Galdhøpiggen - Norway's highest mountain

Galdhøpiggen is not only the highest mountain in Norway, it is also the highest mountain in the Nordic region at 2469 meters, beating Hvannadalshnúkur (2110 meters) by a wide margin. Standing on the summit of Galdhøpiggen and looking out over Jotunheimen, the “Home of the Giants”, is a powerful feeling.

For those who have succeeded or want proof that they have tried. We sell really nice cloth badges, stickers and pins with the Galdhøpiggen as a motif.

Pins, stickers and badges featuring Galdhøpiggen

Pin Galdhøpiggen – Norway

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Metallic Sticker Galdhøpiggen – Norway

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Embroidered Patch Galdhøpiggen – Norway

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How high is Galdhøpiggen?

Galdhøpiggen’s height above sea level is 2469 meters. This makes Galdhøpiggen the highest mountain in Norway and the Nordic countries.

Galdhøpiggen is Norway’s highest mountain, but that claim has been disputed in the past. Nearby Glittertind was thought to be a few meters higher if you included its snow-covered glacier on top.

A similar controversy exists as to whether Sweden’s highest peak should be the north or south peak of Kebnekaise.

Nowadays Glittertind’s glacier has shrunk and Galdhøpiggen is highest whether you include the ice on Glittertind or not.

Galdhøpiggen	Dimensions
Height above sea level:	2469 m
Primary factor:	2372 m
Secondary factor:	1568 km(Kriváň)

Altitude information Galdhøpiggen

Beskrivning Primärfaktor, Sekundärfaktor

Where is Galdhøpiggen?

Galdhøpiggen is located in Jotunheimen National Park. Jotunheimen is home to some of the highest peaks in northern Europe. Galdhøpiggen is located in Lom municipality in Inland Norway.

Country:	Norway
Landscape/County	Inland
municipality	Lom
Mountain range/mountainous area	Jotunheimen

Where is Galdhøpiggen located

Coordinates of Galdhøpiggen

DMS Format:
61° 38′ 11.18″ N, 8° 18′ 44.93″ E

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UTM Format:
32V 463562 6833873

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Map of the mountain

Where does the name Galdhøpiggen come from?

Galdhøpiggen means the top (spike) of the mountain Galdhø. Galdhø in turn is made up of gald meaning steep mountain road/trail and hø meaning rounded mountain top.

Climb Galdhøpiggen

Climbing to the summit of the highest mountain in the Nordic region is truly something out of the ordinary. The view from the peak, but also during the hike to the peak, is fantastic. From the summit of Galdhøpiggen you can see a large part of the Jotunheimen mountain area.

At the summit of Galdhøpiggen there is a cabin with coffee, snacks, chocolate and drinks etc. On a clear day, you can see an estimated 25% of Norway’s land area from the peak.

Who was the first to make an ascent?

In 1850, local guide Steinar Sulheim became the first to climb Galdhøpiggen, accompanied by teacher Lars Arnesen and churchwarden Ingebrigt Flotten.

Is it difficult to climb Galdhøpiggen?

Climbing Galdhøpiggen is not technically difficult. No climbing is required and you can hike all the way to the summmit. Although no climbing is required, the hike is steep and, depending on how fit you are, the steep ascent combined with the high altitude can be strenuous.

Depending on which trail you choose, you will also need to cross the Styggebreen glacier, which requires a guide and that you cross it in a group tied with ropes.

Can a hiker climb Galdhøpiggen?

Anyone who is reasonably fit and able to hike for at least 6-7 hours on steep terrain can make an ascent of Galdhøpiggen.

Can a child climb Galdhøpiggen?

Children can definitely climb Galdhøpiggen. Recommending a minimum age can be difficult as both fitness but also willingness and interest vary greatly. A minimum age somewhere between 7-12 years, depending on how fit and used to hiking the child is, can be a guideline.

The lower age limit to walk with a guide on the Styggebreen glacier is 7 years.

Remember that a hike to the summit should be fun for everyone. If you are climbing Galdhøpiggen with children, stop in time if the child does not want to continue or seems exhausted. Also, keep in mind that good clothing and footwear even for the child is a prerequisite for a good experience. Compared to adults, children may need more breaks and it can be good to have plenty of time planned for the climb and bring plenty of food, water and snacks.

What is the right age for an ascent?

