Hey everyone,

I’m planning a short multi-day trip in Jotunheimen during the last week of September / first week of October. I’ve got 3 full days for hiking and I’d like to wild camp along the way. It will be my first time visiting Norway and my first hiking trip there.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

Day 1: Gjendesheim to just before Glitterheim (I won’t go all the way to the DNT hut — plan is to camp about 5 km before, near the trail junction).

Day 2: (Near) Glitterheim to Memurubu.

Day 3: Memurubu over the Besseggen ridge back to Gjendesheim.

What do you think of this plan? Any tips for a good 3-day route? Always open to ideas.

Thanks!

by LumpyNeat

11 comments

  1. do realise this is autumn; weather might be (really) bad; so be prepared to abandon your plans; come prepeared for cold and wet weather

  2. I’ve done something similar before, it is a nice trek, but be careful with the weather at that time of the year. You can already find snow and ice on Besseggen ridge. I’d not recommend it if it’s raining a lot and you’re carrying a lot of weight. But you can always walk back along the lake if the weather turns.

  3. As another respondent has already mentioned, you’re attempting this quite late in the season and the weather may make things rough for you. Will you have a group with you, with supplies for snow or very wet weather? Could you route find your way back to the TH if the trail disappears on you?

  4. As you’re planning on bringing tent etc: Walk some miles now with fuller load than you plan on bringing. Honing up the ol’ knees will be worth it in that terrain.

    Remember to bring enough food, and to both drink and eat regularily.

    Hone up on map and compass in the weeks prior. Watertight seethrough map pouch is mandatory.

    Mandatory is also clothes for cold wet and cold wind, and a full set of dry ones. Good rollup matress, if your sleeping bag is more of the summer kind, get a silk liner and a wool cap for your head when camping. Decent boots!, Goretex nylon mesh will become sponges by the first day. And bring shoefat to impregnate them each evening.

    Start breaking camp early, your speed over terrain will usually be very low in those areas.

  6. You would need to be prepared for snow and/or a lot of downpour and wind. The camp site Bessheim closes October 5th this year and Besseggen may be extremely challenging – so you should be prepared to make a no-go call there.

    I don’t know your level of experience and equipment, but do make sure you understand the environmental factors and how quick the weather can change up there.

  7. You must bring a Satellite Messenger Phone. Bring real high up boots, it can get swampy. Waterproof spray them. Lots of sports tape, painkillers, mosquito spray and a winter sleeping bag (-15C). No wildlife to worry about. NEVER walk on glaciers and NEVER drink glacier water unless you boil it first. Perfectly doable, and looks like a fun hike, enjoy!

  8. Looks like a great plan. I’ll be in the same area hiking first weekend in October, might pass you 🙂

  9. Before we see you in the newspapers, what hiking experience do you have, and do you at very least have a satellite phone? Red Cross has been running low on coffee this season.

  10. As mentioned, check weather forecast and dress accordingly. Be in good shape, have some experience with sleeping outdoors above 1000m. Practice pitching your tent, also in the dark. There will be grouse hunting activity in the area. It is also autumn break in during so will not be alone on the Besseggen trail. Don’t forget that one these treks you should also factor in the climb, not just distance. The Besseggen trail has aprox 1100m effective climb. Otherwise, cool hike that I have wanted to do myself for some time:)

  11. What’s your fitness level like?

    My original plan was Besseggen Ridge, but I turned back when the wind got too strong with the weight I was carrying and instead took the boat to Memurubu. Gjendesheim to Glitterheim (skipping the ridge) was my “Plan B” leg day.

    About the boats: check the timetable carefully (I remember seeing something on the timetable) – if you’re out of season they might not run. Best to email Gjendesheim DNT directly.

    The trip is definitely doable if you’re fit, well-prepared, and geared for the usual bad weather. Don’t underestimate the distances; the terrain is rocky and uneven, with a few river crossings that could become torrents after heavy rain.

    Some gear advice:

    * First aid kit with an emergency bivy
    * Air-activated hand warmers (absolute lifesavers – stick them under your armpits, at the neck under a hat, or inner thighs if you get chilled)
    * Satellite communicator – reception is rubbish in most valleys apart from Gjendesheim and just outside Memurubu

    If it were me, I’d use the DNT huts as waypoints and camp just outside them. That Glitterheim section at the junction is rocky as hell, so make sure you pitch up in daylight. I remember thinking “if the weather turned bad here, this would be a bloody nightmare.”

    So aye – it’s a solid, very doable walk if you’re fit, experienced enough, and not a complete idiot.

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