Jotunheimen National Park was established in 1980 and is 1151 km2. It's situated in Lom, Vågå and Vang in the county of Oppland, and Luster and Årdal in the county of Sogn og Fjordane.
Jotunheimen covers an area from the west country landscape of high, sharp ridged peaks in Hurrungane, the most distinctive peaks, to the eastern country landscape of large valleys and mountain lakes. Utladalen is a protected landscape area together with Jotunheimen National Park.
In this narrow, distinctive valley there are heat loving deciduous forests and high waterfalls. The public footpath that winds its way up the valley crosses over the wildly cascading Utla river many times on its way down the valley. Can you see yourself on top of one of the sharpest ridges?
It was the Norwegian poet, Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, who gave these mountains their name, the Jøtunheimen, in 1862, inspired by the wild landscape and Norse mythology. The Giants or Trolls (Jotnane) have their home here. Jøtunheimen later became Jotunheimen, the name still used today for this area, which has the highest mountains in northern Europe.
Mountain climbing in Jotunheimen is as popular today as when the English started to explore these mountains during the 1800s and many are still following in the footsteps of Slingsby and the other pioneers.
Do you dream about the jerk of the fishing rod when a trout bites? Do you dream of escaping to the mountains in the autumn with the family, skipping from stone to stone along a path and opening a picnic on the top of a boulder? In Jotunheimen this is not just a dream. Mountain climbers and families with children find their way to Jotunheimen. Here you can enjoy the lush, flowering vegetation, experience the magic of the blue ice, master the mountain wall and go hiking for days in scree, drifts of snow and mighty mountains. Or just enjoy the view.
In Jotunheimen there is space for both the peak hiker and the flower lover. People who love mountains and first time travellers alike can enjoy themselves here. Don’t know enough about mountain hiking on your own or want to walk with others? Experience the mountain in the company of a mountain guide!
Cabin to cabin
The marked paths in Jotunheimen nearly always lead to a tourist cabin. In most of the cabins you will be served warm food and get a roof over your head for the night, unless you wish go self-catering in one of the unmanned cabins. If you have a tent in your rucksack, you have a world of opportunities! Remember to bring your fishing rod, because the trout in the Jotunheimen lakes are waiting. Buy your fishing permit at inatur.no
Climate Park 2469
Experience mountains and climate in an exciting and educational trip through the climate park at the foot of Galdhøpiggen mountain. The guided trip ends inside the ice tunnel: 60 metres inside the ice – 6,000 years back in time. Order your trip at klimapark2469.no
The Besseggen ridge
Besseggen is the icon of Norwegian mountain hiking. The hike goes partly across airy and steep terrain with some climbing. On the way you can enjoy views to Gjende and the high mountains of East Jotunheimen. This day trip requires you to be in good shape and you must bring food and clothes suitable for spending a day in the mountains. Order tickets for the Gjende boat and start the most famous hiking trip in Norway. See gjende.no.
Walking/summit hike
Galdhøpiggen has risen higher than any other peak in Norway. Follow a glacier guide from Juvasshytta or walk without a guide from Spiterstulen. Most of the 2,000 metre high peaks in Norway are found in Jotunheimen. The view from one peak awakens the urge to visit the next and this is how peak hiking starts. Follow the Jotunheimen Haute Route – a five-day randonée ski tour covering seven 2,000-metre summits with long climbs uphill and steep downhill runs.
Glacier walking
The fairytale ice in Svellnosbreen glacier is a world of ice and exiting landscape, a playground for the adventurous looking for a new experience with crampons and an ice pick. Walking on glaciers and blue ice requires knowledge and experience of the glacier and equipment – otherwise choose to be guided by an experienced glacier guide.
Utladalen
At the nature house in Utladalen you gain an insight into the nature and culture of the valley and Western Jotunheimen. Here at the entrance to Utladalen you can also enjoy a cup of coffee and waffles. Take the child friendly trip along the foot path to Vetti farm. A lovely ramble with the buggy or on a bike!
Wolverine
Supple and strong, the wolverine roams around the mountains hunting and devouring carrion. He is a loner with a very large territory. The wolverine benefits from the numerous reindeer sharing the same territory.
Reindeer
Norway has an international responsibility for taking care of the wild reindeer. Approximately 90 % of the wild tundra reindeer in the world are found here. This high mountain species has adapted more than any other to low temperatures and barren pastures, and the herds are continually migrating between pastures and areas for calving throughout the year. The wild reindeer are found in Western Jotunheimen, while the herders in Vågå and Lom herd large flocks of tame reindeer in Eastern Jotunheimen.
Birds of the mountain
Whilst up in the mountains, we can view and listen to the life in the air. The large birds of prey hunt small game, rodents and small birds. The second largest bird of prey in Norway, the golden eagle, has a wingspan up to as much as 2,2 metres. The female is the largest, something common amongst birds of prey. The gyrfalcon also has a large wingspan. Measuring up to 1.6 metres this is our largest falcon. He is a swift hunter, normally catching his prey at high speed in the air. The menu preferably contains grouse, and he therefore nests in areas with large grouse stocks. Small birds are also the prey of the gyrfalcon. Birds are part of the sound scape of the mountain. The magical song of the plover follows many a mountain hiker, and if you hear a sound like two rocks hitting each other, it is the wheatear keeping an eye on you. The bluestocking, with its blue and reddish brown chest is exotic to look at, and can be found in birch forest and willow thickets in the high mountains.
