Skarstind
Encyclopedia
Skarstind is a prominent part of the Galdhøpiggen
mountain range in northwestern Jotunheimen
, Norway
, and is the sixth highest summit in the country. The mountain has three summits, the main summit at 2,373 meters above sea level, Nåle, the Needle, at 2,310 m and the small western summit at 2,215 m. It is located within the municipality of Lom
, (in Oppland
) on the eastern side of the Leirdalen valley, and the summit can be seen from the road along the valley floor. There are several other peaks in the vicinity, but only Galdhøpiggen
, a few kilometers to the east, is higher. The mountain can be seen from most of the higher peaks in Jotunheimen
and Breheimen
to the northwest.
The first part of the name Skarstind is one of the Norwegian words for mountain pass, although it is impossible to say which pass has given its name to the mountain. It might be the pass to the south or it might be the pass between the summit itself and the pinnacle, Nåle. Nåle, the Needle, has got its name from the local word for pinnacle, which describes the shape of it.
The summit was reached for the first time in 1884 by Severin Wleugel, Sig. Thor, Oskar Kristiansen. The first ascent of the two lower summits remains unknown, but it is probable that they were climbed at the same time.
The views, except towards the east, where Galdhøpiggen
blocks the view, are among the best in Jotunheimen
. To the west, you see the Smørstabbtindene
range, the Hurrungane
range and the Jostedalsbreen
glacier. To the northwest you see the Hestbrepiggane range and to the south you see most of the summits in central Jotunheimen
.
The shape of the mountain is extremely characteristic. Only from northwest does it look like a 'tind' a high pointy summit in Norwegian. From the east, from Galdhøpiggen
, it shows its steep wall with Nåle balancing on the left flank, as seen in the table. This wall is one of the more inaccessible in Jotunheimen and is climbed rarely. The southwest face is less forbidding, and it is possible to find a way up through the partly snow covered talus slopes. The mountain, as its neighbors, consists of the hard gabbro
rock, which withstands erosion better than most other rocks. The orientation of the layers of gabbro
in Skarstind is uncommon. Normally they rise from northwest towards southeast, which is why many summits are easiest to reach from the north side. At Skarstind the layers rise from southwest towards northeast. This is easily seen on the photo in the table.
The summit can be reached without equipment if the conditions are good and there is very little snow on the talus slopes on the southwest face. The normal ascent starts from Leirdalen up to Dummhøe, which is an easy, but rather steep climb of more than 1000 meters. Up to approximately 1500 meters, there is a path, made by sheep and goats, and used by mountaineers, but from there one has to follow the ridge up to Dummhøe, which is more of a small plain than a mountain. The plain is followed up to the summit of Western Skarstind, but from that small summit you can see the difficult west wall of the main summit.
There are four small walls to climb, but they may all be outflanked on the right side if the conditions are good. From the Western summit the flank seems nearly as forbidding as the wall itself, but at a close distance it is not to difficult and no equipment should be necessary. On days with fresh snow, like the last picture, equipment will probably be necessary on all routes.
Nåle seems to be very difficult, but it is much easier than the summit itself.
Skarstind is quite popular, given the mountain's high rank among Norwegian peaks; on most days during the short summer season peakbaggers climb the mountain, but the summit is hardly ever crowded. A winter ascent is only for the very experienced.
'.
Galdhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen is the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe, at 2,469 m above sea level...
mountain range in northwestern Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and is the sixth highest summit in the country. The mountain has three summits, the main summit at 2,373 meters above sea level, Nåle, the Needle, at 2,310 m and the small western summit at 2,215 m. It is located within the municipality of Lom
Lom, Norway
Lom is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fossbergom....
, (in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
) on the eastern side of the Leirdalen valley, and the summit can be seen from the road along the valley floor. There are several other peaks in the vicinity, but only Galdhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen is the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe, at 2,469 m above sea level...
