Bessegen Hike, Jotunheimen national Park

Bessegen: A Hike I'll Never Forget

Let's face it, life throws a lot of challenges your way. But some challenges you throw at yourself. My trek through Bessegen Ridge in Jotunheimen National Park definitely falls into the latter category.

Now, don't get me wrong, the scenery was epic. We're talking National Geographic "Top 50 Hikes in the World" kind of epic (see the link if you don't believe me [https://www.strava.com/routes/3199826921282946060]). But this wasn't exactly a walk in the park (literally).

Underestimating the Bessegen Beast

I cruised into Gjendesheim after conquering Kjeragbolten and Preikestolen, feeling like a seasoned Norwegian hiker. Big mistake. Fueled by overconfidence (and maybe a little jet lag), I decided to tackle Bessegen in just six hours. Six hours! To be fair, I didn't realize there were two ways to do the hike: Gjendesheim to Memurubu (the tough option) and Memurubu to Gjendesheim (the slightly less tough option, which is what I unknowingly signed up for).

Wrong Turn, Right Views (…But Mostly Wrong Turns)

Thanks to a delightful bus delay, I started my hike ridiculously late. Like, 5 pm late. Not ideal. Then, to add insult to injury, I managed to completely miss the trail within the first 30 minutes. So yeah, my actual adventure started around 5:30 pm, which is generally not the recommended start time for a challenging hike.

Despite the inauspicious beginning, the views were undeniably incredible. Waterfalls, snow-capped peaks – the whole package. Except for the ever-present rain that seemed to be personally following me. Plus, there were those handy warning signs helpfully reminding me that starting this late was a terrible idea.

Lost and Alone (and Maybe a Little Cold)

By 7 pm, I was completely alone on the trail. Regret, that wonderful companion, started to gnaw at me. Around 8 pm, I reached the middle of the ridge – phone dead, clouds rolling in, and the temperature plummeting. Lovely.

The ascent to the summit was the most harrowing part of the entire trek. Think slippery rocks, near misses with plummeting, and a healthy dose of "oh crap, I might actually die up here" fear.

A Night I Won't Soon Forget (Hopefully)

Finally, at around 11:30 pm, I reached the summit – only to find a lone tent. With darkness falling and the rain refusing to let up, I knew my only option was to keep moving. Unfortunately, "moving" turned into "getting hopelessly lost."

The next few hours were a blur of wrong turns, bone-chilling cold, and sheer terror. I huddled under rocks, tried (and failed) to use my dead phone, and generally questioned my life choices.

The Dawn (and Relief) Comes

Thankfully, a sliver of light appeared around 3 am, giving me a much-needed boost of adrenaline. After what felt like an eternity, I finally stumbled back to the DNT hut at 5:30 am, utterly soaked and exhausted.

Let's be honest, this wasn't my finest hiking moment. But hey, I survived (and have a killer story to tell).

Lessons Learned (the Hard Way)

So, what did I learn? Here are a few Bessegen Ridge takeaways:

1. Respect the mountain. Seriously, don't underestimate the difficulty of a hike, especially when you're dealing with unpredictable weather conditions.

2. Plan ahead. Know the trail, check the forecast, and don't be an overconfident goofball.

3. Start early. This one seems obvious, but apparently it needs to be said.

4. There's no shame in turning back. Your safety is paramount.

5. Enjoy the view (but maybe not from a lost-and-freezing position).

Jotunheimen, you were a challenge. A terrifying, humbling challenge. But hey, at least the scenery was nice. Now, where's that cup of coffee?