Hike to the Troll's Tongue... Norway

“What did I do to my body... what did I do to my body?” I repeated over and over again as my hiking boot repeatedly hit the rocky ground beneath me. It seemed like every step I took sent sharp electric bolts through my joints. “Only one more mile to go”, I told myself. I winced as the sole of my hiking boot met the top of an unsteady rock, which so slightly shifted my ankle inward. Any other hike and I probably wouldn’t have noticed the small degree of movement, but not today, not after completing this hike. 17 miles of steep climbs and knee rattling downhill escapades, my body was feeling every single step of it. But oh man what an accomplishment. I find myself smiling as I think about what I have just put myself through. What an adventure I just had... what a beautiful world this is. I just saw a beautiful view and accomplished something I never thought I would get to witness in my lifetime. The whole “what a beautiful world” attitude ended shortly once I realized I still had 3 more very steep switch backs to descend from. “Oh man” I sigh as tears well in my eyes. No, the tears were not from happiness at this moment, they were due to shear pain in my joints and the realization that I still was not back to the car. Welcome to Trolltunga my friends. Trolltunga has been on my bucket list for a very long time. I have always envied the photos of people standing at on the mountain's “tongue” wishing it were me. Those people are so adventurous, I would think to myself. To be honest, I never thought I would get to be one of those people. Life gets busy... you have college... then you have no money... then you have a job... and then you have no time. It’s an endless cycle of wasted time (at least at some points). I always said I would travel and do all of these crazy hikes, but would it ever happen? I had no idea. Then an opportunity happened. I found a very cheap flight that somehow worked with my graduate school schedule and before I knew it I had a plane ticket to Norway. No plan... not a whole lot of money... but oh man was I excited. Days before leaving for Norway, I kept thinking something was going to go wrong and I would never get to Norway. I would lose my passport... miss my flight... eat bad Taco Bell and get food poisoning right before leaving... It just seemed so unreal to me. I could not imagine myself standing on the side of a mountain, over looking an endless fjord and the famous troll’s tongue of Norway. I couldn’t believe it until my boots hit the gravel at 6:00 am in the parking lot for the Trolltunga trail head. The longest day hike I have ever done in my life was about to begin.

Trolltunga is 14 miles... wait no 17 miles... maybe 18 round trip according to my watch... who knows. Even official websites list the trail mileage ranging from 14-17 miles roundtrip. It really depends on the parking lot you park in and if you took the shuttle bus up the 50 switchbacks (dramatic self). *Pro Tip- don’t be a hero... take the shuttle bus and thank me later. This will save you time, the ligaments in your knees, and it will save you from aging 2 additional years in a day. The shuttle bus is about $10 and it will take you up a series of very steep switchbacks that last for a little over a mile. The switchbacks really aren’t too bad, but remember how long this hike is. It is important to save your energy, especially if you are making this a day hike, which is what I did. So don't feel bad for taking the shuttle bus, I wish that I would have!

After all of the switchbacks, you will come to an easy and flat section. There will be multiple bridges to help you get over streams and puddles of mud. You will also start to see mountain ridge lines and some glaciers in the distance! This section of the hike will give you a false sense of security that the hike "isn't so bad", but just wait one minute! Soon you will come to your next big challenge. A straight up climb that seems to go on forever! Just remember... you can do it and DO NOT GIVE UP!!

*The picture below is of the climb I just described. The photo does not do justice. It is very steep, goes on forever, and requires a lot of energy. Push through it!

After these very steep sections, the world begins to open up. You start to realize just how rugged and expansive Norway really is. The photo below shows the types of views you can expect to see for most of the hike. The whole hike is so picturesque! ... But after walking along this Ridgeline for miles, you will start to forget just how beautiful it is, but you have to hang in there!

