Gunnbjørn
Encyclopedia
Gunnbjørn Fjeld is Greenland
's highest mountain and also the highest mountain north of the Arctic circle
. It is located in the Watkins Range
on the east coast, which contains several other summits above 3500 metres. It is a nunatak
, a rocky peak protruding through glacial
ice. Its height is often given as 3700 metres (12,139.1 ft), although figures vary slightly.
In the Icelandic Sagas, and thus by the Norsemen
, the mountain was called Hvitserk, literally meaning "whiteshirt". It was first climbed on 16 August 1935 by Augustine Courtauld
, Jack Longland, Ebbe Munck, Harold G. Wager, and Lawrence Wager
. It is named for Gunnbjorn Ulfsson
, the Viking
who was the first European to reach Greenland.
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
's highest mountain and also the highest mountain north of the Arctic circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
. It is located in the Watkins Range
Watkins Range
The Watkins Range is Greenland's highest mountain range, with massive ice-covered peaks and exposed cliffs. The Watkins Range has excellent snow as well as ice routes for experience climbers...
on the east coast, which contains several other summits above 3500 metres. It is a nunatak
Nunatak
A nunatak is an exposed, often rocky element of a ridge, mountain, or peak not covered with ice or snow within an ice field or glacier. The term is typically used in areas where a permanent ice sheet is present...
, a rocky peak protruding through glacial
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
ice. Its height is often given as 3700 metres (12,139.1 ft), although figures vary slightly.
In the Icelandic Sagas, and thus by the Norsemen
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
, the mountain was called Hvitserk, literally meaning "whiteshirt". It was first climbed on 16 August 1935 by Augustine Courtauld
Augustine Courtauld
Augustine Courtauld , often called August Courtauld, was a yachtsman and British Arctic explorer, best known for serving as the solo meteorologist of a winter observation post, Icecap Station, located in the interior of Greenland in 1930-1931...
, Jack Longland, Ebbe Munck, Harold G. Wager, and Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Rickard Wager, commonly known as Bill Wager, was a British geologist, explorer and mountaineer, described as "one of the finest geological thinkers of his generation" and best remembered for his work on the Skaergaard intrusion in Greenland, and for his attempt on Mount Everest in...
. It is named for Gunnbjorn Ulfsson
Gunnbjörn Ulfsson
Gunnbjørn Ulfsson , name also given as Gunnbjørn Ulf-Krakuson, was the first European to sight North America....
, the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
who was the first European to reach Greenland.