Jotunheimen Weather and Besseggen Conditions

[Journeyman]

Hi!

New member here - I've been advised to seek your expert advice in relation to hiking the Besseggen Ridge on 9th and 10th June. Norwegian weather websites suggest the cold weather around Gjendesheim will get warmer over the coming weeks. I am guessing there is snow on the ridge now but will that still be there when we get there on 9th June if temperatures start going up and it rains? How easy is the ridge in snow - is it crampons and ice ax weather?

Any other advice on the likely conditions? We had thought about doing Besshø but that would definitely require crampons I think.

Thanks!

[TeisL]

Hi,

In beginning of June there is a good chance that it will be some snow left in Jotunheimen. But I am not sure how much snow, but I have a cabin at Beitostølen and there it could be some. As you can see at the link below, its still snow at Gjende today. Doesnt looks like it will be impossible to walk. I dont know where you are planning to sleep, but check the cabins opening at turistforeningen.no if you are planning to use them. I think the high seson is a bit later.

http://www.vaga.kommune.no/Modules/webcam.aspx?ObjectType=Article&ElementID=2159&Category.ID=1653

[oyvindrk]

hi!

there are updated pictures day to day, camera, that catches beseggen from distance.

look at http://www.beitostolen.no/media.html, and besseggen!

[lph]

Early June is off-season for most of Jotunheimen - it's too late to ski and too much snow for hiking. It can be done, of course, but you have to count on hiking through a lot of wet snow, many cabins are closed, rivers can be hard to cross because of meltwater and bridges haven't been set out yet. Normally I would suggest you contact Gjendesheim right before and ask about the conditions, but their website says they don't open until the middle of June. You could ask anyway, they might be there a few days early to fix things up.

The weather now is hot, and snow is very wet and melting fast. If the weather stays warm, you will not need crampons, but you may wish for snowshoes. You would only need crampons on the ridge if there is a lot of snow on it now (which I doubt), and the weather turns so cold that the snow is icy even in the middle of the day, which is unlikely, but possible.

On the weather site www.yr.no you can search for Besseggen and get estimated temperatures for the ridge throughout the day.