Rondane National Park

Rondane became Norway's first national park in 1962, and it protects a massif of ten peaks above two thousand metres whose character is unusual: dry, pale, built of quartzite scree, with wide rounded summits and deep U-shaped valleys between them, and very little of the wet green that dominates the western mountains. The climate is among the driest in Norway, which makes it a reliable choice when the coast is under rain. The area holds one of the last wild reindeer populations in Europe, and route closures and access rules exist to protect calving grounds. The lodge network is good, with Rondvassbu the main hub, and Rondeslottet at 2,178 metres is the classic summit.

History

Stone pitfall traps for wild reindeer, the oldest perhaps 3,500 years old, are spread through the park, and most finds, including dwelling ruins, date from 500 to 700 AD; the large traps were used from the 6th century until the Black Death in the 14th. After nearly a decade of planning, Rondane became Norway's first national park on 21 December 1962, covering 580 square kilometres, and in 2003 it was enlarged to 963 square kilometres to protect the reindeer (Wikipedia, Rondane National Park).

What's there

• The scree peaks - pale rounded quartzite summits above two thousand metres.
• The wild reindeer - one of Europe's last wild herds, seen at distance.
• Rondvassbu - the main staffed lodge at the heart of the park.
• The dry climate - clear weather far more often than the western ranges.

When to go

July to September for walking, when the lodges are staffed and the snow has cleared; February to April for ski touring. Reindeer calving restrictions apply on some routes in spring and early summer.

Before you go

The terrain is loose scree on the summits, hard on ankles and slow going. Distances between lodges are long and there is little shelter. Do not approach reindeer; disturbance is a serious conservation issue here and can bring fines.

Nearby

Dovrefjell and Snohetta lie north; Otta, Sjoa and the Gudbrandsdal valley are west.

Key facts