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Last updated: March 17, 2001 Unless otherwise specified; text, tables, photographs, maps and other graphics © 1999-2001 Gunnar Ljungstrand
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The larger glaciers of Eastern Jotunheimen

Tjørnholstind from Heimdalshø Tjørnholstind from Heimdalshø, June 25, 1986. (83 kB)

To Eastern Jotunheimen I here count Glittertind (2464 m), the large Memuru massif, and the mountains south of lake Gjende. The Memuru massif contains a large number of pretty large glaciers, while the area south of Gjende mostly has small and a few medium-sized ones. Glittertind itself shows some fairly large glaciers, including the highest point.

Eastern Jotunheimen has a rather continental climate with a relatively low precipitation, especially up in the northeast. The glaciers in Eastern Jotunheimen are still retreating, or are roughly stable, under the current climate.

Table over the larger glaciers of Eastern Jotunheimen with basic data

#Name Type Area (km2) Length (km) Lowest point (m) Highest point (m) Height difference (m)
1. Visbreen Glacier complex 2.04 2.6 1490 2065 575
1a. of which Visdalsbreen Cirque glacier 1.17 1.7 1490 2065 575
1b. of which Langvassbreen Ice cap 0.87 1.5 1840 2050 210
2. Memurubreen Glacier complex 12.09 6.8 1470 2240 770
2a. of which Hellstugubreen Valley glacier 3.28 4.5 1470 2210 740
2b. of which Vestre Memurubreen Ice cap 8.81 5.0 1580 2240 660
3. Austre Memurubreen Valley glacier 6.76 4.4 1645 2260 615
4. Skardbreen Ice cap 1.27 1.0 1850 2265 415
5. Veobreen Valley glacier 9.40 5.0 1530 2310 780
6. Leirhøbreen Ice cap 1.28 1.9 1795 2325 530
7. Styggehøbreen Glacier complex 4.02 3.4 1585 2240 655
7a. of which Nordre Styggehøbreen Cirque glacier 0.91 1.9 1810 2150 340
7b. of which Midtre Styggehøbreen Valley glacier 2.55 3.3 1610 2240 630
7c. of which Søre Styggehøbreen Ice cap 0.56 1.8 1585 2190 605
8. Blåbreen Valley glacier 3.71 3.5 1580 2120 540
9. Surtingsbreen Glacier complex 2.52 3.5 1590 2315 725
9a. of which Okslibreen Ice cap 0.91 1.6 1735 2175 440
9b. of which Russglopbreen Ice cap 1.61 2.9 1590 2315 725
10. Glittertindbreen Glacier complex 9.91 7.2 1700 2465 765
10a. of which Vestre Grjotbreen Valley glacier 3.08 4.0 1765 2300 535
10b. of which Austre Grjotbreen Valley glacier 3.27 3.2 1710 2405 695
10c. of which Gråsubreen Ice cap 2.98 3.6 1700 2270 570
10d. of which Glitterbreen Ice cap 0.58 1.6 2090 2465 375
11. Slettmarkbreen Cirque glacier 1.26 1.7 1460 2140 680
12. Langedalsbreen Cirque glacier 1.21 1.8 1475 2010 535
13. Svartdalsbreen Cirque glacier 1.18 1.7 1500 2175 675
14. Knutsholsbreen Valley glacier 3.27 3.2 1445 2220 775
15. Skarvflyløyftbreen Cirque glacier 1.48 1.4 1650 2155 505
16. Tjørnholsbreen Valley glacier 1.54 2.2 1550 2140 590
17. Steinflybreen Ice cap 1.27 1.9 1895 2160 265
18. Leirungskampbreen Cirque glacier 1.12 1.3 1580 1970 390
19. Leirungsbreen Valley glacier 1.88 2.4 1470 1995 525
20. Raslebreen Valley glacier 1.24 2.1 1550 2070 480
Total 68.45

1. Visbreen

Visbreen (2.04 km2) is a small glacier complex in the western Memuru massif.

1a. Visdalsbreen

Visdalsbreen (1.17 km2), the northern part of Visbreen, is a cirque glacier to the north of Visbretinden (2234 m). During the Little Ice Age the tongue stretched all the way down to the bottom of the Visdalen valley, 900 m farther out than today.

1b. Langvassbreen

Langvassbreen (0.87 km2) is an ice cap in southern Visbreen, to the north of Langvatnet.

