Climbing Galdhøpiggen in Jotunheimen National Park, Norway

Climbing Galdhøpiggen in Jotunheimen National Park, Norway

Climbing Galdhøpiggen, the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe

I set out on a hiking trip to Jotunheimen National Park in Norway with the intention of climbing Galdhøpiggen, the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

Before we started Atlas & Boots, I would go hiking every summer from our base in the UK. Typically, I would do a few shorter trips on home soil throughout the year and then head out in the summer to find more challenging terrain.

Sometimes it was an exotic destination like Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and sometimes it was closer to home in Europe. On one of my many trips to Scandinavia, I set my sights on Norway.

As I mentioned before, I fell in love with the country's obsession with nature and its freedom laws, known as Allemannsretten.

I chose fame: a hike in Jotunheimen National Park, including Galdhøpiggen, the highest mountain in Norway and Scandinavia at 2,469 m (8,100 feet).

Jotunheimen National Park

Although Jotunheimen is Norway's most popular national park, it is a largely undisturbed mountainous area northeast of Oslo. With an area of ​​around 3,500 km², Jotunheimen has Northern Europe's highest concentration of mountains above 2,000 meters as well as waterfalls, rivers, lakes, glaciers and valleys.

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Although Jotunheimen is Norway's most popular national park, it is largely undisturbed

From short walks to multi-day hut-to-hut hikes, Jotunheimen offers some of the most spectacular hiking trails on the continent. It is also the land of Jotuns - mountain trolls - although I didn't spot any on my trip.

Hiking to Spiterstulen

I arrived in Jotunheimen in the early afternoon after taking a bus from Oslo in the morning. I started my hike at the Gjendesheimer Hütten next to Lake Gjende. From there I hiked over the ridge and descended into the adjacent valley, where reindeer roam and the lakes Bessvatnet and Russvatnet lie.

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Reindeer roam the Bessvatnet and Russvatnet valleys

The glacial lakes are emerald green, created by meltwater trapped between the mountain walls and the glaciers at the end of the valley. Their characteristic green color comes from rock powder that flows from the mountains as the ice melts. Whatever the reason, it's a stunning scene and the perfect campsite for the night.

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The perfect campsite for the night

From there I spent the next two days hiking along the well-marked trails to the Spiterstulen refuge and campsite at the foot of Galdhøpiggen. On the way I camped wildly until I arrived in Spiterstulen, where I stayed at the campsite for one night before climbing Galdhøpiggen.

My route to Spiterstulen and Galdhøpiggen can be seen in more detail on the UT.no website, but is roughly as follows:

Day 1: Gjendesheim - Lake Russvatnet, 11 km (7 miles) Day 2: Lake Russvatnet - Steinbuvatnet (near Glitterheim), 19 km (12 miles) Day 3: Steinbuvatnet - Spiterstulen, 12 km (7.5 miles) (7km)

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(Image: UT.no)

The route shows a magnificent cross-section of Jotunheimen National Park with glacial lakes, magnificent valleys, waterfalls and rocky plateaus in the shadow of endless snow-capped mountains towering 2,000 m high.

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Camping right behind Glitterheim

Although the trails are well marked and mostly well-trodden, walking is anything but easy. There are areas where you have to break trail and go cross-country, crossing snowy ridges and steep valley walls. When I reached Spiterstulen I was exhausted but satisfied.

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Spiterstulen at the foot of Galdhøpiggen

CLIMBING GALDHØPIGGEN

I really should have taken a rest day at Spiterstulen before climbing Galdhøpiggen, but in hindsight it's a wonderful thing! Instead, after three days of strenuous trekking, I woke up stiff and achy and decided to sweat my way up the mountainside under a strong summer sun.

At 2,469 m (8,100 feet), Galdhøpiggen is no small feat. The terrain of Spiterstulen rises quickly and you will soon be climbing up the steep mountainside. Spiterstulen is at around 1,100 m, which means there is still a considerable mountain to climb.

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Approaching the climax ofKeilhaus top 750m from the summitGaldhøpiggen

It took me about 4-5 hours to climb Galdhøpiggen, which included more than the usual number of rest and rehydration stops! The weather was nice, but also very hot, which made the climbing even more strenuous. On the way to the summit you will pass a smaller peak called Keilhaus topp and the Svellnos glacier.

The view at the summit was just the reward for my trials. Rows of snow-capped peaks and jagged peaks stretched as far as the eye could see. It felt like the top of the world. There is a stone hut at the summit that offers some shelter on a bad day, as well as hot and cold drinks when the hut is manned (in summer).

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A sea of ​​snow-capped mountains

Luckily the ride down was much quicker and far less stressful on the legs. I was relieved to crawl into my tent that night!

The following day rewarded my decision to climb a day early as the weather was miserable. The view from the top of Galdhøpiggen would have been bleak at best.

Who needs hindsight?

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Climbing on Galdhøpiggen: the essentials

What: Climbing Galdhøpiggen in Jotunheimen National Park, Norway.

Where: In Oslo I camped at Ekeberg Camp, a short bus ride from the city center. I wild camped while hiking in Jotunheimen National Park and then camped at Spiterstulen huts near Galdhøpiggen for 50 NOK ($6) per night.

When: The summer season from around mid-June to the first week of October is the best time for hiking trips in Norway.

Norway is one of the wettest countries in Europe, so be prepared for rain despite the summer season. Since Jotunheimen is a mountainous area, you should be prepared for anything that comes with changeable montane conditions: dropping temperatures, strong winds, snowstorms and even more rain!

The winter season in Norway is ideal for cross-country skiing and usually lasts from around mid-February to the end of April.

How: Hiking trails in Norway are carefully maintained by the excellent Norway Trekking Association (DNT). Their crowdsourced route planning sister site UT.no is also a great online resource full of hiking ideas, tips and maps.

I took bus number 160 from Oslo to Gjendesheim in Jotunheimen National Park. The Valdresekspressen runs daily all year round from the Oslo Bus Terminal in the city center. There is also a night bus. The trip takes about six hours and costs 250 NOK (30 USD).

To get back to Oslo I took a train from Otta. The trip takes 4-5 hours and costs around 600 NOK (70 USD), depending on when you book. You can book tickets and access timetables via the NSB website.

I flew from London to Oslo with a budget airline. Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

Oslo is served by three airports: Gardermoen, Torp Sandefjord and Rygge. We recommend using Gardermoen if possible, as the other two are further away and require a longer and more expensive transfer.

All airports are served by trains and buses. For more information, visit the Visit Oslo website.

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For more things to do in Norway, check out the Lonely Planet Guide to Norway.
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