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.
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.
Visit Northwest
Visit Northwest is the official destination company for the Romsdalsfjord, Romsdal and Nordmøre area.
About season and other important information
GRADING – Challenging. ALTITUDE DIFFERENCE – This hike starts at approximately 30 masl (The parking lot by Rakvåg). Highest point at approximately 659 masl (Mt Rørsethornet).
GUIDE – We recommend you to join a Guided Tour on Midsundtrappene and Mt Rørsethornet. From the 2023 summer season, Utendørs AS guides on request, both to Mt Rørsethornet and to the mountain peaks to which the other Midsundtrappene go.
SEASON – July to Mid September, these are approximate dates that depends on the weather, temperature and the amount of snow in the mountains.
SAFETY IN THE MOUNTAINS – You should follow the Norwegian Mountain Code when hiking in Norway. It can change from summer and sunny weather to winter and frost in minutes! Always check the Weather Forecast before you go hiking. For safety reasons it is recommended to avoid hiking in Thunderstorms, in fog, in bad weather and when it is snow and ice on the trail and in the mountain! Always bring good clothes and hiking shoes. And have enough food and water in your rucksack.
NOTE – 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.
NOTE – We recommend to use a map and compass on this hike. It often happens that Midsundtrappene is shrouded in fog.
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.
The hike towards Mt Rørsethornet (659 masl)
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.
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.
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.
Photos and video in this article show the hike to the viewpoint on Sherpanakken (430 masl).
The Summer Boat on the Romsdalsfjord
The North West Experience’s summer boat takes you on unforgettable experiences on the Romsdalsfjord. The boat runs between Molde, Hjertøya, Veøya, Åndalsnes, Vestnes and Midsund. You can go on and jump off where you want. They also offer other boat trips that can be booked on request.
Romsdalsfjord – What to See and Do
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. Ona Island and Lighthouse, The Atlantic Road and Midsundtrappene are attractions facing the Atlantic Ocean. Trollstigen, The Troll Wall, Romsdalseggen, Rampestreken and Litlefjellet are great places to visit in the inner part of the Romsdalsfjord, where the fjord meets the spectacular and alpine Romsdal mountains. Travel green to Åndalsnes with Rauma Railway, a wild, beautiful and unique experience regardless of season. From Åndalsnes Railway Station, you can walk straight from the train and over to the Romsdal Gondola that takes you up to the city-mountain Mt Nesaksla and Eggen Restaurant. From there you have a fantastic view towards Isfjorden, down to the Romsdalsfjord and up towards the Romsdalen Valley which you have just experienced from the train ride along the Rauma Railway. The Romsdalsfjord is located in the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.
Midsundtrappene – Useful Links
Utendørs AS offers guided tours to the mountain peaks to which the Midsundtrappene go.
“Bus to Hike” – Bus from Molde to Midsundtrappene.
Information Midsund and Midsundtrappene.
Accommodation at Midsund and in Romsdal
Hammock Park at Midsundtrappene.
Sandneset Camping at Otrøya.
Visit Nordvest – Accommodation in Romsdal and Nordmøre.