Lyngen Alps

The Lyngen Alps (Norwegian: Lyngsalpene) are a mountain range in northeastern Troms og Finnmark county in Norway, east of the city of Tromsø. The mountain range runs through the municipalities of Lyngen, Balsfjord, and Storfjord. The mountains follow the western shore of the Lyngen fjord in a north-south direction. The length of the range is at least 90 kilometres (56 mi) (depending on definition—there are mountains all the way south to the border with Sweden) and the width is 15–20 kilometres (9.3–12.4 mi). The mountains dominate the Lyngen Peninsula, which is bordered by the Lyngen fjord to the east, and the Ullsfjorden to the west. The British climber William Cecil Slingsby was the first to climb many of the peaks.[1][2]

Lyngen Alps
Lyngsalpan Lyngsfjellan
View of Lyngen Alps Tvillingstinden and Tafeltinden − view from Skáidevárri
Highest point
Peak	Jiehkkevárri, Tromsø/Lyngen border, Norway
Elevation	1,833 m (6,014 ft)
Coordinates	69°29′09″N 19°52′36″E
Dimensions
Length	90 km (56 mi) North-South
Width	15 km (9.3 mi) East-West
Naming
Native name	Lyngsalpene
Geography
Country	Norway
County	Troms og Finnmark
Municipalities	Balsfjord, Tromsø and Lyngen
Range coordinates	69°47′25″N 20°10′10″E

The mountains are of alpine character, popular among extreme skiers.[3] The highest summit is the 1,833-metre (6,014 ft) tall Jiekkevarre, the highest mountain in Troms og Finnmark county; Store Lenangstind is also a prominent mountain. There are several glaciers in the mountains. The Lyngen Alps are sufficiently high as to give rain shadow in the interior lowland areas east of the mountains.[4]

Panorama view of the Lyngen Alps over the Balsfjorden as seen from Storsteinnes in 2009 February.