Jostedal Glacier
Template:Short description Template:Infobox glacier
Jostedal Glacier or Template:Native name<ref name="name">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is in Vestland county in Western Norway.<ref name="Overview of the glacier">Template:Cite book</ref> Jostedalsbreen is located in the municipalities of Luster, Sogndal, Sunnfjord, and Stryn (all in Vestland county), plus the northeastern tip of the glacier extends into Skjåk Municipality (in Innlandet county). The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of Template:Convert.
History
In 1906, work was being done on footpaths that could accommodate tourists.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The glacial water is also used in distilling Vikingfjord.
Geography
The Jostedal Glacier has a total area of Template:Convert. The highest point is Høgste Breakulen at Template:Convert above mean sea level. Branches of the glacier reach down into the valleys, for instance Bøyabreen in Fjærland and Nigardsbreen, both at Template:Convert above sea level. The thickest part of the glacier is Template:Convert. Jostedalsbreen has a length of a little more than Template:Convert and it is a part of the Template:Convert Jostedalsbreen National Park, which was established in 1991. The glacier covers over half of the national park.<ref name="Overview of the glacier"/>
The glacier is maintained by the high snowfall rates in the region, not the cold temperatures. This means the glacier has high melting rates in its snouts. The Jostedalsbreen has around 50 glacier arms such as the Nigardsbreen and Tunsbergdalsbreen in Jostedalen, the Briksdalsbreen near Olden, the Bøyabreen by Fjærland, the Kjenndalsbreen, Tindefjellbreen near Loen, and Austerdalsbreen.<ref name="Overview of the glacier"/>
In 2012, the glacier arm Briksdalsbreen lost Template:Convert of ice in a few months. More recent measurements now show that Briksdalsbreen retreated Template:Convert in 2006, and could be in danger of breaking away from the upper icefield. Ice climbing has now been terminated because of this event.
