Norwegian Mountains

Hordaland Mountains: Jondal

 jondal.kommune.no
Jondal is a kommune on the Folgefonnhalvøya (Folgefonna peninsula), located by the beautiful Hardangerfjorden. The place Jondal is the main village in Jondal kommune. The connection towards Bergen runs via the Jondal-Tørvikebygd ferry. If you drive northbound towards Utne, ferries to Kvanndal and Kinsarvik will take you to highway RV7 (Oslo). There is no road connection between Jondal and Rosendal (south). In order to get southbound on Folgefonnhalvøya, you will have to drive to Odda via Utne and then then via a tunnel towards Rosendal. Alternatively, take the ferry to Tørvikebygd, drive to Gjermundshamn and take the ferry to Rosendal (Løfallstrand).

Jondal kommune borders to Ullensvang, Odda and Kvinnherad on Folgefonnhalvøya. The Kvam-Jondal border runs in the center of Hardangerfjorden. The northern Folgefonna glacier (1644m) is the highest point and Jondal shares this high glacier point with Kvinnherad and Ullensvang. Odda kommune also has a share of the glacier, but this does not include the high point.

Saksaklepp (1491m) is the highest independent mountain in Jondal kommune, besides the glacier. Saksklepp is located close to the glacier, which is also very popular due to the Folgefonna summer ski-centre. The road up to the ski-centre runs up to 1200m elevation, giving you an excellent starting point if you want to hike the high Jondal mountains.


Map of Hordaland. Copyright Hordaland Fylkeskommune.
Map design by Geir Ketil Lien

The Mountains

General information:
Below is the list of independent mountains, sorted by height. "Independent" means mountains/hills whose elevation >= 300m and with a primary factor >= 100m. I have chosen to include some of the mountains/hills with primary factor < 100m, and put these in a separate table. Names and heights originate from Statens Kartverk (M711)/Norgesglasset (20m contours) or Økonomisk Kartverk (part of Norgesglasset, 5m contours). The height from Ø.K. override the M711 heights. A number of mountains may have a point higher than the M711 trig. point marked on the maps. Note also that if the high point of a mountain lies within another kommune, the mountain is listed under that specific kommune. If a mountain high point is shared by two kommuner, the mountain is listed under both kommuner. The asterix (*) means that the high point is (exactly) found on a kommune border.

Rank Name Height PF Map
1. Folgefonna N. 1644m 394m 1315-III Odda
2. Saksaklepp 1491m 161m 1315-IV Jondal
3. Steinafjell 1404m 114m 1315-III Odda
4. Kvanngrødhorga 1282m 312m 1315-III Odda
5. Gråheivarden 1271m 361m 1315-III Odda
6. N of Juklavatnet 1242m 112m 1315-III Odda
7. Grønhaug 1190m 120m 1315-III Odda
8. Skyrdalssåta 1153m 163m 1315-III Odda
9. Storafjellet 1133m 225m 1315-IV Jondal
10. Grytingsfjellet 1092m 224m 1315-IV Jondal
11. Vikanuten 1075m 591m 1315-IV Jondal
12. Daurmålsnuten 1059m 161m 1215-II Varaldsøyna
13. Middagsnuten 890m 132m 1215-II Varaldsøyna
14. Dumben 754m 256m 1215-II Varaldsøyna
15. Samlen 686m 413m 1315-IV Jondal
16. Gaddane 653m 125m 1315-IV Jondal
17. Gulbergnotten 541m 136m 1315-IV Jondal
18. Tofjellet 536m 124m 1315-IV Jondal
19. Hædna 522m 104m 1315-IV Jondal
20. Jonahornet 420m 122m 1315-IV Jondal

Tops w/Primary factor >= 90m

Rank Name Height PF Map
1. Ruklehaugnuten 1268m 98m 1315-IV Jondal
2. Gangdalsnuten 874m 96m 1215-II Varaldsøyna
3. Horgane 623m 95m 1215-II Varaldsøyna
4. Rasediken 651m 91m 1315-IV Jondal

Table above is sorted by primary factor.

The 5 highest based on primary factor

Rank Name PF Height
1. Vikanuten 591m 1075m
2. Samlen 413m 686m
3. Folgefonna N. 394m 1644m
4. Gråheivarden 361m 1271m
5. Kvanngrødhorga 312m 1282m

Observations

Jondal kommune has 12 mountains exceeding 1000m elevation. In light of the high mountain plateau on Folgefonnahalvøya, this is a modest number. Vikanuten is significant on the Hordaland primary factor list, and comes in as #16.

The top 3 mountains on the above list are also my personal favorites. Vikanuten towers high and mighty above Jondal and offers splendid views. Samlen is a very characteristic and amusing mountain down by the fjord, while the northern Folgefonna glacier is the highest point in Jondal. The highest rock point in Jondal kommune - Saksaklepp - is also a characteristc mountain, and one of the Folgefonnhalvøya landmarks. Saksaklepp's independence (primary) factor is modest, as you walk on a high plateau towards the higher Torsnuten (Ullensvang). Jonahornet should also be mentioned among the characteristic mountains, having a pointy peak that is easy to identify. Finally, Jonstein, whose part of the mountain (high point belongs to Ullensvang) belongs to Jondal, and is a natural mountain to visit when Jondal is your base. The hat-shaped mountain is also among the Folgefonnhalvøya landmarks, and may resemble Hårteigen on Hardangervidda.

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