Melting ice in Norway's Jötunheimen: scientists assess risks for routes and rescuers
Researchers from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oslo have presented results from research into rapid changes in the cryosphere in the high-altitude region of Jyttøymen in south-central Norway. The work is being carried out within two major programmes together with the Norwegian Mountain Centre (Norsk Fjellsenter), experts from NVE, the national meteorological service MET Norway, the University of Bergen and the Natural History Museum.
The first project, "Fjellviten", is dedicated to multi-year monitoring of permafrost, alpine biodiversity, glaciers and perennial snowpack. The collected data serves as the basis for a digital educational platform that Fjellsenter is developing for public information and school classes.
The second research area, Climate Risk in Jotunheimen, focuses on natural risks. Scientists are investigating how melting ice is triggering landslides and slope instability along hiking trails and mountaineering routes. The project is also tracking changes in the frequency and complexity of mountain rescue operations, and how new threats are perceived by travelers and local authorities.
Context
The Jytunheimen massif is home to Norway's highest peak, Mount Haldgepiggen, around which key monitoring sites for high-altitude ecosystems are concentrated.