Finally visiting Store Austanbottstind

Store Austanbottstind stands at 2,203 metres with a prominence of 480 metres. It is the highest peak in western Hurrungane and one of the most striking summits in all of Jotunheimen. Rising like a sentinel at the southwestern edge of the range, it sits barely ten kilometres from the fjords below. This peak had been on my bucket list for some time, but gale winds had thwarted previous attempts. The route is not technically demanding, but it is exposed. Very exposed.

From the summit, the panorama opens up across the heart of Hurrungane. To the east, Store Skagastølstind dominates, flanked by Skagastølsryggen and Styggedalsryggen. Ringstindene and Soleibotntindene rise to the west, whilst Stølsmaradalstinden stands to the south. Below, Berdalsbreen and the green waters of Berdalsvatnet offer a beautiful contrast to the grey rock and snow above. This is Norway’s wildest alpine landscape, compressed into a single view.

Preparations

Store Austanbottstind can be visited in a day during summer without the need for a camp. As we were visiting late in August, we planned an alpine start at 5 AM. To secure a healthy amount of sleep, we stayed in the cabin in Berdalen, just five minutes by car from the start of the trail. Berdalen is a lovely valley on Berdalsbandet, and is one of the alpine farmsteads of Fuglesteg, the mountain farm my wife’s family is from. When visiting in winter, the trail starts at Turtagrø, so you need to set up camp closer to the mountain, which makes it a two-day trek.

The peak is quite exposed, so roping up makes sense, as a fall would be certain death. As always, I teamed up with my favourite climbing friend Gjert from Breogfjell. This time, I would lead, with Gjert backing me up and keeping the risk in check. As you are reading this, he did a pretty good job, and the climb was uneventful from an accident perspective. However, one of the conditions was a persistent high-pressure system, which gave a reasonably predictable chance of favourable weather. And like any proper alpine excursion, the experience starts with a Ferdaråd the night before, to ensure we’re fully aligned on expectations, purpose, timing, packing lists, and other relevant details before we start.

Ferdaråd

• What: Day-climb to Store Austanbottstind, alpine start. Return if possible with time to drive back to Oslo the same day.
• Who: Gjert and Gunnar. Gjert is my friend, mentor and IFMGA Tindevegleder from Breogfjell.
• Weather: The forecast indicates light winds, scattered clouds, and a temperature range of 5-10°C.
• Why: For the pure enjoyment, and to get more experience leading on exposed climbs.
• How: Alpine start, break at Midtre Austanbottstind, and then proceed to the summit before returning the same way.
• Individual kit: 35l mountaineering backpack, ultralight harness, axe, extra clothes
• Shared kit: Ropes, anchor systems, first aid and camera equipment.

Approach

Plenty of parking by Tindevegen, and while the trail starts off reasonably visible, it quickly transitions to a boulder field as the elevation increases. In the first hour, there’s around 500m of elevation gain, but the ascent is quite consistent and steady. We caught the sunrise around halfway up, and the skies cleared just in time for a spectacular view of the mountains.

The initial route trends southward up the slope, skirting around the south side of the 1483m point marked on most maps. Navigation through this section requires some attention, as the trail isn’t always obvious. We aimed generally northeast across undulating terrain, passing the 1492m marker before the route angles more decisively toward the broad ridge leading to Vestre Austanbottstind.

At around 1500 metres, the terrain’s character shifts from loose boulders to solid slabs and bedrock. Cairns begin appearing with reassuring regularity from here up to about 1600 metres, making navigation considerably easier. This section genuinely becomes a pleasure to walk, with a stable footing and a steady rhythm that lets you look around rather than constantly watching your feet.

Summit Bound

Vestre (or Vestraste) Austanbottstind is the first feeling of being in the proper mountains. The views opened up spectacularly, though the summit itself was rather understated. Just east, a dramatic snow and ice gully plummeted several hundred metres to Berdalsbreen.

From Vestre, the route continues easily to Midtre Austanbottstind, where we took a short break and some energy bars. Not a cloud in sight, and the view towards Ringstind and Dyrhaugstindene was nothing short of striking. Midtre marks the end of the straightforward walking and the beginning of the more exposed climbing toward Store Austanbottstind.

