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00:00At the top of the world, a beast is born.
00:07It roars upward from the tundra to snake down the coast
00:15and become the longest mountain range in Europe.
00:20Yet it's so little known.
00:23It was only recently named.
00:26870 miles of wilderness, adventure, and breathtaking scenery.
00:39Now, follow four seasons through Norway's Núrryggen Mountains
00:46as it separates towering fjords from frigid glaciers,
00:52commands the wildest weather,
00:57and defines all of Scandinavia.
01:01This is Núrryggen mountain range.
01:08It cuts through the heart of Norway.
01:14Nearly the full length from north to south.
01:21Yet it had no name until the 1940s when it was dubbed the Scandys.
01:27Then it was renamed in 2013 by popular vote to Núrryggen, or North Back.
01:40And of more than 230 major peaks in Núrryggen, one wears the crown.
01:53A third the way up the range, Gullerpiggen.
02:11It is Norway's tallest mountain and the highest peak in all of Scandinavia.
02:188,070 feet to the top of the world.
02:249,070 feet to the top of the world.
02:44These jagged ridges have shaped all of Scandinavia.
03:09To the west, these mountains plunge into the sea.
03:14But to the east, it's the hills and plateaus of Sweden and the flat forests and swamps of Finland.
03:30Nordryggen Mountains dictate the topography and the weather.
03:39Nordryggen starts low in the north and rises quickly as you head south.
03:55The range is 870 miles long, longer than the Alps.
04:02For about half of that, it carries the border between Norway and Sweden.
04:07Then the mountains continue south and eventually drop into the ocean in spectacular fashion.
04:14In winter, the extreme depth of the snow in the mountains here leads to one of Norway's most amazing sights.
04:25From a distance, it appears as a giant chasm snaking through the peaks.
04:32Or more like a mysterious snowcano.
04:44This is the extraordinary annual spring clearing of snow along a zigzagging mountain pass on Scandinavia's Nordryggen mountain range.
05:06This is part of a 34-mile stretch of road called Trollstigen, meaning Troll Ladder.
05:18But each of the 11 hairpin bends of this narrow road also has its own name.
05:26It was cut into the mountain by hand and officially opened in 1936.
05:34It closes for winter, and each spring requires three weeks of removing snow that's sometimes 20 feet deep.
05:52It's a world of white.
05:55And that includes some of the animals.
06:15Arctic foxes are built for the cold, with thick white fur that even covers the pads of their feet.
06:23And ears that are rounded to make them less susceptible to frostbite.
06:30These captive foxes are part of a government-funded effort in Dovre to preserve the species.
06:44Arctic foxes are critically endangered in Norway.
06:48And this breeding program in the Nordryggen mountains is trying to bring them back from the brink.
06:55The senior scientist here is Aril Landa.
07:01Because the Arctic fox has a very nice and valuable winter fur, it was hunted down to very low populations in the beginning of 1900.
07:10A nice blue Arctic fox skin was paid with 800 kronos, which equals to one year salary at that time.
07:20Climate change makes the Arctic regions warmer and more inviting for the common red fox.
07:35It's slowly migrating north.
07:39The Arctic foxes lose their dents to the invaders and are sometimes attacked by them, even killed.
07:51Here, in the enclosures, they breed and grow strong before being released into the world.
07:58We started to release in 2007, and today this is the largest Arctic fox population in Norway.
08:08They'll soon be able to explore the Nordryggen mountains just outside their enclosure.
08:22And like the foxes, these mountains are still growing and changing.
08:29A work in progress.
08:31In the midst of this great range.
08:39Just to Dalsbreen.
08:52It's the largest glacier in mainland Europe.
08:56But still, just a remnant of its former self.
09:02Over a million years, giants like Justedal shaped the mountains of Trollheimen that now surround them.
09:16But not the very top of the tallest peaks.
09:20The ice never got this high.
09:22Throughout the Nordryggens, there are places where you can still see such glaciers at work.
09:37Carving their way through the rocks to create new valleys.
09:41Svartdesen is the second largest glacier in Norway.
09:51Attracting hikers who climb onto this icy behemoth.
09:58And that's when we get a sense of scale.
10:01Svartdesen is some 229 square miles in area.
10:21More than ten times the size of Manhattan.
10:24There are no restrictions on climbing here.
10:32Or anywhere in Norway.
10:37Activities are governed by an extraordinary law.
10:43What it allows adventurers to do is nothing short of astonishing.
10:48Norwegians call it the right to roam.
11:01This law gives everyone the freedom to run, hike, bike or ski in Scandinavia's Nordryggen mountains.
