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The old cabin high on Hardangervidda, Norway is said to be haunted by its very first caretaker. But although Krækkja DNT cabin is said to be his eternal home, it seems like the more people visiting, the more he retreats to the plateau.
The old cabin high on Hardangervidda, Norway is said to be haunted by its very first caretaker. But although Krækkja DNT cabin is said to be his eternal home, it seems like the more people visiting, the more he retreats to the plateau.
Out on the vast, wind swept plateau of Hardangervidda stands DNT cabin Krækkja, isolated by snow, stone, and sky. It is one of six cabins nominated for the title of Norway’s scariest hut. It is also the oldest one and won the second scariest out of over 1100 cabins. Visitors speak of slamming doors, footsteps on empty staircases, and the uneasy feeling of being watched when no one else is there.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Norway
Krækkja is known for having caretakers who stay a long time. The question is whether some of them ever truly left.
Krækkja Cabin: The haunted DNT cabin Krækkja standing alone on the Hardangervidda plateau, surrounded by snow and rugged terrain. Over the years it has evolved from a small single cabin, one of the oldest DNT cabins there is. // Source: Kari Merete Horne, DNT Oslo og Omegn/DNT / Nasjonal turbase.
A Presence on the Second Floor
According to the current caretaker, Kjell Slåtten, the answer is yes. He claims the very first caretaker of Krækkja is still on duty, more than a hundred years later.
Slåtten has lived and worked at the cabin for nearly fifty years. To him, the haunting is no mystery. He is convinced the ghost belongs to the original caretaker and that the spirit resides on the second floor of the old building.
The sounds are familiar. Doors opening and closing. Heavy steps moving through empty rooms. The noises appear most clearly when Slåtten is alone. When the cabin is full of hikers, the ghost seems to retreat into silence.
Krækkja in the beginning: This is from around the year 1900 Krækkja was not a large cabin. There were only two rooms; a kitchen and a combined dining room with living room – and a double bed.
Ole Aker of Krækkja
The ghost is believed to be Ole Aker, caretaker of Krækkja from its opening in 1878 until 1924. He lived in the cabin for most of his life and shaped it into a refuge for travelers crossing the mountain plateau. Ola L. Aaker hosted Krækkja with his wife Kirsti from 1879. He was known to be a tough hunter and skilled shooter. Once he is said to have shot five reindeer right next to the cabin with just three shots. Ole Aker died in 1939, but many believe his connection to Krækkja was too strong to break.
He was known as a formidable hunter, a man who could sleep outdoors in midwinter without a sleeping bag or modern equipment. As manager, he was responsible for leading people over the mountain, because there were no T-marked trails over the plateau yet. Ola enjoyed it, but he was actually more interested in hunting and fishing than guiding.
DNT in Norway: When the Norwegian Tourist Association was founded in 1868, one of the first things the association did was to provide cheap and good lodging for mountain hikers. Many of the tourist cabins are owned or operated by the Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT). In addition, there are cabins operated by private individuals, as well as private and state organizations. // Source: Jørgen Schyberg.
A Cabin that Remembers
The ghost is said to remain mostly in the oldest part of the building, especially on the second floor where Aker once lived. That is where the footsteps are heard. That is where doors move without human touch. During recent renovations, an extra floor was added to the cabin. Slåtten has joked about how the ghost might react.
Ole Aker devoted himself to this cabin and this mountain. It seems only fitting that he still walks the halls, listening to the wind, keeping watch over those who pass through.
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Moon Mausoleum
