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Terra.Anatolia
  • 4 hours ago
Transcript
00:00A beast is born.
00:05It roars upward from the tundra to snake down the coast
00:11and become the longest mountain range in Europe.
00:16Yet it's so little known.
00:19It was only recently named.
00:23870 miles of wilderness.
00:28Adventure and breathtaking scenery.
00:35Now, follow four seasons through Norway's Noryggen Mountains
00:41as it separates towering fjords from frigid glaciers,
00:48commands the wildest weather,
00:52and defines all of Scandinavia.
00:58This is Noryggen mountain range.
01:03It cuts through the heart of Norway.
01:11Nearly the full length from north to south.
01:17Yet it had no name until the 1940s when it was dubbed the Scandies.
01:24Then it was renamed in 2013 by popular vote to Noryggen or North Back.
01:37And of more than 230 major peaks in Noryggen, one wears the crown.
01:50A third the way up the range.
02:05It is Norway's tallest mountain and the highest peak in all of Scandinavia.
02:158,070 feet to the top of the world.
02:20The
02:41These jagged ridges have shaped all of Scandinavia.
03:04To the west, these mountains plunge into the sea.
03:08But to the east, it's the hills and plateaus of Sweden, and the flat forest and swamps of Finland.
03:24Nordryggen Mountains dictate the topography and the weather.
03:38Nordryggen starts low in the north and rises quickly as you head south.
03:49The range is 870 miles long, longer than the Alps.
03:55For about half of that, it carries the border between Norway and Sweden.
04:02Then the mountains continue south and eventually drop into the ocean in spectacular fashion.
04:09In winter, the extreme depth of the snow in the mountains here leads to one of Norway's most amazing sights.
04:22From a distance, it appears as a giant chasm snaking through the peaks.
04:28Or more like a mysterious snowcano.
04:39Snowcano
04:40This is the extraordinary annual spring clearing of snow.
04:57along a zigzagging mountain pass on Scandinavia's Nordryggen mountain range.
05:04This is part of a 34-mile stretch of road called Trollstigen, meaning Troll Ladder.
05:12But each of the 11 hairpin bends of this narrow road also has its own name.
05:19It was cut into the mountain by hand and officially opened in 1936.
05:27It closes for winter, and each spring requires three weeks of removing snow that's sometimes 20 feet deep.
05:38It's a world of white, and that includes some of the animals.
05:55Arctic foxes are built for the cold, with thick white fur that even covers the pads of their feet, and ears that are rounded to make them less susceptible to frostbite.
06:13These captive foxes are part of a government-funded effort in Dovre to preserve the species.
06:20Arctic foxes are part of a government-funded effort in Dovre to preserve the species.
06:28Arctic foxes are critically endangered in Norway, and this breeding program in the Nordryggen mountains is trying to bring them back from the brink.
06:49The senior scientist here is Aril Lomba.
06:56Because the Arctic fox has a very nice and valuable winter fur, it was hunted down to very low populations in the beginning of 1900.
07:07A nice blue Arctic fox skin was paid with 800 kroners, which equals to one year's salary at that time.
07:19A nice blue Arctic fox.
07:24Climate change makes the Arctic regions warmer and more inviting for the common red fox.
07:33It's slowly migrating north.
07:38The Arctic foxes lose their dens to the invaders and are sometimes attacked by them, even killed.
07:46Here, in the enclosures, they breed and grow strong, before being released into the wild.
07:55We started to release in 2007, and today this is the largest Arctic fox population in Norway.
08:04The Arctic foxes will be able to explore the Nordryggen mountains just outside their enclosure.
08:17And like the foxes, these mountains are still growing and changing.
08:23A work in progress.
08:25In the midst of this great range.
08:30Justedalsbreen.
08:34It's the largest glacier in mainland Europe.
08:37But still, just a remnant of its former self.
08:38Over a million years, giants like Justedal shaped the mountains of Trollheimen that now surround them.
08:40It's the largest glacier in mainland Europe.
08:47It's the largest glacier in mainland Europe.
08:50But still, just a remnant of its former self.
08:53Over a million years, giants like Justedal shaped the mountains of Trollheimen that now surround them.
09:05But not the very top of the tallest peaks.
09:15The ice never got this high.
09:25Throughout the Nordryggens, there are places where you can still see such glaciers at work.
09:32Carving their way through the rocks to create new valleys.
09:41Svartdisen is the second largest glacier in Norway.
