The INCREDIBLE Story - How NORWAY Opens its MOUNTAIN roads!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 มิ.ย. 2024
- I'm about to take you into a world very few people will ever see. It's a world where danger is around every corner. Avalanches and rock slides are possible at any moment. You need the right skills and experience to be part of the team that will spend 8 weeks clearing and repairing Norway's most famous mountain pass road. I got to spend a day with the team to see firsthand what goes on. This is the first time this incredible story has been told to an international audience. Videos like this are what TH-cam should be all about!
00:00 - Pre Intro
01:14 - Getting to Trollstigen
02:27 - Meeting Dag at Trollstigen entrance
03:46 - Safety Checks before heading up on the mountain
04:43 - The Dangers out there - Green(ish) & Red Zones
07:38 - Dag's footage from the first week of clearing Trollstigen!
08:43 - The Damage by the avalanche and the special rocks that must be found.
11:20 - Driving Through the Red Zone & Passing the damaged Visitor Center.
12:18 - The Snow Plough Experience!
13:49 - The History of the road: Meeting David and Nikka
16:06 - History, Heritage, and the Opening
17:12 - Ending: Cycling Trollstigen Snow Walls
For more information about Norway's 18 Scenic Routes please visit: www.nasjonaleturistveger.no/e...
Trollstigen and other mountain road opening dates see: www.nasjonaleturistveger.no/e...
Follow DAG on his INSTAGRAM page: / dcugseth
Visit www.cyclenorway.com for more information about cycling in Norway.
Facebook page: / cyclenorwaycom
FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM for the latest updates: / cyclenorway
Drone footage Trollstigen: Dag Christian Ugseth
Trollstigen Old Photos Used: Staten Vegvesen
News coverage of Nikka from NRK.no
#matthewnorway #cyclenorway #trollstigen #norwegianscenicroads
#nasjonaleturistveger #statenvegvesen
I grew up in Minnesota when it was a culturally dominant Scandinavian state. Every young kid wanted to be a snowplow driver. Almost everyone embraced the winter to the point that it was the best time of year. As I moved around in the USAF, my wife (North Dakotan) and I watched how different states dealt with winter, mostly incompetently. Then you go back to the Upper Midwest and big men with big work machines do their jobs with efficiency and great skill. To be clear, Minnesota winters do NOT have these sorts of obstacles and challenges, however, so this video is very gratifying. No silly language or distractions, just engineering expertise and operational efficiency to make the world safe and livable for everyone. Actual, deep learned expertise in action on behalf of the citizenry. High taxes, yet efficient services. Not normal, but praise-worthy.
Well said much love fae bonnie Scotland
I'm a scandinavian person who grew up in California and now lives in a heavier snow state, my first winter in 2017 broke records yet I would stand outside in pj shorts and a t-shirt.
I felt like a Husky discovering snow for the first time lol
Now it is ruined by mogadishu
As a foreigner living in Norway what strikes me the most is how strong Norwegians are, both mentally and psychically, old or young, it must be some viking thing going on. The culture here is from childhood, get out in nature, ski, walk, hike, don’t be afraid of the nature, parents with their small children smiling and hiking in the mountains with no strain or difficulty, i have been to huge mountains to explore and seen people jogging up past me, happy as hell, i just don’t get it. When that is said, Norway is extremely beautiful! In my culture people are not outdoorsy at all. I’m not surprised by how well they keep roads in mountains snow free and safe at all, they just find a way. Norway is amazing!
Norwegians connection with nature is very special and unique.
You have to be strong to endure both the weather and the history.
🇳🇴🇸🇪
Wow,,, you did it again Matthew! It pleases an "old man" whose cycling days are long gone to see that there are still young people who care about the simple and most beautiful way to experience the country road. May all your slopes be simple and no tires ever leak air. Thank you very much for what you do for Norway.
Thanks for your message SY Bjørgvin - lovely to read :) As you know, better than most, there is no better way to experience Norway than by Bike. We'll keep pushing that message on to future generations.
Nice
Really beautiful, thanks for sharing 😃
@@matthewnorway Mette Larsen doesn't have the faintest clue what she's talking about. Norway is exactly infamous for the absolute opposite of making attractions easily accessible. The common mentality is that you should suffer before being allowed to watch something beautiful.
