Vassdalsfjellet
1,587 m
Norway
Also known as Vassdalfjellet, Vassdalsfjellet (Troms)Also known as
Vassdalfjellet · Vassdalsfjellet (Troms)
- Elevation
- 1,587 m
- Prominence
- 1,025 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The summer route that avoids the glacier notch on the west ridge: a gravel road and ATV track from Harkinn in Tamokdalen across Vassdalselva into Finndalen, then pathless along the valley nearly to Finndalsvatnet and a very steep climb on loose scree and a short scrambling gully to the summit plateau at about 1,380 m. About 13 km and 1,350 m each way; 4–5 hours up.
About 100% of this line is approximate (no mapped trail; drawn from the terrain). Check it against a map before relying on it.
Why? 6 check notes
- 100% approximate geometry
- DIN time up 6.88 h vs published 4.5 h (+53%)
- low confidence 0.4
- Harkinn → Finndalsvatnet: dem (snap_failed, 12.2 km)
- Finndalsvatnet → Vassdalsfjellet: dem (snap_failed, 2.5 km)
- unresolved waypoints: Camp Tamok, Vassdalselva bridge, South-flank gully
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 14.7 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,441 m
- −117 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 1,587 m
- Time Up
- 6h 53m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 5h 19m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the E6 at Øvergård follow Fv87 through Tamokdalen to Harkinn, the high point of the valley, where there is a large car park by the road with a Camp Tamok sign. A gravel road leads about 600 m to Camp Tamok (cabins and turf huts); it continues, rougher, as a track that high-clearance vehicles can drive further. Keep right at the junctions, cross Vassdalselva on a bridge near its confluence with Finndalselva, and follow the ATV track along Finndalselva until it fades by a burnt-down cabin. Continue on animal trails up Finndalen, easy walking above the birch woods, almost to Finndalsvatnet, crossing Finndalselva where convenient and then the stream from lake 938. Here the steep climb begins: aim for strips of vegetation through the scree, keep left to avoid the worst loose rock, and just before a vertical rock band traverse left and climb a steep, slippery gully with some scrambling. The angle eases at about 1,380 m and stony ground leads about 1 km to the summit, which has only a small cairn. Descend the same way; the gully is unpleasant when wet. The subsidiary 1,566 m top on the ridge is an easy side trip. In September 2018 a walker took about 4.5 hours up and 9.5 hours in total.
Start
Harkinn263 m
- None to Harkinn; buses on the E6 stop at Øvergård, about 14 km away.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harkinn → Vassdalsfjellet | 14.7 | 1,441 | 117 | 6h 53m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Harkinn263 m
Large car park by Fv87 with a Camp Tamok sign
- Feature: Finndalsvatnet853 m
Cross the river before the lake and start the climb from the stream draining lake 938
- Summit: Vassdalsfjellet1,587 m
Key Passages
- Pathless Finndalen
- Very steep loose scree above the stream from lake 938
- Slippery scrambling gully below the summit plateau
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 40%Overview
A huge, flat-topped massif south-east of Tamokdalen in inner Troms, the highest point of both Balsfjord and Storfjord municipalities. Long, pathless and rarely climbed: about 26 km and 1,350 m of ascent from Harkinn, with steep loose ground or a glacier notch guarding the summit plateau.
Vassdalsfjellet rises south-east of Tamokdalen on the border of Balsfjord and Storfjord in Troms, close to the Swedish border. Like many inner Troms mountains it has steep, cliff-lined flanks and a broad, nearly flat summit plateau, here several kilometres long, with small glaciers tucked under its northern edges. It has about 1,000 m of prominence, and the views stretch across Lyngen, Jiehkkevárri and much of Troms.
It became the highest point of both municipalities when it was found that the ice on neighbouring Rostafjellet had melted far below its map height. Map and GPS heights differ: the skeleton (OSM) value is 1,587 m, while prominent-mountains.no and Peakbook give 1,576 m. The plateau has more than one high point and the summit carries at most a small cairn.
All routes start at Harkinn, the high point of Tamokdalen, and begin with several kilometres of gravel road and ATV track past Camp Tamok. In summer most recent parties walk up Finndalen and climb the steep, loose south flank; the classic west ridge over the fore-summit Cahcevahnjunni crosses a notch that is bypassed on a steep glacier. In spring the west ridge and plateau make a long, committing ski tour. Few people climb it; Peakbook lists fewer than 20 logged ascents.
Climbing Notes
Plan for a 9–12 hour day with a GPS track loaded: the routes are pathless above the ATV track and the plateau is featureless in cloud. The Finndalen route needs confidence on steep, loose scree and a short slippery gully (helmet advisable). The west ridge requires crampons and an ice axe for the glacier bypass at the notch, which may have changed as the glacier shrinks. Spring ski ascents need avalanche equipment and care with large cornices along the plateau edge. July to early September is the summer window; the midnight sun (late May to late July) removes daylight limits.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Possible
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Good
- October: Not advisable
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Polar night
- Mar
- Long ski tour for experienced parties
- Apr
- Best ski season; snow bridges over the rivers until mid-May
- May
- Late ski season; river crossings become harder
- Jun
- Snowmelt; wet and snowy plateau
- Jul
- Best summer walking; insects in the valley
- Sep
- Early September is often fine; first snow later
- Dec
- Polar night
Access & Permits
- Getting There
Nordkjosbotn; Tromsø for full services
Tromsø Airport, Langnes (TOS)
- Car: from Tromsø take the E8 to Nordkjosbotn, the E6 north 9 km to Øvergård, then Fv87 through Tamokdalen about 14 km to the car park at Harkinn
- High-clearance vehicles can drive some way beyond Camp Tamok on the gravel track; most park at Harkinn
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Glacier
- Cornices
- Avalanche
- Weather
- Remoteness