At a modest 448 meters high, Reinebringen is far from one of the highest peaks on the Lofoten islands. Yet this is more than made up for by the iconic view from the summit. The view, combined with the easy access from Reine and a constant flow of images on social media means that Reinebringen is one of the most popular hikes on Lofoten, with hundreds of people making the ascent each day during the summer season.

In 2016 construction on a stone stairway on the mountain was started due to the increased erosion and danger of rockfall from the high amount of visitation. The Sherpa stairway was finished in late summer 2021, now ascending fully to the summit ridge. 1978 steps.

Note, the steps are actually quite physically demanding, and the repetitive motion of step after step is more strenuous than regular hiking trails, even steep ones. So if you are not a regularly active person, I would warm up on a few easier hikes before visiting Reinebringen.

For up to date information, follow: Reinebringen Facebook Page

Getting There

Reinebringen is located immediately west of the village or Reine, with the stairway beginning on the western side of Ramsvik tunnel, along the old road.

Parking as become a severe issue since the opening of the stairway. Moskenes Kommune asks that you only park in the following areas:

Free: Djupfjord view point. Located along the E10, 1.3km west from the trailhead. This is the largest free parking in the area.

Paid: Ytre Havn, Reine. Located in the outer harbor in Reine, 1.8km from the trailhead. Follow the sign posted ‘P’ since after turning into Reine. New 2022 Fees: Parking in the outer harbor is 40 NOK/hr.

Paid: Reine Kultursenter. Located just before the center of Reine. 150 NOK/day

DO NOT park along the E10 or you will receive a 900 NOK parking ticket.

The Trail

The stairway begins on the west side of Ramsviktunnel after following the old road around the outside of the tunnel.

Take the first step and then the next until until 1978 steps later you find yourself at the summit ridge. The beginning of the route starts off quite mild while the steps and exposure gradually steepen as you near the top. The high amount of summer traffic means you steep need to take caution not to slip or fall.

The steps are on average quite tall and those with shorter legs might find the climb quite demanding. There are several rest points along the route.

To reach the end of the ridge at the right, it is a steep, muddy path just before reaching the summit. If it has been raining recently, then this will be slippery! Alternatively, once reaching the ridge, you can scramble over the slightly exported rocks on the right.

Camping

Update: June 2021: Camping is now forbidden on Reinebringen and new signs have been installed at the trailhead. The mountain has now come under the jurisdiction of specific regional outdoor regulations which overpower the otherwise existing Allemansretten of legal dispersed camping on undeveloped land.

Reinebringen is not a winter hike!

If you have Googled hiking Reinebringen in winter and are reading these words right now, the answer is no, you cannot safely hike Reinebringen in winter – If you had the knowledge necessary to hike it in winter, you would not have needed to search if you can do so. If you have never owned crampons and ice axes, you cannot safely hike Reinebringen in winter. If you have to ask, don’t. Don’t walk past the numerous warning signs and barriers telling you not to hike in winter. Do not put your life or the lives of rescue personnel at risk for an Instagram photo that will be forgotten in moments.

Beyond the technical steepness of Reinebringen in winter, it is an objectively dangerous mountain. Rock slabs high up the mountain regularly send avalanches and icefall across the route. The ridge is lined with overhanging cornices which change with the wind direction, one wrong step will lead to a 400m fall. The soft ‘easy to walk on’ snow at the bottom of the mountain becomes windblown crust on the upper part of the route, layered by multiple freeze-thaw cycles. If you don’t know what any of these words mean, they mean stay away from Reinebringen in winter.

And still, despite all the warnings, there will be those who still hike the mountain. Most will probably be fine. Yet, an unlucky few each year will spend hours in darkness and freezing gale force winds as the light of the rescue helicopter searches overhead. Or worse, the locals will watch as the light of the helicopter searches the bottom of the mountain.

No one will care or notice that you didn’t hike Reinebringen in winter – they will care if you die.