain (the shoulder is about 340 meter). Ski down to a large meadow and climb very gently towards
the east end of lake Leiråvatnet (319m). Ski a short section on the ice passing the second hut before
you head more north-west on the right (north) side of knoll 343. Staying on this course, continue across the
small ridge towards lake Skardsetervatnet (338m).
Ski by the cabin on the north side of Skardsetervatnet, on the left side of the creek (Erklibekken) and up onto
the large meadow above. On your left, Todalsfjellet dominates. Note the large bowl on its north-east side, generally
steep and avalanche prone. However, on the left side of this bowl as you face the mountain, a pronounced ridge
can be seen. This ridge is the east ridge of Todalsfjellet. The lower part of this ridge is steepest, however, one
can gain the ridge somewhat higher up via a short traverse on the north side. Stay right of the trees and ski back
onto the ridge just above its steepest lower section. The ridge can be skied all the way to the top. Initially,
zig-zag among rocks to gain more elevation, then the ridge levels off and becomes broader. The last kilometer to
the summit is very broad and quite flat, before a very gentle last uphill to the flat and large
summit plateau.
There is a massive cairn on the summit, but also a smaller official marker of the border between Trøndelag
and Møre og Romsdal only a few meter away. The elevation was measured to 821 meter in both
locations.
Note: The initial plan was to ski further north to the pond Erklipollen (459m), then west passing point
578 and finally climb the mountain from its north side. From the map, this looks like the most gentle
slope leading to the summit. Since, upon visual inspection, we chose the more direct east ridge route,
I do not know how this (longer) north face route may work out, but I would still expect it to provide somewhat
better skiing than what the east ridge can offer. Comments:
I did this hike with my son Tor Erling. We celebrated his 23rd. birthday the
day before with super alpine skiing in Oppdal. Today, I really looked forward to
a back country mountaineering ski trip with him.
The skiing conditions were extremely nice indeed. A long warm period followed by
five to ten Celcius below zero had created a uniform, dependable crust. Then, on
Friday, a few centimeter of fresh, light powder on top. The terrain was also incredibly
nice for any kind of cross country skiing. Open meadows, lakes, small hills and gentle,
rolling slopes. All dotted with rather sparsely scattered pine trees. Very decorative indeed.
At elevation 300 meter,
the landscape looked more like 1000 meter in the east part of Norway.
This far west, the tree line
is quite low, so a true mountain landscape at elevation above 200 meter. In this setting,
Todalsfjellet towers about 500 meter above meadows and lakes with rather steep slopes.
We started from the trailhead around 0945, enjoyed the nice day and skied at a relaxed
speed to the north-east ridge. We also sat down and had lunch just above the ridge, but before
skiing to the summit. The summit was reached around 1300. The view was very fine indeed,
a complete panorama with an impressive range of landscape variations.
We were back at the car slightly
after 1430, after a truly fun ski on gentle slopes among pine trees.
Many thanks to Tor Erling for joining me. I do not have many opportunities to ski with
him any longer, Trondheim and Bergen are quite some distance apart.
