Romsdalhorn - Norway
By Louise Kennedy
When I left home in France for the women’s winter meet in Hemsedal, Norway…
I thought I was just coming for a few weeks and it was easier to drive the van so I could bring lots of spare kit for everyone and Tecwyn mountain dog could also join me.
I had no idea that months later I would still be in Norway and climbing one of it’s most iconic peaks with a new lifelong friend - @urpu.guide who I’ve been living with in these strange Corona times.
Before we left Hemsedal - Urpu invited me to stay with her and check out Romsdalen. So I did, then I accidentally (on purpose) got stranded here while the world went crazy and it’s so good, I’m now struggling to leave!!!
Romsdalshorn is a beautiful shape that looms over the Romsdalen skyline. It’s reminiscent of the Matterhorn or other similar ‘horns’.
Urpu on the approach to the route, not usually this much snow!
And what a route. Beautiful scrambling and easy climbing (up to grade 4) on the North Wall make for a great day out.
We had a snowier approach than is usual - owing to lots of late spring snow up here. It made for an easy approach and great bum slide back to the car!
We parked lower than the top car park - the point at which you can join the lowest part of the ridge leading up to the route.
The imposing Troll Wall that you can see from the ridge.
Cheesy grin, happy smile on your face climbing all the way!
The route is 5-7 pitches of climbing (depending on whether you stop to pitch all of them) with 5 abseils to descend and in epic surroundings - constantly in view of the imposing Troll Wall.
So you can see the climbing ground, never too difficult but varied and interesting on mostly good rock.
That gives a nicer way up to the route from the ridge and also a circular journey by descending the usual path.
I’m lucky to have been with Urpu, who visits many times each season with clients so I didn’t have a route finding epic but it appears reasonably straight forward.
Unfortunately the abseil lines back down follow the route - so be careful descending not to kick loose rock onto parties below. And also, avoid the abseil line whilst climbing by building your own trad belays and staying to the side of the lines where possible.
Despite that, it’s a beautiful route and easily accessible - you can park at nearly 700m which only leaves another 700 ish to ascend!
It’s a fantastic, fun day out based on a beautiful valley (well worth camping there).
I’m guessing it’ll get quite busy mid season so definitely worth getting up early or doing it later in the evening when daylight hours aren’t a problem up north.
You won’t be disappointed, great surroundings and views, easy climbing and the rock quality is mostly good - you do need to take care as there are loose stones about but it’s not a choss fest either.
We took a light climbing rack, two ropes and our day gear.
Romsdalshorn itself was first summited (probably by the east side) in 1828 by Christen Smed and Hans Bjermeland who apparently, drunk at a wedding made a bet to climb it and off they went. Of course, they returned several days later to say they’d made it but no-one believed them until 1881 when a famous Danish mountaineer Carl Hall, together with Norwegians, Erik Norahagen and Mathias Soggemoen made an ascent and found their cairn from 1828!!
Summit cairns in question!
Our route was climbed a hundred years ago and the mountain first climbed nearly 200 years ago - I look down at all my super lightweight kit and imagine what it would have been like trekking up the valley without a car and doing the route back then - with a raging hangover as well no doubt!
Talking of hangovers - we returned home for a well earned beer in the sunshine!! Perfect end to a great day out, well recommended if you’re ever up this way.