Ski Norway
Skiing Norway is generally for more adventurous Powderhounds looking for something completely different. Whether it is a traditional & fun ski resort near Oslo or Bergen, summer glacier skiing overlooking fjords, or remarkably wild & remote ski touring above the Arctic Circle like Narvik, Lyngen Alps (Tromso) & the island of Svalbard, Norway has it all.
Norway Ski Resorts
Ski resorts in Norway are generally smaller and lower than those in the main European ski destinations of Austria, France, Italy or Switzerland. That said, there is no need for a ski resort to be high elevation this far north of the equator. You can breathe easy while skiing in Norway as most ski resorts summits top out at less than 1200m above sea level.
Norway's largest ski resorts are all within a 400km radius of Oslo and the coastal city of Bergen. Trysil ski resort gets the chocolates for Norway's biggest (and busiest) skiing area. It has over 70km of ski trails and 30 modern lifts across its 700m skiable vertical. Second is Hemsedal ski resort with over 44km of trails, 18 lifts and a healthy vertical of 830m. Norefjell, closer to Oslo, has the highest skiable vertical of over 1000m.
Classic Norwegian ski resorts in the Telemark region near Rauland and north of the Winter Olympic host town of Lillehammer, including Hafjell and Kvitfjell, are worth a look too. East of Bergen are two great little ski resorts called Voss and Myrkdalen.
Perhaps Norway's snowiest ski resort, Roldal, gets a not too shabby 11m of snow every year - enough for a snorkel to be required on occasions! Above the Arctic Circle in the land of the midnight sun and the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) the intriguing Narvikfjellet rises above the fjords in dramatic style. One can even ski in summer at the quirky Stryn Sommerski Centre or the Fonna Glacier ski resort (we use the term 'ski resort' loosely in relation to Strynn and Fonna!).
Ski Touring Norway
To get the most out of Norway's ski terrain, long late Spring days & gorgeous coastal scenery, getting away from the ski lifts is essential. Ski touring in Norway opens up countless mountains where solitude, beauty & unsullied powder reign supreme. See the video in the header from Alexander Skau for a taste test!
Travel To & Around Norway
Travelling in Norway during winter can be an epic adventure in itself. From Norway's international gateway airport at Gardermoen (45 km north of the capital Oslo) a few 1000km of remote mountains, deep valleys, rivers, lakes and fjords extend toward the Arctic. The geography of Norway can make the shortest of journeys a lifetime memory. Sometimes in Norway, travel by trains, planes & ferries easily trump car & buses.
Oslo (Gardermoen) Airport receives direct daily flights from most European, UK & USA origin cities (fly direct from Las Vegas - go figure!). Additional, but less frequent, flights originate from the Middle East & Asia (Bangkok). The airport has its own train station providing connections to the city every 10 to 20min. For great flight deals to Norway use our flight search tool.
Train journeys to several ski resorts near Lillehammer (Kvitfjell & Hafjell) are wonderfully convenient directly from the airport on the Trondheim line. Voss ski resort is on the spectacular Oslo - Bergen railway line, surely one of world's great train journeys.
For those with some time on their hands, travelling by train to Narvikfjellet ski resort is via Sweden and requires an overnight train from Stockholm crossing the Arctic Circle, entering Norway via the brilliant Swedish ski resort, Riksgransen & then onto the coast at Narvik. A journey of at least 20hr.
Norway Ski Adventures above the Arctic Circle
The real reason to ski or snowboard Norway is for the once in a lifetime experiences. For a true ooooh aaaaah moment, a ski trip above the Arctic Circle in Norway will give one the chance to view the breathtaking Aurora Borealis (or Northern Lights). A trip doing lodge or boat-based skiing from mountain summits down into the fjords of the Lyngen Alps near Tromso, 'Mush & Ski' tours with sled dogs, or perhaps a ski tour in polar bear country on Svalbard - Norway is a true adventure ski destination.
Norway is the base for a huge range of backcountry ski & snowboard tour options.
Review
The Powderhounds will review various locations in Norway during season 2019/20. More information is coming soon. Stay tuned for our new photos & insights.
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