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Details

Distance

17.1 miles

Elevation Gain

3280.8 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by David Corrigan

A 10-hour hike through Norwegian cliffs that overlooks an alpine lake. At the end, sit on the edge of the "Troll's Tongue" and take in the 700-meter drop below.

We camped in Odda the night before the hike, waking up before dawn to secure a parking spot in the small lot in Skjeggedal, where the trailhead is located (it is about a 15-minute drive from the Odda campsite to Skjeggedal). There are restrooms, water fountains, a small gift shop, and 1-2 small food stands in the parking area. 

The first kilometer of the hike sees the most elevation rapid elevation gain. You are going up rocky steps dirt slopes. Before going, I read that this was the most difficult part of the trip and that cannot be understated. It easily took 30-40 minutes complete the first kilometer alone.

After this section, it leveled off until kilometer 3, where it once again saw a dramatic increase in elevation, albeit not as severe as the first kilometer. This repeated a couple more times with a kilometer of gain followed by a level surface. After the 8th or 9th kilometer, the elevation gain was slow and steady and much more manageable.

At about this time, you see the large alpine lake that Trolltunga overlooks, and you are essentially hiking above and around it. After the last few kilometers, you see a large, rocky outcropping, where people are gathered waiting in line to get their moment on the rock. To get on, you must drop down a couple meters to a lower position (there are steel rungs) and then have access. 

During peak seasons in the summer on weekends there can be a substantial number of people waiting. We waited on the top of the mountain for about 20-30 minutes to get our chance at some pictures. After, we spent another half hour eating, relaxing, and taking photos of the rest of the area. There are streams to fill your bottles with fresh water.

On the way down we passed large numbers of others heading to the top. (That last kilometer was especially difficult on the knees.) After, grab some food and relax with others in the lot!

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Forest
Lake
Scenic

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