Eastern Norway snow forecast

Skiing in Eastern Norway

Eastern Norway covers the ski areas within a weekend drive of Oslo, in two valleys. In Hallingdal and nearby, Norefjell is the closest to the capital, under two hours away, and has around 1,010 m of vertical, which it bills as the biggest in northern Europe, from the summit down to near the shore of Lake Krøderen. Geilo sits on the Bergen railway line and is known for its gentle, well-groomed slopes that suit beginners, families and relaxed intermediates. Hemsedal is the steepest and most varied of the group, with some of the most testing pistes in Norway, a World Cup super-G run in the Tottenheis sector and off-piste bowls and couloirs within a short hike.

In Gudbrandsdalen, north of Lillehammer, Hafjell and Kvitfjell were both venues for the 1994 Winter Olympics. Hafjell is about two hours from Oslo and has a broad spread of blue and red runs that suit families. Kvitfjell, further up the valley, holds the Olympic downhill course and is better known for long, steep pistes for strong skiers.

These resorts are low by Alpine standards, mostly between a few hundred metres and around 1,500 m, but cold inland air keeps snow in good condition, and most rely on snowmaking early in the season. The season usually runs from late November to late April, with Hemsedal often open into May. Daylight is short in December and January, around six hours, so several resorts run floodlit slopes, while March brings long, bright days.