SummitClimbs Field Note: Mjølkedalstinden (2,138 m by English Wikipedia and ut.no; Norwegian Wikipedia gives 2,129 m) is the striking peak right beside the DNT hut Olavsbu in the middle of Jotunheimen, in Luster, Vestland, south of the Rauddalen valley. It is visible from many of Jotunheimen’s routes and summits and looks tall, beautiful and hard to climb, but it is not as hard as it looks. Wikipedia notes it is easily climbed by the northwest ridge, and ut.no’s Olavsbu page grades the ascent as moderately demanding. Expect scrambling, loose stone and a few airy sections.
Mjølkedalstinden at a Glance
- Height: 2,138 m (English Wikipedia, ut.no ski route); 2,137 m (ut.no Olavsbu page); 2,129 m (Norwegian Wikipedia)
- Location: Luster, Vestland; south of Rauddalen, about 30 km east of Fortun
- Start: Olavsbu (about 1,440 m), between Leirvassbu, Gjendebu, Fondsbu and Skogadalsbøen
- Summer route: about 4 km each way; unmarked but cairned, with a clear path, plenty of scrambling and loose stone
- Grade: moderately demanding (ut.no)
- Bedrock: orthopyroxene gneiss
Olavsbu: the Base
Olavsbu is DNT Oslo og Omegn’s most visited self-service hut, at the crossing of the central hiking routes in Jotunheimen between Leirvassbu, Gjendebu, Fondsbu and Skogadalsbøen. It has 52 beds (24 bookable, 28 drop-in), is locked with the DNT key and is closed from 15 October to 15 February. In peak season it can get crowded. From Fondsbu/Eidsbugarden or Leirvassbu a day trip to the summit is long, so ut.no recommends staying the night at Olavsbu. Other summits from the hut include Raudalseggi (2,168 m), a harder trip but possible without a rope, and Snøhøltinden (2,141 m).
The Summer Route
On our own ascent we started from Olavsbu: first walk over the cliff below the lower cabin and follow the ladder towards Skogadalsbøen. Then turn left and aim west of the summit. Here you reach the ridge itself, and from there the route follows it to the top. The trip is not long, but it can be a bit difficult for some. Ut.no’s trip description adds that the route is unmarked but cairned, with a clear path in the terrain, a lot of scrambling and loose stone up the ridge, and several fairly airy sections.
At the top you are greeted by a fantastic view: you are really standing in the middle of the mountains.
In Winter: a Ski Summit From the Hut Door
Ut.no describes Mjølkedalstinden as a demanding spring ski summit (March–May), about 3 hours and 703 m of ascent from Olavsbu, with an airy summit ridge. Head west towards the north ridge of point 1808, round below it to the southwest, follow a natural valley up to the saddle, then climb the northwest ridge of Mjølkedalstinden until it makes sense to leave the skis. The last section is clearly steeper, about 60 m of climbing, where crampons and an ice axe can be useful; the steep slope is easiest on the east side of the ridge. Ut.no warns that several large avalanches come down in the eastern part of the valley, and that the danger grows the further east you ski. The nearest ploughed roads are at Tyin and in Leirdalen north of Leirvassbu.
Before You Go
- Bring the DNT key: Olavsbu is a self-service hut locked with the DNT key.
- Loose stone: take care on the ridge, and do not knock stones onto people below.
- Weather: southwest weather usually brings precipitation here, while easterly winds give the best chance of stable, fine weather. Check the mountain forecast on yr.no.
The SummitClimbs Take
Mjølkedalstinden looks hard, but it is a fair climb, with a scramble up a cairned ridge from one of Jotunheimen’s best-placed huts and a view from the very heart of the range. Spend a night at Olavsbu and climb it on a clear day. For more peaks nearby, see our Jotunheimen guide.
Route from our own ascent; facts from ut.no (Olavsbu), ut.no (4-day trip in the heart of Jotunheimen), ut.no (ski tour to Mjølkedalstinden), Wikipedia and Norwegian Wikipedia. Always check current conditions before you go.