11:09Or wherever they want.
11:12Government land, and even on private property.
11:28It's available to all.
11:33You can even camp anywhere you like.
11:35As long as it's 500 feet from a building.
11:41Ride to roam has been a tradition since the days of the Vikings.
11:46And law in Norway since 1957.
11:49Trollheimen, in the middle of Nordryggen, attracts casual hikers year-round.
12:03And even extreme rock climbers from all over the world.
12:08Trollheimen, in the middle of Nordryggen, attracts casual hikers year-round.
12:14And even extreme rock climbers from all over the world.
12:23Tommir Scheide is an author who's come to tackle an area just south of Trollheimen.
12:34What I like about the view in this place is that you can't see any roads.
12:37You can't see any houses.
12:38You can't see any houses.
12:40Even in the darkness, you can't see any lights.
12:43You could imagine that this is just the same 10,000 years ago.
12:53Even today, Tommir can be the first to summit some of the peaks of Nordryggen.
12:59I've been looking at this ridge for quite a long time.
13:04I've been making a guidebook and no one has climbed the ridge according to my research.
13:13The tallest straight cliff on the continent is nearby.
13:17Making the entire area an adventurer's playground.
13:21We go skiing into the mountain and when we come to the base, we prepare for the climb.
13:34We look through the equipment.
13:36We put it on the harness.
13:39We inspect the route.
13:42How does it look today?
13:44And then, yeah, we just start climbing.
13:46Trollheimen means home of the trolls.
13:59A Nordic legend says this is the land of many fairytale characters.
14:05Nordryggen even inspired Norwegian composer Edvard Grigg to write some of his most famous works.
14:12Like this one, in the hall of the mountain king.
14:29A keyhole unlocks the door to the top.
14:32And a rare view of untouched wilderness.
14:46It's remote.
14:48You don't bump into so much people.
14:52You can have a real adventure.
14:54It's like time doesn't exist.
15:03It pops out like a separate reality.
15:13As the weather warms,
15:15even more mountain peaks become accessible.
15:19Summer comes quickly.
15:30And now, the biggest behemoths in these mountains get munching.
15:37One in particular.
15:42They call him the king of the forest.
15:44Moose can be six feet tall, just to the shoulder.
16:03They graze in the clearings and the woods.
16:06The tip of a tree is fine food, as long as it's aged.
16:21Young pines produce chemicals that make them less tasty.
16:25But it's a defense the trees lose with age.
16:27So the top of an older fallen pine is perfect pickings for a moose.
16:36It also helps them with a problem.
16:39Moose only have sharp teeth in their lower jaws.
16:43So their jumpers are more like a knife than a pair of scissors.
16:47A supportive branch from a pine acts like a cutting board.
16:57They're always on a high alert for predators.
17:03Before bedding down, moose will often travel upwind and then swing back in a semicircle.
17:09This way, any predator following their scent will have to search upwind before finding them.
17:17And the carried scent of the predator will alert the moose to danger.
17:21Wild reindeer also live in the forest of Nordryggen.
17:37And they use similar methods to protect themselves.
17:39These animals were the crucial food source that allowed early explorers from the south to push the boundaries of the known world.
17:59The reindeer are nomadic, and the bare mountains and some forests in the southern part of the range are the only places in Norway where wild reindeer can still be found.
18:16The Scandinavian winter taught wild reindeer how to make the most of limited food.
18:31Lichen from the ground and trees can be as much as 80% of their diet.
18:37It's different in the far north of Scandinavia.
18:48The reindeer here are semi-domesticated.
18:58The sound of raising hooves means watch out.
19:07In the far north of Norway's Nordryggen mountains, it's roundup time.
19:19The Sami people have rounded up and worked reindeer here for thousands of years.
19:26But things have changed a bit from the old days.
19:37Today, these reindeer are coming in for their summer check-up.
19:46As the reindeer run in a circle, the herders size them up and separate them into different groups.
19:52Some will see a vet. Some will get ear tags or collars for tracking.
20:09Others will be sectioned off for market.
20:13Reindeer allowed nomadic Sami people to move into and across Scandinavia.
20:32Reindeer allowed nomadic Sami people to move into and across Scandinavia.
20:36Reindeer allowed it.
20:37Reindeer allowed it.
20:46Despite the harsh winters, the Sami settled here, at the top of the world.
20:52Where their territory marks the northernmost point of a mighty mountain range.
