Estimated net time	4½-5 hours
Difficulty	No difficulties. The route up to Midtbustsætra at 410 metres runs on a fine path. The rest of the route is off-path, but it is easy to find open terrain. There is some boulder towards the top.
Drinking water	Only stable access to running water from the stream close to the path around Midtbustsætra, at around 400 metres.
GSM coverage	Coverage throughout the route (August 2010).
Parking	Room for 2-3 cars at trail head.
Start height	30 metres.
Vertical metres	1330 metres for the roundtrip.
Trip distance	10.0 km
GPS-file	X
Map		Google Interactive Map
Route photo	Parking and trail head in Stordal.   Suggested route from Midtbustsætra to Sandfjellet.

From Ålesund drive road E39 to Sjøholt. Drive through Sjøholt centre, and turn right onto road 650, signed for "Geiranger" and "Stordal". From this junction drive 18.2 km to Stordal and follow road 650 when it turns 90° left. Drive another 1.1 km (you pass the church on your left hand side after 700 metres) and turn left where signed for "Vinjehjellane Bustadfelt". Drive another 500 metres and locate sign for "Grigås natursti" on your right hand side, just after a left curve. There is room for 2-3 cars on the right hand side of the road.

Start walking by passing the gate, and then turn right onto a path running north-east. There are a number of paths up here, maintained by the local goats, but the path you should follow is marked with red paint in a few places. This path runs on the right hand side of a couple of houses, in a north-east direction. After you have passed the houses the path runs into a spruce forest. Continue approximately 400 metres, and you will see some signs related to deer hunting ("hjortejakt"). One can assume that hikers are not welcome here in the hunting season (from 10th September and the next couple of months). A little after these signs the path forks; follow the left leg, marked with amber ribbons. After a steep incline you meet an old forest road. Turn right here and follow the forest road 50 metres, a little downhill.

A couple of metres after you see an old wooden sign for "Midtbustsætra" on your right hand side, you should turn left onto a path heading uphill into the spruce forest. Follow this path all the way up to the small wooden building at Midtbustsætra.

From Midtbustsætra you have a good view of Sandfjellet. There is a fair bit of bush between Midtbustsætra and Sandfjellet, but if you head a little left from the direct route you will be able to avoid all the bush/forest. The ground is a little soft, and at times it can be wet.

When you get at the same level as the saddle between Sandfjellet and Midmorgonshornet aim more or less directly for the cairn out on the right of the summit area. This cairn is located 500 metres south of the summit. From this cairn you have an easy walk across to the summit, which is marked by the smallest of the summit area cairns.

When descending don't head back to the cairn at the south end of the summit area, but do a more direct route towards Midtbustsætra. You will re-join your ascent route at approximately 1100 metres. From here follow your ascent route back to the car.

18. August 2010

I headed off to Stordal straight from work this warm Wednesday afternoon. Locating the trail head was easy, and around 5pm I was on my way.

When I got to Midtbustsætra I continued on the path heading north, hoping it would continue towards Sandfjellet, but after 150 metres I didn't risk it any longer and headed off-path in a north/north-west direction, finding a fine route without bush. And to my joy the ground was relatively firm and dry. The rest of the route to the summit was straight forward, but quite strenuous.

At the summit it was a little windy, but there was no need for a jacket. I spent something like 20 minutes up here, taking photos, making a couple of phone calls, and enjoying a sandwich. Then back to the car, doing easy jogging almost all the way down. I did some small navigational errors down by Midtbustsætra, but only lost a couple of minutes, and a quick check with my GPS soon got me onto the right track.

Back at the car I changed into dry clothes and drove to the local store for a chocolate and a Coke (two, actually!).
Photos 18.08.2010