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Leirdalen 19.-21. 5. 2020

The desire to ski in Leirdalen remained from the previous trip ...

So we returned in better weather 20 days later.

With the better half this time.

They are still struggling to clean the road to Leirvassbu.

We could drive only 5 km in the valley and had to do the remaining 7 km on foot.

A view on Storbrean Glacier with Sokse (2189 m), Kniven (2133 m) and Store Smørstabbtinden (2208 m) behind opens up at about half way.

It looks like Czech hikers have bad reputation in Norway as well.

Suspension bridge completely covered with snow together with the whole river gully.

Moving on with heavy backpacks containing all camping gear. We shall take a sledge next time.

Ongoing road cleaning efforts.

Approaching the destination.

Settling under the slopes of Rundhøe. Justyna seems to be tired :)

Our accommodation for the next two days.

Under the mountains of Jotunheimen.

Last sun rays on Storebjørn (2222 m).

Leirdalen below us.

Waking up in a sunny and warm day after a pretty clod night.

In the middle of white desert with Stehøe (1885m) on left and Stetinden (2020 m) on right.

We decided to go for Stetinden since initially planned Storebjørn would be a bit too much.

Justyna being the first time on slopes in wintertime.

Lunchtime on a half way up.

Justyna decided to wait for me there.

While I continued on skis to the ridge where view on Jotunheimen opens up.

Approaching the destination.

It got too rocky to continue on skis.

And the snow on the ridge made it a bit too tricky to continue to the top of Stetinden so I stopped on the foretop that was just slightly below 2000 m elevation.

Storebjørn and Smørstabbtinden Mountains.

Panorama towards the south.

Mjølkedalstinden

Rauddalstindane

Enjoyable skiing on almost a powdery condition in the second half of May.

The path that we walked and skied.

The weather turned bad next day a little earlier than expected, increasing the avalanche danger. So we just went up a bit on the slopes of Rundhøe.

Interesting shape of Stetinden from this perspective.

Frajer on skis.

Diffusive light made it difficult to see and the soft upper layer turned from the previous day turned heavy and unpleasant to ski.

Camping at Tesse Lake along the way to Valdresflye.

Arctic violet (Pulsatilla vernalis) just starting to blossom.

Surreal appearance.

Unusually low water level at The Tesse Lake.