2. Memurubreen

Memurubreen (12.09 km2) is the name for the large glacier complex in the western Memuru massif, between Hellstugutindan (2346 m) and Memurutindan (2364 m). The glacier pass at 1950 m is an old well used route between the Visdalen valley and lake Gjende.

2a. Hellstugubreen

Hellstugubreen (3.28 km2), the northern part of Memurubreen, is an elongated valley glacier with relatively even slope. A glacier pass leads across to Vestre Memurubreen. Earlier the glacier got a contribution from a tributary glacier below Hellstuguhøi (2072 m), but it has disconnected from the rest of the ice now. Hellstugubreen moves with a fairly low speed, only slightly more than 15 m/year as fastest.

At Hellstugubreen NVE has performed mass balance measurements since 1962, and in the time up to year 2000 the glacier has had a net deficit of 10.3 m water equivalent. Hellstugubreen has a rather continental climate, showing continued deficits, as distinct from many other more maritime glaciers. The tongue is still in steady retreat, and now stands some 1.2 km behind its outermost terminal moraines from the Little Ice Age.

2b. Vestre Memurubreen

Vestre Memurubreen (8.81 km2) is a large, almost ice cap-like glacier in southern Memurubreen. It lies in a wide depression between Hellstugutindan (2346 m), Memurutindan (2230 m) and Hinnåtefjellet (2114 m). A glacier pass in the north leads across to Hellstugubreen. The better part of the glacier is flat and relatively poor in crevasses, but at the tongues in the south and east it is steeper and there are some crevasses.

During the Little Ice Age Vestre Memurubreen was continuous with Austre Memurubreen in the tongue, and then it extended some 1.2 km farther down the Memurudalen valley than now, in a two-lobed ice tongue. In the south the ice front stood some 400 m further out than now. NVE performed mass balance measurements here between 1968 and 1972.

3. Austre Memurubreen

Austre Memurubreen (6.76 km2) is a pretty large complex valley glacier to the south of Memurutindan (2364 m). It is mostly even, but there are some crevasse zones. Skardbreen was earlier a part of Austre Memurubreen, but it disconnected in the 1970s.

During the Little Ice Age the glacier was considerably larger, and merged with Vestre Memurubreen in a common tongue some 2.7 km farther out than now. Mass balance measurements were performed here by NVE during the years 1968-72.

4. Skardbreen

Skardbreen (1.27 km2) is a small ice cap south of Veotindan (2267 m). Earlier it was a part of Austre Memurubreen.

5. Veobreen

Veobreen (9.40 km2), a large, wide valley glacier, lies to the north of Memurutindan (2364 m). It is the largest single ice stream in Jotunheimen, and it has a large nunatak called Veobretinden (2183 m). A prominent medial moraine separates the northwestern, steeper part from the rest of Veobreen. There is a small icefall in the northernmost part.

During the Little Ice Age the ice front of the northwestern tongue stood some 500 m farther out than now, while the larger, eastern ice tongue stretched about 1.7 km further out into the Veodalen valley than today.

6. Leirhøbreen

Leirhøbreen (1.28 km2) is an ice cap on the northwest side of Leirhø (2330 m).

7. Styggehøbreen

Styggehøbreen (4.02 km2), is a glacier complex east of Veotindan (2267 m).

7a. Nordre Styggehøbreen

Nordre Styggehøbreen (0.91 km2), a cirque glacier in Styggehøbreen, has a very distinct medial moraine.

7b. Midtre Styggehøbreen

Midtre Styggehøbreen (2.55 km2) is a valley glacier in Styggehøbreen with gentle slope. During the Little Ice Age its front stood some 900 m farther out than today.

7c. Søre Styggehøbreen

Søre Styggehøbreen (0.56 km2) is a small ice cap in southern Styggehøbreen.

8. Blåbreen

Blåbreen (3.71 km2), a valley glacier to the north of Surtingssui (2368 m), has a prominent medial moraine. Its outermost terminal moraines, from the Little Ice Age, stand in a lake some 700 m farther out than the current ice front. During the years 1962-63 NVE performed mass balance measurements at Blåbreen.

9. Surtingsbreen

Surtingsbreen with Russglopbreen from SE Surtingsbreen with Russglopbreen from SE, September 14, 1989. (56 kB)

Surtingsbreen (2.52 km2) is a small glacier complex east of Surtingssui (2368 m) in the southern Memuru massif.

