SKIING

Norway is truly the "Cradle of Skiing". What we today know as a sport, skiing developed in Norway as a means of getting around. Furthermore, Norwegians invented ski waxing, the modern binding, and the laminated ski.

Norway has long been famous for cross country skiing, but more recently, skiers eager for new challenges and adventures have turned their attention to our many fine alpine resorts.

As the 1994 Winter Olympic Games so clearly showed, Norway offers great facilities for all winter sports; good snow conditions, clean fresh air, a healthy lifestyle, inexpensive accommodation and lots of after-ski activities.

There are numerous other ways of having an exciting winter holiday in Norway if skiing is not for you. What about a snowmobile trip to the North Cape? Or reindeer safari and a dog sled race overthe plane of Finnmarksvidda? Perhaps a horse-drawn sleigh ride, with burning torches in your hand and warm toddy under the sheep skin rug will tempt you.

Why not try ice-fishing, paragliding, snowboarding, or the ice rink while you are here? And when the bracing outdoor air has made you ready for a rest, take a train journey through winter Norway, or gain a memory for life with a coastal express trip over seas as black as ink, and under snow-covered peaks.

SUMMER SKIING

If a winter holiday is inconvenient for you, do not despair. The Norwegian summer skiing season lasts - as a general rule - from June to September. The sight of people swooping down the slopes in bikinis or trunks is not uncommon. Contact the tour operators - the three largest centres are:

Oppland:
Stryn Sommerskisenter
N-6880 Stryn
Tel: +47 57 87 23 33
Tel: +47 94 55 61 09 (May-Sept)

Galdhøpiggen Sommerskisenter
N-2687 Bøverdalen (June-October)
Tel: +47 61 21 17 50
Mobile: +47 94 36 89 58
Fax +47 61 21 21 72

Hordaland:
Folgefonna Sommerskisenter
N-5627 Jondal (June-Sept)
Tel/Fax: +47 53 66 80 28
Mobile: +47 94 67 99 70

TELEMARK COUNTY

One of Telemarks best skiresort is Hovden.

The ski happy young people of Morgedal developed a new binding that fastened around the heel, making skis much easier to steer. Such heel-bindings, a Norwegian invention, have since won worldwide recognition. Skis were also improved by being made narrower in the middle - a model that has set trends in ski making to this day.

Telemarks-skis, the Telemark swing (or «christie») and slalom are all elements native to Telemark. These show that Morgedal in Telemark can indeed call itself «The cradle of modern ski sports». And that again is why Morgedal was chosen as the site for lighting the Olympic Flame for the Winter Games in Oslo 1952, in Squaw Valley 1960 and in Lillehammer 1994.

Sondre Norheim from Morgedal and «Snowshoe» Thompson from Tinn became the legendary pioneers of ski sports in 19th-century North America. Olav Bjaaland and Hjalmar Johansen were both excellent skiers from Telemark who accompanied the Norwegian Polar explorers Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen on daring expeditions. And in our day Telemark continues to foster talented, world-class skiers who complete in sports and entertainment. The best places are Mount Gausta in Tinn, Blefjell and Bolkesjø

BUSKERUD COUNTY

Norefjell, Geilo, Gol and Hemsedal are four of the finest and longest established winter sports resorts in Norway, and the pleasures of skiing entice the whole family. There are enormous plateaux and peaks for cross-country skiing, alpine-skiing as well: you can enjoy slalom, Telemark skiing, monoskiing, halfpipe snowboarding and regular snowboarding, moguls and to boggan runs. There are also first class ski centres at Kongsberg, Uvdal and elsewhere. When the evening draws in you can settle down snugly under the sheepskin rugs for a sleigh ride under the starry sky

. . . If you are looking for a peaceful winter landscape with perfect snow conditions and magnificent scenery, you could find no better place than Uvdal, the gateway to the Hardangervidda plateau. But we should add that you will find miles and miles of marked and prepared cross country ski trails wherever you go in Buskerud, the county of magnificent forests and mountains. Vikersund has the only «ski-flying» slope in all of northern Europe. The record jump here is 194 metres!

OPPPLAND COUNTY

Lillehammer was the arena for the 1994 Winter Olympics. Lillehammer is the gateway to Gudbrandsdalen Valley. A charming small town on the shores of Lake Mjøsa. Due to the XVII Olympic Winter Games in 1994, the town now can offer a number of unique facilities spanning from sports facilities, cultural institutions, restaurants etc. and accommodation. In addition to the many cultural activities, you can visit the Olympic arenas, take walks, boat trips, shop and attend a number of local events.

Hafjell Alpine Centre Olympic arena during the 1994 Winter Olympics, are situated here. Hafjell was the site of the men´s and women´s slalom and giant slalom events. Øyerfjellet mountain offers many touring opportunities on foot, by car or by bike on a number of charming country roads.

Beitostølen is primarily a perfect resort for the whole family. The slopes are just right to learn the basics as well as the new techniques. The high altitude and the proximity of the great Jotunheimen mountain range ensures early snow to Beitostølen. The skiing season starts on silky natural snow mid November and lasts until the end of April. The varied skiing installations at Beitostølen offer you opportunities for snowboard, telemark, alpine and even for our new activity, luge.

NORDLAND COUNTY

Many tourists come to Nordland to cross the Arctic Circle. Visitors from all over the world have been photographed by the monument that marks this magic line at the Arctic Circle Centre at Saltfjellet. The Arctic Circle crosses the large glacier, Svartisen, and is also marked for "Hurtigruta" passengers to see.

The skiing season is a long one in Narvik. It starts in October / November with floodlit runs during the dark winter months, and lasts until May. Just over the border into Sweden, the ski season lasts even longer until Midsummer Day.

On Fagernesfjellet, 5 ski lifts take you up to heights of 1003 metres above sea level. From the top, you can follow precipitous slopes almost down to the water´s edge.

Over recent years, Narvik has become increasingly popular with snowboarders from all over the world. You´ll also see a growing number of Telemark skiers on the slopes. Narvik´s high mountains and fjord make it the perfect skiing destination, with plenty of downhill excitement. The cross-country runs are also excellent, even during the summer.

The city of Mosjøen is situated at the end of Vefsnafjord surrounded of great nature, and just outside the town you can find a slalomslope.

Stamsund Sports Club runs the best alpine skiing resort in the Lofoten Islands. Every year the norwegian´s Terje Håkonsen and Daniel Franck inviting some friends to a competition in Lofoten. Their friends happened to be the best in the world. The have built the worlds biggest Quarter-Pipe and the worlds biggest Half-Pipe.