Briksdal Glacier Walk
Trip Start
Jun 02, 2012
1
9
20
Trip End
Jun 28, 2012
Loen, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
We arrived at Briksdal Glacier around 2:30 PM under overcast skies, and began the climb up the valley ("dal" means Valley in Norwegian). Everywhere we looked, wildflowers blanketed any landscape not already claimed by birch trees, granite bedrock, and boulders the size of small houses.
The glacier itself is about 3 km up the valley, a finger protruding down from Jostedal Icefield, the largest in mainland Europe. It's been eight years since I've seen Briksdal Glacier, and the distance it has retreated up the mountain is dramatic. Still, the scene was impressive, perhaps enhanced by the low cloud cover which amplified the impression that the glacier, and surrounding waterfalls, were falling down endless granite walls from an infinite sky.
We returned to the trailhead the same way we came, sharing the road with electric carts that cater to Japanese tourists who prefer to ride through this natural splendor. Leaving Briksdal, we checked into our hotel at the head of the Nord Fjord, Norway’s fourth longest. We then prepared to do battle with an expansive buffet dinner that is becoming troublingly commonplace on this Adventure. We walking 10 km walks and eating like we're walking marathons!
