Cultural Landscape and History
Jotunheimen’s landscape reveals traces of ancient hunting, trapping, and farming cultures, with animal pitfall traps, old homesteads, and pastoral grazing sites. This area has long been a hub for mountain farming, where traditional haymaking still takes place by Gjende Lake, and the fairy-tale forests in Utladalen are carefully harvested. Historic trails and routes that pioneers once walked continue to connect visitors with the region’s rich past.
Trapping Heritage Sites
Evidence of hunting and fishing activities in Jotunheimen dates back over 5,000 years, with homesteads at locations like Gjende Lake and Koldedalen Valley. Reindeer pitfall traps, hunting hides, and ancient rock shelters offer insights into a time when wild reindeer and moose were dietary staples for local communities. Trapping with pitfall traps, though now outlawed since the 1800s, serves as a reminder of the area’s deep-rooted survival practices.
Old Roads
Marked cairn trails throughout Jotunheimen, like the route over Sognefjellet between Lom and Luster, highlight ancient thoroughfares used for travel and trade. The trails extend through valleys such as Visdalen and Storådalen, where people once moved livestock across the mountains. The pathway over Høgvaglen towards Eidsbugarden and Valdres was especially vital, with stone paving that remains a testament to its historical importance.
Mountain Farms and Pastures
Mountain farming has been integral to Jotunheimen, with grazing pastures like those at Gjendebu and Memurubu supporting livestock since the 1700s. Storådalen Grazing Association still brings cattle to Gjende Lake's rich pastures, and goats help maintain the landscape. As tourism grew in the 1800s, mountain farms like Gjendebu began accommodating hikers, and stone shelters were built for early climbers on peaks like Galdhøgpiggen.
A Living Cultural Landscape
Utladalen’s landscape has been shaped by traditional practices such as haymaking, tree leaf harvesting, and grazing, supporting a unique range of species tied to this cultural environment. Farms in Utladalen managed both valley and high-mountain pastures, with farmers from other villages joining the grazing areas in Øvre Utladalen. Today, sheep graze at sites like Guridalen, and hay is still cut in late summer. The area’s cultural landscapes are preserved through dedicated local efforts, detailed on the Trust’s website, The Nature House of Utladalen.
