All posts for the month October, 2011

1327 vertical meters in one run

Text/pics/video: Simen Berg

Only 1.5 hours by car from Oslo, you can do one of Norway’s most amazing All Mountain rides on your mountainbike. The climb starts at approximately 800 meters (from the tree line), and follows a truly biker-friendly DNT trail to Høgevarde (peak at 1459m, DNT-hut at 1400m). If you go back down all the way to Krøderen Lake (132m), you’ll have one of the most majestic singletrack/doubletrack runs you can find in Norway. 25 kilometers downhill, of which only 3 kms on gravel/tarmac roads. And only a couple of handfulls of climbing meters.

From the Høgevarde peak you can enjoy a 360 degree view only surpassed by Gaustatoppen in southeastern Norway (straight to your west when standing there). You can also see Tryvannstårnet in Oslo on clear days.

EQUIPMENT
There’s just one short passage on the climb that’s a bit hard to climb, mostly because of loose rocks. In other words, you’ll be fine on a 120 mm full suspension mountainbike. With more travel, you’ll obviously be more comfy at higher speeds back down the hill. A hardtail will also be OK, but not ideal. Additional protection other than the helmet really isn’t necessary, but I’ll wear light knee/elbow pads the next time I go (watch the video and judge for yourself). Two cars make the shuttling easier, but you might get a lift back to the top, or call the taxi (could be expensive).

GETTING HERE
By car from Oslo, you go on E16 from Sandvika and Riksvei 7 from Hønefoss until you get to Noresund. Then you wanna take a look at the map and start planning. It’s 1.5 hours from Oslo, a little less from Drammen.

Resources:
Guide at Terrengsykkel.no (in Norwegian) – terrengsykkel.no/index.php?stid=471
Map/GPS-track – connect.garmin.com/course/983534
Norefjell – norefjell.com
Weather forecast Norefjell (800m) – http://www.yr.no/sted/Norge/Buskerud/Kr%C3%B8dsherad/Norefjell_skisenter

Accomodation:
Quality Spa & Resort Norefjell (Hotel at Bøseter) – norefjellsparesort.no
DNT (Høgevarde) – turistforeningen.no

Narvik offers Norway’s best freeride skiing – diving into the fjord

Text/pics: Simen Berg/Kathrine Duun Moen

The best lift-served skiing in Norway is by far Narvikfjellet. The 1832 meter long gondola ride itself is worth the trip to Narvik.

2013 Links and video added below

Unfortunately it is far to travel, also for most of us Norwegians. But if you leave Oslo Thursday evening, and return Monday morning in time for work, anyone can do it without wrecking the relationship to your boss, smashing your budget or planning months ahead. Because you do want to know that the conditions are right. And in late April, you might very well encounter 30 cms of fresh snow that stays dry for the top 800 vertical meters.

The reasons why I rate it the best skiing in Norway (ahead of Hemsedal) is:
– The vast freeride terrain facing three directions right off a fairly effective lift system.
– The view of the fjord and the surrounding mountains.
– The runs from Mørkholla/Tredjetoppen that you reach after a 25 min hike.
– The fact that you’re in an actual city.
– The easy access by plane/bus (Widerøe to local Fagernes airport, Norwegian/SAS to Evenes)
– The short distance to epic touring in Lofoten or guaranteed snow at Riksgränsen.

Riders: Kathrine Duun Moen/Simen Berg

Obviously it’s an awesome place for freeride/downhill biking. This is Emil Carlson bombing. In 2011, locals started working on the not-so-downhill “Black kids” track, that will attract more normal riders. As opposed to the old and more hard core downhill track. Also Rallarveien from Bjørnfjell to Rombaksbotn is totally awesome on a FS or HT mountain bike.

