Trolltunga holds a very special place in my heart, for many different reasons. It was the place of many firsts for me; my first tough multiday trekking with a very (!) heavy backpack, my first frostbite and my very first business idea. It was like nothing I had ever seen before in Europe and it gave me a sense of what the world must’ve looked like before humans walked the surface. The whole experience was almost mythical; with extreme cold, lingering darkness and rolling mist over the dramatic backdrops. Trolltunga truly was an unspoiled and enchanted awakening for me. 

The first time I traveled to Norway was in 2018; my boyfriend at the time, our two dogs and I were drawn to the apparent unparalled freedom of the country. We considered ourselves to be pretty fit and knowledgable at the time (spoileralert: we weren’t) but reading all the warnings about the demanding character of Nowegian trails kinda scared us into adopting a fairly heavy training regime in advance. So we  spent several paychecks on ‘Scandinavia – proof’ gear (cried at the register), hiked countless of stairways with our ridiculously heavy backpacks and unknowingly set out for the adventure of a lifetime. 

Terrain Technicalities

Trolltunga is without a doubt the most spectacular rock formation in Norway. The ‘Trolltongue’ has become a desired hiking destination with its vertical drop of 700 meters above the Ringedalsvatnet Lake. However, it is also one of the most challenging hiking destinations in the world. Many people underestimate the demanding level of this hike and suffer from exhaustion, hypothermia or worse because of it. Apparently rescues are said to be performed on a regular basis so make sure both you and your dog are up for the challenge. I didn’t see any other dogs on the trail at the time and many people told me that they weren’t even sure if it was possible. I’m here to tell you that it is! But preparation and vigilance is key!

On this trail you’ll cross countless roaring waterfalls and rivers, ascend about 1000m on steep mountain ridges and might find yourself some snow and ice on the trail, even during summer. We had to cross several sketchy suspension bridges so make sure your dog is used to walking over wire. The trail consists of several strenuous climbs over boulders, slippery granite and rough terrain. I didn’t have to use dogboots; even though it is fairly rugged, most of the trail consists of granite slopes so you’ll find it isn’t too hard on their feet.

Water and weather

Be aware that mountainareas can create their own weathersystem that is very hard to predict. The weather can change quickly and even in summertime temperatures can suddenly drop. I had read all the warnings at the time and I thought I was well prepared but Trolltunga proved me otherwise. We were there in August and we went through several cycles of every season in a matter of hours. I think I changed my outfit 86 times on the way up; going from a warm summerday to a fullblown winterstorm and back in the blink of an eye. Even though I never experienced so much cold and rain on a trekking in my life, it didn’t bother me at all. The rain seemed to fit the country so well, like it complemented its mythical landscapes and accentuated the daunting desolation.

The trail offers no shade or protection whatsoever; so be aware that both you and your dog are completely exposed to the elements every step of the way. You’ll pass many rivers and waterfalls so there’s no need to carry a whole lot of extra water; you can just refill it as you run out. There is also plenty of opportunity for your dog to cool off in the abundant glacial rivers so even though there is no shade, the hike should be fairly doable for your dog in case of warm weather.

Camping at Trolltunga

Trolltunga doesn’t offer any adjacent mountain huts or cabins. So if you wish to fully experience the beauty of Trolltunga and stay overnight, you’re going to have to bring your own tent and camp out in the mountains.

I severly underestimated the temperature at night and never considered the possibility that Nova might get cold as well. I completely overlooked the fact that when her coat gets wet, it takes about a full day to dry. Needless to say Norway was a whole new level of wet. She had been swimming and we suffered heavy rainfall along the way so by the time the temperatures started to drop she was still soaking wet.

The temperatures dropped far below zero that night and both Nova and I severely suffered. We troubleshooted our way through the night and I ended up wrapping her in our insulated cooking blanket. Apparently this was enough to stop her from shivering relentlessly so she comfortably fell asleep after all. Meanwhile I woke up with black blisters on my fingers the next day which turned out to be mild frostbite. Lesson learned.