On the final day of our Jotunheimen trekking expedition, we covered the route from the Storådalen valley to the Memurubbu mountain lodge. This section was particularly challenging because, due to rapidly changing weather conditions, we had to push through very heavy rainfall. I invite you to read the final entry about our July journey through the Jotunheimen Mountains!
The previous day in Jotunheimen offered excellent conditions for trekking. We enjoyed cloudless skies, beautiful vistas, and bright sunshine. Today, however, the weather lottery drew a completely different result. From early morning, it has been drizzly, cold, and very foggy.
The conditions do not encourage leaving the tent, but unfortunately, we no longer have much room to maneuver. Our return bus to Oslo departs from Gjendesheim the day after tomorrow. Whether we like it or not, we pack up our tents, put on our backpacks, and head out. We aren’t made of sugar, after all! (Though we can be sweet at times).
We start at the bottom of the Storådalen valley at an altitude of approximately 1,150 meters above sea level. The first few kilometers involve an intense ascent up a steep slope. The trail itself is nothing to complain about—it is a comfortable gravel path. In the lower parts of the valley, the terrain is still densely covered with grasses and small shrubs. As we gain altitude, the surrounding landscape changes. Ubiquitous stones replace the grass, and a massive cloud almost completely obscures our view of the nearby peaks.
About 2.5 kilometers after starting the trek, we reach an altitude of 1,400 meters. The place where we currently find ourselves is somewhat strange. It is a large area, devoid of any jagged forms. Just a vast piece of slightly undulating terrain, balancing between 1,400 and 1,600 meters, sloping steeply towards Lake Gjende. It looks as if nature had prepared the foundations for building more peaks, but ran out of resources at the last moment.
Perhaps it is the dark and damp atmosphere, but this area seems to have something mysterious about it, as if it were hiding a long-forgotten secret. Furthermore, of all the trekking in Jotunheimen, it is this section that reminds me most of the world of Skyrim. Fortunately for us, there are no dragons roaming nearby. That is good, because I have the feeling that after the past week, my stamina bar is at an alarmingly low level… The girls, however, spot creatures much friendlier than dragons: a small herd of reindeer.
After about five kilometers of walking, we reach the highest point of the day—approximately 1,520 meters above sea level. The weather is still miserable, so no one even thinks about taking any breaks. There is not much to admire here anyway—except for brief moments of clarity, the clouds hide all the surrounding peaks. The only interesting element of the landscape is the intensely turquoise Lake Gjende, occasionally revealing itself on our right side.
Seven kilometers after leaving our campsite, we reach the first trail junction: left to Memurubu and right to Gjendebu. We make a left turn, starting a slow loss of altitude. The landscape around us consists of rocks covered with fine moss, some mud, and small lakes. Just one kilometer from the previous junction, we arrive at another fork. This time, a potential mistake carries no consequences—both variants lead to the Memurubu lodge. Going straight, we reach the lodge along a gradually descending ridge. Turning right, we descend a quite steep slope to the bottom of the Memurudalen valley and reach the lodge via a path along the Muru River.
We choose the second option, which is a few hundred meters longer. Why this one exactly? To be honest, I do not know. At this point, none of us are closely analyzing the course of one variant or another. The clouds have given way and started drenching us with an endless stream of freezing rain. The trail almost immediately turns into a small waterfall, and puddles form everywhere. At this moment, I enter survival mode: I try not to think about the water splashing in my shoes or how cold I am. I just keep moving forward: this lodge cannot be that far away!
The descent into the Memurudalen valley in these conditions causes some problems: you have to descend carefully, as it is easy to slip on the mud. At an altitude of approximately 1,180 meters, we begin walking along the Muru River. It is still pouring rain. I am slowly starting to feel as if I will never be dry again in my life. The only thing I am glad about is that I decided to wear light mountain running shoes for today’s trek instead of heavy high-top boots. In these conditions, both models would have been completely soaked, and this way at least my feet feel a bit lighter.
