Midsundtrappene at Otrøya Island in Romsdal are five great Hiking-trails made in stone by Sherpas from Nepal. Otrøya is an island in the outer part of the Romsdalsfjord, at the Atlantic Coast outside Molde. Map to use: Romsdalsfjorden 1:50000.
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From the summits, there are fantastic views towards the Atlantic Coast and the Atlantic Ocean, and to the outer part of the Romsdalsfjord and the surrounding isles and mountains. Here you can read about the hike to Mt Rørsethornet.
Season, guiding and important safety information
SAFETY & RESPONSIBILITY: Follow the Mountain Code when hiking in Norway. Conditions can change from summer and sunshine to winter and frost within minutes. Always be prepared for rapidly changing weather.
BEFORE YOU GO: Weather and conditions are crucial. Always take this into account before setting out. Avoid the hike in bad weather, fog, thunderstorms, snow or icy conditions. Bring appropriate clothing, good hiking shoes, a map and compass, and enough food and water. Always check the weather forecast before you go.
DIFFICULTY: Demanding. This is a general assessment based on distance, terrain, elevation gain and exposure.
DURATION: 3–5 hours.
ELEVATION: This hike starts at approximately 30 masl (The parking lot by Rakvåg). Highest point at approximately 659 masl (Mt Rørsethornet).
SEASON: Mid June to Mid September. These are approximate months and depend on weather, temperature and snow conditions in the mountains.
SUITABILITY: This hike is not suitable for children! This is a long and demanding hike, you should be an experienced hiker to do this hike. There are several steep, narrow and exposed sections on this hike.
GUIDE: We recommend using a guide on this hike. See DID Adventure for information about guided tours. DID Adventure guides throughout the county of Møre and Romsdal, but has an extra heart for Molde, Eikesdalen, the area around Hustadvika and the Atlantic Road, Ona Lighthouse and Romsdalen. DID tailors and makes the entire journey with guides, equipment, accommodation, transport and food according to needs and wishes.
NAVIGATION: Use a map and compass on this hike. Parts of the hike cross high mountain terrain. The area can occasionally be covered in fog.
MOBILE COVERAGE: Mobile coverage is often limited or unstable on many of the hikes described on this website, and in some areas there is no mobile coverage at all. It is recommended to bring an extra power bank for your mobile phone.
LIVESTOCK ON GRAZING LAND: Keep a safe distance from grazing animals, avoid sudden movements and close gates behind you. Dogs must be kept on a leash as required by regulations for much of the year. Read more about how to behave around animals and nature in Norway.
OFFICIAL TRAIL DESCRIPTION: Descriptions on fjords.com may be incomplete or contain errors. Always check updated information from official sources before you go. Many hikes in Norway can be found on UT.no, which provides maps and elevation profiles. Here is a trail description of Rørsethornet (the description also includes information about the more demanding and more exposed hike continuing from Rørsethornet to Ræstadhornet) on UT.no.
Panoramic view from the Staircase of stones that run between Sherpanakken and Mt Rørsethornet.
The drive from Molde to Otrøya Island
Drive from Molde to Mordalsvågen (10 minutes drive), where you take the ferry over to the Otrøya Island. Or you can join a roundtrip by bus, “Bus to Hike”, from Molde to Midsund and Midsundtrappene Trails.
Midsundtrappene, from the trail towards Sherpanakken.
From the Ferry Pier on Otrøya Island, drive towards Midsund, approximately 10 minutes drive to the parking lot at Rakvåg on the north side of the island where this epic hike starts.
On this hike, you will walk on one of the longest stairways in Norway, 2212 steps (two kilometer long stairway) in stone up towards Sherpanakken viewpoint at around 430 masl. This is a bit below Mt Rørsethornet.
Drone image of Sherpanakken and the view towards Raknes and the Atlantic Ocean.
The last part of the trail goes from Sherpanakken to the top of Mt Rørsethornet at 659 masl and a total of 3292 steps, from the start at Rakvåg to the top of Mt Rørsethornet.
This part of the trail is steep, narrow and exposed. The hill on the west side of the trail is steep, and there are sheer cliffs on the east side of the trail. The trail goes right on the edge of the cliffs.
From the Stone Staircase that run between Sherpanakken and Mt Rørsethornet. Sherpanakken far down there…
We recommend ending the hike at Sherpanakken if you are not an experienced hiker who is not afraid of heights and steep and exposed trails.
Note that there are several steep, narrow and exposed sections on this hike. This applies to both the stairs that go from the start to the Sherpanakken Viewpoint and from Sherpanakken to Mt Rørsethornet.
The photo gallery and the video below show the hike to the viewpoint at Sherpanakken (430 masl).
Pictures from the trail between Sherpanakken and Mt Rørsethornet
The picture gallery below contains pictures from the stone stairs that go between the Sherpanakken viewpoint (430 masl) and the Mt Rørsethornet (659 masl).
The stone stairs between Sherpanakken and Mt Rørsethornet were completed in autumn 2022. Several rest areas with stone benches and viewpoints have been created along the Midsundtrappene trail between Rakvåg and Mt Rørsethornet.
From snowy mountains to beautiful coastline of islands and reefs. Experience all this in one day due to the short distance from mountains to coast. Trollstigen, Trollveggen and Rampestreken are great places to visit in the inner part of the Romsdalsfjord, where the fjord meets the spectacular and alpine Romsdal mountains. The Romsdalsfjord is located in the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.
Visit NorthWest is the official destination company for Møre og Romsdal, a region known for its spectacular fjords, mountains, coastal scenery and dramatic landscapes, including the Geirangerfjord, Hjørundfjord and the Romsdalsfjord area.
The lower part of Midsundtrappene. Drone image from the trail towards Sherpanakken.
Hotels and Accommodation at Midsund and in Romsdal
Here you will find an overview of recommended hotels and accommodations in Western Norway – FJORDS HOTELS, FJORD SPA and FJORDS LIVING.
You will also find an overview of MICHELIN KEY HOTELS in Western Norway – hotels recommended by Michelin.
There are 13 restaurants that have awarded Michelin Stars and Michelin Guide’s Point Of View in Western Norway. Seven of the Michelin restaurants are located in Stavanger, five in Bergen, and one in Bekkjarvik on the coast near the Hardangerfjord. Here you will find an overview of MICHELIN RESTAURANTS in Western Norway.
USEFUL LINKS is an overview of websites with useful information about Norway and the fjords.
