Top of document	The larger glaciers of Jotunheimen	The larger glaciers of Eastern Jotunheimen	Site map	Email the author	Copyleft information	Detta dokument på svenska
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 Western Jotunheimen

To Western Jotunheimen I here count Hurrungane, Smørstabbtindan, the area around Galdhøpiggen (2469 m) and the mountains to the north of lake Tyin. The Hurrungane has many fairly small glaciers between its very sharp peaks, Smørstabbreen is the largest glacier complex in Jotunheimen, the Galdhøpiggen massif has quite a few medium-sized glaciers, while they are generally fairly small in the southwestern part of the area, except for the area around Urdanostind.

Western Jotunheimen borders to Breheimen proper and has a relatively maritime climate with fairly large precipitation. Some glaciers in Western Jotunheimen have begun to advance again, following the increased precipitation in the last few years.

Table over the larger glaciers of Western Jotunheimen with basic data

1. Fannaråkbreen

Fannaråkbreen (6.63 km²) is a glacier complex on the flank of Fannaråken (2068 m) next to the Sognefjellsvegen road.

1a. Prestesteinsbreen

Prestesteinsbreen (3.66 km²) is the largest part of Fannaråkbreen, a large cirque glacier on the north and east sides of Fannaråken and Steindalsnosi (2025 m).

1b. Steindalsbreen

Steindalsbreen (0.88 km²), a small ice cap in Fannaråkbreen, lies right above Steindalsvatnet.

1c. Kongsdalsbreen

Kongsdalsbreen (2.09 km²) is an ice cap in southern Fannaråkbreen, which sends down an ice tongue into Kongsdalen. There is an ice lake in the western part of the glacier.

2. Berdalsbreen

Berdalsbreen (1.13 km²) is a cirque glacier in western Hurrungane, on the north side of Austabottind (2204 m), ending in a small lake with a 400 m wide ice cliff.

3. Ringsbreen

Ringsbreen (2.19 km²), also called Ridingsbreen, a steep and complex cirque glacier, lies innermost in the valley Ringsbotn.

4. Stølsmaradalsbreen

Stølsmaradalsbreen (2.58 km²) is a steep cirque glacier towering high above the Stølsmaradalen valley.

5. Bandbreen

Bandbreen (2.01 km²), a small glacier complex, lies in the center of Hurrungane.

5a. Midtmaradalsbreen

Midtmaradalsbreen (0.98 km²), the southern part of Bandbreen, is a cirque glacier which sends down a narrow and steep tongue into the Midtmaradalen valley.

5b. Skagastølsbreen

Skagastølsbreen (1.03 km²) is the northern part of Bandbreen, a cirque glacier to the north of Skagastølsbandet.

6. Styggedalsbreen

Styggedalsbreen (1.98 km²) is a valley glacier in northern Hurrungane. Its lower part has a rather gentle slope, but the upper parts consist of extremely steep hanging side glaciers. The tongue of Styggedalsbreen has begun to advance again somewhat in the last few years.

7. Gjertvassbreen

Gjertvassbreen (1.66 km²), also called Jervvassbreen, is a steep cirque glacier on the north flank of Styggedalstindan (2387 m). It now stops at the edge of a precipice above Gjertvassdalen.

8. Maradalsbreen

Maradalsbreen (2.38 km²) is a valley glacier east of Skagastølstindan (2403 m). Its uppermost part is one big, steep ice chute.

9. Hurrbreen

Hurrbreen (2.25 km²) is a valley glacier with two side tributaries to the south of Loftet (2170 m) in the northern Smørstabbre massif.

10. Veslbreen

Veslbreen (1.59 km²) is a small valley glacier north of Storbreatinden (2018 m).

