One of the largest outlet glaciers from the ice cap Jostedalsbreen has been studied by various scientists during the 19th and 20th centuries, and a detailed programme of mass balance investigations has been carried out in recent years. The paper summarizes results from earlier studies, even from observations since the large advance about 1740, and particularly recent data. Detailed mass balance studies since 1962 have shown that the glacier is growing in volume (more than 6 m of water equivalent from 1962 to 1975) but this has not yet resulted in any advance of the ice front. The maximum observed ice velocity is 1.4 m/day on the tongue, where the ice thickness is about 200 m in a surveyed profile located below the ice falls.