It is difficult to set age limits, but if you can handle 6-7 hours of hiking in steep terrain, you can probably also climb Galdhøpiggen.

There is a lower age limit to walk with a guide over the Styggebreen glacier and it is 7 years. Upwards there is no age limit and there are many people aged 70+ who climb Galdhøpiggen.

Both young and old, it can be a good idea to do less challenging hikes before embarking on the hike up Galdhøpiggen.

Best time to climb Galdhøpiggen?

Late snowmelt and early snowfall make the season for hiking in Jotunheimen and climbing Galdhøpiggen quite short.

The best chances are between June 15 and August 15. But there are usually good opportunities between June 1 and September 15. At the beginning and end of the season, weather conditions can be more unpredictable.

During October to April there are possibilities to do the hike with skis.

Trails to the peak

There are several trails to the peak of Galdhøpiggen. Two of them are by far the most popular. It is also these two that are suitable for regular hikers.

Trail 1 – From Juvasshytta over the Styggebreen glacier to the peak of Galdhøpiggen

The trail from Juvashytta to the summit of Galdhøpiggen is both the easiest and most common trail. The trail starts from Juvashytta, a mountain resort with both food and accommodation. Juvashytta can be reached by car or bus from the nearby town of Lom.

Juvashytta is located at an altitude of 1841 meters, which means that you have 628 altitude meters left to hike to the summit.

The hike is about 5.5km and takes between 5-7 hours. 3-4 hours up and 2-3 hours back.

At the start of the hike, you first pass the meltwater lake Juvvatnet and then the ski resort “Galdhøpiggen Sommerskisenter”, which is open in summer.

The special thing about this trail is that after about 2.8km of hiking you have to cross the glacier Styggebreen. Crossing the glacier safely requires a guide. You should never attempt to cross it yourself.

Guided tours can be booked on the Juvashytta website and cost around 400NOK for adults. Other accommodation in the area also has guided tours.

Crossing the glacier is relatively easy. You get a harness and hook yourself together with other hikers on a long rope. This is to prevent anyone from falling into any glacier crevasses.

Crossing the glacier then takes around 45 minutes. The same thing is repeated on the way back.

After crossing the glacier, you have about 1km of steep hiking left to the summit.

Steep after the glacier — Steep trail after the glacier

Still steep — Steep trail after the glacier

Trail 2 – From Spiterstulen to the peak of Galdhøpiggen

The trail from Spiterstulen to Galdhøpiggen is about as long as the one from Juvashytta (5.5km) but a lot harder due to more altitude meters.

Spiterstulen is at an altitude of 1100 meters which gives a climb of 1369 meters compared to 628 meters via Trail 1. In addition, the route goes over and down between two more peaks of over 2200 meters which further increases the number of climbing meters.

On the plus account, you can therefore tick off 3 peaks of over 2000 meters on this tour. You also have no glacier to cross and the tour can be done completely without a guide if you want. The trail is not technically difficult but many meters of altitude and rocky ground make the hike exhausting.

The hike from Spiterstulen to the summit of Galdhøpiggen and back takes about 8-10 hours. 5-6 hours up and 3-4 hours down.

The hike to the summit starts at Spiterstulen which is a mountain facility / hostel with both food and accommodation. The facility is easily reached by both bus and car as there is a road that goes all the way.

At the start of the hike you cross the river Visa. After about 600 meters the path splits and you turn left towards Galdhøpiggen (to the right is the road to Juvasshytta).

The trail is steep until about 1800 meters altitude when it levels out a bit.

The first peak you reach is Svellnosi (2272m). From there you see the next peak which is Keilhaus peak (2355m). To get there, you first have to go down a bit before you start the climb to Keilhaus peak. From here you can clearly see the goal Galdhøpiggen peak. A further descent and then the final climb up to the summit starts through mostly snow and ice.

Other trails

Western Approach from Geitsætre
Ymmelstinden-Storjuvtinden-Galdhøpiggen

What equipment is needed?

No special technical equipment is required for an ascent of Galdhøpiggen. If you take the trail from Juvasshytta over the Styggebreen glacier, harnesses and ropes etc. are required, but these are provided by the guides.

However, you should wear the right clothes and shoes. Don’t underestimate the weather, even though it may seem calm in summer. The weather can change quickly and it can be windy and cold. It is therefore advisable to dress in layers so that you can adapt your clothing.