20:58range
21:07norrigan begins here
21:09with a gentle rise
21:14the trees are short is far north
21:22but just a little farther south
21:26the mountain ridge climbs
21:28the trees grow taller
21:31and this wilderness draws wild things
21:35like a magnet
21:37creatures that don't mind the chill of the north
21:50this is a Eurasian lynx
21:53the largest species of lynx on the planet
21:57and this big female is not alone
22:00in her rocky den the blessing of spring
22:05kittens
22:09not one but two
22:12like mum they have ear tufts
22:17they are common to all lynx
22:22but no one knows why
22:24the young predators are born ready for winter
22:34with wide paws that act like snowshoes
22:39their coats will soon change color with the season
22:47to mostly silver gray
22:49mumps as well
22:51but right now
22:57it's all about exploring the sights
22:59smells and sounds of the new mountainous world
23:03one small step for a kitten
23:18these kittens
23:32these kittens won't be scaredy cats for long
23:35their range will grow as they age
23:38up to 150 square miles
23:41this year with mum
23:47is the most social time of their lives
23:50as they will live mostly alone
23:53the time here playing and feeding
23:55is precious
23:56as the sun starts to set
24:09mum moves her kittens to a safe place
24:13then she must leave them
24:40and head out for the hunt
24:42if her kittens survive their first year
24:52they may live to 17 or so years old
24:55but it's a long haul
24:58lynx were nearly endangered here
25:03just a hundred years ago
25:05and today they are legally trapped and hunted
25:08throughout Scandinavia
25:09mum must be careful
25:12a lot of mouths depend on her success
25:16working in her favor
25:23a mountain wilderness home
25:25that is barely touched by humans
25:28you can quickly find yourself alone
25:34you can quickly find yourself alone in Norrigan
25:35the Padjelanta area is a national park
25:41yet it has no roads
25:43its name translates to the higher land
25:50and it's harder to get to
25:52than most any place in Scandinavia
25:55these are rarely seen vistas
26:02but those who have been here have dubbed it
26:05Europe's last wilderness
26:07its untouched forests
26:13large mountain lakes
26:15and countless islands
26:17are all part of a world heritage site
26:20also here
26:26the most fearsome creatures
26:29in all of Scandinavia
26:31brown bears
26:52once lived in all of Norway's forests
26:55until a bounty on their head
26:59in the late 1800s
27:00nearly wiped them out
27:02they are back now
27:05and some 5000 roam Scandinavia
27:13usually alone
27:15like this big male
27:17he mainly eats plants and berries
27:27but may occasionally take down a sheep
27:29especially when he has to pack on the pounds
27:33to prepare for hibernation
27:35he may store food in holes
27:51among these rocks
27:52but only if he can find a place safe from scavengers
27:57like ravens
27:58or even one of the hardiest creatures
28:01in all Scandinavia
28:03this one wanders in close to check out the bear's lair
28:33wolverine
28:35wolverine are the largest members of the weasel family
28:40but is a free snack worth taking on a real giant?
28:45no bear is going to give up its stash that easily
29:00easily
29:18the Nurigen mountain range
29:20is full of such predators on the prowl
29:23wolf packs can be as few as two or three
29:44and as big as 30
29:55family clans are always led
29:57by a male and a female
29:59who usually pair for life
30:01a eurasian wolf pack
30:16is powerful enough
30:18to bring down a moose
30:20they move quickly
30:34as they dart through the forest
30:36and look for a sniff of a snack
30:38any sign of potential prey
30:41roe deer
30:46an important and favorite food
30:49for eurasian wolves
30:51this catch will keep the three of them well fed for about a week
30:56the younger pups will want to stay with a pack to share search meals for at least a year
31:15just a little farther south they must be careful
31:30some tasty looking prey could get them in serious trouble
31:37more than two million domestic sheep and goats graze throughout Norway in the warmer months
31:54halfway down the mountain range they feast
31:58farmers leave their herd out and let them roam free from around June to September
32:23livestock scour the mountain range
32:26looking for the best nibbles
32:28not a fence inside
32:34this is another age-old tradition
32:36and some of the breeds like the small viking sheep go back more than a thousand years
32:45just one sign of the rich human heritage
32:48woven throughout the new region range
32:56the new region is longer than the alps and the pyrenees put together
33:08as they stretch farther south they become more mountainous
33:1430 old churches
33:2030 old churches
33:22showcase the depth of the culture in Norway
33:25this church in Heddal was built more than 800 years ago
