Visit Nordfjord celebrates Norwegian mountain pioneer Kristian Bing with an unusual ‘love letter’

A new and unique film now commemorates Kristian Bing for the achievements he performed especially in the Nordfjord region over 100 years ago. Visit Nordfjord has now released a short film as a ‘love letter’ to the mountain pioneer who established the groundwork for extreme mountain sports in his Norwegian homeland.

Mountain pioneer Kristian Bing was a skilled and fearless rock climber. In 1894, both he and the famous English alpine explorer William Cecil Slingsby were the first to ever cross the largest glacier on mainland Europe, the Jostedalsbreen glacier, independently from each other.

The film is based on an event from 1895 when Bing, together with local guide Rasmus Aabrekk from Olden, climbed the extreme glacier fall of the Briksdalsbreen glacier, which is the most famous glacier arm of the Jostedalsbreen. Kristian Bing always challenged nature, but at the same time showed the necessary respect for it.

In the unique film, viewers meet a new man in a modern era, who challenges nature in the same landscape where Bing reigned many years ago. The man’s name is Morten Knapstad. He is a professional speed rider who seeks to capture the mental and physical strengths Bing must have played with when he made his adventure dreams come true.

“To pay tribute to pioneer Kristian Bing by being the first to fly out of the glacier plateau and down the steep Briksdalsbreen glacier is a fantastic experience – the scenery here is absolutely unique,” said Knapstad.

The film is made in collaboration between the destination company Visit Nordfjord, Briksdalsbre Mountain Lodge, Team OneCall, Stryn Municipality, Bremanger Municipality and Stryn Næringssamskipnad.