In Jostedal Glacier National Park, we booked a glacier hiking and kayak tour with Ice Troll. Depending on the time of year, different glaciers in Jostedal are accessible for glacier walking. Our tour was of the Nigardsbreen, one of 22 “arms” of the Jostedalsbreen. We started by kayaking across Nigardardsbrevatnet (lake). It was super cold and rainy that day, so we were bundled up.
From where we left our kayaks, we took a short walk to the start of the glacier before we grabbed our ice picks and put on our crampons and harnesses. Being near a glacier reminds you of how strong and alive the forces of nature are. For being in such a remote area, it was surprisingly loud. Since it was Spring, a lot of the snow and ice was melting, creating many mini avalanches on the side of the mountains. In addition, we were warned many times not to get too close to the front of the glacier as it was constantly moving. A few weeks earlier, a flood from rains had taken out a bridge.
But still, the beauty of the glacier is undeniable. My favorite is the blue ice of a glacier.
After we were all strapped in, we walked for about three to four hours on the glacier. It’s such a fun experience. Before we turned around to head back, our guide whipped out a canteen of hot chocolate from his backpack, and literally nothing could have been better at that moment.
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