What beauty words much love fae a wee 45 year old fae bonnie Scotland ❤
What wonderful words … ‘’if you look after your history and heritage the future looks after itself’’ a huge thank you to the people who looked after this road and another huge thank you to you for taking the time to bring this road to the world….. salute
Very cleverly done Matthew. Even living nearby this area, and having driven Trollstigen a number of times, I have never seen that much of the behind scenes work being done to prepare for opening. Btw, my father, beeing 19 at the time, was there when king Haakon VII opened the road at july 31. 1936.
Thanks for sharing Oddmund! Amazing to read your father was there at the opening with the legendary King!
@@matthewnorway Oddavar ....jøss. Jeg var 7 år gammel når Håkon Vll døde. Da ringte alle klokkene i kirketårnene og jeg ble så forskrekket at jeg gikk rett på et tre. Takk for et minne 👍
Matthew - this is by far your best video ever. It deserves a LARGE audience. I grew up not far from Trollstigen, but I’ve never knew the effort that lies behind opening it. Very interesting, beautifully film, and oddly touching when you tell the stories of David and Nikka. In addition, this format with you interacting with others was great, and something you should do more of. In short, I loved this video.
Many thanks, Jo, I agree, I would like to interact with others more but many people don't like being filmed and I feel intrusive pointing a camera in their face. But it's something I'm working on and will for sure try and include more people and tell more stories like this.
Hello from Liverpool
This is one of the most incredible videos I have seen for a long time. I am impressed as a geologist with the mountains and the immense effort Norway has put into its infrastructure to conquer them. Truly magnificent and awe-inspiring.
How is infrastructure to ruin nature's natural look any good? It disturbs ecosystems aswell.
I love Norway, and I am a Swede...🇸🇪🇳🇴
I usually never comment on yt videos but this was an absolutely amazing production! As a Norwegian this makes me proud to know we have this type of people among us, taking care of our mountains! 👏🏼
You may already have Norwegian citizenship, if you don't you deserve it for promoting these amazing places. Another 10 from me
Thanks Martin :)
Matthew, Your videos always include a portion of pure poetry. This time you gave us a description of some rocks by saying "They are part of the furniture".. which beautifully explained the importance of history.
That was one of my Favorite rides in all of Europe when I took my Harley over there in 1982, The turns are so tight you can see your own taillights and riding through waterfalls while on the road is great. There were two brothers who lived and farmed up there year round and in the winter months they carved fantastic wooden Trolls.
This was a great production Matthew!
I'm from Norway and have drive here several times. I've always had a lot of respect for those who made this road in the first place,
but you thought me many things about it I didn't yet know.
I think this video paid the proper respect to those who service this amazing road and make it possible for us all to enjoy the view.
Thank you!
Are you serious, only 4 thousand subscribers. This quality is something channels with many millions don’t even have. Keep up the good work👍
I will, thanks for the support!
I’m Subscribing:
At 5.55k Now!
6310
7960 .....
@@kvalvagnes i guess your comment just proves the quality of his videos😄
wow, I forget how beautiful my country is sometimes, and it's humbling and tears bringing to see other people get to see it. and maybe even get to visit themselves one day. wonderful video.
Very nice episode! I live in Sweden and drove this road by motorcycle this summer. So much nice views in Norway, try to go there every summer. Aursjøvegen is extremely nice!
Such a wonderful and heartbreaking story, beautifully told. The Viking spirit lives on in people like Nikka, David and Dag.
WOW! That was seriously an adventurous documentary film, not only were you able to capture part of Norway's stunning beauty, but also tell the story in such a way that makes everyone feel like they are related to the people even though we've never heard about them before. On top of that, this is some A PLUS film editing you've done there. Truly amazing!
Appreciate it CSX 👍
I have cycled in Denmark and Sweden. This reminds me of why I have not ventured into Norway on a bicycle! Well done to all those who keep the roads open!
Incredible well made documentary. I am Norwegian, and can't remember I have seen this story told, about the opening of Trollstigen. Every year we get the information that the mountain roads are opened, with some pictures of the huge snow blowers plowing through the snow.
