*_PERFECT WEEKEND FOR SKI ENTHUSIASTS: EXCELLENT CONDITIONS Expected THIS WEEKEND!
Get ready, ski lovers! This weekend is shaping up to be ideal for hitting the slopes, with powdery snow in many areas and all lifts and ski runs open. Daylight leaders are looking forward to a weekend full of sunshine and skiers.
According to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, clear skies are expected across large parts of Norway this weekend, with sunshine and minus temperatures in Southern Norway. Many will likely take advantage of the good weather to hit the slopes.
HOVDEN ALPIN RESORT
Ann-Torill Briksdal, daylight leader at Hovden Alpin Resort, is excited about the upcoming weekend. "There’s powder in most of the runs, and all lifts and ski tows are open," she says. She is looking forward to a weekend filled with sunshine and many skiers in the resort.
"It’s perfect right now, with a temperature of minus ten and the sun just coming up," Briksdal adds. "It can’t get much better!"
Many other ski resorts across the country are also reporting excellent conditions.
SKI RESORT STATUS OVER THE WEEKEND
- Hovden Alpinsenter: All lifts and tows are open, including the chairlift that takes guests up to 1,183 meters above sea level. They are currently working on the last snow cannons.
- Kvitfjell Alpinanlegg: Twelve of fourteen lifts are open, and all the major runs are available, except for the lower part of the Olympic run and the large park.
- Hafjell Alpinsenter: All sixteen lifts are open, as are almost all runs, meaning almost full operation of the resort.
- Trysil Alpinsenter: Twenty-five of thirty-five lifts are open, as are thirty-eight of sixty-nine runs.
- Hemsedal Alpinsenter: Nineteen of twenty lifts are open, with about sixty percent of the runs available.
- Oppdal Skisenter: Fifteen of thirty-five runs are open, with more expected to open before the weekend. Very good conditions exist in the prepared trails.
- Narvikfjellet: Four of six lifts are open, with this weekend marking the start of the season for the upper cable car. Ten of sixteen runs are open.
- Bortelid Skisenter: They have opened two of the smaller runs, but are waiting a bit to open the larger ones.
- Gautefall Skisenter: All four lifts and all nine runs are open, with optimal conditions thanks to ninety centimeters of new snow last week.
EXCITEMENT ON THE HILL
In the ski slope at Vegårshei ski and activity center, work is underway to unveil the new ski lift. Daylight leader Kristine Simonstad tells us that visitors can now choose to spend time in the park, skiing and having fun, rather than taking the main lift up the hill.
Alexander Slåen Bernhardsen, a regular at Vegårshei, is eagerly looking forward to the ski season starting. "I’m really excited, especially for the forest run," he says.
DESCENDING FROM THE TOP
Even ski resorts further north, such as Kvitfjell, Hafjell, and Oppdal, are looking forward to a sunny weekend with many guests. At Kvitfjell, they’re expecting full sunshine and about ten degrees below zero both Saturday and Sunday.
Marked director Espen Stensvold Rønning in Alpinco reports that conditions are excellent at Kvitfjell, Hafjell, and Oppdal. "We’ve had a period of cold and fine winter weather that has made a positive impact on the conditions. Now, it’s just perfect, ‘world-class’ weather," he says.
In Oppdal, they’re expecting cloudy weather and around eight degrees below zero on Saturday, followed by sunshine and around ten degrees below zero on Sunday.
SNOW PRODUCTION IN FULL SWING
At Trysil Alpinsenter, the country’s largest ski resort, conditions are also excellent, according to destination manager Gudrun Sanaker Lohne. "I’ve been on the slopes today, and it’s brilliant sunshine and freezing cold," she says.
Lohne acknowledges that they would have liked more natural snow but notes that they are producing snow and opening new runs continuously. Currently, 25 of 38 lifts and 38 of 69 runs are open.
"At the moment, we have visitors from both Norway, Denmark, and Sweden," Lohne adds.
Back at Vegårshei, Simonstad hopes for a good ski season and reveals that they’re aiming to open the slopes next weekend. "I won’t say it yet, but we’re pushing for it!" she says.
Story published at 13:01, updated at 13:30.
