Dream Hike

Before I left Maine I wrote about what I hoped would happen in Norway. I had four specific goals while here: to have as much fun as possible, to be the best house sitter ever, to stay healthy, and then there was one that I chose to keep quiet about for a time. In regards to the first goal, I am absolutely meeting it. Every day here is just an incredible dream that I don't ever want to end. I hope that so far I am doing alright in accomplishing the second goal, but it really can't happen for sure until my time here is done and my friends are back home to happy healthy pets. The third goal is also a work in progress and more to come on that. The fourth, well, that's what this post is about.

This goal wasn't really a secret, truthfully I only wanted to keep it unknown to my mother, so that she either didn't get worried about something that it turns out couldn't happen, or that she didn't find out until it was all said and done and I was back home safe and sound. Well the attempt happened today, and so mother can read this knowing I either a) didn't make it or b) am completely fine and she has nothing to worry about.

What was this dream of mine? A hike of course. A 10k (6.2 mile) hike deep in the heart of Lysefjordan that, when I found out I was coming to Norway, was the only thing I knew I absolutely truly wanted to do. I had decided that it was something too dangerous for me to attempt alone so Kairi and I had agreed to do it when she came. Upon arriving in Norway I discussed it with my friends and decided that maybe a guided hike was the way to go on this one. The Stavanger Tourist information center had lots of pamphlets and brochures available with information for this hike and after a brief glance through I found what I felt was the perfect one, and lucky for us the trip was available the day we had hoped and we got the last three seats.

Our guide, Johannes, pulled up in a red Volkswagen van in Stavanger Sentrum (city center) right at 7:30am. There was already one other hiker on board, one other woman was picked up with us, and we made to additional stops to complete our hiking crew of seven, plus our guide. We were quite a diverse group of people too, one woman was from Hong Kong, another from Turkey, one from Poland who was living in the UK, and a gentleman from Japan. Johannes himself had lived in Norway for many years but was actually from the Netherlands.

We were told that during our two hour ride, we would drive through five different valleys and reach a height of over 1000 meters (3,280 ft) above sea level before eventually going back down to the 640 meters (2,100 ft) we would start at. The drive itself was absolutely stunning, with mountains and rivers, lakes and fjords in every direction. The valleys we rode through were also full of sheep farmers. In the summer the sheep are set free to roam the mountains and valleys and there were a few in our sight almost throughout the trip, many were so bold that they roamed the road without a care in the world and no worry about the cars speeding by them. Johannes talked about how people here like to talk about the mightiness of the Norwegian mountains, but that what we see today is just what is left over after the glaciers from many ice ages have worn them down. He said that at one point they were higher than the Himalayas, which was truly something to imagine.

It was a little after 10am when we pulled into the parking lot, and we all piled out of the van to get geared up for our adventure. The requirements for supplies on this trip was that everyone have a backpack with water and snacks, hiking boots and a waterproof jacket and pants. Sneakers and jeans were not allowed, but Johannes had boots, coats and jackets available to rent for the hike and quite a few of us exercised that option (I myself needed the pants). He provided each of us with poles and we were all set. We paused just at the start of the trail so that we could look at the map of the hike itself. Johannes explained that there we would be climbing three hills with two valleys between, and then once the summit of the third hill was reached the trail would plateau for a bit until we reached our destination. He also warned us that due to the shockingly abnormal amount of snow this area of Norway had gotten the previous year  there would still be snow along some areas of the trail. He said that the first hill was by far the steepest and with that in mind we set off.

He wasn't lying about the steepness. Sheer open rock, wet with rain and melting snow, went up in what seemed like total vertical form. Steel rods with metal chains attached to them were buried deep into the rocks and we grabbed onto those for dear life as we made our way upwards. After what felt like far too long we finally reached the top and then changed directions to go down into the first valley. That bit was made easier by huge rock steps placed into the trail and when we reached the bottom Johannes told us that these rock stairs, and the stairs along the trail at Preikestolen, were cut and set in place by Sherpas. The same Sherpas that are most famous for the aide they provider to the climbers of Mt Everest in Nepal. He said that Norway brings over Sherpas every summer to help build up and maintain trails all over the country as an effort to help keep hikers on the actual trail itself and prevent erosion from happening. A really cool thing about this is that the Sherpas are paid Norwegian wages and that what they earn in one summer in Norway, is more than they would make in a lifetime in Nepal.

We began our ascent of the second hill, which actually included some hiking through snow(!) and this one thankfully did prove to be less difficult. Two hills out of the way, we stepped down into the second valley and followed Joahnnes to a nice little area with a beautiful view of the fjord far beneath us and there we stopped for lunch. Everyone sat and pulled out their food and Joahnnes passed around hot cups of a locally produced black current juice that was simply delicious and perfect for that moment. As we ate the clouds came in with a vengeance and by the time we left the fjord below was completely obscured. From the start of our day, beginning with the pick up in the Sentrum, the weather wavered between clouds, rain, and patches of blue sky with a shining bit of sun. I definitely preferred the cooler weather to a hot sunny day as I feel the latter would have made the hike very uncomfortable.

The third hill was the longest, but unquestionably not as tough as the first, and once it's summit was finally achieved we had an easy walk over rocks and through snow to reach our final destination.

When you google 'hiking in Norway' three hikes pop up most frequently. One is Trolltunga a 23km (14.2 m) hike near the area of Bergen that I would love to do but can't because it's too far away. The second is Preikestolen which I got to climb Saturday. The third is Kjerag (pronounced Cher-og). In just a cursory search of the hike there is very little talked about the actual hike itself. There are also very few pictures of the trail, save for one. Kjergabolten. It is the reason that most people step on to this trail,  and easily one of the most well known pictures of Norway, if not of the world. Even if the name itself doesn't ring a bell, I can almost guarantee you've seen a picture at least once in your life. It's a boulder stuck in a mountain crevice promising a 1000 meter drop to the fjord below should you fall (that's 3,280ft!). This was my goal, I wanted to get onto that rock. Did I? Absolutely!

I wish I could tell you that me doing so was some crazy act of daredevilishness, but in the spirit of honesty it was a lot easier than the pictures make it seem. There is a ledge a couple inches wider than a balance beam that you're able to step on and then you just slowly ease yourself out onto the actual rock itself. When I finally stepped out there and stood up my body was overwhelmed with this hypnotizing blaze of invincibility at where I was - at what I was doing but also a breathtaking awareness of my own vulnerability should one wrong move send me falling. Even with the misty fog rolling around my eyes were able to pierce the white haze enough to see the fjord below, and that is something I will likely never forget.

Once we'd all gone, Johannes passed around a Norwegian chocolate bar for a mini celebration, and mission accomplished for us all, we began the descent back down to the parking lot. The weather back was more of the same mist, sun and sprinkles of rain. I had been dreading the return trip due to the steepness of those hills coming back up, but Johannes led us in an alternative direction that relied much less on those steel chains. It was muddier though and by the time we finally got back to the van I was a complete disaster! Just like Preikestolen I did fall once, but thankfully this time was in the snow and I had a much lighter landing. The drive back to Stavanger was just as astonishingly beautiful as before, and we arrived back home full of delight of the days events.

Even though I have loved every second of my time in Norway in the back of my mind there was also a sense of unrest because Kjerag had yet to be achieved. I don't think I was able to fully immerse myself in every experience before today because part of me was so wrapped up around the question of whether or not I would be able to do this hike. Now that sense of unease is gone, it fell away into the fjord as I made my way out onto the boulder. I got to taste a dream of a lifetime today...kind of amazing.