Snøhetta

For the company Snøhetta, see Snøhetta (company).

Snøhetta
Snøhetta. From the left, the peaks are Vesttoppen, Hettpiggen, Midttoppen and then Stortoppen (highest) to the right.
Highest point
Elevation	2,286 m (7,500 ft)
Prominence	1,675 m (5,495 ft)
Isolation	82.7 to 82.9 km (51.4 to 51.5 mi)
Listing	Ultra, 3 at List of peaks in Norway by prominence, 24 at List of mountains in Norway by height
Coordinates	62°19′12″N 9°16′6″E
Geography
Location	Dovre, Oppland, Norway
Parent range	Dovrefjell
Topo map	1519 IV Snøhetta
Climbing
First ascent	1798, Jens Esmark

Snøhetta is the highest mountain in the mountain range of Dovrefjell, and the highest mountain in Norway outside of the Jotunheimen range, making it the 24th highest peak in Norway, based on a 30 metre topographic prominence cutoff. It also has Norways third largest primary factor. The mountain is inside Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park.

The mountain has several peaks:

• Stortoppen, the highest summit, 2,286 meters.
• Midttoppen, 2,278 meters, prominence 35 m
• Hettpiggen, 2,261 meters, prominence 50 m
• Vesttoppen, 2,253 meters, prominence 70 m

Vesttoppen and Stortoppen are easily available by hiking or skiing, and from Stortoppen Midttoppen is easily accessible. Traversing Midttoppen, via Hettpiggen and to Vesttoppen requires climbing with a rope.

On Stortoppen there is a radio link station, originally installed by the Norwegian Army, and now serving primarily civilian purposes. The station and its emergency diesel generator, as well as a nearby helipad, detract somewhat from the aesthetics of the summit. For this reason, many recommend Vesttoppen as a better destination.

A small monument for the Norwegian philosopher, humourist, author and mountaineer Peter Wessel Zapffe is located near the summit of Vesttoppen.

Under good conditions in both summer and winter, the ascent is relatively easy. Common starting points are the DNT-cabins Reinheim, Snøheim, or Åmotdalshytta.

History

Snøhetta was visited for the first time in 1798 as part of a scientific trip to the area. At that time it was assumed that was the highest summit in Norway, because the Jotunheimen area with its higher peaks was rather inaccessible and unresearched, while Snøhetta is visible from the traditional travel route Oslo-Trondheim across Dovrefjell.

The name

The name is a compound of snø m 'snow' and the finite form of hette 'hood' - thus 'the mountain with a hood of snow'.

External links

• Annotated photo-panoramas
• Snøhetta

Guidebook

• A. Dyer et al. "Walks and Scrambles in Norway", ISBN 1-904466-25-7.