There are few secrets left in the world of ski holidays. Fortunately, the Norwegian resort of Gausta – 185 miles west of Oslo, in the Telemark region – knows how to keep quiet.
Originally designed as a tourist attraction in the early 1950s, the Gaustatoppen mountain and its unique tram line were occupied by NATO agents from 1959 during the Cold War. Radio transmissions and Soviet intelligence were intercepted from a secret bunker below the summit (1,883 m). After the military decommissioned the facility in the early 1990s, local enthusiasts worked to reopen it, including the unseen agent rooms and the radio room.
Entering the mountain through a series of thick steel gates marked “top secret”, the funicular carries you (in its original compact cars) 850 meters deep into the rock. Then, a 1,040-meter vertical track leads to the summit with a 39-degree slope. From here skiers can access numerous descents and it is this unique experience that has put Gausta on the ski holiday map.
According to data from the Norwegian Ski Lodge, the number of British visitors to the country’s resorts has increased rapidly over the last decade; It has increased by 900 percent since 2014. The aim is to almost triple this number by 2030, as resorts in the Alps become increasingly crowded. , less guaranteed profit and more costly.
This winter, Ski Safari became the first British operator to offer holidays exclusively to Gausta, in a move that sets the trend for the future; The resort welcomed the arrival of British holidaymakers with open arms and extravagance. My husband.
After exiting the escape tunnel against the bitter Norwegian wind, we followed the waymarked path and headed down from the summit before dropping into the shelter of the bay as the sun began to set. The views from Gaustatoppen cover a staggering sixth of Norway, and as the light began to fade the sky turned from deep orange to pink and we reveled in every twist and turn and the joy of our distant, untracked discovery.
Skip ahead: How do ski holidays in Norway compare to the Alps?
Beyond the secret of Gaustatoppen, the local hillsides were just as desolate. The 45km ski area is admittedly modest, but the real draw is the area in which you have to enjoy it – all with excellent views. We did not queue even once and toured the snow-guaranteed, well-maintained tracks without interruption. Skiing was very diverse; There were warm-up blues, wide-open reds and opportunities to dunk through lush forests beyond the rinks.
While mile-hungry skiers may worry about not meeting these goals, there’s less pressure to cover large distances, with fuel in the tank to keep us going after dark, when the resort’s slopes remain open for night skiing (the Norwegian alternative to après-ski drinking and dancing). on the tables.
When it was finally time to retire for the evening, our base at Gaustablikk Fjellresort oozed Scandinavian chic. The views from the panoramic windows across the valley towards the Gaustatoppen were breathtaking, and at dawn and dusk the alpine crimson illuminated the face in a stunning display. It is also making a name for itself in the hotel kitchen scene. We dined on elk carpaccio, sirloin and fresh trout. It was a master lesson in how ski diets don’t have to revolve around melted cheese and overpriced schnitzel.
Stepping further away from the familiarity of the Alps, we heard only two English voices during our stay. “We’ve ruined the Alps to death,” Kevin from Dorset told me over breakfast buffet. He and his wife, Teresa, were enjoying a change of pace and planned to spend the day cross-country skiing (there are more than 85km of trails) before relaxing in one of the hotel’s private floating saunas.
We changed direction on our last afternoon. The town of Rjukan, a 20-minute drive down the road, has its own unusual story to tell. Once the world’s largest fertilizer producer, it became a Unesco Industrial World Heritage Site in 2015 and has an unusual relationship with the British armed forces.
In the basement of the Vemork hydroelectric power station, once the largest of its kind in the world and now home to the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum, lies the site of one of the most effective, secret military operations of the Second World War. On 16 February 1943, Operation Gunnerside saw a team of Norwegian saboteurs under British command set out to destroy 18 containers in the cellar of the Nazi-occupied facility. The cells were used to produce heavy water, a key ingredient in the race to build an atomic bomb, and in a heroic feat, the mission was successful without a single shot fired or loss of life.
Fans of the 1965 movie Heroes of Telemark You may remember the story, but now the cellar has been expertly restored to house an exhibition. Oppenheimer reaps endless rewards; Even non-history buffs will find it fascinating.
This is another secret that Gausta is keeping secret, and another reason to trade the Alps for Telemark before anyone else.
Fundamentals
Lucy was a guest of Norwegian Ski Lodge and Ski Safari in Gausta.
Ski Safari (01273 920503; skisafari.com) offers a week at Gaustablikk Fjellresort from £1,140 per person with half board in a Junior suite, based on a family of four (two children under 12) sharing. Includes flights to Oslo and transfers (train and private vehicle) to Gausta.
Six-day cable car passes start from £143 (gausta.com); One-way trips to the Gaustatoppen summit in Gaustabanen (gaustabanen.no) start from £27; Admission to the Vemork museum (nia.no) costs £15.
How do ski holidays in Norway compare to the Alps?
Snow: 5/5
Norway’s northern latitude promises quality snow throughout the winter – often with freezing temperatures to match – and the season generally extends from late November to May. While the snow on the tracks was well-groomed despite the strong wind, the snow depth on the highest slopes exceeded 100 cm. Visit Easter for more pleasant temperatures and soft, forgiving snow.
Ski areas: 4/5
Skiers accustomed to the vast ski areas of the Alps may be deterred by the modest nature of Norway’s slopes. Trysil is the largest in the country, with a length of 78 km and accessed by 31 lifts; In comparison, Gausta has 45 km with 13 lifts. Although we were able to cover most of the area in one day, having such uncrowded slopes to explore meant we could take a different route each morning (lifts open at 10am). This allowed us to weave through the trees and enjoy a more relaxed pace without the pressure of covering huge miles. Beginners and intermediate users will also love the freedom to build confidence.
Après: 3/5
The après-ski offering was muted. Drink prices are quite high in Norway and can reduce your bar bill. We spent our evenings playing bar games either on the slopes under the floodlights, at the spa, or at the hotel. The bars we visited were much more relaxed than their Alpine counterparts; Don’t expect music playing or dancing on the tables.
Travel: 4/5
Flight times to Oslo are almost the same as traveling to Geneva or any of the other major hubs in the Alps, and timetables are impressively regular. Rather than endure a busy transfer on the bus, we took the train to Kongsberg before a private transfer. Train travel in Norway is becoming increasingly popular; From Bergen the resort town of Voss can be reached in an hour by train. Fly directly to Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sweden, cross the border and arrive in Trysil in 40 minutes.
Hospitality: 5/5
Everyone in Norway was happy to see us. There was no grumbling from the overtired seasonal man at the equipment rental shop or rude remarks from the locals. As the week progressed, the elevator attendants turned into familiar faces, smiling and waving at us. It seems British skiers are more welcome in Norway than in the Alps.
Price: 4/5
While food and drink prices may seem high for such a small destination (a beer and a very large Aperol Spritz at the foot of the slopes set us back £18) they’re easily comparable to mainstream venues in the Alps. Cable car passes are invaluable and the quality of accommodation is second to none; Many properties are ski-in/ski-out, have spa and wellness at their core, and are designed in a modern, comfortable style.