I really hope NRK or TV2 (Norwegian TV channels) have made a similar documentary, but that I have missed it. Anything else would be embarrassing for them. This was amazing.
That's exactly why I made this video.The first time I saw the snow blowers on NRK I wanted to know the story behind the scenes. I was extremely lucky to get access for the day and glad you enjoyed the hard work in making this.
Impossible to watch this without feeling excitement, gratitude, and, were I Norwegian, so much pride my heart would be bursting out of my chest, Alien-style!
I hope that doesn't happen 😉!
Stunning scenery, but please use a Norwegian composer for background music! For brutal nature like this, I recommend Edvard Grieg or Geirr Tveit. Apart from this I absolutely love your videoes! It had to take a British guy to shoot gold like this in Norway! Thank you!
And i take this for granted.. every day. Thank you for reminding me that norway is awesome
The “algorithm” threw this up for me. I thought “ok … I like Norway” and have always found the drives to ski resorts the most memorable part of my trips that I so look forward to, so this resonated for me. once watched . … Woah !!! Simply superb. It brought tears to my eyes by the end for the beauty, and what you’d made me feel for those who make this road possible. That takes some epic story telling. Well done. As I say, simply superb . Thank you. “Subbed”.
The people who repair this road and prepare it for use each year deserve the greatest of respect for their hard work under hard conditions.
I cycled up Trollstigen last summer. The snow walls were long gone then. The view and atmosphere is amazing, and we got a lot of cheers from the other drivers enjoying the road too. So interesting to see all the work behind opening this national treasure
I spent a month bikepacking Norway and it was up there with some of the most incredible places to ride. Iceland comes to mind as a similar experience. Remote, harsh and strikingly beautiful
Wow. In 1989 going on the train west from Oslo on May 5th or 6th stopped in the mountains where 3 meters had just fallen and couldn't see over the snow, got a bit lower and was astounded by the waterfalls everywhere, so loud. So wanted to ski but seemed too deep to risk a fall and had spring clothes. What you said about preserving the past struck me as have tried in vain to get this thought to grow in this midwestern US town. Makes me too sad for words.
I love Norway; the people, the culture, the government, the topography and everything about it.
This reminds me of when my father did work for the National Park Service in the Rocky Mountain National park. I was very little and would ride with him clearing the roads up there.
I could do that forever.
That 15 minutes riding between those snow walls looked absolutely thrilling. I have caught a couple of similar experiences, once in Norway and once in Scotland but not to the extent that you enjoyed. History & heritage are so important in helping to inform the present. This in turn helps shape our future and hopefully educates us usefully. Everywhere has a story to tell and hearing those stories adds so much to our experience of life and the places we visit. Your video was brilliantly assembled and so interesting to watch as always. Have a wonderful week.
Wise and thoughtful words Ivor. thanks for sharing your thoughts, much appreciated. Ha en fin uka :)
Such an incredible story. And such a beautiful country. Nothing better than mountains and snow!!
Hello 👋 and bravo from Rochester, NY !
Wow! I must have travelled along this road five or six times since childhood (late 1960's), but never this early in the season. Seeing the work that's put into this makes me immensely grateful to the people involved. The visitor centre at the top is great.
What I thought I’d be watching is a cool video, just something interesting to watch while I eat dinner. Instead, I’ve been taking on an incredible and breathtaking journey filled with beauty and wonder. Thank you, Matthew, for everything.
That was epic. That should be made into a full documentary on a national tv station or Nat History channel.
Well done Matthew. Steve👏👏
I appreciate it Steve!
You captures the spirit of Norway in this video and its people. Really great. Thank you for the experience :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mathew, what an incredible video to watch! It is so soothing and calming to watch such great nature. Thank you for brining it to the world! Love Norway and its people for preserving the nature
traveled to Norway & Sweden with my family when I was around 12 years old. One of my most vivid memories were these walls of snow. So interesting to get some back story on the how & why, thanks for sharing your videos.
Another superb production Matt, arguably one of your best. The research and information you've packed into 20 minutes makes one appreciate even more how much preparation goes into keeping roads like this open. Worth contemplating in the middle of summer when grinding the bike up the hairpins and drags without a care in the world!
