In Norway, since 2005, Sherpas have built more than 200 stairs up to mountains and vantage points throughout the country. The goal of the stairs is to provide a local attraction, as well as to facilitate public health and well-being. Doctoral fellow Frida Jørgensen claims in a column in iFinnmark that the stair trend will have a negative effect on nature. She believes there are better solutions to create more travel and housing. – The concept of the Sherpa stairs is to create less wear and tear in nature and provide more safety to those who walk there. But it has become more negative than positive for nature, says Frida Jørgensen to news. Jørgensen lists several examples. – The stones leave large holes in nature where they are obtained from. In addition, most are from Western Norway, and they are flown around Norway. This leads to large emissions of CO₂. – In addition, the use of helicopters will create unrest for wildlife, she says. Frida Marie Omma Jørgensen is a doctoral fellow in Nature Guiding and sustainable nature-based tourism at UiT. Photo: Private Alternative solutions Jørgensen is also afraid that increased use of Sherpa stairs will lead to more littering than has been arranged. – It is about politicians, business interests and outdoor organizations taking their responsibility. They must make sure that parking spaces, toilets and rubbish bins are in place, she says. Jørgensen also believes that there are better solutions than building more Sherpa stairs. – A plank path can be used. This will also protect the wet ground. And then signs and information material can be set up to channel the traffic, she believes. In addition, she strikes a blow for using nature guides. – This will provide jobs and contribute to sustainable outdoor life and tourism. We have to think a little more new, Jørgensen thinks. This photo from 2021 shows the construction of a Sherpa staircase in Hammerfest. It is Finnmark’s first Sherpa staircase. Sherpa stairs are a natural staircase most often designed in stone in relatively steep terrain. Photo: Allan Klo / news – Creates well-being and well-being Right behind the center of Honningsvåg in Finnmark, is Storfjellet. A Sherpa staircase is now to be built there. Stig Arne Hansen in Nordkapptrappa’s Friends disagrees with Jørgensen that these stairs are not good for nature. Stig Arne Hansen is the general manager of Nordkappregionen Næringshage and chairman of the board of Nordkapptrappa’s Friends. Photo: Raymond Elde – I think we must see the individual locations and not go out with a general statement that we must have fewer stairs, says Hansen. He believes the stairs can contribute to increased well-being, well-being and trade. – Without anyone being harmed by it. Hansen does not believe that the construction of a Sherpa staircase in his city entails a major encroachment on nature. – Now I have experience with Helgelandstrappa. It is one of the longest in Norway. The stairs are laid in an area where people have not traveled before. It has not been destructive to nature or other things. Here, arrangements have been made for people to get out and up the mountain, says Hansen. The Sherpa stairs will create better infrastructure and facilities for walkers, Hansen believes. – On Magerøya, tourists go everywhere since there is no kind of adapted infrastructure for those who come to visit. He says that too little consideration has been given to the fact that this is one of the most important tourist attractions in Norway. – When it comes to transporting stone, there were no stones on Magerøya that we could use. We also checked with Alta. There we could get slate, but it became too expensive, he says. Other options? – It is important to think holistically when building Sherpa stairs and that you think about the consequences of the facilitation measure, says Trygve Kolderup in the Norwegian Tourist Association. Trygve Sunde Kolderup Section leader nature and sustainability The Norwegian Tourist Association Photo: Privat Kolderup says that the Sherpa stairs can be an effective measure to direct tour traffic where you want it. He says that in many cases the choice has been justified by the fact that it reduces terrain wear and unwanted effects of a lot of pedaling. – There are many pluses and minuses with such stairs. In several places, the Sherpa stairs have had a good public health effect because it gets more people out, he says. Kolderup acknowledges that this is also a measure that entails an encroachment on nature. Especially the places where you can not use local stone. He believes that if one is to start with such comprehensive measures as it is to build a Sherpa staircase, one should first have considered other, simpler alternatives. And then you have to have in place a plan for parking, visitor growth and toilets.
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Fear that Sherpa stairs will create more litter, CO emissions and disrupt wildlife – news Troms and Finnmark
