Lyngen Alps

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Lyngen Alps are a mountain chain in northeastern Troms, North Norway, east of Tromsø. The mountains follows the western shore of the Lyngen (fjord) in a south - north direction. The length is at least 90 km (depending on definition, there are mountains all the way south to the border with Sweden), and the widh is 15 - 20 km. The mountains dominates the Lyngen Peninsula, which is bordered by the Lyngen (fjord) to the east, and Ullsfjorden to the west. The British climber William Cecil Slingsby was the first to climb many of the peaks.

These alpine mountains are popular among extreme skiers, and provide stunning scenery against the blue fjords. The highest peak is Jiekkevarre, 1833 m, the highest in Troms. There are several small glaciers in the mountains. The Lyngen Alps are sufficiently high as to give rain shadow in the interior lowland areas east of the mountains.

The Lyngen Alps is mainly located in the municipalities of Lyngen and Balsfjord, although there are mountains further south and east, but not as impressive as the Lyngen Alps.

• Source: J.Tollefsrud. E. Tjørve, P. Hermansen: Perler i norsk natur - en veiviser; Aschehoug, 1991.