09:46Attracting hikers who climb onto this icy behemoth.
09:53And that's when we get a sense of scale.
10:02Svartdisen is some 229 square miles in area.
10:16More than ten times the size of Manhattan.
10:20There are no restrictions on climbing here.
10:26Or anywhere in Norway.
10:32Activities are governed by an extraordinary law.
10:38What it allows adventurers to do is nothing short of astonishing.
10:43Norwegians call it the right to roam.
10:56This law gives everyone the freedom to run, hike, bike or ski in Scandinavia's Nordryggen Mountains.
11:04Or wherever they want.
11:19Government land and even on private property.
11:22It's available to all.
11:23You can even camp anywhere you like.
11:24As long as it's 500 feet from a building.
11:33Ride to roam has been a tradition since the days of the Vikings.
11:41And law in Norway since 1957.
11:44Trollheimen in the middle of Nordryggen attracts casual hikers year-round.
11:57And even extreme rock climbers from all over the world.
12:02Tommy Scheide is an author who's come to tackle an area just south of Trollheimen.
12:28What I like about the view in this place is that you can't see any roads.
12:33You can't see any houses.
12:35Even in the darkness you can't see any lights.
12:38You could imagine that this is just the same 10,000 years ago.
12:48Even today Tommy can be the first to summit some of the peaks of Nordryggen.
12:54I've been looking at this ridge for quite a long time.
12:59I've been making a guidebook and no one have climbed the ridge according to my research.
13:08The tallest straight cliff on the continent is nearby.
13:12Making the entire area an adventurer's playground.
13:17We go skiing into the mountain and when we come to the base we prepare for the climb.
13:28We look through the equipment.
13:30We put it on the harness.
13:33We inspect the route.
13:36How does it look today?
13:38And then we just start climbing.
13:50Trollheimen means home of the trolls.
13:54A Nordic legend says this is the land of many fairytale characters.
14:00Nordryggen even inspired Norwegian composer Edvard Grigg to write some of his most famous works.
14:07Like this one.
14:08In the hall of the mountain king.
14:25A keyhole unlocks the door to the top.
14:28And a rare view of untouched wilderness.
14:41It's remote.
14:42You don't bump into so much people.
14:47You can have a real adventure.
14:49It's like time doesn't exist.
14:58It pops out like a separate reality.
15:08As the weather warms.
15:12Even more mountain peaks become accessible.
15:14Summer comes quickly.
15:25And now the biggest behemoths in these mountains.
15:29Get munching.
15:32One in particular.
15:37They call him the king of the forest.
15:39Moose can be six feet tall just to the shoulder.
15:57They graze in the clearings and the woods.
16:01The tip of a tree is fine food.
16:08As long as it's aged.
16:16Young pines produce chemicals that make them less tasty.
16:20But it's a defense the trees lose with age.
16:23So the top of an older form pine is perfect pickings for a moose.
16:28It also helps them with a problem.
16:34Moose only have sharp teeth in their lower jaws.
16:38So their jumpers are more like a knife than a pair of scissors.
16:43A supportive branch from a pine acts like a cutting board.
16:51They're always on a high alert for predators.
16:55Before bedding down, moose will often travel upwind and then swing back in a semicircle.
17:05This way, any predator following their scent will have to search upwind before finding them.
17:11And the carried scent of the predator will alert the moose to danger.
17:16Wild reindeer also live in the forest of Nordryggen.
17:32And they use similar methods to protect themselves.
17:34These animals were the crucial food source that allowed early explorers from the south to push the boundaries of the known world.
17:54The 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.
18:11The Scandinavian winter taught wild reindeer how to make the most of limited food.
18:25Lichen from the ground and trees can be as much as 80% of their diet.
18:39It's different in the far north of Scandinavia.
18:42The reindeer here are semi-domesticated.
18:45The reindeer here are semi-domesticated.
18:53The sound of racing hooves means watch out.
18:57In the far north of Norway's Nordryggen mountains, it's round-up time.
19:14The Sami people have rounded up and worked reindeer here for thousands of years.
19:21But things have changed a bit from the old days.
19:27Today, these reindeer are coming in for their summer check-up.
19:41As the reindeer run in a circle, the herders size them up and separate them into different groups.
19:57Some will see a vet. Some will get ear tags or collars for tracking.
20:06Others will be sectioned off for market.
20:09Reindeer allowed nomadic Sami people to move into and across Scandinavia.
20:27Despite the harsh winters, the Sami settled here, at the top of the world.
