Free driving in Suldalsheiane

Suldal, with its high mountain peaks and large natural area, offers fantastic experiences even off the ski tracks for the experienced freerider. Here Suldølene Mads Drange and Espen E. Søreng share their best tips for great winter experiences on skis.

Breiastøldalen/Ørekvam

Not all top hikes need to be that long, and some can also start with a downhill hike - such as the forest area between Breiastølsdalen and Ørekvam. Sheltered from the wind, you will find largely unaffected snow, and the gentle birch forest offers a couple of hundred meters of altitude with great skiing! Follow the cross-country track about 1.5 kilometers in from the car park at Gullingen ski centre. Before you get to Heiabekken, drag yourself down the vine towards the disused farm on the south side of the road. Then it's on to the traps and up again - here you can manage several trips in one day! If you bring a headlamp, this is also a nice evening trip.

Vintraleå

Few people take advantage of the mountains on "Vintraleå" in winter - despite the name, which testifies to favorable climatic conditions for skiing. They are located on the west side of Sandsfjorden, are easily visible from Sand, and offer both steep and not so steep mountain sides. Storurdsnuten is a great top hike that is suitable for beginners, as you do not need to move into steep terrain. Nuten is 885 meters high, and from Germany it takes a couple of hours to get up. In the picture, Petter Nilsen is on his way up the last altitude meters with Sellandsnuten in the background.

Hook-sharpened

Krokavassnuten is one of the finest cruise peaks in Suldal! The groove at 955 m above sea level is on the south-west side of the Tysselandsdalen and you can see it clearly from Sand, just above a marked gorge. From the top, you swing down towards the Sandsfjord with the sun in your face and the wind at your back. The easiest way to reach the top is via Tysselandsstølen and you drive more or less down the road you go up. If you want good snow all the way down, it might be a good idea to be out early, because now in the spring the mountainside is often basking in the sun all day. For the same reason, there is not a trip you can take in May.

The Reindeer

If you are looking for short, technical and steep skiing, the top of Reinsnuten is a good option. There aren't that many altitude meters, but on the other hand, you managed a lot of hikes in one day! Down into Bergjordholet from the west side of the summit, down the steep side towards the marshes above Little Heiavatnet, or down the summer path from the summit. If it's icy and hard, it may be fine with crampons up the last bend. On the way back, you can traverse under the Bøljanuten and experience around 300 meters of altitude and steep driving down towards Stavastølen.

NB: The steepest sides are potentially covered terrain, which is safest to drive on spring snow. There is also a gentle alternative almost to the top, and nice cruising where you never drive steeper than 30 degrees.

The snow nut

At 1,606 meters above sea level, Snønuten is one of the highest peaks in Rogaland, and perhaps the most famous. The mountain towering over Dyraheio is some of the best Suldal can offer when it comes to spring ski tours.

The measure

"There must come a time when everyone who can somehow go to the mountains, when the sick travel here instead of to these baths, and then pale city ladies, these culture crooks, go up here to get used to being people ». AO Vinje wrote this in 1862, and he was of course absolutely right.

And it's not just cultural junkies and pale city ladies who benefit from getting to the mountains. Here, for example, is Aslak Moe, the subject and the photographer, on his way down from the queen of the Suldalsnutane, Mælen, with Suldalsvatnet in the background. Climbing up Mælen from the south side is a strenuous trip, but in return you get some of the finest skiing Suldal has to offer in return. This is a trip that is best suited to spring snow, and you can choose between demanding steep driving down towards Kvanndalsdammen or more relaxed cruising down towards Skithaug, which we chose this time. If you need to get to the mountains to get used to being people, build character or just enjoy yourself, Mælen is a great alternative.

Other popular tours, depending on experience and weather conditions:

- Monsa shells

- Hellsnut

- The wave

- Storurdnuten

- Hegerlandsnuten

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Free skiing is only recommended for experienced skiers, and we remind you of the importance of familiarizing yourself with the weather and local conditions before setting out on a trip. Read more at varsom.no. If you do not have previous experience, it is also possible to take guided tours with experienced ski drivers. Contact us for more information.

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Tour descriptions: Mads Drange

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