From Midtre, there’s a steep descent toward the connecting ridge. It’s not particularly difficult, but it can be a bit tricky at the bottom where it meets the ridge proper. We roped up for peace of mind rather than out of strict necessity, though the terrain commands respect. The ridge toward Store has a sheer drop to the north and a very steep fall-away to the south. Fortunately, whilst narrow and exposed, it’s not a knife-edge and not too complex to cross.

At the foot of Store’s summit crown, we stuck to the direct ridge line, tackling a short, exposed step of about three metres. The holds were reliable, but they pushed into easy grade 3 territory and felt properly airy. The alternative route is to the south, where the exposure eases but the rock becomes looser and less trustworthy. We opted for the direct line.

From there, the route led up the exposed slab, hitting grade 2 in spots but generally straightforward, tracing natural diagonals to the summit ridge. To me, it feels more exposed than Store Skagastølstind, likely due to the steep slab where a slip could send you sliding uncontrollably toward a sheer drop. The scramble is roughly two pitches. While the likelihood of falling is rather low, the consequences are most certainly permanent. I would never go here without a climbing partner.

On the summit ridge itself, there are a couple more exposed points, including a steep section up toward the middle hump that can be climbed directly or bypassed to the south. The final steps onto the summit cairn are genuinely exposed. Somehow, I found them far less worrying than the slab earlier, maybe because of the magnificent view combined with the feeling of almost flying, with free air on all sides along the final steps to the summit.

At The Top

There is something indescribable about reaching a summit that has to be experienced to understand it. The feeling of pure elation, relief and gratitude can honestly be surprisingly strong. Add to that the desire to visit this summit for over three years before calendars and weather aligned to allow an opening, this summit was clearly a memory maker for me, probably in the same league as Store Skagastølstind.

There are a couple of massive rocks that provide proper shelter and back support, forming the perfect spot for lunch. I don’t think it matters at all what’s packed for lunch. At this spot, everything tastes like a Michelin meal.

Having said that, the climb felt more exposed than anticipated, and it was most certainly a mentally tougher climb than Storen. On the other hand, on Storen, I was just a guest doing what I was told. This time, I was supposed to lead. That puts things into perspective.

Descent into reality

After a quick reassessment, I had zero doubts stepping into pure guest mode for the descent, letting Gjert take full charge. I have always found descents much harder than climbing up, and having Gjert descend first, leaving me potentially to drag him down, was not a particularly appealing thought. Thus, we reversed roles and had a speedy and uneventful return.

Once again, I was reminded how different the mountain feels when you’re going down than when you’re going up. One of the brilliant things about mountaineering is its ability to put the brain into prolonged hyperfocus. Going up, I was so focused on the right anchor point, the right grip, and not panicking from looking down, that I had little idea what it would look like the other way. So while this is a pure back-and-forth in the same tracks trek, it feels like a new adventure going down.

Hyperfocus

Each time I climb what I classify as proper mountains, I achieve a hyperfocus I could only dream of finding in the office or at home. It’s quite likely due to my panic-level fear of heights and the corresponding desire not to make any lethal mistakes. What is more interesting is that the more I climb, the longer this hyperfocus lasts after each climb. In the days after this, I felt my productivity and clear-mindedness reach new heights that I can only wish had lasted longer. The motto of the story is to climb more, of course!

Post-Climb Debrief

I have a fairly strong fear of heights, which I keep in check through regular exposure. This time, it may have been too long since last, as I was more uneasy than usual. It eased a little on the way up, but the descent was frankly uncomfortable. To mitigate this moving forward, there will be more climbs and less downtime in between.

Otherwise, this is both a spectacular and uneventful climb. The most uncomfortable place is definitely the slabs. Fortunately, the view at the top more than makes up for it.

Clothing and packing systems functioned well. A light pack, solid boots, and a light rack of nuts and cams made the approach a breeze.

Some Statistics

• Total ascent: 1005m
• Min elevation: 1316m
• Max elevation: 2203m
• Total time: 10h14m
• Effective moving time: 2h21m
• Average moving speed: 4.9 km/h
• Max moving speed: 7.9 km/h
• Min temperature: 4.4 °C
• Max temperature: 21 °C (in the sun)

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