Sarkofagen (500 m)

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Sarkofagen (500 m) is a Mountain in Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Sarkofagen is a 500-metre peak above Longyearbyen, the main settlement of the Svalbard archipelago, and one of the most popular summits to climb from the town. Its name means the Sarcophagus, for the blunt, coffin-like block of its summit. The usual route leaves Longyearbyen and climbs past the small Larsbreen glacier before working up scree and snow to the top, where the reward is a superb all-round view over the town, the Adventfjord and a jumble of glaciers and flat-topped peaks. Most visitors go with a guide, on foot in the light summer months or on skis in spring, since crevasses, weather and the ever-present risk of polar bears make the mountains here no place to wander alone. At around 78°N, deep inside the auroral zone and among the most northerly places on Earth, Sarkofagen stands over Longyearbyen through the months-long polar night, and on a clear winter day the northern lights wheel above its dark summit and the glaciers below.

Where to find Sarkofagen (500 m)?

78°11'24"N, 15°33'48"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, Sarkofagen (500 m) could offer a dramatic backdrop for aurora viewing.

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