Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier on the European mainland and covers large parts of the mountain area between Sogn and Nordfjord, with its 458 square kilometers.
Supphellebreen glacier. Photo: Pål Hage Kielland.
Jostedalsbreen is a plateau glacier with many glacier outlets, 37 of which are named. Some of these are well-known glacier arms such as Briksdalsbreen, Nigardsbreen, Bøyabreen and Supphellebreen.
The length of the glacier is around 60 kilometers from Skjåk in the northeast to Fjærland/Jølster in the southwest, while the width varies down to less than 2 kilometers. The thickness of the ice also varies greatly, as there are large differences in altitude under the ice, and at most the ice on Jostedalsbreen is over 600 meters thick.
The glacier plateau itself is an undulating landscape between 1750 and 1950 meters above sea level, while the glacier margins down from the plateau are steep and dramatic. Many of these glaciers reach as low as 300-400 meters above sea level, and at the regenerated Supphellebreen glacier, the glacier front is as low as 60 meters above sea level.
The highest point on Jostedalsbreen itself is Høgste Breakulen, which is 1957 meters above sea level. There are several nunataks rising up from the glacier plateau, two of which are peaks above 2000 meters. The most famous and highest of these is Lodalskåpa (2083 m above sea level), also known as Vestlandsdronninga. Brenibba (2018 m a.s.l.) is the second highest nunatak around Jostedalsbreen.
"On the map, Jostedalsbreen resembles a fantasy animal clinging to the mountains with many arms down into the valleys."
Orheim, O. 2009. Norwegian glaciers.
The great contrasts and rapid changes in different types of nature, weather and altitude make the area exciting for hikers. The lush valleys around Jostedalsbreen are in sharp contrast to the large mass of ice and snow. There are many challenges for hikers in this dramatic mountain and glacier landscape, and the nature experiences are endless. The area was granted national park status in 1991.
Map of Jostedalsbreen showing the 37 named glaciers:
The map is taken from the book "Norske isbreer" by Orheim, O. 2009.
Books about Jostedalsbreen - for loan/sale at Norwegian Glacier Museum :
Andersen, B. G. 2000: Ice ages in Norway. Landscapes shaped by ice age glaciers. 419,- kr.
John, B. 1999: Walks in the world of ice. 30,- kr.
John, B. 1996: How glaciers move. 25,- kr.
Karlsen, O. G. 1992: A world of ice. 10,- kr.
Weichert, K. 2008: Jostedalsbreen. 198,- kr.
Orheim, O. 2009. Norwegian glaciers. 299,- kr.
Wold, B. & Ryvarden, L. 1996. Jostedalsbreen - Norway's largest glacier. 149,- kr.
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