Summer day at Haugen. Photo: Naturcentrum AB.
Haugen gård
Haugen farm was originally a mountain holding under Bakken farm, which belonged to Røros Copper Works. In 1875, Jo-Larsa took over and moved here. He hunted and fished in Femundsmarka and was glad not to have to travel the long and dangerous way across Femunden to get to his hunting grounds.
Åse Haugen Waldal grew up on Haugen farm, and still lives there all year round. She and her husband Svein Bjarne have electricity, water and telephone – but no road. When Åse was younger, there were cows, goats and a horse on the farm. Today, Åse and Svein Bjarne drive a boat taxi and rent out cottages. In summer, they take tourists to and from Elgå. The cold winters are not a problem, quite the opposite, for transport is quicker with snowmobiles. In spring they can be cut off from the rest of the world for up to three weeks, when there is too little snow for snowmobiling and ice on Lake Femunden prevents them from using the boat. But they definitely don’t want to move away from here.