For more info goto www.preikestolhytta.no
Back to the story of Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock. The hike itself is only about 4km long (one way), but there are few straight stretches to relax on. Either you're climbing up a rock, or climbing down a rock, that's it! It's surprising the vast diversity of people you see on the hike. Young and old alike can be found chugging their way to the top... "I think I can, I think I can..." Entire families, children, and even their dogs! The hike takes about two hours in one direction. Once Mark and I made it to the top, we had a snack, removed our packs, and continued further up the mountain in search of a place to set up camp. We ended up exploring long enough to actually made it to the top of the mountain, another 300-400 feet past that of Pulpit rock! You could see all the way back to Stavanger from that altitude. The view was spectacular.
Our campsite (below) looks a little precariously positioned, and that's no trick photography. The back of the tent was actually about two feet from the cliff's edge, a good 2200 foot vertical drop to the water below! The site was actually the only one we could find that wasn't completely wet (granite rock doesn't absorb water very well, so any dirt on the top of the mountain was normally pretty wet and muddy), rocky, and that was at least a little flat. It actually turned out to be a fantastic campsite. We weren't too worried about the edge since we were sitting on 2200 feet of granite that had been withstanding mother nature's harshest endurance tests for millions of years. Don't worry Mom, our tent didn't budge a bit! The photo with the tent also shows Lysefjorden stretching out to the east, where Kjerag is located.
The night was extremely quiet. We were the only people on the mountain, and once the sun set, the temperature went with it! I think in the dark hours we may even have breached the zero degree mark. For a couple of summer campers, that got a little cold! Luck for us, in these northern latitudes the sun doesn't set for long. In only 5 hours or so, the sun poked her head out of the east again to warm us up.
Overall the trip was outstanding. I would recommend a trip like this to anyone who enjoys the outdoors, young or old! Just make sure you bring lots of water, and a good pair of shoes!
