UKH

I'm going to Norway this summer and will be spending a couple of weeks in Hurrungane. I have the James Baxter guidebook but have a few questions if anyone can help.
In summer are the glaciers wet or dry or a bit of both and is it worth taking a few ice screws for glacier travel?
My impression is that the after a glacier approach the routes are typically rock climbs/scrambles with perhaps a few old snow patches rather than actual snow and ice climbs, is that the case?
The book uses its own grade system of 1-10, how does this compare with Alpine grades? some of the 10's have a few pitches of UIAA IV so would they be about AD/D or thereabouts?
In terms of the daily freeze thaw cycle, is it like the Alps with the snow freezing at night and melting by day or does the effect of being further north, lower altitude and more daylight make this less extreme? Given the longer daylight hours, are alpine starts worthwhile to get better snow conditions?
Can anybody point me in the direction of any online topos, the book has photos of the mountains but doesn't mark any climbs on them which makes it very difficult to tell where any of the routes actually go.
Finally, can anybody recommend any particularly worthwhile climbs that should not be missed?
Thanks in advance.

In reply to pec:

I have found this website useful for understanding current conditions in Norway... http://www.senorge.no/aboutSeNorge.html?show=on

Hope you have a good trip,
Jim

In reply to jimmccall:

Thanks, that website becomes more useful when you discover it has an English version!

In reply to pec:
D'oh... Sorry about that

In reply to pec:

Just bumping this back up in case its been missed by anyone who's been to Hurrungane, there must be somebody!

In reply to pec:

When we went (late August), at the start of the trip the glaciers looked from a distance to be in the sort of state you'd get in the Alps late season, ie dry with obvious crevasses. But before we had a chance to do any routes that involved crossing them, we had heavy snow, which made glacier travel too dangerous and we end up doing some winter walking instead. We found the grades in Baxter's book (and associated website http://www.scandinavianmountains.com/index.htm ) to be a bit unreliable, but that could easily be because of the conditions.

The one "proper" route we managed before the weather turned was this one
http://www.scandinavianmountains.com/areas/01-hurrungane/mountains/01.10-mi...
graded 7, a few tricky scrambling sections (II ish). Pretty serious though - a local guide we spoke to later reckoned ours was one of only 2 ascents that year.

In reply to pec:

I've been there quite a few times both winter and summer. Most times in summer (July August) the glaciers have been mostly dry but it has depended on aspect and terrain on the glacier. There might be a few pics in my gallery.
I just love the area and there is so much to do. You will need your own judgement and to be self sufficient (someone mentioned grades) and I'm not sure what to recommend. If you can Storen and any of the big ridge lines to it.

Have a great trip, I'm sooooooooooooooooo envious.

Toby