Kikut, Porthogda, Askehogda, Sandungskollen

Kikut - 615M

26M Prominence

60.08447, 10.64425

July 8, 2023

Exploring the Nordmarka

Porthogda - 621 M

215M Prominence

60.08496, 10.63840

July 8, 2023

Exploring the Nordmarka

Askehogda - 605M

35M Prominence

60.08763, 10.63006

July 8, 2023

Exploring the Nordmarka

Sandungskollen - 612M

42M Prominence

60.09833, 10.62481

July 8, 2023

Exploring the Nordmarka

Porthogda is one of the highest peaks in Nordmarka. Nordmarka is the greatly forested area that sits just north of Oslo. This area is full of Trails and gravel roads, designed for mountain biking and hiking in the summer, and cross country skiing in the winter. After making it to Oslo, all you have to do is catch the extremely reliable T bane metro to Frognerseteren, and at the end of the line, you are let out to what is ultimately just the start of the trails, and not much else. I spent 3 nights wandering and exploring this area, I have no idea how many Km I travelled over these few days, or what trails I lost myself in. Occasionally I would come across a cabin or a Ski chalet type building and take a break. I kind of made my end goal to make it up the highest peak I could see on the map, in order to get a bit of a view of the area, if I was permitted. The trails were empty and relatively untramped, it was almost entirely flat. Almost too flat, there were many sections of complete swamp, that even in the dry of summer held water like a wet sponge, thankfully the walk was aided with boardwalks or planks in most areas. The vegetation and ecosystem of lakes and swamps was very similar to that of British Columbia. Norway is like this in the south, however it does not take much more travel north before the land becomes barren and vegetation thins out. The level terrain steepened up at last and shoddy ropes were strung between scraggly trees as I made my way up to the summit, it did offer some decent views in a few spots despite undoubtedly still being far below any sort of tree line. The first of the four summits was Kikut, and then the lousy ridge continued on to Porthogda, Askehogda and Sandungskollen. Between these bumps there was yet more swamp, and definitely the worst of it down where the saddle dropped down a bit. I made my way back towards the first summit, and somewhere along the way I picked out a relatively flat spot in a blueberry patch to pitch my tent and spend the night. The way back was much of the same as the way in. I continued to explore the quite familiar, but still interesting terrain all the way back to the T bane the following day.

Views from above, a large swamp

A night in the blueberry patch

As exciting as the trail got

They even paved the way for me!

Swamp suspended boardwalks

Views from up on the ridge

Panoramic ridge view

Comments

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