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 near 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 1,250m above sea level. The highest lifted ski area is Hemsedal which tops out at only 1,450m 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 1,000m.
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! But one of the 'go to' locations for powder seekers, Stranda (or Strandafjellet) is deep in the Sunnmøre region of western Norway and has all the attributes of a stunning ski resort. Overlooking the Storfjord (the entry waterway to the incredible Geirangerfjord), Stranda has a reliable snowpack, long skiable vertical, intriguing off-piste and modern ski lifts to go with the utterly gobs-smacking views across the classic Norwegian landscape.
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.
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. Narvik links in beautifully with several Swedish Lapland ski areas by train, and also with Norways best ski touring regions.
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 but they are lots of fun allegedly!).
Ski Touring, Splitboarding & Boat Skiing in Norway
To get the most out of Norway's ski terrain, long late Spring days & gorgeous coastal scenery, getting away from the ski lifts & into the backcountry is essential. Ski touring & splitboarding in Norway opens up countless mountains where solitude, beauty & unsullied powder from summit to sea reign supreme. Skiable vertical can be up to 1,800m all the way to the sea - all it takes is the human-powdered determination to do it.
For the once in a lifetime experiences and true ooooh aaaaah moments, a ski trip above the Arctic Circle in Norway will give one the chance to undertake the best skiing and also view the breathtaking Aurora Borealis (or Northern Lights). A trip doing lodge or boat-based skiing/splitboarding from mountain summits down into the fjords and coast of theLofoten Islands, Lyngen Alps & Finnmark is a true adventure. However the biggest adventure of all (because you can get eaten!) is ski-touring in polar bear country on the incredible islands of Svalbard. Due to long, cold, dark winters, these regions are generally skied from March to June.
Down south near Stranda ski resort, the broader Sunnmøre region is also a ski-touring and backcountry mecca.
Check out this the video from Alexander Skau in the header of this page for a taste test of skiing the Norwegian backcountry & a massive dose of inspiration! Check out all the available Norway Guided Ski Tours ->
Travel To & Around Norway
Travelling in Norway during winter can be an epic adventure in itself. From Norway's international gateway airport at Oslo-Gardermoen (OSL) (45 km north of the capital Oslo) a few 1,000km 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 airport receives direct daily flights from most European, UK & USA origin cities (fly direct from Las Vegas - go figure!) plus less frequent flights originating from the Middle East & Asia (Bangkok). The airport has its own train station providing connections to the city every 10 to 20min.
From Oslo, all of Norway's regional airport destinations can be reached. Some of the most important (for powder hounds anyway!) include Harstad-Narvik airport at Evenes (EVE) for Narvikfjellet & the Lofoten Islands, plus Tromsø (TOS) airport for access to Lyngen Alps. Flights to Tromso also come direct from useful origins like London-Gatwick (LGW) and Frankfurt (FRA). Search & book for great flight deals to Norwegian destinations.
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.
Due to limited public transport in remote parts of Norway, unless undertaking a boat-based ski experience, locations like Lofoten Islands and Lyngen Alps are best explored from land with the use of a rental car. Rentals are available from all the regional airports.
Review
The Powderhounds will review various locations in Norway this coming season. More information is coming after our visit. Stay tuned for our new photos & insights.
See how the European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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