Kjeragbolten

Kjeragbolten

A man standing on top of Kjeragbolten
Highest point
Elevation 989 m (3,245 ft)
Coordinates 59°02′01″N 06°35′35″E / 59.03361°N 6.59306°E / 59.03361; 6.59306Coordinates: 59°02′01″N 06°35′35″E / 59.03361°N 6.59306°E / 59.03361; 6.59306
Geography
Map of the location
Kjeragbolten

Location in Rogaland

Location Rogaland, Norway
State/Province NO
Topo map 1313 III Lyngsvatnet

Kjeragbolten is a boulder located on the mountain Kjerag in Forsand municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The rock itself is a 5-cubic-metre (180 cu ft) glacial deposit wedged in the mountain's crevasse. It is a popular tourist destination and is accessible without any climbing equipment. However, it is suspended above a 984-metre (3,228 ft) deep abyss. It is also a popular site for BASE jumping. The boulder is located just southwest of the village of Lysebotn, just south of the Lysefjorden.[1]

Geology

Rogaland lies in a weak tectonic zone, allowing the river to dig into the surrounding sandstone mountain. During the several ice ages known to have occurred in Scandinavia, Norway was completely covered in glaciers. Between the ice ages, the meltwater formed and reformed the valley up to 22 times.[2] After the last ice age, global warming caused a rise in sea level, flooding the fjords. The boulder was deposited during the last glacial period, at around 50,000 B.C.[3] As the Norwegian Glacier melted, it was accompanied by a rebound in rock formations as the ice was removed. In Kjeragbolten's case, the rebound was actually faster than the rising sea level, which wedged the rock into its current position.

Tourism

Kjeragbolten has long been a famed photo op in the Kjerag trails. It was featured in the 2006 viral video Where the Hell is Matt? where traveler Matt Harding danced atop the precarious boulder. Because of its enormous popularity, long lines usually form with people who want to have a photo from the site. Expected waiting time can be anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour, especially when there are cruise ships in Stavanger.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jøssang, Tor Inge (2008-09-12). "2700 vellykkede hopp fra Kjerag". Stavanger Aftenblad (in Norwegian).
  2. ↑ "Lysefjorden Earthcache - Kjerag and Preikestolen". Geocaching.
  3. ↑ Arnold, Amanda. "Afraid of heights? Kjeragbolten will make your knees buckle.". How Stuff Works. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
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