Preparing for the hike to Preikestolen
05/08/12 16:03 by Robin Smidsrød (robinsmidsrod)
The hike from the lodge was about 2 hours last time I was there, and considering I'm mostly a desk jockey these days, I'm going to assume that it is going to take us about 3 hours to get to the top. If you are anything like me, I'd urge you to get some walking exercise for the next few weeks to prepare your body. Most of the walk is a light uphill walk over grassy and mountainous terrain. At the end of the trail there is a somewhat steep climb (from what I can recall, it's about 45 degrees) where you will have to use your hands to some degree, but it only lasts for about 30-40 meters. Pack in a way that ensures you can have both hands available for climbing if required. The entire trail should be fairly well marked, so there should be little chance of getting lost. It is advisable to wear a pair of boots with a good grip and preferably water-proof or water-repellant coating (no sandals or heels). The trail contains some puddles of water here and there, but they shouldn't be too hard to avoid. There might be more water along the trail if the weather has been bad for some time. A couple of band-aids can be wise to bring as well, in case of blisters.
Be sure to bring a good amount of water, as the hike up can be pretty dehydrating. About a liter of liquid should be the minimum you bring, maybe a bit more if you can handle the weight. Also bringing something to eat is advisable, to make sure you can replenish your blood sugar once you've reached the top. Some slices of bread, some cookies, maybe a bar or two of chocolate, or a portable grill along with some hotdogs if you feel adventurous (they sell it all at any local grocery store). The Oslo.pm guys say they'll organize some food though, so might not need to worry much.
The top can be quite windy, and if we're unfortunate the wind can be quite cold. The best way to protect yourself is to use clothing that protects against the wind, but allows your body to breathe while you walk. A jacket made to repel water and wind is probably a good choice. Short pants are not advised, a pair of jeans or some synthetic material similar to the jacket is probably best. If you sweat a lot you should avoid using cotton for your underwear, finely woven wool underwear is a much better choice. You should be able to get the pieces in any decent sports clothing store. If you don't have this, don't stress it. It will help you not feel cold because of the wet underwear once you get to the top and stop walking. Some kind of hat or head-wear to protect your ears against the wind is probably smart too.
Once you reach the top, be aware that there are no railings or anything else to protect you from the abyss, so do keep your distance from the edge. We don't want anyone to fall to their death. :) You should bring something to sit on, as the ground might be cold and wet. One of those small rubber-foam mats (usually about 35x30cm) is what I'm planning to bring. They fit nicely into a small backpack. Having checked the coverage map for my cell provider, I do believe the location should have decent 3G coverage, so if anyone has a small device capable of live-streaming, we could attempt something once we're there. I have a Wi-Fi hotspot I plan to put in my pocket, just in case.
The view is magnificent, and I urge everyone to bring a camera if you have one. I plan to bring my Canon equipment, even though it's quite heavy. Last time I was there I just had a really crappy point-and-shoot (film, not digital), and I really look forward to seeing the location again, but this time being able to capture the moment. If you have decent equipment, bring a wide lens, you won't regret it.
The trip back is quite easy. Last time I was there I jogged back in less than 45 minutes, but you're not going to be able to do that unless you're in great shape (and not worried about dirtying your clothes). Somewhere between an hour or two is probably a reasonable time to expect to spend on the return walk, considering it's all downhill. Do expect that the clothes you wear probably will get dirty, so bring something to change into once you get back.
Check list (in prioritized order)
- Lots of water to drink
- Small/light backpack
- A good pair of hiking boots
- Jacket against wind (and rain)
- Trousers, either jeans or some other material similar to the jacket
- Something to eat
- Hat, to protect your ears against cold wind
- Camera equipment
- Rubber foam mats
- Band-aids, in case of blisters
- Sports wool underwear
- Get some walking exercise next few weeks
I look forward to sharing this memorable trip with members of the Perl community. See you there!
-- Robin Smidsrød
Tags: perl moose rdf hackathon oslo.pm prekestolen preparations check-list