Tromsdalstinden

Tromsdalstinden is a mountain in Tromsø Municipality in Norway, with an elevation of 1,238 meters. The mountain is located at the southern end of the Tromsdalen valley, just southeast of the city of Tromsø. The Norwegian name Tromsdalstinden means "the peak above Tromsdalen," while the Sámi name is made up from the parts Sálaš and Oaivi, with the first word meaning a good hunting area, and the second meaning a rounded mountain without jagged peaks.

The mountain is a popular hiking destination and can be summited from the suburb Tromsdalen or from Ramfjorden. The slopes up are not technically difficult, though fog and rain can make the ascent complicated for those not familiar with the terrain. Skiers usually take the Fjellheisen aerial tramway to Mount Storsteinen and begin their ascent from there.

In 2003, plans to build an alpine skiing facility on the slopes of Tromsdalstinden for the 2014 Winter Olympics were proposed. However, this sparked immediate protests from some Sámi activists who claimed that Tromsdalstinden has been a Sámi sacred mountain since ancient times. The Sami Parliament enacted a resolution declaring it a holy mountain in 2004, and the plans were discontinued.

While some argue that Tromsdalstinden was made a holy mountain in recent times as part of Sámi identity politics, others believe that it has been sacred at one point before Christianization. The mountain bears the significant feature of a traditional sacred mountain, dominating the landscape due to its shape and/or height. Although the classic Sámi religion is dead, the mountain remains of cultural significance to modern Sámi, and their commitment to preserving it displays its intense cultural significance to their ancestors.

References

Category:Mountains of Norway
Category:Troms