Store Skagastølstind

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Store Skagastølstind
Seen from Dyrhaugsryggen. Vetle Skagastølstind to the left.
Elevation	2,405 metres (7,890 ft)
Location	Årdal and Luster, Sogn og Fjordane,  Norway
Range	Hurrungane
Prominence	1,010 m (3,314 ft)[1]
Coordinates	61°27′41″N 7°52′17″E / 61.46139, 7.87139Coordinates: 61°27′41″N 7°52′17″E / 61.46139, 7.87139
Topo map	1517 IV Hurrungane
First ascent	July 21, 1876, William Cecil Slingsby
Easiest route	Climbing and ice climbing
Listing	3 at List of mountains in Norway by height

Store Skagastølstind (also known as Storen) is the third highest peak in Norway. It is situated on the border between the municipality of Luster and Årdal and is part of the Hurrungane range.

The summit is a popular destination for mountaineers but is fairly difficult. First ascent by William Cecil Slingsby on 21 July, 1876. There are a number of different routes, the most popular being Heftye's renne (Heftye's couloir). Another popular route of ascent is via Andrew's renne (Andrew's couloir), first ascent A. W. Andrews and party in 1899. Store Skagastølstind and the mountaineering of the late 19th century in Norway is traditionally linked to the historical hotel Turtagrø.

[edit] Disputes among mountaineering pioneers

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Slingsby's first ascent in 1876 was hailed as a major achievement, and Johannes Heftye soon felt it eclipsed his own first ascent of Store Knutsholstinden the year before. He set out to ascend Storen in 1880 and successfully used the popular route that is now named after him to reach the summit. This route is significantly more difficult than Slingsby's route, and also more difficult than Heftye's own route on Store Knutsholstind, however, Heftye downplayed this achievement to emphasize his own first ascent. His main claim was that Store Knutsholstind was at least as difficult as Storen, thus, must be regarded a first grade mountain.

While Heftye's route on Store Knutsholstind may have been slightly more difficult than Slingsby's route on Storen, Heftye was at the time unaware that there were an easier route on Store Knutsholstind. Slingsby was approached by Marie Sønstenes, a woman who lived on farm near Store Knutsholstind, who claimed that she knew a straightforward route. Together, they ascended the mountain by this route. Heftye, who were very outspoken against female mountaineers, were humiliated and deeply offended.

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• W.C. Slingsby "Norway: the Northern Playground", ISBN 1-904466-07-9. Slingsby's story of the first ascent of Store Skagastølstind in 1876.
• James Baxter "Scandinavian Mountains and Peaks Over 2000 Metres in the Hurrungane", ISBN 0955049709. English guidebook to Store Skagastølstind