Bjørndalen is a valley close to Langyearbyen where the UNIS student cabin is located. It takes about 20 minutes on snow scooter from Longyearbyen to go there. There are different ways to reach Bjoerndalen when walking or skiing from Langyearbyen. The easiest is by walking the street into the direction of the airport and further on. The more scenic way leads up through Tverdalen and across Plateaufjellet. Check out the avalanche risk before starting! Vallies 1 and 4 down to Bjørndalen(from the sea side) are the best. number two has a big vertical drop halfway down. It can be complicated to cross the little stream in Bjoerndalen, to reach the Cabin, with dry feet. The best way is along the beach (until snowmelt when the river will erode a deep channel through the beachwall). In the summer you just have to find a nice place higher up in the valley get your feet wet! The cabin can house at least 12 people (more if you want to sleep tight).

Equipment Since there is no running water or electricity in Bjørndalen it is important to bring coal and wood for the the stove and maybe some drinking water. Dont take water from the main river in the summer as it is full of glacial mud (and that gives you stomac trouble)You can collect some from the streams comming down from Fuglefjellet and from melting snow in the winter (LEFT side of the cabin, you pee on the right/ sea side). There are a lot of foxes out there so always biol the water! All food and litter needs to be taken back to Longerbyen due to polar bear risks and the tidyness of the cabin.

[c] Places to visit [/c] A nice short hike from Bjoerndalen is up to Fuglefjellet. You can have an amazing view across the valley and the fjord. In summertime the hill is filled with little auks and other birds, svalbard reindeer is normally quite untimid in Bjorndalen. There are a lot of geese and other birds in the valley.

Last modified: 03.02.10 by clemens.spensberger