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Sætertinden

1,095 m

Norway

Elevation
1,095 m
Prominence
1,027 m
Difficulty
3/10
Mountain hike
Best Season
Mar–Apr
Routes
1

Routes

1
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SACT3HikeNormal route

Sources differ: Class 2 (YDS) (westcoastpeaks.com) · Krevende (demanding) (ut.no)

A sea-level hike to the highest point of Harstad and Tjeldsund: from the sports ground at Årbogen on the E10, forest roads and a birch-wood path lead to the south-east ridge, then a pole-marked line over boulders climbs to the summit with its defence installations and towers. About 1,070–1,080 m of ascent and 13 km return.

Elevation Profile

05001,0001,5000 km123456Sætertinden
Distance
6.2 km
one way
Ascent
+1,076 m
start → summit
High Point
1,095 m
Time Up
4h 22m
DIN 33466
Time Down
2h 55m
DIN 33466 · same way back

From Harstad take Rv83 south to the roundabout before the Tjeldsund bridge, turn right towards Lødingen and follow the E10 about 8 km to Årbogen. Turn right at the sign 'Idrettsplass', take the right-hand gravel fork after 100 m and park at the Sandtorg sports ground (about 15 m). Cross Årbogelva and follow the forest road west. After 850–900 m, where the lit track goes left, keep right to the road end 100 m further. A forest path heads north-west; keep right at a fork after 250 m and reach a ridge after about 300 m, where another path joins from the right. About 450 m later keep left (the right branch goes to Årbogvatnet) and climb the south-east ridge through birch forest and onto open ground, on a good path. Fill water bottles at the stream lower down; there is little water higher up. At about 740 m the path reaches a disused barracks site; from here tall poles (and bamboo sticks for winter) mark the way across boulders to the summit. The last 300–400 m of ascent are on blocky ground, with one short, steeper and narrower stretch of ridge, but no climbing. The summit carries defence installations, two concrete towers and buildings. Allow 2–3 hours up and about 5 hours for the round trip; descend the same way with care on the boulders.

Start

Sandtorg Idrettspark15 m

  • Regular buses on the E10 (stop 'Årbogen' close to the trailhead).
  • Parking at the trailhead

Waypoints

  1. Parking:
    Sandtorg Idrettspark15 m
  2. Feature:
    Årbogbrua35 m

    Footbridge over Årbogelva

  3. Summit:
    Sætertinden1,095 m

Key Passages

  • Årbogbrua over Årbogelva
  • South-east ridge above the birch forest
  • Pole-marked boulder field from 740 m
  • Short narrow ridge below the summit

Equipment

0/5 packed
Safety
Footwear
Clothing
Navigation
Other

Downloads

Route confidence 75%

Overview

The highest point of Harstad and Tjeldsund municipalities (1,095 m), on the county border above Tjeldsundet in south-eastern Hinnøya. A sea-level hike from the E10 to a summit crowned with defence installations.

Sætertinden rises above Tjeldsundet, the strait separating Hinnøya from the mainland, on the boundary between Troms and Nordland. It is the highest point of both Harstad and Tjeldsund municipalities and of the eastern part of Hinnøya, Norway's largest coastal island; with a prominence of about 1,027 m it stands well clear of its neighbours.

The standard route from Årbogen, a few minutes from the E10, starts near sea level and climbs through fields and birch forest to an open ridge, then up a long boulder slope marked with tall poles. The summit is occupied by defence installations, concrete towers and buildings, which take away some of the wilderness feel but make the top easy to identify. The view behind you is good the whole way up, and the summit view on a clear day is wide.

Outdoor organisations rate the hike demanding because of the 1,070 m of ascent, but there is no climbing, and children used to rough ground manage it.

Climbing Notes

Allow about 5 hours return for 13 km and roughly 1,070 m of ascent; a fit walker reaches the top in 2–3 hours. The boulder field above 740 m is the most tiring part, especially on the way down. Fill water bottles at the stream lower down. The route is used all year: in winter it is a popular ski tour, and the pole line on the upper slopes helps navigation in poor visibility. Carry avalanche kit and check varsom.no in winter.

The summit installations belong to the Norwegian defence sector; keep away from fenced areas and equipment.


Season

Best Mar–Apr
  1. January: Possible
  2. February: Good
  3. March: Best (best window)
  4. April: Best (best window)
  5. May: Possible
  6. June: Good
  7. July: Best
  8. August: Best
  9. September: Good
  10. October: Possible
  11. November: Possible
  12. December: Not advisable
Jan
Ski touring; polar night in early January
Feb
Ski touring
Mar
Ski touring; longer days
Apr
Spring ski touring
May
Snowmelt
Jun
Snow on the upper boulders early in the month
Jul
Main hiking season
Aug
Main hiking season
Sep
Autumn colours; shorter days
Oct
First snow
Nov
Short days; early-winter conditions
Dec
Polar night

Access & Permits

Rules
  • Defence installations on the summit: do not enter fenced areas or interfere with equipment
Getting There

Harstad

Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes (EVE)

  • By car from Harstad: Rv83 south, right before the Tjeldsund bridge towards Lødingen, then 8 km south on the E10 to Årbogen and the 'Idrettsplass' turn-off; park at the sports ground
  • Regular buses run along the E10 (stop 'Årbogen')

Hazards

  • Weather
  • Avalanche
Researched from 5 sourcesConfidence80%UnreviewedUpdated 8 Oct 2026
Sources & Caveats
  • merged with Wikidata/OSM names
  • Natural Earth 10m point-in-polygon + 300 m border buffer; Wikidata P17 countries whose border is within 5 km
  • westcoastpeaks notes the 1:50,000 map gave the summit as 1,065 m (2007); the skeleton's 1,095 m matches Wikidata, OSM and ut.no.; The nature of the summit installations (described as defence installations by ut.no) and any access restrictions around them were not confirmed with the Norwegian Armed Forces.; Path details below the treeline come from a 2007 description and may have changed.
  • normalizeGrade of the easiest researched route
  • OSM agrees
  • Kirmse analysis gives 1027 m (raw GLO-30 1026 m)
  • wikidata P706 (located on terrain feature)
  • 100% OSM trail graph, 0% short gaps between OSM fragments, 0% DEM least-cost, 0% straight (approx)
  • elevation from copernicus_glo30