Wait… running shoes? So why not just run? And indeed. Because I really want to be in a warm lodge, at some point, I start to slowly jog. This is not the easiest task with a several-kilogram backpack, but as it turned out, it was perfectly feasible. In this way, I cover the last few kilometers separating me from a warm coffee at a quite efficient pace. In these circumstances, it was difficult to fully appreciate the scenic qualities of the Memurudalen valley. However, one must objectively admit that it is a very pleasant and green place.
I arrive at Memurubu shortly after 4:00 PM, after about five and a half hours of walking. For a good fifteen minutes, I sit like a beaten dog at the table, staring blankly into space. Only after some time do I recover and sluggishly join the girls who arrived in the meantime. We order coffee, delicious waffles with toppings (a Norwegian specialty!), and buy plenty of chocolate. As we sit in the warmth and devour sweets, our good mood quickly returns.
Until now, we had a rather bittersweet image of local tourist lodges, but Memurubu surprises us very positively. First, it turns out that the lodge has a drying room available for all tourists where we can leave our wet boots. Second, we can sit at the tables as long as we want and no one chases us away. Finally, it turns out that when buying coffee, there is an unlimited refill! Did I drink four cups this afternoon for this reason? Maybe.
After about two hours of lodge utopia, we begin to slowly think about tonight’s accommodation. It has stopped raining, but it is still very wet everywhere. So we start walking around the area looking for potential campsites. And a problem arises. One kilometer east of the lodge: a steep slope falling to Lake Gjende. One kilometer south: Lake Gjende. One kilometer west: the marshy valley we came from. To the north: another steep slope.
After a short discussion, we exceptionally choose the lodge’s camping field, located near the mouth of the Muru River into Lake Gjende. The cost of such a pleasure is **16.30 EUR** [approx. 190 Norwegian crowns] per person. Interestingly, the owners of the lodge do not verify whether the number of purchased spots matches the actual number of people setting up camp. Well, we are in a country of high public trust. And since they trust us, it would be good not to abuse that trust, right?
In the evening, the clouds disperse and it even becomes quite pleasant. This encourages our girls… to take a swim in the icy waters of Lake Gjende. I admire them, but I cannot be convinced myself. The mere sight makes me stubbornly cold… Fortunately, Jaromir also stays on the shore with me. Granted, we have to listen to a few comments about our fragile masculinity, but at least we don’t freeze anything off at the end of the trip.
Trip Date: July 26, 2024
Trip Statistics: 14.5 kilometers, 515 meters of elevation difference
You can find more general information about the Jotunheimen range at this link.
Trip Map
Final Day in Jotunheimen
The next day, we are not going anywhere on foot—there is no way to. It turns out that the trail from Memurubu to Gjendesheim along Lake Gjende is closed. This is not a tragedy, as we can also cover this route by ferry. The fee for transporting one person is **20.60 EUR** [approx. 240 Norwegian crowns]. Tickets are purchased directly upon boarding the ferry. You can pay with both cash and card.
On the day of our return, the weather in Jotunheimen turns 90 degrees once again: we have sunshine and cloudless skies. From the ferry, we admire the turquoise Lake Gjende and the nearby mountains sloping steeply into the water. Let the fact that Gjende is 149 meters deep at its deepest point testify to the massive valley we are in! That is 41 meters more than the deepest lake in Poland, Lake Hańcza.
I think to myself that this beautiful ferry cruise is the best culmination of our Norwegian escapade. At times it was difficult: we were challenged by harsh weather conditions and laborious, rocky climbs. Ultimately, however, we managed to overcome every adversity, and I will remember the expedition to the Jotunheimen Mountains as one of the best holiday trips of my life. I saw plenty of beautiful valleys, peaks, and glaciers. I slept in lovely places, and the length of the Norwegian day proved to be truly magical. Finally—I saw something different and fresh. And that is primarily what traveling is all about, right?
I would like to sincerely thank my wonderful team: Martyna, Natalia, Iza, Marta, Ania, Dominik, Jaromir, and the initiator and main organizer of the trip, Arek.
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