Soon the kilometers will start counting down, but not quite fast enough. The last kilometer seemed to last forever, but soon you will begin to see it... TROLLTUNGA! Oh wow... that looks a lot smaller than I thought... From a distance, Trolltunga actually looks pretty tiny compared to all of the towering mountains surrounding it. I started to wonder if the hike was all that it was hyped up to be. As you get closer to the rock, it starts to get bigger and bigger. Another thing you start to notice is the line of people... so many people! All of these people hiked up here?!?! Get to Trolltunga early if you can. During the high season, this hike is very popular. A 14ish mile hike doesn't stop people from climbing this mountain. We waited in line to get our picture for about an hour (not lying at all!)!!

*Also... see the guy with the red bookbag in the center of the above photo? That is where most people stand to take the iconic picture. Just please be careful. Beside him is a shear cliff and any mis-step could lead to a fatal fall. I don't know how high up Trolltunga is, but I am sure you do not want to know... so be careful. If people are too close to you or if you cannot get by people, ask them to move over nicely. Also, it is common for people to ask strangers to take their picture up there, so don't hesitate to ask! When we got to the top of Trolltunga… it was so cold! As we stood in line, a light soaking rain began. The rain and intense wind made the time we spent waiting in line very miserable. I remember standing there, wearing all of the layers that I had brought, and just shaking uncontrollably. I had my rain jacket zipped all the way up to where only my eyes were showing. It was amazing how in mid-august it was this cold. And it didn’t really get cold until you hit the top of the mountain. So please be prepared, bring layers! I even brought some fleece gloves and a beanie, which I am so glad that I did. You will be waiting in line for quite a while to take your photo, so make sure you are warm and comfortable. After standing in line for what felt like forever, it was finally my turn to walk out onto the rock. Although it looks scary from the start of the line, as you get closer, you can see just how wide the rock is. If you walk out and stay in the center of the rock, you can barely even tell how high up you are. You will only have a short amount of time to get your photos and enjoy the view from the rock. So make sure and take it all in before you leave! It is for sure an amazing accomplishment and a once in a lifetime experience!!! Although I have expressed some negatives about this hike, I still stepped out on that rock nervous, excited, and with a huge grin on my face. It was so worth it and it will be an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Once you have had your fill of beautiful views and bone chilling winds, the thought that you still have to hike back 6-7 miles will begin to set in. In all honestly, the hike back to the parking lot was the hardest part in my opinion. By this point the excitement is over, your joints have stiffened from waiting in line, and you are probably freezing cold. I remember there were some points on the way back where I had tears in my eyes, due to the downhill grades "tearing" apart the ligaments in my ankles. Each step I took towards the end felt like my achilles tendon was about to rip off of my heel. Take breaks and take it one step at a time, you will make it back! I remember being so happy once I reached the parking lot. I sat down at a picnic table with my friends... bad idea. When it came time to walk a few more steps back to the car, my legs were screaming in pain. We made it to the car and decided to drive to a nearby restaurant to carb load on some Norwegian hamburgers. As we were getting out of the car, my friends and I all realized together just how hard it was to walk. We all were laughing at each other trying to walk to the restaurant door. Our legs could not fully straighten out and we walked with bowed legs. I am sure that we were a sight to see! That night, I even remember dreaming about my hiking boots sliding slightly on a rock and shifting my ankle the smallest degree. I guess I was a little traumatized! :D But I would do it all over again... just not tomorrow, or the next day, or next week, and maybe not next year lol!

One final thought! I would like to make one safety note about this hike. It is very intense and not for the faint of heart. While my friends and I were at the top, we saw a helicopter medical evacuation for what looked like hypothermia (see above photo). We also heard the next day, due to severe weather about 10 more people had to be evacuated. So please take this warning and make sure you prepare. Pack enough food, water, and warm clothes (even if you think it is hot out). It is better to be safe than sorry. Also, I read on several blogs that the water at the top of the mountain is safe to drink. I still treated my water with iodine tablets to be on the safe side. If you have any additional questions on how to prepare for this hike, please don't hesitate to ask! I would be happy to help! :) Life is to be experienced, journey wisely. Kelly Fitzgerald

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