AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 14
SCENIC ROUTE
T
aking the
roll Road
Written by Maria Lenhart
Illustration by Fian Arroyo
According to Norwegian folk legend, trolls
roam through the mountains along the Trollstigen
at night, their gnarled forms turning to stone as the
sunlight hits them during the day. This transformation
is said to account for the rugged masses of towering cliffs
and rock formations that make the Trollstigen, which translates to "Troll's Ladder," such a thrilling drive for anyone
visiting western Norway's spectacular fjord coast.
Part of Norwegian County Road 63,
Trollstigen is a 34-mile engineering
marvel with a dizzying series of hairpin
turns that snakes its way from the village of Valldal to the town of Andalsnes. Along the way, there are vistas of
deep, lush valleys, crystalline fjords and waterfalls so close to the road
that motorists are easily misted by their spray. Set in an avalanche-prone
landscape as treacherous as it is beautiful, Trollstigen is only open
between May and October. Even during those months, it's necessary to
check the weather report for unexpected storms of ice and snow.
For many visitors, the approach to
Trollstigen starts with a drive up Eagle
Road, also a section of 63, which starts
above the Geirangerfjord, a frequent
port of call for the many cruise ships sailing along the coast each summer. Climbing
up through the near-vertical peaks with tiny
farms perched on their rocky ledges, Eagle Road
affords opportunities for visitors to photograph their
ships docked in the sliver of blue-green waters of the fjord far below. The
famous viewing point overlooks the Seven Sisters waterfall, a group of
cascading falls that plunge over 800 feet down the mountainside.
At Valldal, the southern end of the Trollstigen, which starts off as a
gentle incline through a deep green valley of alpine meadows and strawberry fields, is a bucolic contrast to the drama soon to come. A striking
14
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AAA Traveler - Summer 2016
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AAA Traveler - Summer 2016
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016
Contents
Departures
Because Someday
A Beautiful Contrast
Uncovering a Cool Hotspot
Taking the Troll Road
Trip Notes
Navigator
Expert Challenge
California Dreaming
Your Story
Enlightened Japan
Beneath the Leaves
Cities We Love
Photo Challenge
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - AAA Traveler - Summer 2016
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Cover2
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Contents
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Departures
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Because Someday
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 4
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 5
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - A Beautiful Contrast
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 7
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 8
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 9
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Uncovering a Cool Hotspot
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 11
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 12
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 13
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Taking the Troll Road
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 15
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Trip Notes
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Navigator
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - NCover2
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N1
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N2
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N3
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N4
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N5
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N6
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N7
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N8
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N9
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N10
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N11
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - N12
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - NCover3
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - NCover4
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Expert Challenge
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - California Dreaming
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 19
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 20
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 21
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Your Story
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 23
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 24
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Enlightened Japan
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 26
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 27
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 28
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 29
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Beneath the Leaves
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 31
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Cities We Love
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Photo Challenge
AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - Cover4
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