33:39it sits on the foundation of boulders and is made entirely of wood
33:45it sits on the foundation of boulders
33:47and is made entirely of wood
33:49it sits on the foundation of boulders and is made entirely of wood
33:52the churches of Scandinavia's nor
34:06often sit along major trade routes
34:12old roads that are now connected by what some have called the eighth wonder of the world
34:30Norway's hundred-year-old rail line
34:40from Oslo to Bergen
34:42is one of the highest train journeys
34:44on the planet
34:46at times it must climb more than 4,000 feet to complete its journey
35:05motor through 182 tunnels
35:08and charge above the tree line
35:12to affirm its title
35:14as the highest mainline railway
35:16in all of northern Europe
35:18just outside
35:22at almost any time
35:24Scandinavia's
35:26Norrigan mountain range
35:28is still a wild place
35:30after 800 miles
35:38down the mountain range
35:40there is only 70 to go
35:46but Scandinavia's Norrigan
35:48arguably saves
35:50the best for last
35:52most mountain ranges
36:00around the world
36:01slowly peter out
36:06the Norrigan mountains
36:08run into dramatic drops
36:10that plummet into the sea
36:12at Lysefjord
36:22the abrupt end of the mountains
36:24was created by a glacier
36:26that slowly moved through here
36:28more than a million years ago
36:32that glacier
36:34has long since melted
36:36but the rock it carved as it went
36:38left us with these cliff faces
36:40more than 3,000 feet high
36:44and cascades
36:46that plunge
36:47into the water
36:48below
37:04the awe-inspiring scenery
37:06attracts hikers
37:08and dare devils
37:20and this is the home of Norway's
37:22most famous natural feature
37:24pulpit rock
37:26featured in movies
37:30and sought out by visitors
37:32like the rest of the Norrigans
37:34there are no fences
37:36no safety rails
37:38no safety rails
37:40and you approach
37:42at your own risk
37:44one creature here
37:46has no concerns
37:48about the lofty heights
37:50the undisputed king
37:52of the skies in Norway
37:54is the golden eagle
38:04autumn brings a smattering of snow
38:08to his kingdom
38:10but he shrugs off the cold
38:12golden eagles
38:14golden eagles
38:16golden eagles
38:18are one of the largest eagles
38:20in the world
38:22their wings span longer
38:24than a fully grown man
38:26nearly eight feet across
38:28pears nest in cliffside caves
38:34or in solitary pines
38:36where they keep a lookout for easy scraps
38:38like this dead fox
38:40they are more likely
38:42they are more likely
38:44to take risks
38:46in tough times
38:48and tough times
38:50are coming with a change of season
38:54as winter again draws near
38:56the biggest creatures
38:58out here prepare
39:00for a fight
39:04it's a clash of titans
39:10autumn in Norway's
39:14norryggen mountain range
39:16is an important social time
39:18for musk oxen
39:20and they communicate
39:22by smell
39:26their very name
39:28comes from the pungent odor
39:30they develop during this time
39:34the smell
39:36of a scandinavian musk oxen
39:38can get the others grinning
39:44this teeth bearing
39:46is called the flaming response
39:50a gland near their eyes
39:52produces a scent
39:54that sends signals to others
39:58they rub it on plants
40:00and even on each other
40:04to make important announcements
40:06to make sure
40:10i'm here
40:12i'm strong
40:14i'm ready
40:16to fight
40:18to make sure
40:34this rutting lasts
40:36for two months
40:38then
40:56with late autumn rains
40:58comes this
41:00waterfalls
41:10waterfalls gush throughout
41:12norigen
41:16of the world's highest
41:18thirty waterfalls
41:20ten are in this mountain range
41:22the king
41:24the king
41:26of this watery realm
41:28the king
41:30of this watery realm
41:32is
41:34vettisfossen
41:42vettisfossen
41:44is among the tallest waterfalls
41:46on the planet
41:50a plunge
41:52of more than 900 feet
41:54of more than 900 feet
41:58in the warmer months
42:00it's fed by melting ice
42:02from a glacier high above
42:04also
42:10also
42:12vettisfossen
42:14it is one of the most visited waterfalls
42:16in scandinavia
42:18and it has a free fall
42:20of nearly 600 feet
42:24but
42:26but now
42:28the winter freeze
42:29changes
42:30everything
42:43suddenly
42:44the mountains are caked in snow
42:46from top
42:47to bottom
42:54and
43:06the most powerful
43:08and influential landscape
43:10in all of scandinavia
43:12begins a new season
43:14of transformation
43:20from its icy glaciers
43:22to its frozen peaks
43:28this barely explored wilderness
43:30manages to shape and define
43:32all of scandinavia
43:34all year round
43:36yet it hides
43:38in plain sight
43:44it only just got its official name
43:46but it's been some 400 million years
43:50in the making
43:52and all
43:54that is truly wild
43:56about scandinavia
43:58can be found
44:00right here
44:02in
44:04norigen
44:06you
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