Fluctuations in the mountains
The barren basis of life in the mountains means that many species are vulnerable and completely dependent on good access to food and undisturbed areas. This is the only way they can keep the stock going. Some years the mountains are full of small and hot headed lemmings. Large stocks of small rodents providing good living conditions and more food for predators and birds of prey. During these years the grouse has an easier life and produces more fledglings in each litter. The stock of grouse increases after good years of small rodents, and falls correspondingly following years of low numbers of small rodents. Life in the high mountains is only for those who have cracked the code. Not everything can survive long winters and high winds. Here you will find animals and birds that survive in conditions you would consider impossible.
The wildlife in Jotunheimen covers everything from hardy little birds to predators with eagle eyes and sharp noses. They are all high mountain specialists.
Mountains
An alpine landscape of high mountains, snow and glaciers whichever way you turn. This is how it feels to be on top of Norway's highest mountain Galdhøpiggen. What you see around you are the highest mountains of Northern Europe.
Lakes
The emerald green Gjende is the queen of the lakes. The green colour is caused by melt water from the glacier. The glacier rivers carry silt and tiny particles of clay down into the mountain lakes. The particles reflect the sunlight and give the lakes their distinctive green colour. The colour is most intense when the melt water is at its highest.
The bedrock
The Caledonian mountain range covers the whole of Norway, from the north to the south. Part of this mountain range is known as Jotunheimen. The mountains and peaks of Jotunheimen withstand erosion, due to the hard rock types of gabbro and syenite. We find more porous and nutritious types of rock in other places in Jotunheimen, creating fertile conditions for diverse vegetation.
Botanical diversity
The glacier buttercup grows highest of all the flowering plants: All the way up to 2,370 metres above the sea level below Glittertind! The anemone Pulsatilla vernalis and the purple mountain saxifrage also show their faces as soon as the snow has melted. Several typical low country species grow well over 1,000 metres above sea level where there is good soil, amongst these the lily of the valley. In past times this poisonous plant was used in herbal medicine in high risk treatment of heart conditions, colds and stomach pains. Along the northern side of Gjende and below Besseggen, chalky soil provides the botanical diversity of a lush forest of mountain birch. The white mountain queen grows on steep slopes; it is also called pyramidal saxifrage and locally called vianvang. This is Norway’s national flower.
Lichen
The map lichen is a common species in Norway. Since the map lichen does not survive under ice, we can look at the size and calculate how long an area has been free of ice. The map lichen is slow growing: If the plant has a diameter of five centimetres it means that it is approximately 250 years old. The lichen starts to grow as soon as snow and ice no longer cover the stone all year round. A lighter coloured scree without lichen has therefore been free of ice for a shorter time than a lichen covered scree.
Welcome to a trip in the National Park!
There is room for many if we show consideration for the people and animals around us. The National Parks are the best of Norwegian nature. The conservation order contributes to taking good care of the landscape and the diversity of animals and plants. So we can still add to our memories of this place in the future.
Common right of access
You can go wherever you wish on foot or on skis. Feel free to follow a marked footpath or marked trail in the National Park. You can take a break wherever you like. Erect a tent wherever you wish as long as it is more than 150 metres from any house or a cabin where people are living. In the National Park you are free to pick berries, mushrooms and common plants for your own use. Showing consideration for the vegetation and animal life is important, especially during the nesting and breeding season. Cultural heritage sites such as old homesteads and hunting pits are protected, so stones from old stone walls must be left in place.
Rubbish
Remember to tidy up after you and take your rubbish home.
You can light a fire between the 15th of September and the 15th of April and the rest of the year where it is obvious that it will not lead to a fire. Take note of local prohibitions. Show consideration for nature when gathering firewood.
Hunting and fishing
You can hunt and fish in the National Park as in other mountain areas as long as you have a hunting licence and/or fishing permit. You are not allowed to use live bait. You must not take live fish or wet fishing equipment from one waterway to another.
Dogs in the National Park
Dogs are welcome along for the trip. Between 1st April and 1st November all dogs must be kept on a leash. Show consideration for wild animals, grazing animals and people all the year round. The reindeer are especially vulnerable during winter and spring. As a general rule, motorised vehicles are prohibited in the National Park.
Clothes and equipment
The weather in the mountains can change very quickly, in both summer and winter. Summertime can offer warmth and blue skies or low temperatures and thick fog. Winter trips can offer sunshine and long distance views or cold winds and driving snow conditions. You must evaluate the weather and conditions based on your fitness and skills and prepare yourself with suitable clothes and equipment. Taking a walk in the mountains can be hard physically.
Taking a trip with a mountain guide provides safety and useful tips. Good planning provides a good trip experience.
Reference: miljodirektoratet.no
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