TROLLØYPA – DAY 1

from Trabelia to Veslefjellbua

^22-02-16

Finally, I’m on the move! Checked weather forecasts and hut booking status (whether there is other people already booked to stay) all day yesterday and couldn’t quite decide… then, late in the evening, I finally made up my mind: I will start the next morning. I was all packed and ready to go from before; so I just booked huts and train tickets and set my alarm clock to get up early – BUT not early enough… when the alarm woke me at 7:45, I realised I had set it wrong by one hour; no chance to reach the train at 8.

But, lucklily, there was another option 1,5 hours later; only had to change from train to bus at Lillehammer. By 13:00 I arrived at Ringebu and asked for a taxi for the first hill up; got one half an hour later, and was dropped off at Trabelia Hyttegrend&Camping before 14:00.

The recently prepared løype takes me up towards Venabu, going a couple of hundred meters away but parallel with the road, though an area with scattered private huts.

A small pass (Grønnskaret?) just after the little lake Grønnskardtjønnet gives me a first taste of ‘høyfjell’ – bare mountains.

The sun tries to fight through here and then, but mainly it’s just white-ish grey.

After having passed another cabin area and a huge hotel, the freshly prepared skiing tracks end. From there I’m following just man-made tracks where a couple of skiers went earlier today.

I cross the main road – don’t even have to take off skis, it’s just snow-/icy enough – and continue following the single skiing tracks… no other markings. I begin to wonder if I have misunderstood something; this route should be marked all winter. Half a kilometer further, I can relax: a nice and clear line of ‘kvister’ is starting from the signpost at Myrkroken.

And not long after I can see my goal for the day appear on the hill: Veslefjellbua.

I get it, and start the routine: change to dry clothes and warm extra clothes, get the wood oven going to heat up, collect fresh snow in a huge pot and put it on the oven to melt for water, fix a hot chocolate for energi, and then check out the rest of the cabin while it slowly gets warm.

And there is some really pleasant surprises waiting for me. Usually the food store includes mostly ‘lovelies’ like fish soup and meat balls in cans… not the widest choice for a vegetarian. But here there is beans, and even chili sin carne, AND chocolate pudding and vanilla sauce. Heaven!

And then – just as I settle down on the sofa to read – I hear some noise outside… what’s that?

It’s the løypemaskin, rattrack, or whatever you call it – I will have freshly prepped tracks tomorrow (even if only for the first kilometer or so, before I need to branch off).

So, all in all: good day, good start.

About 9-10km skied today.

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