11. Storbreen

Storbreen (5.19 km²) is a fairly large valley glacier in the Smørstabbre massif to the east of Store Smørstabbtind (2208 m). The glacier is almost circular in shape and has two tongues on either side of a nunatak where there is a cabin, rejoining below. At Storbreen there has been performed mass balance measurements since 1949, first by Norsk Polarinstitutt, then by NVE, the 2nd longest continuous series in the world, after Storglaciären in Sweden only.

During the time period 1949-2000 the netto balance has been -10.5 m water equivalent, distributed across the entire surface, but since the end of the 1980s the glacier has had a slight increase. During the Little Ice Age Storbreen reached all the way down to the bottom of the Leirdalen valley, a position 1.9 km farther out than now.

12. Bjørnebreen

Bjørnebreen (1.20 km²) is a steep and heavily crevassed cirque glacier on the east side of Saksi (2189 m) and Storebjørn (2222 m).

13. Smørstabbreen

Smørstabbreen (16.65 km²), the largest glacier complex in Jotunheimen, with parts of cirque, valley and ice cap type, lies in the southern Smørstabb massif.

13a. Leirbreen

Leirbreen (4.97 km²) is a broad valley glacier in northern Smørstabbreen, with mostly quite gentle slope. A small southern tongue ends in a little lake. During the Little Ice Age the front of Leirbreen stood about 800 m farther out than today.

13b. Bøverbreen

Bøverbreen (7.82 km²) is an ice cap and the largest part of Smørstabbreen. Its accumulation zone lies between Storebjørn (2222 m) and Gravdalstinden (2119 m) and it sends out a wide tongue towards the northwest.

The tongue of Bøverbreen is fairly steep and crevassed, but not too much so, making it ideal for the glacier courses being held there.

13c. Vestre Gravdalsbreen

Vestre Gravdalsbreen (0.38 km²) is a small cirque glacier in southern Smørstabbreen.

13d. Austre Gravdalsbreen

Austre Gravdalsbreen (0.85 km²), a cirque glacier in southern Smørstabbreen, hangs high above Gravdalen.

13e. Sandelvbreen

Sandelvbreen (2.63 km²), a valley glacier in eastern Smørstabbreen, flows down towards Gravdalen.

14. Dumhøbreen

Dumhøbreen (1.18 km²) is an ice cap on the west side of Dumhøi (2181 m).

15. Heimre Illåbreen

Heimre Illåbreen (1.88 km²) is a small valley glacier in the northwestern Galdhøpiggen massif.

16. Storgjuvbreen

Storgjuvbreen (4.68 km²), an elongated valley glacier, lies to the west of Galdhøpiggen (2469 m). It has a pretty wide accumulation zone, but the tongue is narrow. Storgjuvbreen has begun to readvance somwhat the last few years.

17. Veslgjuvbreen

Veslgjuvbreen (0.97 km²) is a small ice cap on Galdhøi (2223 m), reaching down into lake Gjuvvatnet with a 400 m wide ice cliff. Summer skiing is arranged on this glacier.

Right to the north of Veslgjuvbreen there is a small cirque glacier, Kjelbreen, which also extends down into the lake.

18. Styggebreen

Styggebreen (5.33 km²) is a rather large valley glacier in a shallow valley south of the plateau of Gjuvflyi. The better part of the glacier slopes gently and has relatively few crevasses, which is good since the normal route to Galdhøpiggen (2469 m) from Gjuvvasshytta passes it.

During the Little Ice Age Styggebreen was much larger, reaching all the way down to the bottom of the valley Visdalen in a mighty icefall, 2.2 km farther out and as much as 650 m lower down than today!

19. Svellnosbreen

Svellnosbreen (5.11 km²) is a relatively large valley glacier in a hanging valley to the south of Galdhøpiggen (2469 m). In its upper part it has a prominent nunatak, Svellnosbrehesten (2181 m). The glacier tongue ends on the steep slope in "Eventyrisen" (=the Adventure Ice), the largest icefall in Jotunheimen, 600 m wide and 200 m high, where glacier courses from Spiterstulen often are held.

