August 2022

It is not unreasonable that many of the largest geological features by various measurements are found in a similar location. Sizable tectonic movements coupled with abundant precipitation has created some monstrous icesheets in the past, the movement of which created various intriguing things. The tallest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia, and Northern Europe is one of them.

Galdhøpiggen is 2.469m / 8,100’ tall and found some distance east of the Jostedalsbreen. Precipitation here is much less than over the aforementioned glacier, owing to a range of mountains that absorbs the first round of incoming Atlantic moisture. It is higher and further inland, which means that temperatures are colder. Therefore, a few glaciers flow from the mountain.

The elevation of the mountain itself is on the low side of my exploits. I used to base the PA-11 at a runway sitting at 9,927’ in Colorado in a valley, whereas in almost every flight in Switzerland, I have to exceed 8,100’ to get over terrain to get where I want to go. On the other hand, when I did the peaks over 6,000 feet in North Carolina, where I presumed it would be “easy,” it was quite challenging due to weather and distance.

This peak is part of a list of 189 peaks over 2000 meters in Norway, of which I have now flown them all. True to form, the list seemed easy as I sipped tea while sitting in front of my computer over a thousand miles away. When it came time to fly to them all, it was a lot of work, due to a fusion of wind, poor weather, and distance from airports. I suppose this will be the reality of every mountain peak conquest, which is part of the fun.

Hurrungane Range. This deceptively from a distance looks like the tallest peaks in the region, though it is not. Galdhøpiggen lies a bit to the east.

Vetle Skagastølstindane from the north. Still not the biggest one…though it prominently appears on the horizon all the time. Styggedalsbreen flowing from it.

Galdhøpiggen, not looking all that prominent, though it is the biggest one in Europe north of the Tatras. Svellnosbrean glacier below.

Galdhøpiggen peeking on the right. Nørdre Illåbrean to the left with Tverråbrean below.

Svellnosbrean again.

Storjuvbrean left, Svellnosbrean right, with Galdhøpiggen, from the west.

Galdhøpiggen from the south.

Galdhøpiggen from the northeast, with the Styggebrean.

Same thing…just closer.

From the north. Styggebrean left with Storjuvbrean to the right. I must say that I do not mind a sea of rocks and ice with cold wind.

There is a reality that I have come to discover endemic to flying binges: my desire to blog evaporates. Last summer, during the heat of the moment flying to thousands of glaciers of the Alps, I barely blogged at all. Last month may have been my second busiest flying month to date and, well, here we are barely rustling the energy to get a post going.

It did occur to me that I did start a non-profit called the Global Glacier Initiative with a mission to fly to as many glaciers as possible and photograph them. I also happen to have an infatuation with glaciers. Does it not make sense to devote a blog post to the largest glacier in Continental Europe, which is also the largest glacier that I have ever seen?

This is how I find myself motivated to post on this illustrious rainy and cold morning in the mountainous west coast of Norway. There are better locations to spend the summer if one cares about fine weather. I still question if I find such weather a problem. It is the coldest summer I have experienced in my time on this earth, even chillier than Breckenridge, Colorado at 9,360’, where the temperature exceeded 80F once.

The Jostedalsbreen is a plateau glacier oriented southwest to northeast, with a maximum elevation of 2,083m / 6,844’. There are countless outlet glaciers which proceed from the plateau, which lead into steep glacial valleys that often become fjords. Some of them connect directly to the ocean, whereas others form large glacial lakes. I must confess that I am awed by the severity of what 6,844’ terrain can offer here. Recall that I am accustomed to the drop from the Jungfrau at 13,642’ to Interlaken at 1,863’. One can understand the skepticism about such shorter heights.

The weather is naturally complicated. Thousands of miles of the warm Atlantic, fed by the Gulf Stream, comes to a harsh and abrupt end, as weather systems slam into mountainous terrain. Some areas to the northwest of the region receive as much as 220” of liquid precipitation per year in the hills. It is obviously raining the majority of the time. On marginal days, which I have flown, the southeast side of the glacier is exposed to the sun, with clouds arcing over the top, and raucous winds.

Bjørnakyrkjebreen, an outlet glacier. The plateau glacier is hiding in the clouds.

Austerdalsbreen, looking down.

Baklibreen. The large part of the glacier is hiding in the clouds.

Jostedalsbreen. A wonderful mix of snow, ice, and clouds.

The first time I photographed a glacier in the rain….

Lundabreen.

Taken at 9:30PM. There are certain advantages (and annoyances) to the sun setting at 11PM and rising before 4AM.

Langedalsbreen. This is the thinnest part of the glacier complex, as one can see that the glacier does not go very far on the other side. When one adds up continuous ice to the left and right, it goes on 37 miles.

Kjenndalsbreen. Finally got to the north side, where the weather is usually worse.

Kjelkevarden (rock on center right). Elevation 1,717m / 5,633′.

Tjøtabreen.

Lundabreen again.

Southwestern part of Jostedalsbreen. Ice cap elevation 1,647m / 5,404′.

Looking toward Tunsbergdalsbreen. I believe it is the longest outlet glacier in this complex.

Odinsbreen & Torsbreen, which lead to the Austerdalsbreen below.

Probably north of Austerdalsfjellet, though I am sure no one cares about the name. The clouds left are orographic in nature and often slither along the glacier from the northwest.