Peak Hiking — Good for Both Body and Soul!
To be able to walk in untouched nature on hour-long walks, to sweat and fight your way up, to feel that your body and soul benefit from it — that is one of the best things about using nature in this way. It is healthy — good for both body and soul!
All photos © Øivind H. Solheim
When we walk down here in the streets of Odda, he looks distant and impregnable, Rossnos. But he’s always there, maybe waiting for you. And a few times it may happen that you take on the challenge and go the long, steep and muscle-demanding trip up to the top, to the cairn on Rossnos, 1407 masl.
First stage
Going up from Odda to Rossnos takes — at my pace — about 3.5 hours, while the descent takes one hour less. The experiences on the way up, on top and down again with all the hiking impressions in body and mind, are definitely worth the effort.
It starts relatively banal. First a few hundred meters steep up on a construction road, then about two hours on a path through the forest in the steep mountainside up to Freimstølen.
When you get up to Freimstølen, you see that there are several cabins there. — Well done to have cabins built so secluded and high, one may have had the help of a helicopter to make it happen.
Further up from Freimstølen
Furthermore, the trip goes south and up towards Rossnos itself. The terrain here is less steep, with a steady climb on a clearly visible path.
When you stop and turn around, the landscape spreads out like a beautiful painting. I look out over a beautiful high mountain range with scattered mountain birches at the bottom and beautiful colors up towards the peaks to the east.
The fog clouds that hang over Odda and Sørfjorden move all the time and give the visual impression a slightly dramatic feel.
Last stage before the top
After Freimstølen you walk the last stage in relatively simple high mountain terrain, with some climbing on sloping rock surfaces (ropes are laid out) before the last part up to the very top of Rossnos is overcome.
On the top
- a cairn, solid rock underfoot, moss, lichen and other small plants, and stone and stone again.
- And some people who occasionally visit.
One of the good things about summit hikes is that you get such a nice view in all directions, as far as the eye can see. From the top of Rossnos there is a great view to Folgefonna in the west, Sørfjorden in the north, Hardangervidda in the east, and Fjellheimen and Røldal in the south.
When one is up on the plateau by the cairn, one sees that one can hardly go particularly higher. The goal has been reached!
Rossnos — untouched nature
— except for a stone with a plaque commemorating the visit of pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, who played Grieg in a NRK recording on Rossnos in 2007.
There is clearly cleaner air over the plains on the east side of Rossnos, while Oddadalen and Folgefonna have some fog and more humid air. We often see that there are fog flakes just below the top of Rossnos.
The value of untouched nature
This photo story can be read as a post in the discussion about whether or not to build a gondola from the smelter site in the center of Odda to Rossnos.
I believe that the facts, the degree of encroachment on nature, the unique character of this mountain top and the landscape around it, together with the picture, suggest that the gondola lift project should not be carried out.
I have experienced climbing mountain peaks where there are technical installations and buildings, and my experience of such peaks is that they are ruined and unsuitable as a destination for full-fledged summit hikes.
To be able to walk in untouched nature on hour-long walks, to sweat and fight your way up, to feel that your body and soul benefit from it — that is one of the best things about using nature in this way. It is healthy — good for both body and soul!
The views from Rossnos are stunning and impressive. The large air space straight out from the cairn down towards Odda can nourish nightmarish dreams in the waking state (best to keep a safe distance to the edge!).
All rights reserved. © Øivind H. Solheim , @oivind47, author of novels, poetry, articles, essays, short fiction and experimental writing. fiksjon@gmail.com
