Mountain ski tour in Geilo
Calm morning in Ustaoset.
In the beginning of December 2019 we had a nice opportunity to have three woman on tour in Geilo. These women, one who lives in Germany and two in England, are training to participate to Amundsen race in Norway later on this winter. In Amundsen race you pull 40 kilos pulk behind you for 100 kilometers and the maximum time to be there is 3 days. This time we started a bit easier. We took a bus from Geilo to the next village called Ustaoset. You could easily get sledges on the buss as well and this morning we were the only ones taking the buss. It had snowed on the mountains and the weather was very calm when we started our journey. For our visitors it was the second day on skies this winter. It is quite rare to have so little wind in Ustaoset and higher in the mountains there. So if you are planning a trip here, do not expect any particular weather, respect instead. At the moment, a month later we have had very high winds for a longer period of time in Geilo and Ustaoset. High winds meaning harder than 20 m/s.
Getting up to Prestholtseter from Ustaoset.
There is very wide cross-country skiing track net in Geilo area. We meet a groom machine driver right away in the start and keep on going following this high way untill Prestholtskarvet. There we meet the first random skiers other than our group. Beginning of December is really quiet time in Geilo as well as the time after Christmas holidays. I love this time of year because of the colors in the sky and if the temperatures stay on minus degrees it is also good snow. Nowadays you just never know of that.
We start to cook water at Prestholtskarvet for expedition foods. First bensin used stove do not want to co-operate with us this time. Wind picks up and we use a spare gas stove to boil the water and this model is not the most effective one. First lesson learned. Bring too stoves and test both of those before the real use. Luckily at the place where we will camp is going to be two more stoves that actually work well. Of the stoves my own favourite is MSR whisperlite.
After the lunch we speed up a bit to get warm again and after a while take off-piste route towards our tent place where Antti has skied from another direction. It is getting dark around 4.30 pm this time of year so on the top of the last hill we set our head torches ready for the last downhill. I’m glad that I have mountain biked on this area so much that I know well the location. In winter time with bad visibility it would still be hard to navigate. The downhill takes longer time that what I thought. Yes a mountain bike is much faster in summer than this compination of long skins on skies and pulk in deep snow. The other women have two pairs of skies with them and some decide to change into short skin skies in the downhill. I keep mine as they are once the distance is not that long anymore. Less fun in the downhill though. We reach Vestreim in darkness. Vestreim is located at the end of lake Budalen. You can get to Vestreim by car in summertime, but in wintertime there is a cross-country track instead of the road. There is a cafe open in high season times, but now we are far away of high season and have only met two skiers the whole day.
We set up our tents and have some dinner. Short moment on a camp fire once Antti has taken some wood with him. Other than that our location is pretty wood free, about 1000-1400 meters above the sea level on this tour.
Wintercamping as it’s best in Vestreim.
Skiing in Hallingskarvet national park area.
The next morning we wake up again in calm -10 degrees weather. Sun is shining and we take another 2 hours trip further into Hallingskarvet national park. Geilo is located in between two national park areas and the other one is called Hardangervidda national park. The snow is extremely good for this kind of skiing. Nice and soft minus degree snow with solid bottom under. It almost feels that this is for easy for women training for Amundsen race. On the first day we spent about 6 hours on the trip. The next day after the 2 hours skiing we take a short lunch break and head back to Geilo over Havsdalshovda. It’s a easy, but boring climb first. Takes longer than I thought. After the climb we change into short skin skies or short skins. It is time to go down the whole way to Geilo. The fist part is still easy with nice snow, but at the end we needed to cross the ski area and some cross country tracks. That was harder with the pulks behind that what was expected. At least we learn that once you are tired your patience in the hard parts of the track is even worse than what it is when you feel yourself fresh and strong. The following days we decide to train downhill ski technic with and without the pulk.
I feel once again pleased to live so close to the beautiful nature and at the moment a month later I’m waiting for the wind to come down for new trips to come.
