Sherpatrappa

Why I recommend it

This hike is tough. There is no point pretending otherwise: once the stairs start, they just seem to keep going. But that is also what makes reaching the top feel so rewarding. With every few hundred steps, Tromsø drops further below you and the view over Tromsøya, the fjord and the surrounding mountains gets better and better. The staircase itself also has a story. It was built over several years by Sherpas from the Khumbu region of Nepal, using mainly local stone, and was completed in 2019. What used to be a rough mountain path was transformed into the huge stone staircase you see today. And then, after all those stairs, there is possibly the best motivation of all: coffee and a warm kanelbulle at the top. Suddenly those last few hundred steps feel a lot more manageable.

What to do

Hike up. Yes, you can take the Fjellheisen cable car and reach almost the same viewpoint without climbing more than 1,200 stairs but if you are physically able to do the hike, I really think you should. Take your time, stop at the viewpoints along the way and actually turn around every now and then. The changing view is part of the experience, rather than something that only appears when you reach the top. Once you arrive at Storsteinen, reward yourself properly: sit down, order a coffee and something warm and sweet, and enjoy the fact that you actually climbed all the way up. If your legs have had enough after that, there is absolutely no shame in taking the cable car back down. But believe me, seeing that view constantly instead of seeing it behind you like on the way up. Incredible.

Good to know

Do not underestimate the stairs. There are more than 1,200 of them, and because the climb is so continuous it can feel much harder than the relatively short distance suggests. Wear proper shoes and check the conditions before you go. The stone steps can become slippery when wet, and in winter they are often covered in snow and ice. Parts of the route also cross avalanche terrain, so winter hiking requires much more preparation. The nice thing is that the cable car gives you an easy backup plan. Hike up and ride down, ride up and hike down, or take it both ways if the weather or your legs decide otherwise.