Check out a full run, top to bottom, 888 vertical meters:

FACTS
To go to Narvik, you catch a plane to Evenes/Harstad airport, and catch a bus transfer. Or go via Bodø to catch a Widerøe flight directly to Narvik.
narvikfjellet.no | facebook.com/Narvikfjellet
destinasjonnarvik.com | facebook.com/DestinationNarvik

ACCOMMODATION
On the main street, you can stay at Quality Hotel Grand Royal (redecorated in 2012) or the new landmark Rica Hotel Narvik from 2012. They both have nice rooms, great food and awesome sky bars.

MORE PICS
April 2013 pics on Fri Flyt
More powder freeride pics in my “Best of Norwegian Ski Resorts” gallery
(featuring skiing/snowboarding in Hemsedal, Narvik, Stranda, Fjellsetra and Norefjell)

MORE ON APRIL SKIING IN NARVIK
2013 Fri Flyt story | 2010 Fri Flyt story

More on Norway’s best skiing and ski resorts (work in progress):
Hemsedal skisenter ski resort
Bjorli skisenter ski resort
Stryn Sommerskisenter Glacier summer skiing
Turtagrø Hotel Hurrungane Jotunheimen topptur backcountry touring skiing

4 Comments

by simenberg on October 7, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Action Winter, Photos, Skiing, Travel

Tagged Epic Norway, Narvik, Northern Norway, Norway, powder, pudder, Ski Norway, skiing, telemark skiing

Posted by simenberg on October 7, 2011

https://simenberg.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/narvik-freeride/

Vulkansk vandring

Tekst/Foto: Simen Berg (English summary below)
Når været ikke inviterer til sløving i sola, er det være fint å dra på sightseeing eller gå tur. Vulkanøya har mange godbiter å by på. Eksotisk nok er det god grunn til å ta med badetøy uavhengig av været, for flere steder sørger var med kilder for fine badetemperaturer. Ved Mosteiros i nordvest er det til og med viker med sjøvann som er så varme en hver vassfis orker å bade. Like ved krateret med Lagoa do Fogo, finnes Caldeira Velha, som er et juv med varme kilder og en liten foss innerst. «Utendørsdusj» får en ny betydning når du står i denne fossen midt i en jungel, og vannet holder perfekt dusjtemperatur. At huden holder seg silkemyk i timevis etterpå er en ren bonus.

Stoppestedene ligger tett på øya, som er 62 kilometer lang, og fra 8 til 15 kilometer bred. Det går fint å leie bil og ta seg rundt på egenhånd. Allikevel er det å anbefale å bli med på guida tur også. Selv om det er unorsk å gjøre noe sånt, vil mange ha glede av kunnskapen de lokale guidene sitter på. Spesielt siden øya har flora og geologi som er såpass ulik vår egen, er det artig å være på tur med en uutømmelig kilde til nyttig og unyttig informasjon.

Områdene rundt Furnas-sjøen og Pico da Vara (øyas høyeste topp på 1105 meter) er fine for vandring og sykling. Vi tok turen på vestsida, på kanten av det største krateret og videre ned til landsbyen Sete Cidades. Turen er 12 kilometer lang og tar en halv dag i rolig tempo på grusveien som går rundt det meste av Lagoa Azul. Fra starten på 700 meter over havet er det bare 100 meters stigning før resten er nedoverbakke. Etter hvert kommer veien helt ut på kanten av krateret, hvor skråningen går stupbratt ned til vannet 300 meter under oss. Tvillingsjøene der nede viser sine karakteristiske blå og grønne farger. Nedstigningen til en fortreffelig kaffe i den søvnige landsbyen går på den bratteste grusveien vi har sett. Dessverre dukket det aldri opp noe trafikk mens vi tråkket oss sidelengs nedover.

FAKTA
Vi reiste til Azorene med Solia fra Oslo i begynnelsen av mai.
Mer om Azorene: Hvalsafari, Hesteridning

ENGLISH SUMMARY
During our Ponta Delgada stay in May 2011, we went hiking by the Twin lakes. We also visited the hot spring Caldeira Velha. The next time we visit, we’ll check out biking and hiking around the Furnas Lake and Pico da Vara, the highest peak on the island.