The 1960 Spitsbergen Expedition was a four‑person scientific surveying and mapping venture to central West Spitsbergen, focusing on Dicksonland, an area between Isfjorden, Dicksonfjorden, and Billenfjorden. The region contains deeply dissected sedimentary mountains in the north and gentler, rolling terrain with small ice caps in the south, making it scientifically attractive yet difficult to navigate.
After assembling equipment in Norway, the team sailed from Åndalsnes to Svalbard aboard the Ingerfem and established a base at Ossendalen, utilizing a trapper’s hut for shelter. The expedition operated throughout July–August 1960, supported by a small wooden boat and outboard motor to navigate fjords and transport equipment.
The primary scientific aim was to improve the mapping of Dicksonland, where existing Norwegian and university maps were incomplete or inaccurate. The team constructed a network of survey cairns across peaks and ridges, enabling rigorous triangulation using a theodolite. They operated continuous staggered surveying shifts to exploit short windows of clear weather. Peaks including Kongressfjellet, Ganger‑Rolf, Abeltoppen, Gyldenfjellet, Lykta South, and others were surveyed, with angles taken repeatedly to achieve consistency. They encountered challenges such as unstable cairn foundations, rapid weather changes, and difficult visibility at low sun angles. Nonetheless, they produced improved coordinate estimates for major summits and identified numerous systematic errors in earlier mapping.
Late in the season the team began plane‑table mapping, particularly between Rugindalen and Lyckholmdalen, capturing more realistic topographic forms than existing charts allowed. Although limited time prevented full contouring, the new sketches substantially clarified valley and glacier shapes.
The expedition also recorded observations on glaciers, river‑crossing hazards, weather patterns, mosquitoes, and the condition of remote huts. A comprehensive log documents their daily movements, scientific tasks, and meteorological conditions. The venture concluded successfully with improved maps, refined coordinates, and practical recommendations for future Arctic fieldwork.