20:47Where their territory marks the northernmost point of a mighty mountain range.
20:53Norryggen begins here with a gentle rise.
21:05The trees are short this far north.
21:11But just a little farther south, the mountain ridge climbs.
21:23The trees grow taller.
21:25And this wilderness draws wild things like a magnet.
21:30Creatures that don't mind the chill of the north.
21:36This is a Eurasian lynx, the largest species of lynx on the planet.
21:39And this big female is not alone.
21:55In her rocky den, the blessing of spring.
22:00Kittens.
22:01Kittens.
22:02Not one, but two.
22:07Like mum, they have ear tufts.
22:13They are common to all lynx, but no one knows why.
22:19The young predators are born ready for winter.
22:31With wide paws that act like snowshoes.
22:36Their coats will soon change colour with the season to mostly silver grey.
22:45Mumps as well.
22:51But right now, it's all about exploring the sights, smells and sounds of the new mountainous world.
22:59One small step for a kitten.
23:27These kittens won't be scaredy cats for long.
23:30Their range will grow as they age, up to 150 square miles.
23:41This year with mum is the most social time of their lives.
23:46As they will live mostly alone, the time here playing and feeding is precious.
23:52As the sun starts to set, mum moves her kittens to a safe place.
24:08Then she must leave them and head out for the hunt.
24:36If her kittens survive their first year, they may live to 17 or so years old.
24:51But it's a long haul.
24:55Lynx were nearly endangered here just a hundred years ago.
25:00And today they are legally trapped and hunted throughout Scandinavia.
25:06Mum must be careful.
25:08A lot of mouths depend on her success.
25:17Working in her favour.
25:19A mountain wilderness home that is barely touched by humans.
25:23You can quickly find yourself alone in Norigen.
25:33The Padjelanta area is a national park.
25:36Yet it has no roads.
25:38Its name translates to the higher land.
25:45And it's harder to get to than most any place in Scandinavia.
25:51These are rarely seen vistas.
25:57But those who have been here have dubbed it Europe's last wilderness.
26:03It's untouched forests, large mountain lakes and countless islands are all part of a world heritage site.
26:20Also here, the most fearsome creatures in all of Scandinavia.
26:26Brown bears once lived in all of Norway's forests.
26:51Until a bounty on their head in the late 1800s nearly wiped them out.
26:59They are back now.
27:05And some 5,000 roam Scandinavia.
27:09Usually alone, like this big male.
27:12He mainly eats plants and berries.
27:22But may occasionally take down a sheep.
27:25Especially when he has to pack on the pounds to prepare for hibernation.
27:42He may store food in holes among these rocks.
27:48But only if he can find a place safe from scavengers like ravens or even one of the hardiest creatures in all Scandinavia.
28:01The Wolverine.
28:02This one wanders in close to check out the bear's lair.
28:12Wolverine are the largest members of the Weasel family.
28:22But is a freeze not worth taking on a real giant?
28:27No bear is going to give up its stash that easily.
28:55that easily.
29:13The Nurigen mountain range is full of such predators on the prowl.
29:25Wolf packs can be as few as two or three, and as big as thirty.
29:48Family clans are always led by a male and a female, who usually pair for life.
29:57A Eurasian wolf pack is powerful enough to bring down a moose.
30:15They move quickly as they dart through the forest and look for a sniff of a snack.
30:34Any sign of potential prey.
30:40Roe deer, an important and favorite food for Eurasian wolves.
30:46This catch will keep the three of them well fed for about a week.
31:04The younger pups will want to stay with a pack to share such meals for at least a year.
31:17Just a little farther south, they must be careful.
31:26Some tasty looking prey could get them in serious trouble.
31:32More than two million domestic sheep and goats graze throughout Norway in the warmer months.
31:49Halfway down the mountain range, they feast.
31:58Farmers lead their herds out and let them roam free from around June to September.
32:04Livestock scour the mountain range looking for the best nibbles, not a fence in sight.
32:25This is another age old tradition, and some of the breeds, like the small Viking sheep, go back more than a thousand years.
32:40Just one sign of the rich human heritage woven throughout the Norryggen range.
32:57Norryggen is longer than the Alps and the Pyrenees put together.
33:02As they stretch farther south, they become more mountainous.
33:15Thirty old churches showcase the depth of the culture in Norway.
33:20This church in Heddal was built more than 800 years ago.
33:40It sits on a foundation of boulders and is made entirely of wood.
