April powder down to the fjord | Norway Part I

Norway has long ceased to be an insider tip - at least for spring ski tours. Central Europeans have been traveling to the north for years. These trips are usually so late in the winter that the first flowers are already blooming in the Alps. If you venture north a little earlier, you can still fully enjoy the freeride potential of the mountains there. In Norway, early also means in April. We visited the small but up-and-coming freeride area in Sogndal and were out and about in and around Strandafjellet. And all in the finest April powder!

In the Alps, many locals moan about the numerous Scandinavian freeriders, who are now as much a part of many winter sports resorts as the kick-off to a soccer match. However, if so many Scandinavians are not in Scandinavia at all, this means that not so many Scandinavians can be in their home resorts in Norway and Sweden. And since that's also the case, you can be a bit happy about it. Of course, these resorts are not comparable to Engelberg, Andermatt or La Grave, but you can still enjoy the peace and quiet of small family ski resorts in the Alps.

Freeriding in Norway always means a bit more touring than in the Alps. There are no really large areas, but the terrain and snow conditions make up for it all the more. And innovative concepts that extend the area without having to build a lift and open up the next summit are just as convincing, and with an appropriate level of difficulty, freeriders can have a great time in the far north. Anyone going to Norway for powder should bring a thick coat because of the persistently bad weather and a pair of earplugs. The latter is particularly recommended, as the proximity to the fjord means that in some places there are plenty of seagulls screaming at sunrise. And fjords are known to dominate the landscape in Norway...

Sogndal - A town with almost 65% students and an astonishingly high number of wide skis

A boat is almost part of the basic equipment of a Sogndal resident. Not so long ago, the village was only accessible by sea.

A small fishing village on the longest and deepest fjord in Norway (and therefore also in Europe) and the mountains start right behind the house - you can't imagine a more idyllic location. The fjord is an impressive 200 kilometers long and over 1.3 kilometers deep at its deepest point. It begins in the west just 80 kilometers north of Bergen and branches out into many smaller fjords on its way inland. One of these, about two thirds of the way in, is home to almost 7000 inhabitants in the small, former fishing village of Sogndal. By Norwegian standards, this is already a town. It is now better known for its wealth of outdoor sports opportunities - you can even study 'Friluftsliv' (nature sports) at the local university (as well as at several other institutions in Norway). And there is a reason why students from all over the world come here to study: the location is perfect, because being outdoors is simply part of life here. No wonder, as there is much more nature than urban attractions.

The Sogndal Skisenter is just under twelve kilometers from the city. With its two old platter lifts, it looks like a relic from the early days of skiing, but in recent years it has developed into one of the most important freeride centers in Norway. However, this has not meant that the area has lost its charm. For a few years now, there have been plans to expand the family-owned ski area with a large gondola, but fortunately no decisions have been made yet. The area that could then be developed is still a popular touring area and, surprisingly, you can still find all kinds of downhill options where touring equipment is an integral part of freeride equipment. However, freeride tours from the mountain station already make up a large part of its potential.

You can't talk about THE blue hours in Norway - rather the blue hours. Ski tours at 10 pm are perfectly possible without a headlamp.

Freeriding in Sogndal has become famous above all because of the abundance of students and the extremely generous snowfall throughout the winter season. Twelve meters of accumulated snowfall are not uncommon here. Not surprisingly, the number of wide skis is surprisingly high in relation to normal widths - I have probably never seen so many freeride slats in such a small ski area. Another reason is certainly the powder bus, which collects skiers at various points on National Road 5 and brings them back to the ski area. A few years ago, this alone increased the catchment area for variants enormously, but after another heavy snowfall you can expect to have to wait in a long queue for a place on the bus. But the Norwegians don't let that put them off their stride! Freeriding in Sogndal is and remains relaxed and if you want to collect as many vertical meters as possible in one day, you should make a pilgrimage to Engelberg and Andermatt with the rest of the Scandinavians...