Kebnekaise

Kebnekaise
	Kebnekaise (seen from Tuolpagorni )
height	2097 m o.h.
location	Sweden
Mountains	Scandals
Coordinates	67 ° 54 '3 " N , 18 ° 31' 0" E Coordinates: 67 ° 54 '3 " N , 18 ° 31' 0" E
First ascent	1883 by Charles Rabot
Normal way	Westweg; if the conditions are good, easy high-altitude tour (partly glaciated)
particularities	highest mountain in Sweden

The Kebnekaise ( Sami Giebnegáisi or Giebmegáisi , in German about "Kessel-Kamm") is the highest mountain in Sweden at 2097 meters (northern summit, consisting of rock) . In the past, the glaciated south summit was higher than the north summit; (it has been measured since 1880); In 2018, due to global warming and the resulting glacier melt, it will be lower than the northern summit for the first time.

The Kebnekaise is the center and highest point of the Kebnekaise massif in the northern part of the Scandinavian Mountains and is located in Lapland , about 150 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle and about 70 km west of Kiruna . In August 2018, the glaciated southern summit was lower than the northern summit for the first time since measurements began. This made the latter the highest point in Sweden.

From the starting point in Nikkaluokta it is about 19 kilometers, mostly easy to walk, to the Kebnekaise fjällstation , whereby 6 km can be covered by boat at Lake Ladtjojaure. 13 km behind the Kebnekaise fjällstation the path meets the popular Kungsleden hiking trail at Singi .

About two kilometers past the mountain station on the way to Singi there are two ways to reach the summit:

Västra Leden - Kebnekaise: The western (normal) path leads exclusively over stony slopes and over the Vieranvarri pre-summit to the glaciated summit pyramid. On this route you have to accept a strong and exhausting loss of altitude behind the Vieranvarri. The one-way route is about ten kilometers long, for which five to seven hours (depending on condition and weather conditions) must be allowed for.

Östra Leden - Kebnekaise: This route leads over glaciers and rocky passages (I to II. Level of difficulty according to UIAA ) and includes fixed , via ferrata-like iron wires and safety devices at lofty heights. This route is only recommended for inexperienced mountaineers with a mountain guide - this can be booked at the Kebnekaise fjällstation. The one-way route is about seven kilometers long, and it takes four to six hours to get to the top.

A third path, called Durlings led, starts from the Kungsleden between the Singi and Sälka huts . This path does not require any climbing and avoids the detour via the Vierranvarri.

In front of the Kebnekaise is the Tuolpagorni mountain (1662 m). On the eastern flank of the mountain, in the valley of Tarfala, there is a glaciological research station, where you can also spend the night in a seasonal hut.

North of the latitude on which the Kebnekaise lies, there are no longer any higher mountains in all of Eurasia . Due to the special location, when the weather is clear, you can see approx. 10% of the entire Swedish national territory from the summit, which is more than the entire area of Switzerland .

The name is also known in connection with the novel The wonderful journey of little Nils Holgersson with the wild geese by Selma Lagerlöf and the cartoon series based on it. The leading goose is called " Akka von Kebnekaise" there.

On March 15, 2012, there was an accident with a transport aircraft on Kebnekaise . The machine of the type Lockheed C-130 Hercules of the Norwegian armed forces collided with the west side of the mountain a little below the ridge between the north and south peaks; the five inmates were killed. The aircraft took part in a military maneuver and was en route from Harstad / Narvik Airport in Evenes to Kiruna in bad weather conditions .