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Lyngen Alps
Area/Range

Lyngen Alps

 
Lyngen Alps

Page Type: Area/Range

Location: Norway, Europe

Lat/Lon: 69.28190°N / 19.52400°E

Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Ice Climbing, Mixed, Scrambling, Skiing

Season: Spring, Summer, Fall

Elevation: 6017 ft / 1834 m

 

Page By: darinchadwick

Created/Edited: Jul 8, 2007 / May 26, 2011

Object ID: 309325

Hits: 6885 

Page Score: 87.3% - 9 Votes 

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Overview

The Lyngen Alps are a compact range of peaks that begin close to the tri borders of Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Most of the peaks are part of a peninsula that runs on a North\South axis. The Lyngen Peninsula is bordered by Balsfjord to the west, Storfjord to the east, and the open ocean to the north. It is bisected in the center by a fjord called Kjosen, which nearly cuts the peninsula in half.

The mountains are comprised of metamorphic and sedimentary rock that is geologically complicated, and makes for loose and unstable rock conditions. The greatest appeal of the Lyngen alps to the traveling climber is the backcountry skiing. It's extreme latitude, weather, and steepness makes for remarkable downhill backcountry skiing for those willing to skin and climb. The proximity to the open ocean also creates ice climbing opprotunities. There are limited established trails, as well as many use paths that are easy to follow leading into the deep valleys between the peaks. Occasionally reports come out of decent rock climbing, and there are obviously plenty of good scrambling routes, so there is truly something for everyone except the sport climber.

Getting There

If you really want to go in style, stay at the Lyngen Lodge

Lyngen Lodge
An Ok overview of the area, and how to travel here, published by the official on-line tour guide to Norway.
Overview of Lyngen

Red Tape

Unique rules of camping in Norway apply. You cannot camp on cultivated land, or beside a permanent structure. That's it. Helicopter skiing is still not allowed, though a couple exceptions have been granted for filmakers, royality, and their ilk.

Other sources and External links.

Guidebook
Finally, published November 2010, a guidebook for ski mountaineering that includes Lyngen. A short description of each route is in English and all routes have excellent airial shots with route overlays. Written by a local guide, this is the only published resource for climbing and skiing in Lyngen. Highly recommended.

Images

OtertindPiggtind, late JanuaryKåfjordenSkiing....Kåfjorden, NorwayJægervasstindanLyngen Alps in midnight sun
PiggtindJægervasstindaneOtertindRiver crossing in Lingen. BálggesvárriPiggtind
[ View Gallery - 9 More Images ]



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