Romsdalen

Romsdalen
View of the Romsdalen valley
Romsdalen Møre og Romsdal and Oppland, Norway
Long-axis direction	NW-SE
Long-axis length	60 kilometres (37 mi)
Geology
Type	River valley
Geography
Coordinates	62°26′50″N 07°50′00″E / 62.44722°N 7.83333°E / 62.44722; 7.83333Coordinates: 62°26′50″N 07°50′00″E / 62.44722°N 7.83333°E / 62.44722; 7.83333
Population centers	Åndalsnes
Watercourses	Rauma River

Romsdalen is a valley in Norway. The 60-kilometre (37 mi) long valley runs through Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county and Lesja Municipality in Oppland county. It is the valley of the Rauma river, from Old Norse Raumsdalr (Rauma valley). The traditional district of Romsdal, which makes up about one-third of Møre og Romsdal county, is named for the valley of Romsdalen. The main road E136 and the Rauma line runs along the valley floor.

Mannen is an unstable rock above the valley. Mannen is expected to slide into the valley floor and block the river, there can be devastating flood downstream if the river suddenly breaks through the dam created by the rockslide. Around Remmem and Flatmark the valley is littered with huge rocks or boulders.

Trolltindene and other summits on the western edge are protected as part of Reinheimen National Park. Alpine summits around Isterdalen and Trollstigen are partly within the national park, partly within Trollstigen protected landscape area.

The valley begins at the lake Lesjaskogsvatnet and it follows the Rauma River to the northwest to the town of Åndalsnes, where the river empties into Romsdal Fjord. The Rauma Line and European Route E136 highway both run through the valley. The Romsdalsalpene mountains surround the river and the valley, including the mountains Store Trolltind, Store Venjetinden, Trollryggen, and Romsdalshornet. Romsdalen is joined by Isterdalen with Istra river few kilometers upstream from Åndalsnes and the two rivers create terraces of sand and gravel on a deeper layer of clay.