NE ridge, E face

Overview

This is the primary and best ski route up Goalsevarri. It is of moderate grade, and is great if time is short. Average time round trip is 5 hours, though a friend of mine has done it in 3.5 hours.

Getting There

See directions from the main page.

Route Description

From wherever you have parked...
Follow the biggest path you can find. In winter there are ski tracks everywhere, in spring and summer, it's a little easier. Watch for red blazes on birch trees. The main path winds around bluffs, and eventually trends left. All the paths converge on a ski hut at just over 300m elevation.
From the ski hut (ski hytte) head up onto a windswept plateau. Directly above is Goalsevarri, with the entrance to the cirque to the right. Wend your way upwards through the plateau, heading generally for the left skyline of Goalsevarri.
The actual climb up the peak after the plateau is quite steep, but doable with skins if the climber watches carefully for the least steep grade. The ridge at this point is rounded, but do not head directly up the ridge as it is steeper. Keep well to the left. At mid- height (around 900m) the slope eases. From here, begin a gradual traverse toward the ridge proper. Depending on the season and winds, it can be quite steep just before reaching the actual ridge crest. Once on the ridge, the grade eases considerably. Continue switchbacking across the ridge crest. As the grade eases, the ridge narrows, and the summit comes into view.
Just below the summit, the ridge drops into a perfectly flat platform wide enough for a dozen folks to prepare for the descent.

Descent:
Descend directly from the platform. The grade is consistent, and this wide chute\bowl catches snow so there is enough to ski on, even when surrounding areas are bereft of snow. Carve your perfect turns all the way down, until the slope eases, and the plateau area at the base is reached. Begin traversing (speedy) above the plateau area to the north to return to the ski hut. This is not as easy as it sounds in poor visibility, however, if you do miss the hut, there are no hidden cliffs or other dangers, just thickets of birch to negotiate.
After reaching the cars, head for the nearest sauna.....

Essential Gear

Randonee or telemark skis and bindings. Your bindings must have some kind of heel support, a simple 3 pin toe binding for example is inadequate. Skins.

Images

View NE ridge, E face Image Gallery - 2 Images