Kalvehøgdi Massif

Scandinavian Mountains over 2000 metres - James Baxter

AreasKalvehøgdi Massif › 7.2 Rasletind (2105m)

Rasletind,2105m, lies on the very south east of Jotunheimen. It is a very simple mountain to climb and its gentle slopes make it ideal ski touring territory. It is highly accessible from the road over Valdresflye which opens around mid April. It is an ideal mountain for those who do not have extensive experience to cut their teeth on.

The Route from Valdresflya Vandrerhjem Hostel
total distance for return trip 18km 
total ascent and descent780m
total time for return journey5-7hrs
difficulty rating - 2season: apr, may, jun jul, aug, septskiingno glacier crossingno climbing suitable for wet conditions

Rasletind full size mapLeave Valdresflye plateau in the vicinity of Valdresflya Vandrerhjem hostel. At the weekends, just after the road has opened in spring and there is still allot of snow parking is limited. Head west from the road across the flat tarn peppered tundra passing to the south of a collection of tarns called Fisketjørni. There is the odd small stream to jump as you cross this plateau for 2km to reach the slopes at the base of Rasletind.

Start to climb these slopes up the stony tundra keeping well to the north of a small tarn, called Rasletjernet,at the base of a very steep section of the ridge which drops into this tarn. Head for a section towards the bottom of this ridge where it levels off before continuing its gentle descent. Gain the ridge at this flat step which should take an hour from the road. There is a small tarn at this flat step which you can skirt round the south side off. Ahead of you to the west is the wasteland of Steindalen and beyond that the north ridge of Rasletind.

The route now contours through the rocky bowl of of Steindalen for 3 km. Initially head west towards a glacier on the north ridge which is missing from the map for about a km across rocky terrain. Then head north west for another km across stony slopes crossing a rocky stream until you reach a second stream. Follow this second stream up westwards for a km to a saddle on the north ridge of Rasletind between Østre Rasletind and a knoll at 1787m. This takes about 2 hours from Valdresflye.

Rasletind seen from SjødalsvatnetPass to the south of the small tarn in this saddle and start to head south up the more pleasant stony slopes for km. As you climb the views get better especially to the north west where the whole of Jotunheimen slowly unfolds. It takes a good ½ hour climb this easy ridge to the peak of Østre Rasletind, 2010m.

From Østre Rasletind the route route to the summit now goes west for ½ km down to a very shallow saddle. After the saddle continue west for another km up a pleasant slope the bottom of which is usually covered in a large snow field well into the summer. Beyond the snowfield is a the stable gentle stony slope continues to the large boulder on the summit. The whole ascent takes about 3 hours.

This route is excellent in the winter/spring season where the shallow inclines allow for great ski touring. In addition allot of the more tiresome boulders and stones in Steindalen are covered.

The return

The return is by the same route. Alternatively you can descend the alternative route to Bygdin Fjellhotel by continuing south west from the summit for about 2 km until you are at the knoll at 1844metres to the west of the lake on plateau of Raslet. From here you can descend down the slopes between the two Repefonnbekken streams to the south east and on to Bygdin as described on the alternatives routes page. It is also worth considering returning to the lake at the west end of the lake on the Raslet plateau and then heading east across this empty expanse passing to the north of the knoll 1854m on its eastern edge. From the knoll head down the spur to the east of Steindalen until you approach the small tarn on its crest where it levels off. At this tarn you meet the ascent route which can be followed down the east side of the spur round the south side of the Fisketjørni tarns and back to Valdresflya Vandrerhjem hostel. Either of these alternative returns are wonderful on skis.