Svellnosbreen is one of the few glaciers in Jotunheimen which actually has advanced significantly in the later years. During the Little Ice Age the tongue extended down the entire slope and merged with Tverråbreen down the valley, 1.5 km farther out and 400 m lower down than now.

20. Ymelsbreen

Ymelsbreen (12.18 km²) is the name for the glacier complex south of Tverråtindan (2309 m) in the southern Galdhøpiggen massif.

20a. Nordre Illåbreen

Nordre Illåbreen (3.41 km²), a valley glacier in Ymelsbreen north of Bukkehøi (2314 m), turns down towards the Leirdalen valley. During the Little Ice Age the front stood some 1.1 km from its current position.

20b. Tverråbreen

Tverråbreen (5.63 km²), the largest glacier in the Galdhøpiggen massif and the middle part of Ymelsbreen, is a valley glacier with two ice tongues rejoining below a nunatak. NVE performed mass balance measurements here during the years of 1962-63. During the Little Ice Age the tongue of Tverråbreen extended 2.3 km farther out towards Visdalen. Then it was continuous with Svellnosbreen to the north as well.

20c. Bukkeholsbreen

Bukkeholsbreen (3.14 km²) is a valley glacier in southern Ymelsbreen, to the east of Bukkeholstindan (2213 m). During the Little Ice Age its front stood some 1.0 km farther out than now.

21. Søre Illåbreen

Søre Illåbreen (4.91 km²) is a valley glacier in the southern Galdhøpiggen massif, north of Tverrbotntindan (2161 m).

22. Stølsnosbreen

Stølsnosbreen (2.32 km²) is a small glacier complex to the north of the Morka-Koldedalen valley in southwestern Jotunheimen.

22a. Nordre Stølsnosbreen

Nordre Stølsnosbreen (0.80 km²), a small cirque glacier in Stølsnosbreen, lies to the west of Stølsnostind (2074 m).

22b. Søre Stølsnosbreen

Søre Stølsnosbreen (1.52 km²) is a cirque glacier in Stølsnosbreen between Stølsnostind (2074 m) and Falketind (2067 m).

23. Falkebreen

Falkebreen (1.29 km²), or Snøggeken as it is also called, is a cirque glacier on the east side of Falketind (2067 m).

24. Nordre Koldedalsbreen

Nordre Koldedalsbreen (1.36 km²) is an ice cap east of Koldedalstind (1927 m).

25. Søre Koldedalsbreen

Søre Koldedalsbreen (1.06 km²), a small cirque glacier, lies on the north side of Breidkvamsnosi.

26. Urdabreen

Urdabreen (7.96 km²) is a glacier complex next to Urdanostind (2157 m) in southern Jotunheimen.

26a. Skogadalsbreen

Skogadalsbreen (1.33 km²), a small valley glacier in Urdabreen, extends down towards the Skogadalen valley.

26b. Urdanosbreen

Urdanosbreen (3.29 km²) is a valley glacier in Urdabreen east of Urdanostind (2157 m), with a pretty wide tongue. In the westernmost part it ends in a small lake.

26c. Mjølkedalsbreen

Mjølkedalsbreen (3.34 km²) is a valley glacier in eastern Urdabreen. Its upper part is flat, but it has a small icefall down below. The tongue used to dam the upper Mjølkedalsvatnet lake in the side valley to the north, precipitating jökulhlaups. The last time this happened was in 1937, but since then the ice retreat has resulted in the lake no longer being ice-dammed.

27. Sagibreen

Sagibreen (1.14 km²) is a cirque glacier to the east of Sagi (2040 m).

28. Høgvaglbreen

Høgvaglbreen (1.41 km²) is an ice cap to the north of Høgvagltindan (2066 m) in central Jotunheimen.

	Top of document	The larger glaciers of Jotunheimen	The larger glaciers of Eastern Jotunheimen	Site map	Email the author	Copyleft information	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.