, a few kilometers to the east, is higher. The mountain can be seen from most of the higher peaks in Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
and Breheimen
Breheimen
Breheimen is a mountain range in Sogn og Fjordane and Oppland counties in Norway. The area lies west of Jotunheimen , north of the Sognefjord, and south of the Nordfjord and Riksvei 15...
to the northwest.
The first part of the name Skarstind is one of the Norwegian words for mountain pass, although it is impossible to say which pass has given its name to the mountain. It might be the pass to the south or it might be the pass between the summit itself and the pinnacle, Nåle. Nåle, the Needle, has got its name from the local word for pinnacle, which describes the shape of it.
The summit was reached for the first time in 1884 by Severin Wleugel, Sig. Thor, Oskar Kristiansen. The first ascent of the two lower summits remains unknown, but it is probable that they were climbed at the same time.
The views, except towards the east, where Galdhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen is the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe, at 2,469 m above sea level...
blocks the view, are among the best in Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
. To the west, you see the Smørstabbtindene
Smørstabbtindene
Smørstabbtindene is a mountain of Oppland, in southern Norway....
range, the Hurrungane
Hurrungane
Hurrungane is a mountain range in the municipalities Luster and Årdal in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway...
range and the Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is situated in Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Balestrand, Jølster, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of .Jostedalsbreen has a total area...
glacier. To the northwest you see the Hestbrepiggane range and to the south you see most of the summits in central Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
.
The shape of the mountain is extremely characteristic. Only from northwest does it look like a 'tind' a high pointy summit in Norwegian. From the east, from Galdhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen is the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe, at 2,469 m above sea level...
, it shows its steep wall with Nåle balancing on the left flank, as seen in the table. This wall is one of the more inaccessible in Jotunheimen and is climbed rarely. The southwest face is less forbidding, and it is possible to find a way up through the partly snow covered talus slopes. The mountain, as its neighbors, consists of the hard gabbro
Gabbro
Gabbro refers to a large group of dark, coarse-grained, intrusive mafic igneous rocks chemically equivalent to basalt. The rocks are plutonic, formed when molten magma is trapped beneath the Earth's surface and cools into a crystalline mass....
rock, which withstands erosion better than most other rocks. The orientation of the layers of gabbro
Gabbro
Gabbro refers to a large group of dark, coarse-grained, intrusive mafic igneous rocks chemically equivalent to basalt. The rocks are plutonic, formed when molten magma is trapped beneath the Earth's surface and cools into a crystalline mass....
in Skarstind is uncommon. Normally they rise from northwest towards southeast, which is why many summits are easiest to reach from the north side. At Skarstind the layers rise from southwest towards northeast. This is easily seen on the photo in the table.
The summit can be reached without equipment if the conditions are good and there is very little snow on the talus slopes on the southwest face. The normal ascent starts from Leirdalen up to Dummhøe, which is an easy, but rather steep climb of more than 1000 meters. Up to approximately 1500 meters, there is a path, made by sheep and goats, and used by mountaineers, but from there one has to follow the ridge up to Dummhøe, which is more of a small plain than a mountain. The plain is followed up to the summit of Western Skarstind, but from that small summit you can see the difficult west wall of the main summit.
There are four small walls to climb, but they may all be outflanked on the right side if the conditions are good. From the Western summit the flank seems nearly as forbidding as the wall itself, but at a close distance it is not to difficult and no equipment should be necessary. On days with fresh snow, like the last picture, equipment will probably be necessary on all routes.
Nåle seems to be very difficult, but it is much easier than the summit itself.
Skarstind is quite popular, given the mountain's high rank among Norwegian peaks; on most days during the short summer season peakbaggers climb the mountain, but the summit is hardly ever crowded. A winter ascent is only for the very experienced.
The name
The first element is the genitive of skard n 'gap, pass', the last element is the finite form of tind m 'mountain peakMountain peak
A mountain peak is the highest part of a mountain; a mountaintop; the summit.Mountain Peak may also refer to:* Blue Mountain Peak, Jamaica* Hole in the Mountain Peak, Nevada, USA...
'.