Olmaafossen
(Ølmåafossen)
Olmaafossen (Ølmåafossen) is one of the tallest waterfalls in Norway and is located in the Romsdalen (Rauma) near Marstein, 19 km south of Åndalsnes in the region More og Romsdal.
Driving from Andalsnes to Dombas (E136), the first big waterfall you see (just after Marstein) is Olmaafossen at the right side of the road. There are a lot of trees along the road but suddenly you will have a clear view on the mountains.
There are several point of view that give a good idea how tall Olmaafossen really is. Olmaafossen is listed as one of the highest waterfalls in the world with a height over 700 meter. My favorite point of view is from the south. There is no official parking along the road but there are several spots you can stop for taking a picture.
Olmaafossen is fed by small lakes and glaciers in the Alnesdalen. At the top op Olmaafossen there are four small lakes, Ølmåavatna, on an altitude of 1147-1707 meters. I think Olmaafossen has a quit consistent supply of melted snow and rainwater. The average amount of rainfall or snow in Romsdalen is quit high.
Unfortunately the stream of the Ølmåaelva looks pretty small, even when I was in the Romsdalen in a week in May where the rain kept falling down and the volume of the river Ølmåaelva still was limited. Last time I visited Olmaafossen was July 2017. The volume of the river was still the same as I saw on several pictures, steady but not that voluminous.
Olmaafossen is falling to the east/northeast and can best be visited in a morning early summer or summer.
There are a lot of waterfalls coming down the mountains when driving from Andalsnes to Dombas (road E136). After Olmaafossen the following waterfalls are coming down in the Romsdalen (Rauma):
Mongefossen (2nd waterfall at the left side, but is regulated and probably not visible)
Rangaafossen (3th waterfall at the left side, but is regulated and probably not visible)
Brurasløret,(4th waterfall at the left side, nice to see together with Gravdefossen)
Gravdefossen (5th waterfall at the left side and the most impressive waterfall)
Døntefossen (6th waterfall at the right side, beautiful with river in foreground)
Skokagrovafossen (7th waterfall at the left side, nice if you are standing near the waterfall)
Vermafossen.(8th waterfall at the right side, much bigger then it looks like)
Kylingbruafossen (9th waterfall(s) at the right side, close to Kyling bridge, unnamed but beautiful)
Slettafossen (10th waterfall at the right side, extremely powerful waterfall in the river Rauma)
Then there are still dozens of low volume waterfall not considered as a waterfall.
Not far from Romsdalen (Rauma) you can also drive into the Eikesdalen with the enormous Mardalsfossen. A tourist attraction, but the waterfalls are very impressive to see and the walk to the base of Mardalsfossen is very pleasant. Anyway Eikesdalen is a valley with many big waterfalls and is a visit worthwhile. There is a nice campingsite in Eikesdal, a perfect base to explore the area.