9a. Okslibreen

Okslibreen (0.91 km2) is a small ice cap in northern Surtingsbreen.

9b. Russglopbreen

Russglopbreen (1.61 km2) is a steep and narrow outlet from southern Surtingsbreen. Its crevassed tongue lies about 800 m behind the moraines from the Little Ice Age.

10. Glittertindbreen

Glittertindbreen (9.91 km2) is the name for the glacier complex around Glittertind (2464 m).

10a. Vestre Grjotbreen

Vestre Grjotbreen from W Vestre Grjotbreen from W, August 5, 1982. (48 kB)

Vestre Grjotbreen (3.08 km2) is a curved valley glacier in western Glittertindbreen, with rather even slope.

10b. Austre Grjotbreen

Austre Grjotbreen (3.27 km2), a valley glacier of complex form in central Glittertindbreen, flows down northwards from Glittertind (2464 m), splitting into two ice tongues, the western of which ends in Trollsteintjørni with a 400 m wide ice cliff. During the Little Ice Age the ice filled up the entire lake with the front 900 m farther out than now.

10c. Gråsubreen

Gråsubreen (2.98 km2) is an ice cap in eastern Glittertindbreen, with even slope and few crevasses. It has massive, ice-cored moraines from the Little Ice Age, 400 m from the current front position.

Gråsubreen has a very continental climate, and has been subject to mass balance measurements since 1962, performed by NVE. During the time 1962-2000 the glacier has had a net deficit of 9.9 m water equivalent, distributed across the entire surface. Gråsubreen has low mass turnover and slow movement, showing continued deficits in most years.

10d. Glitterbreen

Glitterbreen (0.58 km2) is a small ice cap in southern Glittertindbreen.

11. Slettmarkbreen

Slettmarkbreen from N Slettmarkbreen from N, August 1, 1984. (51 kB)

Slettmarkbreen (1.26 km2) is a pretty steep cirque glacier to the north of Slettmarkpiggen (2163 m).

12. Langedalsbreen

Langedalsbreen (1.21 km2), a cirque glacier north of Langedalstinden (2190 m), fills up the uppermost part of the Langedalen valley.

13. Svartdalsbreen

Svartdalsbreen (1.18 km2) is a cirque glacier west of Mesmogtinden (2264 m).

14. Knutsholsbreen

Knutsholsbreen (3.27 km2), an elongated valley glacier east of Knutsholstind (2341 m), is fed by ice avalanches from a very steep hanging side glacier.

15. Skarvflyløyftbreen

Skarvflyløyftbreen (1.48 km2) is a complex cirque glacier to the east of Leirungstinden (2288 m).

16. Tjørnholsbreen

Tjørnholsbreen (1.54 km2) is a small valley glacier to the north of Tjørnholstinden (2330 m), ending in a small lake with a 200 m wide ice cliff.

17. Steinflybreen

Steinflybreen (1.27 km2) is an ice cap east of Tjørnholstinden (2330 m), with ice-cored terminal moraines from the Little Ice Age 300 m before the ice front.

18. Leirungskampbreen

Leirungskampbreen (1.12 km2), a small cirque glacier on the north side of Kalvåhøgda (2208 m), just extends into the small lake of Leirungstjørnin. During the Little Ice Age the ice front stood halfway out into the lake, 400 m farther out than now.

19. Leirungsbreen

Leirungsdalen from Heimdalshø Leirungsdalen from Heimdalshø, June 25, 1986. (138 kB)

Leirungsbreen (1.88 km2) is a valley glacier north of Kalvåhøgda (2187 m). Its outermost terminal moraines, from the Little Ice Age, lie some 700 m further out than the current position of the ice front.

20. Raslebreen

Raslebreen (1.24 km2) is a small valley glacier to the north of Rasletinden (2105 m). During the Little Ice Age its front stood some 700 m farther out than today.

Start page Top
Top of
document		 Previous
The larger glaciers of
Western Jotunheimen		 Up
The larger glaciers
of Jotunheimen		 Site map
Site
map		 Email
Email the
author		 Copyleft
Copyleft
information		 På svenska
Detta dokument
på svenska
Last updated: March 17, 2001 Unless otherwise specified; text, tables, photographs, maps and other graphics © 1999-2001 Gunnar Ljungstrand
Images with size information (xx kB) leads to the corresponding image in 4 x better resolution.