hiking 'the tower'

Hiking the Norwegian Mountain Peaks!!

Now to be honest with you...these pictures don't give it any justice. Its the sort of thing you can't capture with a camera. The views are mind-blowing. It is almost surreal to me that I was actually there, because it just isn't in my scheme that there can be so much snow, and iced over lakes in July!!  And particularly in a place where its warm enough to be sweating in shorts and a tank-top. Literally we went hiking through snow in shorts, and it was deep!! 
Several times my foot fell in and went up to my hip. Notice the picture of Sam standing up on the snow...it is deep.
We started at sea level in the fjords, then drove to the parking lot at probably 150 meters, then walked to the cabin one of the lakes that you can see in the distance, at about 325 meters above sea level. Then the mountains you see in the background are between 1500 and 2500 meters high. To give a little perspective, Mt. Katahdin in Maine is 1605 meters tall, and Mt. Rainer in Washington State is 4392 meters tall. We hiked to the top of 2 peaks (one on Saturday and one on Sunday). That one that looks like its sheer rock and shaped kind-of like a needle or tower is the one we did on Sunday. Truly terrifying!!! I honestly didn't know if I could make it. We had to climb it as if we were rock-climbing, scrambling up the rocks and loose gravel but without any of the equipment (harnesses, rope etc.). If my foot or hand had slipped even the smallest amount I would have fallen and rolled down the mountain and most likely not survived. Probably one of scariest things I have done in my life. But phew!...its amazing to look back and realize that I made it! And even though it was scary, it made me want to hike more! :-)

The picture below is taken from part-way up the tower, at about 1200 meters, looking back down to the lake at 730 meters above sea level.

  

Comments

[justso]

Totally awesome! That time we went to John and Andrea's wedding was like this (Mt Olympus in June) and you guys picniced at the lake. The snow was 5 meters deep in places, AND...I was tracked by a cougar (probably a very HUNGRY cougar!)

Now do the Alps down on the Austrian / Italian border (outside Tirolo) where you can go hut to hut at high elevations, without descending, and they have cots and food and beer!

[Lashwill]

I can't believe the way you guys are dressed. It is so beautiful there.