Kebnekaise
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- See Kebnekajse for the Swedish band.
| Kebnekaise | |
|---|---|
 Kebnekaise, view from Tuolpagorni |
|
| Elevation | 2,103 metres (6,900 feet) |
| Location | Sweden |
| Range | Scandinavian Mountains |
| Coordinates | |
| First ascent | 1883 by Charles Rabot |
| Easiest route | rock/ice walk |
Kebnekaise (from Sami Giebmegáisi or Giebnegáisi, "Cauldron Crest") is the highest mountain in Sweden. The Kebnekaise massif, which is part of the Scandinavian Mountains, has two peaks, of which the southern, glaciated one is highest at 2,103 metres (ca. 6,900 ft) above sea level. The north top (2,097 metres) is free of ice. Kebnekaise lies in Lapland, about 150 kilometres (ca. 90 miles) north of the Arctic Circle and west of Kiruna near the popular Kungsleden hiking trail between Abisko and Nikkaluokta.
The glacier has shrunk, therefore the summit is not as high as earlier. The top is traditionally said to be 2,111 m, and higher in the oldest measurement, e.g. 2,117 m.
A mountain lodge, Kebnekaise mountain lodge (Kebnekaise fjällstation), is located at the foot of Kebnekaise. It is the starting point for an ascent via the western route (västra leden, ca. 13 km, 4-6 hrs to the summit) or the eastern route (östra leden, ca. 10 km, 3-5 hrs to the summit). The western route leads over scree slopes and the intermediate top Vierranvárri to the glaciated summit. The eastern route leads over glaciers and rocks (UIAA grade I-II) and is equipped with fixed, steel cables similar to a via ferrata.
In Europe, there are no higher mountains further north. The summit has views of both Sweden and Norway. It is said that 9% of Sweden's surface area can be seen from the summit, which approximates to more than 40,000 km2 – almost the size of The Netherlands.
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