Katterat to Rombak winter Hike

Firstly, it was a wonderful hike and one of the nicest snowshoes hikes Ive done for a long time.
Beautiful and dramatic scenery. Train from Riksgransen to Katterat (about 15min) - Hike from Katterat - Rombaksbotn 2.5hrs. From the train station, go back about 50m and find the signs that point down between the houses. Follow the signs, the trail zigzags down and then basically follows the river going steadily down. There was a fair bit of snow in the upper parts that sometimes hid the trail. The trail is marked by signposts (in summer the trail is quite clear)
but with heavy & deep snow causing trees to bend over & lay across the path - the path has to be "intuited"at times. Duck under or go around them, keep a heads up view to see the avenue through the trees in forest sections.
However, you cant really get lost. There were trail posts and markers at significant places.
We had about 0.1 -0.3mt of powder snow over packed snow and some drifts along the upper trail that were deeper in places. The snowshoeing was easy going. While the trail had snow drifts obscuring it in places, it was possible to follow the avenue of trees (mostly). The trail often has a drop-off on one side that makes the trail easy to follow - dont walk too close to the edge:).

The trail basically follows the river, so if you are heading down-valley between the trees, path, markers and river - its fairly easy to follow, even with the snow cover.
Once over the main bridge (dont cross the first one - it takes you back uphill to Bjornfjell).
Follow the path along the river until the Rallarveien/ Naturisti sign.
The lower route was very difficult with a lot of up/down & snow/ice along the river valley. We decided on the upper Naturisti trail that follows along the edge of the big morain.
We kicked into the snow and ice and scrambled up to the top on the path. The trail is less clear but basically winds around the edge of the morain (following the river). There are some sign posts along the way. Its was a flat walk in deeper snow through trees. Again, heavy snow caused trees to bend over the "trail", it was indistinct here but really you are following the morain edge. There is a first glimse of the head of the fjord. Keep going alomg the edge till it wraps back and opens over a clearing. You come out with the first real view of the head of the fjord at the power lines. Work down the clearing to the path and follow it to Rombaksbotn. The bridges over streams in the delta area were covered in snow and ice and could be walked around. The path follows a small stream - keep on the south side of that until the path is obvious, an avenue through the trees - you soon come out at the festival ground - you've made it.

Make sure you organise a way out or you have to hike back up to the railway line along the same route or cross country - estimate 3.5 - 4 hours to do that. We were lucky to hook up with a RIB boat tour coming to Rombaksbotn so got a lift out. In summer there is a regular boat.
All in all - a great walk to earn a beer at the end :)


Image 1 : "end" on the going down from Katterat.
Image 2 : is heading along the river towards the main bridge, you can just see it in the photo.
Image 4 : just after the bridge, heading for the Rallarveien/Naturisti sign (about 1/2-1km)
Image 5 : head of the fjord
Image 6 : is looking down from the train going back to Riksgransen. The bridge in the above photo is right in the very last snow area in the valley V (tiny horizontal line in photo).
The trees below the hill on the left is the morain after the bridge.