Store Smørstabbtinden (09.07.2025)

Having climbed Surtningssue the day prior and with the fantastic conditions showing no end, we searched for another 2000m peak in Jotunheimen.

Setting off from Krossbu at 13:00, we hiked the couple of km to the edge of the glacial lake at 1512masl under the magnificent Leirbrean glacier and the horseshoe of jagged fells that surround it. We were surprised by the amount of snow still on the ground: this being our first July in Norway, we were unsure whether or not this was typical for this time of year.

Following cairns and footprints in the snow, we ascended north-east towards Leirvatnet, where we watched two runners glissade down the mountainside ahead. They hopped over a snow bridge over the stream running off the lake as we took our time searching for a shallow way through.

After the lake came a series of large snow patches between bands of rock. We gauged only the two runners we'd just seen had been up before us that day and so opted to follow their tracks through the snow. The snow was soft, tiring but our trail runners managed just fine. At around 1900m we could see a longer steeper patch of snow ascending 100m up the mountain. The footprints ahead of us had used this route to ascend and descend by the looks of it, but us Brits were apprehensive. We opted to skirt just north and around it, over large boulders, until crags towards the top forced us to cross the snow patch. The glissade marks down a stark contrast to our nerves.

Reunited with the prints ahead of us, we were to the west of the ridge, matching what I head read online easiest passage up this steep section. Here the ground became slabby but covered in a thin layer of loose rock and due to the snowmelt was often wet. We zig-zagged our way south up the mountain, keeping west of the ridge. Wet rock forced us to deviate from what looked to be the most frequented path and on to looser ground. A few unsettling minutes later the gradient eased and we reached the 200 vertical metres or so to the summit.

Arriving at the summit was a magical moment. The terrain ahead of us intensifies into a sequence of alpine looking ridges between the peaks above the glacier. We remarked on the bear-like appearance of Storebjørn in the distance and watched groups cross Leirsbrean below. We savoured the moment together, seemingly alone on the mountain, before retracing our steps down.

When the terrain steepened, we opted to take the wet but well-trodden path down that we had avoided on our ascent. We kept our distance from each other as small loose rocks were scattered by our motion and regrouped once we had reached the top of the steep snow patch that the two runners before us had used as a glissade. Feeling more confident, we changed into our waterproof leggings and coat and took the glissade down. Instantaneously our fear of snow dissipated as the soft snow made for a controlled but still exhilarating shortcut down the mountain. We stopped for lunch before continuing to walk/glissade down the rest of the mountain to Leirvatnet.

Some jogging and we arrived at the Krossbu and the car, at peace after a day together, alone in the mountains.

© Miles Elvidge

© Miles Elvidge

© Miles Elvidge

© Miles Elvidge

© Miles Elvidge

© Miles Elvidge