Norway's most famous road reopens after epic snow plow operations
One of Norway's more famous roads is reopening after feet of snowfall caused it to be shut down for the winter.
Trollstigen, known as the "golden route," is one of Norway's most scenic drives, placing the breathtaking Norwegian landscape on full display as the road winds and twists through the mountainous terrain. It can take up to two hours to drive the full course of the road, although there are stopping points where people can take in the scenery.
The road's name, which translates to "the troll path," shares a small glimpse of what visitors can expect if they're familiar with Norwegian folklore, as in some legends, trolls turn to stone when exposed to sunlight, forming stony crags such as the ones the road winds around.
The road isn't without its risks, however, as it features steep climbs and hairpin bends, making it dangerous to drive in the dark, especially if it's raining.
But during the winter, snow can make it impossible to cross.
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Overlook of Trollstigen, Norway. (Tse Hon Ning, Getty Images) |
The Norwegian government completely closes the road for the winter as the same twists and steep climbs that attract tourists also make it difficult to remove snow.
But as of mid-April, snow removal machines have started clearing Trollstigen, preparing for the spring and summer months when tourists will once again look to travel the famous road.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dale Mohler estimated the area receives an average of 450 inches of snowfall over the winter based on available forecasting data.
He compared the area to the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest in that both locations were at a high enough latitude to be hit by a high volume of storms and were at a high enough elevation where most or all of the precipitation falls in the form of snow.
Trollstigen also sits on the west coast of Norway, standing as the first barrier that moisture-packed storms from the eastern Atlantic encounter as they move into northwestern Europe.
"The key here is that it's on the windward side of the mountain chain in Norway, meaning it's receiving the full load of moisture from the Atlantic as storms slam onshore," Mohler said. "It's located near the average position of the storm track; in other words, most of the storms that hit Europe come onshore close to Trollstigen."
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