Skjervan (1545 m.a.s.l.)

Long and heavy ski tour, from the fjord to the summit of Mt Skjervan, rewarded with more than 1500 vertical meters of hillarious descent.

Skjervan is the name of the distinct alpine Ridge that can be seen on the west side of Innfjorden. The summit can be ascended from the east (Innfjorden) as well as the west side (Måndalen). The east side is the easier way up, it only gets steep on the final part to the summit. As a reward, the scenery on top is fantastic. If you ascen from the west, the views are perhaps not as spectacular. on the other hand, when conditions are good you are compensated With a fabulous run down a long, steady slope.

[caption id="attachment_5799" align="alignnone" width="650"] Skjervan in Innfjorden[/caption]

This route is described from Innfjorden. You can find ohter route options described in the book Ski Touring in Romsdalen.

Drive to Innfjorden, and you can park the car at Grande Trevare, or you can try to get a bit further up. Turn the first road to the left after crossing Innfjorden river. After 500 metres when the road makes a bend Down to the river you can see a toll road to the right. Here you can park the car, depending on the snow conditions there might be a possibility to drive further up the toll road. Remember to pay the toll fee. From here begins the ascent through the woods until you get on the track that leads to the the old farm houses, around 500 meters of altitude. Continue further above the treeline. Gradually the landscape opens up more and with views towards Skjervan right in front, and a majestic fjord landscape when you turn around. Follow the easiest way in the terrain, and aim for the north side of the peak at 1270 m elevation. You keep the direction towards the conspicuous rock hammer, which leads up to the north ridge of the mountain. From here the terrain raises smoothly and keep follow the ridge under the apex of the west side, before taking the final steep climb up to the summit at 1545 m. Enjoy the wonderful views from the airy top, facing Molde in northwest and several well-known peaks around us in the south and east. Down again we have two alternative descents. There are more than 1,500 meters skiing from summit to fjords. If the conditions are good, you get the finest descent from east flank of the mountain. However this is more avalanche prone. The steep flanks can accumulate a lot of snow. Especially if the wind has been blowing from the west. If you are uncertain about the conditions you should choose the regular route. It's the same way down as up. It is difficult to ski from the higher parts of the summit. It is very steep. 

Avalanche risk in Romsdalen!
The weather circumstances and snow conditions can soon change. Always pay attention to the risk of snow avalanches when planning for your ski touring experience. Ski touring in Romsdalen requires competence in analyzing the data from weather and avalanche risk reports and forecasts. For your own safety seek sufficient information in the planning process. Read about the mountain and consider the avalanche problem in the area you are in. A warning is an aid, not a facit. Always make your own reviews locally.  You customize your own risk in vulnerable areas by choosing when, where and how you go. Make the safe choice! Check the latest updated avalanche forecasts for Romsdal here:  varsom.no 

We always recommend to bring a ski guide, for your own safety, and because the guides knows where to find the best snow, in all kind of weather. The ski guides in Romsdalen are high skilled, acting professional, and have valuable experience and local knowledge. Some of the ski guides have fulfilled the NORTIND certified guide program, and are trained to high, international standards for working with people in challenging mountain terrain. Look for the NORTIND and IFMGA autorization emblems on the guide companies' pages. 

Useful maps and readings:

Romsdalsfjella, Hiking map for Romsdal. Målestokk 1:80 000.

Recommended book to read before ski touring in Romsdalen is "Ski touring in Romsdalen" by Halvor Hagen.

Belonging map to Ski touring in Romsdalen:  "Kart til skifører"  by Halvor Hagen.

Can be purchased in the local book store Romsdal Libris in Åndalsnes, and at Norsk Tindesenter - the Norwegian Mountaineering Centre.