SITE AND CONTEXTUAL INFLUENCE

PHOTOGRAPH : PAUL RATEL, 2019 Estenstadmarka is an excellent place to walk, run, hike or ski. I often walk there for the amazing view on Trondeimsfjorden, to look for moose, enjoy a coffee cup in Estenstadhytta, or eat with friends around a campfire on the lakes shores.

Between city and Nature

ESTENSTADMARKA

TRONDHEIM is directly surrounded by several mountain range easily accessible from the city centre. During Summer, the numerous pathways and lakes make it a appeciated hiking destination. A Pine forest upholstered with blueberries and raspberries covers the mountains for hikers’ happiness. During Winter, the region is arranged for backcountry ski. Kilometers of ski slopes are free for everyone and are alight during the early winter night. Its run down the city, so it’s almost possible to ski to the countryside from downtown Trondheim. Estenstadmarka is on of those mounatin range. Enclosing Trondheim by the South, it is easy to access, and offer an amazing view at its top on Trondheimsfjorden and the city. Up there, a cabin welcomes every hiker or skier looking for coffee, hot-dogs, ice-creams or just a warm fireplace to chill. Two lakes are also close to the top, separated from each other by a concrete dam. It’s also a really quiet place covered of the wind, awesome to spend the evening arround a campfire. I walk there in the middle of March in one meter of fresh snow with a friend looking after moose. We wanted to see some in their natural habitat. We walk through the snow during the whole afternoon, and find a lot of footprints and trails. The moose’s footprints are easy to recognize since they are really large and distincted. We even find hair and fur, but we never managed to find or see them. In Nature, they are truly hard to observe, see or even just approach. Their infaillible smell and hearing, but over all their wild nature, make them really hard to find. You have to be really lucky to see one, or hunt them with more professional skills and knowledge than we have done.