Glittertind is the second-highest peak of Norway, and therefore part of our plan to climb the seven highest peaks of Norway.

The initial plan was to organise the trip ourselves, heading up in late spring or summer. But then we came across a guided DNT ski touring (randonée) trip over Easter. It would mean an early start on the Seven Summits challenge, so it was the perfect fit.

Getting to Glitterheim

Glitterheim is the cabin at the foot of Glittertind. It’s not easy to get to, and that is part of its charm. In the wintertime, you have to take a two-and-a-half-hour drive up with a tracked vehicle.

But once there, you are rewarded with great hospitality, stunning views, and excellent food. We were supposed to be in a dormitory, but were lucky enough to get our own room with two bunk beds.

First attempt at Glittertind

On Saturday, we set off on our first attempt at Glittertind. It was very windy from the start. The wind made it hard to hear anything and quickly cooled us down on breaks. We kept stops short to avoid getting too cold. After making it just over halfway, the guides decided to turn around.

It was the right call: my fingers were freezing, making it hard to take off the skins from my skis, and snow had blown into my goggles, making it hard to see. It was a lesson in staying organised and disciplined on a tour like this. Once you’re cold or your goggles are damp, there’s no fixing it until you’re back at the cabin.

Back at the Glitterheim Cabin

Because we turned around early, we had plenty of time at the cabin. There are plenty of magazines to browse through, and the living room is a great place to relax.

As it was Easter, we were served an amazing feast, mostly sourced locally.

It started with a cold buffet, pasta salad, scrambled eggs, and salmon, followed by a hot spread of game stew, venison sausage, smoked reindeer heart, and other game meats. Then came rømmegrøt, and five other desserts. I had the chocolate pudding and the cloudberry cream. Incredible.

Second Attempt at Glittertind

The second day brought much better conditions. Storm ‘Dave’ was approaching from the opposite direction to the wind from the day before, giving us a weather window with fairly light winds in Jotunheimen. Even though the original plan had been a different summit, we decided to try our luck again at Glittertind.

It was snowing, which made visibility poor, but it also meant the skiing conditions were a lot better. The top of the glacier was still icy, though, and tricky to ski down. Lower down, it was snowing so much that there were hardly any reference points. I felt I was moving, but I could not see it; everything was white. That made me quite motion sick. Luckily, we had a patient guide that led the way for us. Giving us a reference point and pointing out the easiest route.

Concluding

All in all, it was a great trip. Summiting Glittertind was tougher than we expected, but therefore even more rewarding. Glitterheim is a great place to stay when visiting Jotunheimen.

We will work on our downhill skiing before attempting our next ski mountaineering adventure. But we are already looking forward to our next trip.

One down, six to go.