33:45The churches of Scandinavia's Norryggen often sit along the mountain range of wood.
33:48The churches of Scandinavia's Norryggen often sit along the mountain range of wood.
33:52major trade routes.
33:53Old roads that are now connected by what some have called the North.
33:55The churches of Scandinavia's Norryggen often sit along major trade routes.
34:02Old roads that are now connected by what some have called the Old.
34:17Old roads that are now connected by what some have called the eighth wonder of the world.
34:32Norway's hundred-year-old rail line from Oslo to Bergen is one of the highest train journeys on the planet.
34:47At times, it must climb more than 4,000 feet to complete its journey.
34:59Motor through 182 tunnels and charge above the treeline to affirm its title as the highest mainline railway in all of Northern Europe.
35:13Just outside, at almost any time, Scandinavia's Núrryken mountain range is still a wild place.
35:31After 800 miles down the mountain range, there is only 70 to go.
35:37But Scandinavia's Núrryken arguably saves the best for last.
35:49Most mountain ranges around the world slowly peter out.
35:55The Núrryken mountains run into dramatic drops that plummet into the sea.
36:07At Lysefjord, the abrupt end of the mountains, was created by a glacier that slowly moved through here more than a million years ago.
36:25That glacier has long since melted.
36:31But the rock it carved as it went left us with these cliff faces more than 3,000 feet high.
36:39And cascades that plunge into the water below.
36:43The O-inspiring scenery attracts hikers and their devils.
37:04And this is the home of Norway's most famous natural feature.
37:20Pulpit rock.
37:24Featured in movies and sought out by visitors.
37:27Like the rest of the Núrrykans, there are no fences, no safety rails, and you approach at your own risk.
37:43One creature here has no concerns about the lofty heights.
37:49The undisputed king of the skies in Norway is the Golden Eagle.
38:01Autumn brings a smattering of snow to his kingdom.
38:06But he shrugs off the cold.
38:10Golden Eagles are one of the largest eagles in the world.
38:14Their wings span longer than a fully grown man, nearly eight feet across.
38:27Pears nest in cliffside caves or in solitary pines, where they keep a lookout for easy scraps like this dead fox.
38:38They are more likely to take risks in tough times.
38:41And tough times are coming with a change of season.
38:49As winter again draws near, the biggest creatures out here prepare for a fight.
38:59It's a clash of titans.
39:00Autumn in Norway's Núrrykans mountain range is an important social time for musk oxen.
39:15And they communicate by smell.
39:18Their very name comes from the pungent odor they developed during this time.
39:30The smell of a Scandinavian musk oxen can get the others grinning.
39:35This teeth-bearing is called the flamen response.
39:43A gland near their eyes produces a scent that sends signals to others.
39:51They rub it on plants and even on each other.
39:55To make important announcements.
39:58To make important announcements.
40:04I'm here.
40:06I'm strong.
40:09I'm ready to fight.
40:12To fight.
40:29This rutting lasts for two months.
40:32Then, with late autumn rains comes this.
40:55Waterfalls gush throughout Núrrykans.
41:11Of the world's highest 30 waterfalls, 10 are in this mountain range.
41:16The king of this watery realm is Vettisfossen.
41:37Vettisfossen is among the tallest waterfalls on the planet.
41:42A plunge of more than 900 feet.
41:54In the warmer months, it's fed by melting ice from a glacier high above.
42:05Also, Vöringsfossen.
42:07It is one of the most visited waterfalls in Scandinavia.
42:13And it has a free fall of nearly 600 feet.
42:21But now, the winter freeze changes everything.
42:25Suddenly, the mountains are caked in snow from top to bottom.
42:42And Nordryggen, the most powerful and influential landscape in all of Scandinavia, begins a new season of transformation.
43:00From its icy glaciers to its frozen peaks.
43:01This barely explored wilderness manages to shape and define all of Scandinavia.
43:03All year round.
43:04All year round.
43:05The most powerful and influential landscape in all of Scandinavia.
43:06The most powerful and influential landscape in all of Scandinavia begins a new season of transformation.
43:10From its icy glaciers to its frozen peaks.
43:16This barely explored wilderness, this barely explored wilderness manages to shape and define all of Scandinavia.
43:29All year round.
43:31Yet it hides in plain sight.
43:35It only just got its official name.
43:41But it's been some 400 million years in the making.
43:47And all that is truly wild about Scandinavia can be found right here in Nordryggen.
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