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Flora & fauna
Breiseterdalen, from the north, ends right south of Krossbu and is followed by a moraine landscape. But if you continue just another kilometer to the south, the next valley, Vetle Utladalen, opens. This is the innermost arm of the great Utladalen which continues all the way to the sea. But even on a day walk, with Krossbu as start and goal, you can get far down into the valley and see the nature change from the barren moraine landscape to denser and denser vegetation.
That gives you good possibilities to study the flora on this walk and if you're lucky and keep your eyes open, the wildlife of the area might also present itself. Many of them have developed smart solutions in their adaptation to the extreme climate. Below is a description of some of the most common or interesting plants and animals in the area. NB, this article isn't complete yet. More pictures and texts will be added by and by. The walk description further down is complete though.
Bluebell
(Campánula rotundifólia.) The bluebells up here on the mountain are different from the ones you are used to seeing at home. They have larger, often solitary flowers. But the most special is that they are more violet than blue. This is because they grow at such high altitude, up to 1920 meters. At this altitude the atmosphere is thinner and thereby the ultraviolet radiation is stronger. To protect itself from the UV radiation the flower tries to reflect it and then it reflects also the visible violet light. This is what we see and that's why it looks violet to us.
More translations are on their way.
Walk description
The walk down to Vetle Utladalen is a nice one that takes the hiker far into the wilderness. Even though, it is easy to find the way on well trodden and marked paths. From Krossbu you take the path that leads southwards on the west side of the stream. After a short while you come to an intersection where the left path leads along the stream up to Bøverbreen and the right one continues to Vetle Utladalen. Take the latter and follow it up to the highest point of the path below Falkeberget, appr. 3 km south of Krossbu.
The pass:
N 61°32.779
E 08°01.919
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The pass below Falkeberget is a part of the water separator between east and west southern Norway. The rain and snow that falls to the left in the picture runs down past Krossbu to the north and continues via Vågåvatnet and Lågen to Mjøsa and finally out into Glomma and to the sea at Fredrikstad. The precipice that falls to the right in the picture on the other hand, takes the quickest way southwards and straight into Sognefjorden and the western sea.
Turning
point:
N 61°31.292
E 08°01.350
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From the pass Vetle Utladalen opens up to the south and the path continues along the stream down to the valley floor. In one spot the valley narrows and you have to use a rope that hangs here, to follow the path up on the ledge. Right after this point you get to the intersection where it is time to turn back. Not straight back, but up to the right on the moraine ridge towards Sognefjellhytta.
Intersection:
N 61°33.072
E 07°59.467
Krossbu:
N 61°34.444
E 08°01.965
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From here the path continues in a varying landscape with lots of large lakes and many small hills and valleys. The path is clearly marked and the only thing you need to look out for is the sign in the intersection right before Huldertroa. Here you find signs towards Krossbu on a path that for some reason isn't on all maps. Follow it and walk towards Krossbu in all intersections along the way. The last stretch of the path is so close to the road that you can choose if you want to continue on the path or just trot along on the asphalt the last kilometer. Length of the walk, appr. 14 km.
Route: VUTLADALEN
The pass: N 61°32.779 E 08°01.919 FALKESKAR
Turning point: N 61°31.292 E 08°01.350 TURNPOINT
Intersection: N 61°33.072 E 07°59.467 HULDERCROS
Krossbu: N 61°34.444 E 08°01.965 KROSSBU
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Breiseterdalen, from the north, ends right south of Krossbu and is followed by a moraine landscape. But if you continue just another kilometer to the south, the next valley, Vetle Utladalen, opens. This is the innermost arm of the great Utladalen which continues all the way to the sea. But even on a day walk, with Krossbu as start and goal, you can get far down into the valley and see the nature change from the barren moraine landscape to denser and denser vegetation.
That gives you good possibilities to study the flora on this walk and if you're lucky and keep your eyes open, the wildlife of the area might also present itself. Many of them have developed smart solutions in their adaptation to the extreme climate. Below is a description of some of the most common or interesting plants and animals in the area. NB, this article isn't complete yet. More pictures and texts will be added by and by. The walk description further down is complete though.
Bluebell
(Campánula rotundifólia.) The bluebells up here on the mountain are different from the ones you are used to seeing at home. They have larger, often solitary flowers. But the most special is that they are more violet than blue. This is because they grow at such high altitude, up to 1920 meters. At this altitude the atmosphere is thinner and thereby the ultraviolet radiation is stronger. To protect itself from the UV radiation the flower tries to reflect it and then it reflects also the visible violet light. This is what we see and that's why it looks violet to us.
More translations are on their way.
Walk description
From the pass Vetle Utladalen opens up to the south and the path continues along the stream down to the valley floor. In one spot the valley narrows and you have to use a rope that hangs here, to follow the path up on the ledge. Right after this point you get to the intersection where it is time to turn back. Not straight back, but up to the right on the moraine ridge towards Sognefjellhytta.
