OVERVIEW

Norway is filled with spectacular and famous sights, but the hike along Romsdalseggen Ridge is truly special. When planning our trip to Norway, I recognized many of the iconic photos from some of the more popular hikes, such as Pulpit rock and Trolltunga. Romsdalseggen Ridge was a hike I was not familiar with, but the incredible pictures drew me in immediately.

This is a point to point hike and as a result some preparation is required. A shuttle bus needs to be booked beforehand, which goes from Åndalsnes to the trailhead. After completing the hike there is an option to take the cable car down the mountain and skip the final 2 miles of knee busting descent.

Overall, Romsdalseggen Ridge was a very challenging hike. For the first few hours it was a constant ascent that eventually required scrambling through a boulder field. But once we reached the ridge, all of those photos I saw online became a reality. 

We had almost perfect weather for this hike and enjoyed phenomenal views all day while walking along the ridge. I suspect over time this will be added to all of the other “can’t miss” hikes that Norway has to offer.

ROMSDALSEGGEN RIDGE HIKING STATISTICS

Distance: Point to point 10 km (6 miles) hike.

Ascent: 1,000 meters (3,300 feet).

Descent: 1,200 meters (3,900 feet).

Duration: 8-10 hours.

Difficulty: Strenuous, mostly due to elevation gain and less so due to distance.

LOGISTICS

Romsdalseggen Ridge is a point to point hike that requires some transportation arrangements. There is a shuttle bus that leaves the central bus station in Åndalsnes and takes hikers to the trailhead at Venjedalssetra. 

There are up to 5 buses daily depending on the season and the ride takes about 20 minutes. The first bus of the day leaves at 9:30 AM. We booked this bus ahead of time and it cost 200 NOK per person, but there is also a family discount available. 

It is not recommended doing the hike in the opposite direction as the bus does not transport hikers back to Åndalsnes. There would also be significantly more elevation gain required doing the hike in reverse.

OUR EXPERIENCE HIKING ROMSDALSEGGEN RIDGE

Ascending toward the ridge

After getting dropped off at Venjedalssetra we tossed on some sunscreen and hit the trail at about 10 AM. Weather was fantastic and we had clear skies. About 20-30 other hikers joined us, but it wasn’t too long before they either fell behind or raced ahead. It felt a bit busy at times, but not overwhelming. 

The trail was well maintained and had the classic red “T” trail markings identifying the proper path. 

The ascent started immediately, but initially it was only gradual. The trail got a bit muddy in a few spots, but was not too challenging yet. There were a few small stream crossings but these were easy to navigate and after about 2 km the trail leveled out.

We had a snack at the Jamnabotn plateau and took a brief rest before continuing on to the more strenuous portion of the trail.

After another 0.5 km we had the option of hiking a more gradual ascent to Romsdalseggen Ridge, but this would add 2 km and I was concerned we would miss some of the scenic views from the ridge. This detour eventually reconnects to the main ridge trail after 7 km at Høgaksla.

We decided to take a left at the fork and hike straight up the mountainside to Romsdalseggen Ridge. This section was very strenuous, and the kids needed a few breaks along the way. The trail essentially became a boulder field with some areas that required rock scrambling. At times the intended path was a bit unclear, but we knew the general direction…up.

Hiking along Romsdalseggen Ridge

Finally the trail flattened out again and the ridgeline came into sight. As we neared the cliffside we were rewarded with an absolutely magnificent view. We hung our feet at the edge and spent one glorious hour eating lunch and just looking out over the valley.

The path continued on the ridgeline for another few kilometers, providing amazing views the entire way. It eventually led to the highest point at Mjølvafjellet, where we met a small herd of friendly goats. 

There were a few areas of ascent and descent along the ridge but nothing like what we did earlier. Some of these were a bit more intimidating and required the use of chains and more boulder scrambling. These areas were Oliver’s and Maddie’s favorite part of the hike. They required a boost here and there, but overall had no difficulty.

The hike continued on the ridge past Mjølvafjallet and led to the Rampestreken viewpoint and Romsdalen cable car station. Here was a food stand that served tasty, but expensive food. We shared some ice cream and pastries while resting our legs a bit. 

Descent into Åndalsnes

We now had another decision to make. We could take the cable car back down to Åndalsnes, or continue on the trail down 700 meters with a brutal set of switchbacks. Our legs were throbbing and it had been a long day so it was a no-brainer for us to take the gondola, although the one way ticket price was very steep at 360 NOK.

The gondola brought us right back into Åndalsnes where we could walk back to the hotel.

FINAL IMPRESSION

Despite not having the notoriety that some other Norwegian hikes have, I came away very impressed and thought the Romsdalseggen Ridge hike was definitely one of the best trails in Norway. The entire hike down the ridge provided unobstructed views across the valley that were absolutely incredible.

I will say, we were very fortunate with the weather. Had it been cloudy we wouldn’t have been able to see down into the valley and had there been rain it could’ve be quite treacherous. 

This was one of the more difficult hikes we had done during our 2 weeks in Norway. The first 3 hours were entirely uphill, including a very steep ascent through a large boulder field. But once we got to the ridge, the trail eased up and the scenery was spectacular. Oliver and Maddie also really enjoyed the chain section and the goats at Mjølvafjallet.