Trollstigen is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Norway, and brings in over 1 million visitors during the summer season. The special road itself is obviously the big attraction, but the Trollstigen Visitor Center with it’s famous restaurant is also very popular.
The entire Trollstigen road is closed after the first snowfall of the year and until around May the next year, and the visitor center is completely cut off from the world during this time. There no practical way to get to the visitor center before the road has been cleared in the spring.
The workers who were clearing the road to prepare it for opening again got a big shock when they got to the visitor center this year, because a big avalanche had hit the Trollstigen visitor center! The visitor center got damaged, and there’s lots of snow and ice inside the building.
The leading theory is that the avalanche came from the mountain Bispen. There has never been recorded any avalanches in the area before, so this was completely unexpected. The avalanche probably during the Easter.
Unknown damages to the buildings
The entire visitor center with the restaurant is filled up with snow, but the owners have yet to determine if there is any structural damage to the building that has won several architectural awards.
Most of the building is filled with snow right now, and it will probably take some time to assess the damages since they owners still cannot get to the building until the road has been cleared.
No one knows if the visitor center or the Trollstigen Kafé restaurant will be able to open this summer season. It seems very likely that the best case scenario is a delayed season opening.
The visitor center mainly houses the restaurant, but also has public toilets, a souvenir shop, and shops that sell locally made products. The building is well-known for it’s unique design that blends in well with the environment.
The Trollstigen road is likely damaged
Although the visitor center got hit the hardest, the roads and safety measures on the road also got affected by the avalanche, and might be damaged. This might lead to a delayed or even closed season for the entire Trollstigen road, but it’s too early to say anything for sure.
It would be a shame if Trollstigen have to keep closed for the summer, because this popular tourist attraction is popular for a reason. It’s an absolutely amazing experience to drive up or down the S-curved road in your car on a clear summer day.