Kjerag

Kjerag
Lysefjorden seen from the northern cliff of Kjerag
Highest point
Elevation
Coordinates
Geography
Kjerag Forsand, Rogaland, Norway
Topo map	1313 III Lyngsvatnet

Kjerag or Kiragg is a Norwegian mountain, located in Lysefjorden, in Forsand municipality, Ryfylke, Rogaland. Its highest point is 1110 m above sea level, but its northern drop to Lysefjorden attracts most visitors. The drop is 984 m (3,228 ft) and it is also the site of Kjeragbolten, a 5 m³ stone located between two rocks.

Kjerag is a popular hiking destination. Some go there because Preikestolen has become too crowded, some to jump onto Kjeragbolten and some BASE jumpers from all over the world go there to jump off the high cliffs. Kjerag is also a popular climbing destination, with many difficult routes going up its steep faces.

The easiest ascent starts from the visitors center Øygardsstølen, with a 2.5-3-hour walk each way. From Stavanger, it is roughly a 2-hour drive (closed in winter season). One can also take the tourist ferry from Lauvvik to Lysebotn in summer. The best season for walking is considered late June to September depending on snow conditions.

Kjeragbolten

Main article: Kjeragbolten

Kjeragbolten is a 5 m³ boulder wedged in a mountain crevice by the edge of the Kjerag mountain (). It is possible to walk onto the rock without any equipment, but there is a direct 241 m drop below and then another 735m gradient down to Lysefjorden. The name means "Kjerag Boulder" or "Kjerag Bolt".

BASE jumping

Kjerag has become a popular BASE jumping destination. In the period 1994 to 2008 29,000 jumps were performed.

In this period there were ten fatal accidents. A list of jumpers who perished at Kjerag is provided below:

• Sebastian Dectot (24, from France), August 16, 1996
• Ulla-Stina Östberg (46, from Sweden), July 29, 1997
• Thor Alex Kappfjell (32, from Norway), July 6, 1999
• Kirill Goretov (29, from Russia), August 15, 1999
• Terry Forrestal (52, from United Kingdom), June 10, 2000
• Valentino Venturi (30, from Italy), August 5, 2000
• Lori Barr (37, from USA), July 23, 2002
• Rob Tompkins (30, from USA), September 12, 2002
• Darcy Zoitsas (nickname Peter Pan) (39, from Australia), July 19, 2005
• Anton Knestyapin (25, from Russia), July 25, 2010

In the Norwegian documentary film Loop, Kristen Reagan climbs up the 1000 meter drop before BASE jumping off the same cliff.

The name

The name is possibly a compound of kje 'kid' and ragg 'goat's hair, shag'. The rough surface of the mountainside has been compared with the shaggy hair of a kid goat.

Gallery

• Viewkjerag.JPG

  View from Kjeragbolten, Lysefjorden below

• KjeragBolten.jpg

  A man standing on KjeragBolten

• Ferret in the middle of picture, Kjerag, Norway.jpg

  Ferret being curious of hikers

• Fullmoon over Kjerag July 2014, Norway.jpg

  Fullmoon over Kjerag mountain

• Langavatn, Kjerag, Norway.jpg

  Langavatn cabins [58.992, 6.614]

• South from Langavatn, Kjerag, Norway.jpg

  Kjerag view from Langavatn

See also

• Kjeragbolten
• Preikestolen
• Trollgaren
• De syv søstre
• Trollveggen
• Trollstigen
• Trolltunga
• Besseggen
• List of waterfalls

External links

• Kjeragbolten - 360* Panoramic Pictures - Virtual Norge
• Ryfylke
• Kjeragfossen at the World Waterfall Database
• Loop at IMDb
• Trip report with pictures from a walk to Kjerag
• Article in Aftenbladet (in Norwegian)
• World BASE fatalities
• Flickr Kjerabolten Images

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