Røros til Røstfossen

Text: Martin Fossen

Photo: Vibeke C Strømmen & Martin Fossen

Start: In Håelva.

Drive to Byggmakker towards Langegga and put the boats out on the shore where the river bends.

Goal: Røstfossen dam.

Total paddle length: 15 km

Height difference: 11 meters.

Transport: Car and electric bike

Calm start  to the river Glåma

It is July 29, 2020. We had thought about this trip for a long time and were told that it would be relatively straightforward kayaking. We put out the kayaks in Håelva, in the bend at Langegga. It was partly cloudy and a nice temperature with little wind. We got a "fresh" start under the first bridge Havsjøveien-Osloveien when there was a little more current than we were aware of. It was still fun and an invigorating start to the trip.

Red dot: Start at Håelva.

Blue dot: Røstfossen.

Red dot: Start at Håelva.

Blue dot: Entering Glåma.

There is a little over 1 kilometer of calm, nice paddling before you get out to where Håelva meets Hyttelva, the one that flows through the center of Røros. Furthermore, it is 2 km before you reach Glåma between Andreas Nilsa-odden and Glåmsanden. Here the river becomes considerably larger and there was a little more wind. We were still in good spirits. The river was calm and we paddled at a leisurely pace. It is quite shallow in many places, as one can see in the pictures and there are some large rocks in the river as well and a nice green vegetation at the shore

It is nice when the river is calm

Most fun for Martin

Now it is the case that Vibeke is a little more skeptical of rapids and fast running water than I am and it should turn out that there (unfortunately for her) were longer stretches with such conditions that made her not dare to paddle. The solution was that she went ashore and walked, while I towed her kayak down the rapids, which I thought was very fun.

It was especially around the area "Strauman" (can be translated to "the rapids") that there were some rapids, and then all the way down to the bridge that belongs to Trelseidveien. After that there was a long stretch that was calm and nice. Especially the serpentinebends around Øyodden and Storkroken, as well as where you pass Havsjøen, the large pool that lies along the river.

After this stretch, there came again stretches with more rapids that lasted almost down to Røstfossen

Litt stryk var det nå

Almost capsizing and a stuck kayak

Shortly before "Øvre Myre" Vibeke went ashore again on the right side and followed the river along land. I paddeled out into the rapids, but there were a lot of  rocks and slightly confusing currents. I ended up on one side and the towed kayak on the other side of a rock. I ended up sideways and got stuck and wondered what to do. But after a bit of trial and error and use of oars, I got Vibeke's kayak loose and managed to also "rescue" myself, but it was a situation where I did not have full control.

This was the laststretch with any currents and I picked up Vibeke again. We were both a little tired and a little dissapointed of the fact that there was so many rapids and were just as happy when we came to Røstfossen. The last hundred meters were still magical with still water and the dam building reflecting in the surface of the water.

Handy with an electric bike

As we did not have 2 cars,the logistics were thatt we first drove down to Røstfossen and left Vibeke's electric bike there, well hidden in some bushes. Then we drove up to the launch point and paddled down. When we got to Røstfossen I cycled and picked up the car. It took me about 20-25 minutes to bike back to the car.

For me, the trip was fun with a bit challenging paddling, while for Vibeke it did not give as much as she had to walk maybe 1/3 of the stretch. But now we have at least paddled there and can therefore give a description that hopefully can make others a little more prepared for what they encounter if they want to take the trip.

Have a good trip!