I agree Erik, so lucky to have so many epic roads over dramatic landscape that are safe to ride and well maintained. There is only so much you can manage with a small population but I believe Staten Vegvesen does a good job. They just need to fix up them old tunnel pass roads!
I drove on Trollstigen this year for the first time one week after it opened on June 17. There was no sign of any avalanche anywhere along the road. This video was the first I learned of it.
0:41 That explains why the building was still damaged when we visited last week. It was so stunning to see so much snow still in summer. A magic place...
That’s how it happens in Washington too… on main highways they keep them open with lots of constant plowing, and they do similar stuff as for the passes that close during the winter. Cool insight!
Thank you sharing this story. Incredible feat in building the road and maintaining it year after years. Kudos to these wonderful men & women who made this possible.
So a dude on youtube produces this level of content but has less than 5000 subs? That is clearly wrong and must be fixed.
TH-cam is a tough business to be in if you want to be original but I'll keep going. Thanks for the support!
I think he might be going viral. He is nearly 10k now. Me being one of them.
My thoughts exactly stumbling across this
Everyone starts somewhere
It's 16.6k today 🤩👍🏼
Wow Matthew ,
I found this a deeply moving video . Beautifully filmed ,and edited in epic proportions . Congratulations to you ,and to your celebration of the amazing people ,who built ,and continue to maintain this slice of heaven . Mark.
I was totally certain that your page had far over a million subs, and was blown away seeing how few you had. This is incredible, your channel deserves to be so much bigger!
This was a great production Matthew!
I'm from Norway and have drive here several times. I've always had a lot of respect for those who made this road in the first place.
I remember that road. Nostalgia is now everywhere.👍👍👍
I took a roadtrip two years ago and drove from the bottom and up. Absolutely spectacular.
I live in Norway and traveled on Trollstigen two years ago. Thank you for a lovely peek behind the scenes of this year's reopening, and for introducing us to some amazing locals!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done Matthew. What an amazing video. This is a breath-taking road. Cycling this added to the bucket list.
The men who maintain this road and other roads I’m sure, are very brave. I hope they get paid a lot of money! They are amazing and their snow removing machines, very cool. And the people who cleared it by hand before they had machines, amazing! Thanks for this video!
Thanks for the super awesome video. One of the most difficult drive we've ever had. Just incredible how anyone could build that road.
Superb piece thank you. I have been there once, but it was 50 years ago so nice to see it again.
Just came back from a trip and also crossing the Trollstigen as well as R258, it's amazing and kudos to the team making it possible to pass this impressive and beautiful road
Well that was bloody fascinating
Thanks all involved 🇬🇧
What a fantastic video and production!
this truly has changed my perspective on the roads here in Norway. Thanks for that!
Looking forward to watching more of your videos and to bike this fantastic piece of road myself someday!
Amazing video. Beautiful scenery. Driving on that road on a summer’s day would give my anxiety from all those edges, but clearing it of all that snow without proper visuals is just unbelievable. From Canada, hats off to everyone who built that road and to those who now maintain it.
It's amazing what some people do for a living and what humans can do when they work together.
Facinating !
This is so amazing, well done. Thank you so much for creating this and sharing it with us.
Incredibly beautiful, thank you.
Surely beautiful, impressive and stunning!
This happens as well every single spring in Switzerland on pass roads through the Alps (e.g. Grimsel-, Susten-, Nufenen-, Umbrail etc.). I admire people doing this though and risky job allowing us to travel safe whether it is on railway lines or roads
Excellent Matthew, i planned & drove about 1800 kms in 6 days, had a plan to drive to trollstigen but it was not opened till 5th june , when i returned , so hopefully next year.Astonished to see Norway roads & ferry systems & still amused by the natural beauty.Words can't describe it ....
This is a quality informative U tube blog. I discovered it by accident but it does deserve a much wider audience. Interested to see the huge number of bikes waiting for the gate to be formally opened. Thanks
As a Norwegian I found this video fascinating and informative, love it when an outlander teaches u a history lesson! Keep up the good work!
Brilliant! Loved this video. Amazing story.
