Hiking Mama: Day 8 - Norwegian Fjords to Galdhoppigen to the Nigardsbreen Glacier

Nigardsbreen Glacier --- would take three days to cover the entire glacier. Largest in mainland Europe...

Up and at it...started out in pouring rain...today is full regalia, harness, crampons and ice axe for a 6 mile hike on the Nigardsbreen Glacier.

Have you ever taken a little boat over a glacier lake? The water was the most inviting blue green. The sediment from the glacier is dumped into the lake so the bottom looks white. Rumor has it the lake will be completely filled in with glacier sediment in 200 years.

Upon arriving on the glacier the first wonderous sight was a snow avalanche - which also included ginormous rock boulders, they littered the ground like peanut shells at a baseball game.

Harnesses on, crampons on, rope attached... RAIN STOPPED! :)

The Glacier was awesome, the most beautiful ice blue I have ever seen. Our glacier guide, Adam, guided us in, around and over ice alleys, tunnels and crevasses. We received a fantastic glacier education, learned that Norway had a mini ice age in 1749.

One slip for me, resulted in a fantastic bruise (no pic available...) but luckily no slides nor falls into ice abysses...if you ever take this trip, start early, the routes get chopped up by the loads of people that follow.

As we boarded the boat back to land..the clouds opened up and HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN...!

Our Einar always got us up early and to the summits before all the others! The best guide ever!

Enjoy some pix!