	Top of document	The glaciers of Kebnekaise	The glaciers of the Mårma massif	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 glaciers of the Riuko massif

The Riuko massif from E, August 2, 1995. (78 kB)

The Riuko massif is a moderately high plateau-like massif between Abiskodalen, Alesvagge and the border to Norway in northern Kebnekaise. The highest peak is Kalantjåkka (1582 m), and the massif contains 6-8 glaciers (depending on how you count).

Table over the glaciers of the Riuko massif with basic data

#	Name	Type	Area (km²)	Length (km)	Lowest point (m)	Highest point (m)	Height difference (m)
1.	Nuortap Kalanjekna	Ice cap	0.47	0.7	1190	1410	220
2.	Kaska Kalanjekna	Ice cap	0.26	0.7	1265	1415	150
3.	Årjep Kalanjekna	Ice cap	0.58	1.0	1340	1515	175
4.	Konkarjekna	Ice cap	0.69	0.7	1255	1490	235
5.	Luoktekjekna	Cirque glacier	0.20	0.6	1140	1320	180
6.	Riukojekna	Glacier complex	4.49+	3.0	1130	1475	345
6a.	of which Nuortap Riukojekna	Ice cap	2.38+	2.3	1130	1475	345
6b.	of which Lulep Riukojekna	Ice cap	0.65	1.3	1240	1390	150
6c.	of which Årjep Riukojekna	Ice cap	1.46+	1.6	1285	1475	190
Total		6.69+

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.

Special: The ´snowfall´ at Kartetjåkka

1. Nuortap Kalanjekna

Nuortap Kalanjekna (0.47 km²) is an ice cap on the east slope of Kalanvare.

2. Kaska Kalanjekna

Kaska Kalanjekna (0.26 km²) is a small ice cap in a shallow depression on the north side of Kalantjåkka.

3. Årjep Kalanjekna

Årjep Kalanjekna (0.58 km²) is an ice cap on the south side of Kalantjåkka.

4. Konkarjekna

Konkarjekna from SE, July 19, 1981. (53 kB)

Konkarjekna (0.69 km²), an ice cap, lies on the east side of Konkar, above the valley Konkarrieppe.

5. Luoktekjekna

Luoktekjekna (0.20 km²) is a small cirque glacier at the innermost of the valley Luoktekrieppe.

6. Riukojekna

The Riukojekna complex (4.49+ km²) is the only Swedish example of an ice cap in the strictest sense of the word; an ice dome constituting the highest point, with different tongues moving radially outwards. Most of the complex lies in Sweden, and is divided into Nuortap Riukojekna, Lulep Riukojekna, and Årjep Riukojekna. If you count in the Norwegian part the area is 6.10 km².

6a. Nuortap Riukojekna

Nuortap Riukojekna (2.38+ km²), the largest part of the complex, earlier extended down into lake 1063, but now the tongue has receded back up the slope. Like the other parts this ice cap has few crevasses.

6b. Lulep Riukojekna

Lulep Riukojekna (0.65 km²) is the part of the complex flowing down straight to the east.

6c. Årjep Riukojekna

Årjep Riukojekna (1.46+ km²) is the part of the ice cap sliding downwards to the south.

Special: The ´snowfall´ at Kartetjåkka

The ´snowfall´ from N, August 1, 1995. (53 kB)

To the north of Kartetjåkka, next to the marked footpath between Unna Allakas and Alesjaure, there is a large snow field. This is no glacier (possibly some dead ice), but at least during the summer of 1995 it displayed a veritable ´icefall´. A chaotic jumble of crossing crevasse systems and bizarre formations, made up of opaque snow-ice.

Snow formations in the ´snowfall´, August 1, 1995. (53 kB)

The only explanation I can think of is that there must have been an ice-dammed lake in the pass. This would have caused substantial calving of the snow field, with a number of small ´icebergs´ as result. Then the dam must have burst, the lake emptied, leaving the crevassed snow and the ´bergs´ stranded. This must then have happened shortly before I came there (days?), since the formations otherwise would have melted away. If so, it should really happen every year.

	Top of document	The glaciers of Kebnekaise	The glaciers of the Mårma massif	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.