Its really amazing! I have been to Trollstigen twice and plane to make it three times. This raod is amazing to drive but I never realize how hard to maintain it! Thanks for the video!
What a brilliant film and an even more brilliant place. Really enjoyed this. Will be going to see it in reality and cannot wait.
Thank you for posting this beautiful video. It brings back memories of my own trip up that amazing road. I grew up in Norway (now live in the USA) and went up Trollstigen many years ago. Great memory of a fantastic ride up that stunning road. It is truly a breathtaking ride. Again, thank you for a wonderful video.
Wow! What an incredible story and video! It is truly amazing to hear the story behind the work and effort put into opening these mountain roads to the public! In Canada and the United states they clear many mountain roads in the late spring aswell. One of the most incredible is "Going to the sun road" in Montana, because of its sheer slope in many sections just like Trollstigen!
Thanks for sharing Carter 👍
Wonderful story. Big thanks 😊
Stunning place, been there twice and will probably go back this year!
Hi Matthew, great video. Even more so as we just drove the Trollstigen today! With your video of the hard work they did in our mind. Its truely an wonderfull road!
Small correction. It's TrollstigeN, not TrollstigeR :)
These type of people are amazing. Legends
This is absolutely amazing! Thank you for making it
🙂
I was there in May 2019 and I can tell you it's a breathtaking place!
I have once driven Trollstigen from down to up, but it was July. Incredible road!
I salute David Grøvdal and Nikka Grønning.
I’ll be riding here next month and will remember these amazing guys and their work.
15:30 AAAAA That's so sweet!
Absolutely fabulous documentary!
Thanks Dag!
You have made a fantastic story from this great area. I live in Norway and have been there several times while visting a friend. And I am always amazed by these mountains and roads. And I absolutely admire those who are maintaining them. You have showed us the real story and all the good work that makes it possible for us to enjoy these areas. Thank you! 👍🤩
Glad you enjoyed it Torunn!
That was truly amazing Matthew, thank you!
Thanks for this, GREAT video!!
Amazing highway and extraordinary efforts by skilled and dedicated workers to keep it in repair. Thanks for the interesting video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for producing this video. Very entertaining.
Wow...!!!
I enjoyed your video friend
Norway is the most Amazing side of the earth ❣️
I love Norway
Always pumping out good content Matt! So good to watch from my bed on a cold night here in Australia 🇦🇺 cheers mate!
Great to hear Samuel, Greetings from Norway 🇳🇴
That was amazing to watch! Wow!
Amazing video, thank you.
Simply amazing
I am so spoiled to have such great mountain passes in my backyard … this is such a beautiful reminder to how much it takes to reopen and maintain them seasonally … I have added Trollstigen to the list of places I wish to exact revenge as one of those lousy tourist!!
Just want to say Matt you have one of the best youtube channels i have ever seen!
I have always wanted to visit Norway and i am a keen rider also, but your channel has really made me think that a cycling holiday there would be amazing and something now on my bucket list instead of a normal car holiday etc. I am moving from Melbourne back home to Scotland soon and Norway on a bike is going to be very high up on my list of what i want to do when back in Europe thanks to you.
My son and i love your clips and are slowly getting through them all, they are so well edited, put together and produced from you, i wish you had more subscribers as your channel deserves a lot more than you have!
Keep up the great work Matt, you are a brilliant tour guide and youtube producer!
Cheers
Sye
PS - Are you on Strava? Would like to follow you!
Many thanks Sye for your kind words. Good luck with the move back home and hope you get to visit Norway on a bike next year.
Another amazing video-thanks so much for sharing….hope to be on this climb in about 8 weeks! Thanks again with helping me plan my tour.
Welcome Bernie!
Wow! Very impressive work these men accomplish. Impressive hommage also. Well done Matthew.
Thanks Jaque!
This is amazing! Well done!
Norway is so beautiful and amazing
What a wonderful video. Thank you👌
Thanks a lot for this soo fantastic video about Trollstigen! I was lucky to get there in Good weather in the summer many years ago! 😊👍
oh so beautiful this video ,truly inspiring
Amazing. In 1983 i was there with my bike, all the way from Hessen, Germany.
1983!! Wow 😮
Great material, thank you