Overview
Galdhopiggen is the highest mountain in Norway and Scandinavia. It don´t look like a nr.1, but the view from the summit is royal and reach 35.000 km2 with claciers, woods, peaks and lakes.
The mountain is situated in the most interested mountain-area in Scandinavia called Jotunheimen.
It´s been a battle during the years between Galdhopiggen and nr.2 Glittertind - who is the highest? Glittertind was until few years ago higher thanks to the big glacier on the very peak. Now most of it is melted away and Galdhopiggen is 17 meter higher.
Galdhopiggen is not a climb. It is a easy six hours walk from Spiterstulen hotel - mainly on glacier. Can also be reached by ski in Winter and Spring.
First climb in 1850 by Sulheim, Flotten and Arnesen.
THE ROUTE FROM JUVASSHYTTA
Another popular route to Galdhøpiggen starts from Juvashytta mountain hotel. This is reached with a car by following a very narrow road (things can get interesting, when you notice there's a buss coming into opposite direction). From Juvashytta the altitude gain is about 600 meters. The route crosses Styggedalsbreen (basic glacier) , then follows the easy ridge (at first rocky, later snowy) to the summit. There are guided parties from Juvashytta every day.
Getting There
The "base camp" hotel - Spiterstulen - is situated nearly 400 kilometers from the capital of Norway, Oslo. From Oslo you go in north direction by train, bus or car. You will pass Lillehammer, by Otta you turn west, by Lom you turn south-west and after another half hour you have to walk or drive the tiny road to Spiterstulen.
The trail from Spiterstulen - 1100 m - going north, crossing the river by a bridge and then climbing up the mountainside. In the summertime the snow will turn up at 1800 - 1900 m. The last part of the clacier before the summit has some ugly crevasses where som people died few years ago. Keep to the sticks along the snowtrail.
It takes 4 hours up and 2 hours down.
RichardD wrote:
Some thing witch can be experienced when going down (or up) the normal route; go down before 5 o'clock. (in summer) Otherwise the snow witch is lose in the day, begins to freeze. Because you don't take crampons with you, the first part of the decent can be very slippy and dangerous.
Red Tape
Free all the time.
When To Climb
All 12 months are possible, but few people go in November-February because it´s so dark and cold. Cross-country skiing in the Easter is popular, and the summer with light all night is highly recommended.
Camping
Camping is allowed more than 200 meters from the cottages/hotels. Spiterstulen hotel is open from the beginning of March to the end of October.
Kjell wrote:
There is some controversy surrounding camping close to the huts. In Norway, the 200 meter rule is universal, but due to loobying by those who run some huts, it has been put up further restrictions. Spiterstulen are among the more zealous. Many Norwegians think these restrictions are illegal and bluntly ignore them, but you may not want to get in trouble unless you know the details of the law.
Mountain Conditions
Call Spiterstulen hotel - tel: 47 - 6121 1480.
External Links- Spiterstulen hut
this hut is ideal base situated in the middle of Jotunheinmen national park for walking up on two highest peaks in Norway, and Northern Europe at all.
- Topographic map and routes
More topographic maps, routes, pictures about Jotunheimen area and it`s summits can be found through www.bergtatt.net
Images
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The Scandes