Closest to the body: wool or synthetic underwear (thin sweater and long underwear, socks).
Middle layer: wool or fleece sweater.
Outer layers: Hiking pants and shell jacket/windbreaker. If pants and jacket are not waterproof, also rain pants and rain jacket.
Cap
Mittens
Shoes/Boots: Sturdy waterproof boots that may go over the ankle to provide support and reduce the risk of sprains.
Good quality wool or synthetic hiking socks.
Sunglasses can be useful especially if you are crossing Styggebreen but also otherwise as the light from the snow can be strong.
Water bottle

Remember not to go hiking in new boots, you should have broken in your boots well.

Packing list for the ascent

It is advisable to take a backpack for day trips (around 20-30 liters). The backpack should have space for food, water and the clothes and equipment you are not using at the moment. On a hot day, you may want to temporarily reduce your clothing, especially on the way up.

Food: Bring a hearty packed lunch. Sandwiches with butter, ham and cheese, some boiled eggs. Or thermos with hot water and freeze-dried food.
Snacks: Nuts, Snickers, dried fruit. You may need a lot of breaks and need to replenish your energy.
Filled water bottle
Cap
Mittens
Sunglasses
Blister patches

Don’t forget to eat a hearty, energy-rich breakfast that lasts a long time.

Find accommodation at Galdhøpiggen

The two obvious accommodation options for climbing Galdhøpiggen are Spiterstulen and Juvashytta, depending on the route.

But there are many more accommodations in the area, both hotel hostels and private cabins. Many of the larger lodges have packages with accommodation and guided tours to Galdhøpiggen.

If you have a car with you, you should not focus on staying right at the start of the trails. There are many nice accommodations in the area where you can take a short drive to Spiterstulen or Juvashytta in the morning to start a summit tour.

Spiterstulen
Perfect for the Spiterstulen to Galdhøpiggen peak trail.

Juvashytta
Perfect for the Juvasshytta trail across the Styggebreen glacier to the summit of Galdhøpiggen.

Raubergstulen
Nice facility at the foot of Galdhøpiggens a short (20 min) drive from Juvasshytta.

How do you get there?

Both Juvasshytta and Spiterstulen are accessible by road. So you don’t have to hike to get to the starting point for a summit tour of Galdhøpiggen.

During the high season there is also a bus a couple of times a day from Lom.

Going by bus and train to Galdhøpiggen

From the nearby village of Lom, there are buses to Juvasshytta (Line 202), Raubergstulen (Line 202) and Spiterstulen (Line 201) during the high season. See Innlandstrafikk.no for more details.

Lom can be reached by bus from both Oslo and Trondheim. Several bus companies run tours, for example VY146 Oslo – Lom with vybuss.com.

Another option is to take a train to Otta and from there a bus to Lom. There are trains from both Trondheim and Oslo.

Take the car to Galdhøpiggen

By car, it takes about 4 hours 40 minutes from Oslo to both Juvasshytta and Spiterstulen. From Trondheim it takes about the same time and from Bergen about 7 hours 40 minutes.

From Oslo, take the E6 north to Otta where you turn left onto road 15. In Lom, take the second exit at the roundabout towards Sogndal and road 55.

If you are going to Spiterstulen, turn left in Røisheim onto Visdalsvegen.

If you are going to Juvasshytta, continue on road 55 to Galdesand where you turn left towards Raubergstulen, Juvasshytta and Galdhøpiggen.

Itinerary	Details
Oslo to Spiterstulen / Juvasshytta	4 h 50 min, 380 km
Trondheim to Spiterstulen / Juvasshytta	4 h 40 min, 310 km
Mountains to Spiterstulen / Juvasshytta	7 h 40 min, 450 km

Travel time to Spiterstulen/Juvasshytta

Cheap flights to Galdhøpiggen

The nearest airports to Galdhøpiggen are Oslo Airport Gardemoen (OSL) and Trondheim Airport (TRD).

From both airports you can easily rent a car and drive to Galdhøpiggen in 4-5 hours.

Buy fabric badges, stickers and pins with Galdhøpiggen

Reward yourself with a nice souvenir if you have climbed or visited Galdhøpiggen. Maybe you want to collect all the highest peaks in the Nordic region? We have them all.