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Monday 30 July 2012

Went up the sixth most prominent hill in Norway

Hamperokken - the top is the little pointy one.
26-07-12
When I say this is the sixth most prominent hill in Norway, that does not mean it is the sixth highest. It is about relative height, not absolute height. However, although this area is not the highest part of Norway, it definitely has kurtosis. There are two ultras not far away from today's objective, Hamperokken (1404m, P1394).






Well it looked like the rain was here to stay so I had to continue regardless. This does mean that I have no photographic evidence that I got to the top. The above picture of the hill was taken the next day.
The route up starts, as ever it seems, with negotiating through the ubiquitous birch trees. Then it was a steep climb to a long airy and scrambly ridge with rather loose stones that came away as I pulled myself over the rocks. Occasionally there were escape 'paths', but not often.  The last section was quite awkward in the mist - how on earth do I get round this tower and on to the summit? In a sense, the mist made it easier in that I could not see just how much exposure there was. The summit is quite small in area.
The map shows an alternative route off, however, I did not want to risk losing my way over a boulder field and reversed my ascent route to eventually drop below the cloud level and those birch trees. I did find an easier way down through the forest than the path marked on the map, though.
Bring back the birch

Above the birch trees, below the cloud level

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