The hike starts off on an old forest road (in practice more or less a path), which eventually turns into a path. The path through the forest is vague in places.
Trail head by Fiksdal stadium.
| Storhaugen from Fiksdal Storhaugen |
| Estimated net time | 3-3½ hours | ||
| Difficulty |
No difficulties. The hike starts off on an old forest road (in practice more or less a path), which eventually turns into a path. The path through the forest is vague in places. |
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| Drinking water | No access to running water. | ||
| GSM coverage | Coverage throughout the route (July 2010). | ||
| Parking | Room for many cars at trail head. | ||
| Start height | 58 metres | ||
| Vertical metres | 720 metres for the roundtrip. | ||
| Trip distance | 6.4 km | ||
| GPS-file | X | ||
| Map |
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| Route photo |
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There are two alternative access routes to the trail head by Fiksdal stadium.
[a]
From Vestnes drive road 661 towards Tomrefjorden. From the apex of Tomrefjorden drive 5.7 km and turn left where signed for "Stadion" and "Fiksdalsetra". Pay toll (NOK 30 per 2010) after a few tens of metres. Drive 600 metres from road 661 and turn left where signed for "Fiksdal stadion". Drive the reminding 200 metres to the football stadium and park your car.
[b]
From Ålesund drive road E39 east, and then onto road 661 towards Vatne and Brattvåg. When you get to the intersection of roads 659 and 661 by Eidet (Tennfjord) turn right towards Vatne. After 1.8 km you cross the bridge in Vatne, and 400 metres later road 661 makes a sharp left. Instead of following 661 you should continue straight ahead, on the road to Krogsætra, Nakkedalen and Fiksdal. Drive in total 18.2 km from Eidet. Here you re-join road 661 in a T-junction, and turn right. Drive 900 metres and turn right where signed for "Stadion" and "Fiksdalsetra". Pay toll (NOK 30 per 2010) after a few tens of metres. Drive 600 metres from road 661 and turn left where signed for "Fiksdal stadion". Drive the reminding 200 metres to the football stadium and park your car.
At the near end of the car park there is a sign for Storhaugen. Follow this vague and old forest road south. You might or might not loose the forest road, which eventually turns into a path, but the important thing is that you head for the edge a little left of Storhaugen. When you get above the forest you will find a fine path along this edge. Follow the path, and then cut across to the summit when you see the summit cairn.
The descent is best done by reversing your ascent route.
I had been to Molde to pick up our new car this Friday afternoon, and on my way back to Brattvåg I stopped at Fiksdal to hike Storhaugen. After having located the trail head I headed up what has once been a forest road, but now can be categorised as "a stretch of land without trees". I followed the forest road the best I could but eventually focused more on heading uphill than following any paths. When I got above the forest I headed out to the edge and followed the path towards the summit. By now I was very tired from having been pushing it speed-wise, and I was surrounded by hundreds of flies. But I have a trick to reduce the disturbance from the flies; wear a buff as a headscarf to make a physical separation between yourself and the flies. The real issue caused by the flies was that a lot of my photos got small black dots on them.
After the hike I drove back home to Brattvåg, and managed a quick shower before
seeing Brattvåg getting beaten by neighbours Norborg 3-0 in a poor third
division football match. I never watch third division football (in my opinion a
bunch of men having fun playing football a few times a week), but I had promised
my 10 year old to join him for this match so I didn't have much choice. The
up-side was that I had an excuse to buy Coke and chocolate in the cafetria, in
order to re-energise after the hike.
Photos 02.07.2010