Also crazy excited about the amounts of fresh snow in Molde and looking for some new places to go to? Panorama exclusively has Professor Kai Olsen’s inside tips.
By BENJAMIN MOEYERSONS
Lately, rumors have been spread around that winter might already be at it’s end. However, with the fresh snow from last week, we could definitely say: Heia snø!
Panorama talked to one of HiMolde’s most famous professors, namely Kai A. Olsen. Why Kai? Besides being a high-end professor in informatics at the university and working in the business industry, he likes to spend his time in the outdoors. In 2003 he started working on a series of books together with a friend of his, Bjørnar S.Pedersen, with a new concept: to provide touring guides with a different perspective.
“Most of the touring guides provide you with a lot of text. Moreover, the closer you get to the actual top, the more detailed the guide gets. However, from our experience the hardest part of the actual trip is finding the parking spot and the according trail to start from.”
Therefore their books had two aims: to provide the readers with accurate information about the tours from the start, plus, which makes these books special, with a strong belief in the visualization of the tours themselves.
“Bjørnar and I experienced when we went touring ourselves, that we often couldn’t find the right path. This is because in winter nothing ever looks the same, so deciding after which tree to turn or what creek to go over might be difficult solely by reading it from a text.”
By creating a new software of visualization they came up with a new series of books, of which more than ten versions have already been produced and successfully sold, to provide locals as well as tourists with a visual book and take-with-you guide to successfully lead you to every peak you desire. Keep in mind that all of the pictures shown in the book, they have taken themselves!
The “Skibok for Romsdal” gives you a clear overview of many of the different ‘toppturs’ you can do in the Romsdal area. With more than 40 different tours included in the book, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to get your skis out of the garage and ‘Stikk Ut’ ( Stikk Ut – translates roughly to Get Out – is a Norwegian incentive to get people out in nature again by making use of geocaches). For those of you interested in knowing more about the tours mentioned in the book itself, you can find it in the bookstore!
Haven’t had the chance yet to get access to the book? No worries, we’ll provide you with some of Olsen’s favourites to give you a headstart for your next topptur.
- Day Trip: Skarrfjellenden
Especially for spring time touring, this is a definite choice. Located at Trollstigen, which opens around mid May, it provides you with a tour around the mountain with nice overview of the surroundings all the way to the top.
Upsides of Skarrfjellenden: not too steep terrain + not too many people, which gives you a perfect day-off trip!
- Multiple-day Trip: Skorgedalen
With the ability of renting a cabin of Den Norske Turistforening, Skorgedalen is a perfect spot to go for a weekend trip. From the cabin itself you are surrounded by tours to do that you might not even know where to go first.
- After-work Trip: Raudheia
If you’re in need to clear your mind after a hard day of work and still have 2 hours of spare time, this can definitely get your mind off of work. Providing you with good snow conditions and steeper slopes you’ll definitely enjoy yourself.
Feeling excited for some local shredding in the surroundings mountains by now? Make sure to stay posted for another article: “Start-up guide to touring in Molde and surroundings”. If you are already experienced yourself, the only thing there is left to say is: See you on the mountain!