The valley climbing south out of Sunndalsøra toward the Aursjøen reservoir is one of the starting points of the Aursjøvegen, a mountain road that is less a scenic route than an engineering track from the age of hydropower. It runs from the steep, green valleys of Sunndal up onto a high, bare plateau, past reservoirs, dams and tunnels, and then down the other side toward Lesja in the Gudbrandsdalen. It is narrow, partly gravel, and open only in summer, and for riders who like adventure it ranks among the most memorable roads in central Norway.
The road was built in the mid-twentieth century to serve the Aura hydroelectric scheme, which collects water from the high mountains and drops it down to a power station near Sunndalsøra, where it powers the aluminium works in the town. The landscape on top is rugged and wild, with lakes, rocky ridges and patches of snow well into summer, and there is a strong sense of being far from anywhere. Reindeer, both wild and herded, graze in the area, and the plateau is home to Arctic plants and birds.
The riding is demanding. The road climbs steeply with tight bends from the valley floor, the surface changes from asphalt to gravel and back, and there are single-lane sections, with passing places, where you meet cars, camper vans and the occasional bus. There are toll gates, and the road is usually open from June or July to September or October, depending on the snow, so check before you go. The weather on the plateau can be wild, with fog, rain and wind, and it can be cold even in midsummer.
The valley itself, at the bottom, is beautiful: steep, green and narrow, with waterfalls and rushing rivers, and old farms on the slopes. The Driva river, famous for salmon, flows through Sunndal to the fjord. The views from the road as it climbs back toward the valley are spectacular, with mountains rising over 1500 metres on both sides.
Sunndalsøra, a few kilometres north, has fuel, shops and cafes. There are few services on the road itself, so make sure you are prepared before you start.