Platafjellet
Platafjellet is a Mountain at 9999 Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Platafjellet is a flat-topped mountain standing directly above Longyearbyen, the main settlement of the Svalbard archipelago, high in the Arctic Ocean. Its name fits its shape. Like the fells that wall in the town, it is capped by a broad, level plateau of bare, frost-shattered rock, its layered slopes falling away in steep bands of scree to the valley and the sea below. Snow covers it for most of the year. In the short summer its lower slopes are a walk for the well-prepared, with sweeping views over Longyearbyen, the Adventfjord and the surrounding valleys, though the high ground is loose and demands care. In winter the country around it becomes a web of snowmobile and dog-sled tracks. At around 78°N, among the northernmost places on Earth and deep inside the auroral zone, Platafjellet looms over the town through the polar night, when the sun does not rise for months, and on clear days the northern lights are seen wheeling above its dark plateau.
Where to find Platafjellet?
78°13'18"N, 15°36'12"E
Aurora hunting in Longyearbyen?
The aurora season here runs from October to February, with the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights in November, December and January. With minimal light pollution, Platafjellet could offer a dramatic backdrop for aurora viewing.
What do people think of Platafjellet?
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Gorgeous hike!
Natalie V18 September 2016
Other places to try near Platafjellet
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Svalbard Bryggeri
Brewery
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Mary-Anns polarrigg
Restaurant
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Vinterhagen Restaurant
Seafood Restaurant
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Nuga
Sushi Restaurant
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Polar Bear Sign
Monument
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Café Huskies
Café