Hiking in Dovrefjell

[Avatail]

Hello!

Gotta come here, because there aren't much information about Dovrefjell in finnish hikingforums. Hope there are some hikers who can give me some advices...I haven't hiked in Norway exept the northern parts of it.

If you compare Dovrefjell to Jotunheimen, is there a big difference between them if we look at their landscape? How about popularity? Is there less hikingtourists in Dovrefjell? At least from finland many people goes hiking to Jotunheimen but only few to Dovrefjell. Perhaps that because the highest mountains are in the firstmentioned?

I haven't yet bought a map so can someone tell if there are good tentplaces in Dovrefjell? I mean there are much rocky ground?

How about Snohetta? Is there glacier in its highest top or can you reach it without special equipments, just by walking?

At last, does anyone know a traveljournal from Dovrefjell in english?

Thanks for answers!

[Arcticpeak]

The landscape at Dovrefjell have softer curves than Jotunheimen, at least most of the parts, but you find a lot of wild mountains as well, expecially in the westerns parts towards Romsdal and Sunndal.

I actually consider Dovrefjell more beatifull tha Jotunheimen. There are a lot of nice places to put up a tent in the lower parts (around 1000 m.a.s.l. that is).

There are less tourist and much more wildlife in Dovrefjell.

The main summit of Snøhetta is an easy and nice walk, you may experience some snow, but special equipment is'nt necessary.

[marmotta]

Hello!

Gotta come here, because there aren't much information about Dovrefjell in finnish hikingforums. Hope there are some hikers who can give me some advices...I haven't hiked in Norway exept the northern parts of it.

If you compare Dovrefjell to Jotunheimen, is there a big difference between them if we look at their landscape? How about popularity? Is there less hikingtourists in Dovrefjell? At least from finland many people goes hiking to Jotunheimen but only few to Dovrefjell. Perhaps that because the highest mountains are in the firstmentioned?

I haven't yet bought a map so can someone tell if there are good tentplaces in Dovrefjell? I mean there are much rocky ground?

How about Snohetta? Is there glacier in its highest top or can you reach it without special equipments, just by walking?

At last, does anyone know a traveljournal from Dovrefjell in english?

Thanks for answers!

http://www.huthyfs.com/dovretafjord/dovtafindex.html

Not in English, but very little text anyway; maybe you have friends who know Swedish?

The 8 first days of the tour were in Dovrefjell. The 66 first images (unfortunately scanned, not digital) are from these 8 days.

Link from the bottom of the page.

I think you can reconstruct the itinerary on a map. The first and 7th stages were partly on unmarked paths.

On the 1st orientation could be tricky in mist.

The 4th stage was the trickiest, with rocks and a permanent snowfield, requiring some care (image xxviii).

One depends very little on bridges; all fords were easy, at least at that time.

There are fewer tourists, and fewer staffed huts in Dovre than i Jotunheimen. Aursjøhytta was the only one I passed,

a place to run past and forget as soon as possible.

Apart from that I believe Vangshaugen is the only one.

[Avatail]

Thanks for answers! And thanks marmotta for that traveljournal, awesome pictures! ...I know some swedish myself too...

Dorvefjell seems like very promising hiking place. Now I just gotta buy a map so I can start thinking my hiking route.

By the way, have there been any trouble with musk oxes? Of course I would like to see one...

[Arcticpeak]

By the way, have there been any trouble with musk oxes? Of course I would like to see one...

Very rare, a german was killed when trying a close-up photo some years ago, but if you keep your distance you should be safe.

If they start to make a lot of noise, blowing in the nose and stuff like that, go slowly away from them.

Don't try to get closer than 500 m, they run very fast! 40-50 km/h!

[Avatail]

Yet one more question...which map would be best for that area?

[Arcticpeak]

This 1:100 000 gives you a nice view over the entire area:

http://www.kartbutikken.no/produktdetaljer.php?allekat=18;127;27&visprodukt=4772

For more terrain details you may want to use the 1:50 000-series (M711-series).

The following maps of that series covers the Dovre-area:

1520 III Oppdal and surounding areas.

1519 IV Snøhetta and surounding areas.

1519 III E6-road over Dovrefjell and surounding areas.

1419 I Storskrymten area

1419 II Dombås/Lesja area

[Avatail]

Thank you for an exhaustive answers! I normally use only 1:100 000 maps, so gotta buy that at first...

[marmotta]

Thanks for answers! And thanks marmotta for that traveljournal, awesome pictures! ...I know some swedish myself too...

Dorvefjell seems like very promising hiking place. Now I just gotta buy a map so I can start thinking my hiking route.

By the way, have there been any trouble with musk oxes? Of course I would like to see one...

On my last two hikes in Dovre I didn't see a single one. The best chance of seeing musk oxen is on the path between Kongsvoll and Reinheim. Yes, sometimes near or on the path, and you're the one who has to leave it. A surprise encounter could be dangerous but usually they warn you - you may even hear the sound before you see the animal.

Musk oxen sometimes go roaming over long distances; that's why there are musk oxen in Sweden. Sometimes you may meet one at unexpected places in Dovrefjell, such as Lersjøen.