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![]() Top of document |
![]() The glaciers of the Abisko mountains |
![]() The glaciers of Sweden |
![]() The glaciers of the Padjelanta mountains |
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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. |
Kebnekaise is the second largest high mountain area in Sweden. The area lies between Stora Lule Älv and Abiskodalen-Alesvagge in Norrbottens län (Lapland). To the west the area borders with Padjelanta and to the east it grades into low plateaus. The highest peak is Kebnekaise (2117 m), the highest peak of Sweden, and there are 4 additional peaks higher than 2000 m, roughly 20 1900-meter peaks, and some 30 1800-meter peaks.
Of the 13 high mountain massifs in Kebnekaise 12 contain 104-111 glaciers (the thirteenth, Rassepautasj-tjåkkå, has no glaciers). The former number is true if you treat glacier complexes as one glacier, and the latter if you treat the ice streams within the complexes as separate glaciers. The total glacier area is 75.90 km2, being 25.6 % of the glaciated area of Sweden.
Kebnekaise contain 4 glacier complexes, 11 (16) valley glaciers, 58 (61) cirque glaciärer, 30 (33) ice caps, and 1 rock glacier (the numbers within parenthesis with the glacier complexes split). The area of the glacier complexes varies between 0.84 and 6.91 km2, the valley glaciers between 0.91 and 4.09, the cirque glaciers between 0.06 and 1.86, and the ice caps finally between 0.05 and 2.38+ km2.
(For the interested, information concerning classification, naming, and measurements.)
(Glacier complexes treated as one unit)
Name | Area (km2) | Type | Massif |
---|---|---|---|
1. Kebnekaisejekna | 6.91 | Glacier complex | Kebnekaise |
2. Riukojekna | 4.49+ | Glacier complex | Riuko |
3. Rabots glaciär | 4.09 | Valley glacier | Kebnekaise |
4. Mårmajekna | 4.03 | Valley glacier | Mårma |
5. Påssusjekna | 2.69 | Glacier complex | Sielma |
6. Kåtojekna | 2.65 | Valley glacier | Mårma |
7. Stuor Nierasjekna | 2.28 | Ice cap | Nieras |
8. Kallakjekna | 2.02 | Ice cap | Kallak |
9. Årjep Sälkajekna | 1.86 | Cirque glacier | Sälka |
10. Alep Räitajekna | 1.85 | Valley glacier | Räita |
11. Mårmapaktejekna | 1.81 | Valley glacier | Mårma |
12. Atjekjekna | 1.79 | Ice cap | Atjek |
13. Alep Påssusjekna | 1.71 | Valley glacier | Sielma |
14. Lulep Räitajekna | 1.64 | Valley glacier | Räita |
15. Takglaciären | 1.62 | Valley glacier | Sielma |
16. Repijekna | 1.52 | Valley glacier | Sielma |
17. Kaskasajekna | 1.50 | Valley glacier | Kebnekaise |
18. Rieppejekna | 1.18 | Valley glacier | Kallak |
19. Nipalsjekna | 1.16 | Ice cap | Räita |
20. Vaktpostglaciären | 1.12 | Cirque glacier | Räita |
21. Nuortap Tjäktjajekna | 1.09 | Cirque glacier | Sielma |
Plus sign after area value means that the glacier is larger, and that part of it lies in Norway. The number indicates the area on Swedish territory.
(Glacier complexes divided into ice streams)
Name | Area (km2) | Type | Massif |
---|---|---|---|
1. Rabots glaciär | 4.09 | Valley glacier | Kebnekaise |
2. Mårmajekna | 4.03 | Valley glacier | Mårma |
3. Storglaciären | 3.29 | Valley glacier | Kebnekaise |
4. Kåtojekna | 2.65 | Valley glacier | Mårma |
5. Nuortap Riukojekna | 2.38+ | Ice cap | Riuko |
6. Stuor Nierasjekna | 2.28 | Ice cap | Nieras |
7. Kallakjekna | 2.02 | Ice cap | Kallak |
8. Årjep Sälkajekna | 1.86 | Cirque glacier | Sälka |
9. Alep Räitajekna | 1.85 | Valley glacier | Räita |
10. Mårmapaktejekna | 1.81 | Valley glacier | Mårma |
11. Atjekjekna | 1.79 | Ice cap | Atjek |
12. Kaska Påssusjekna | 1.78 | Valley glacier | Sielma |
13. Alep Påssusjekna | 1.71 | Valley glacier | Sielma |
14. Lulep Räitajekna | 1.64 | Valley glacier | Räita |
15. Takglaciären | 1.62 | Valley glacier | Sielma |
16. Repijekna | 1.52 | Valley glacier | Sielma |
17. Kaskasajekna | 1.50 | Valley glacier | Kebnekaise |
18. Årjep Riukojekna | 1.46+ | Ice cap | Riuko |
19. Björlings glaciär | 1.43 | Valley glacier | Kebnekaise |
20. Isfallsglaciären | 1.42 | Valley glacier | Kebnekaise |
21. Rieppejekna | 1.18 | Valley glacier | Kallak |
22. Nipalsjekna | 1.16 | Ice cap | Räita |
23. Vaktpostglaciären | 1.12 | Cirque glacier | Räita |
24. Nuortap Tjäktjajekna | 1.09 | Cirque glacier | Sielma |
Plus sign after area value means that the glacier is larger, and that part of it lies in Norway. The number indicates the area on Swedish territory.
The glaciers in Kebnekaise are on average slightly steeper than in Sarek. This results in them usually being more heavily crevassed as well. Thus there are as much as six prominent icefalls (plus a few border cases); in Takglaciären, Alep Räitatjåkkajekna, Vaktpostglaciären, Kebnepakteglaciären, Isfallsglaciären, and Årjep Sälkajekna.
![]() The icefall in Takglaciären |
![]() The icefall in Alep Räitatjåkkajekna |
![]() The icefall in Vaktpostglaciären |
![]() The icefall in Kebnepakteglaciären |
![]() The icefall in Isfallsglaciären |
![]() The icefall in Årjep Sälkajekna |
![]() |
![]() Top of document |
![]() The glaciers of the Abisko mountains |
![]() The glaciers of Sweden |
![]() The glaciers of the Padjelanta mountains |
![]() 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. |