by There are few secrets left in the world of ski holidays. Fortunately the Norwegian resort of Gausta – 115 miles west of Oslo in the Telemark region – knows how to keep quiet.
Originally designed as a tourist attraction in the early 1950s, Gaustatoppen mountain and its unique tramway were occupied by NATO agents from 1959 during the Cold War. From a secret bunker below the summit (1,883m), radio transmissions and Soviet intelligence were intercepted. After the military decommissioned the facility in the early 1990s, local enthusiasts worked to re-open the site, including the undercover agents’ quarters and the radio room.
Entering the mountain through a set of thick steel doors marked “top secret”, the funicular carries you (in compact cars) 850m into the depths of the rock. Then, a vertical 1,040m track climbs up a 39 degree gradient to the summit. From here, skiers can access a handful of slopes and it is this unique experience that is putting Gausta on the ski resort map.
According to data from Norway’s Home of Skiing, the number of British visitors to the nation’s resorts has skyrocketed over the past decade – a 900 per cent increase since 2014. This target is to almost triple by 2030, with resorts in the Alps at become more crowded. , less snowy and more expensive.
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, with the resort welcoming the arrival of British holidaymakers with open arms and indifference – as I found out during a recent visit with my husband.
After exiting the escape tunnel into the bitter Norwegian wind, we followed the marked path and descended from the summit before dropping into the dove shelter as the sun began to set. The views from Gaustatoppen span a sixth of Norway and as the light began to fade, the sky turned from dusky orange to pink and we drank in every moment and joy of our trackless remote discovery.
Skip ahead: How are skiing holidays in Norway as far as the Alps?
Beyond the secret of Gaustatoppen, the local slopes were just as deserted. The 45km ski area is admittedly modest, but the attraction is the space you have to enjoy – all against the backdrop of picture-perfect scenery. We didn’t queue once and hit snow, well groomed pistes with no breaks in. The skiing was varied, with plenty of warm-up blues, wide-open reds and opportunities to dunk over the pistes through lush forests.
While mileage-hungry skiers might worry about being unfulfilled, there was less pressure to clock huge distances with fuel in the tank to keep going after dark, when the resort’s slopes were still open for night skiing – Norway’s alternative to après-ski drinking and dancing. on tables.
When it finally came time to retire in the evening, our base at the Scandinavian chic Gaustablikk Fjellresort rose. From the panoramic windows, the views out across the valley towards Gaustatoppen were breathtaking and at dawn and dusk, the alpenglow showed its face in a dazzling show. The hotel is making a name for itself on the culinary scene, too. We dined on elk carpaccio, beef fillet and fresh trout. It was a masterclass in how ski diets don’t have to focus on melted cheese and overpriced schnitzel.
In another break from our knowledge of the Alps, we only heard two English voices during our stay. “We did the Alps to death,” Kevin from Dorset told me at the breakfast buffet. He and his wife, Teresa, were enjoying the change of pace and planned to spend the day cross-country skiing (there are over 85km of trails) before taking it easy in one of the private swimming saunas. the hotel.
We changed tack on our last evening, too. Rjukan, the town that sits 20 minutes’ drive below the resort, has its own unusual story to tell. Once the world’s largest producer of fertiliser, it became a Unesco World Industrial Heritage Site in 2015 and has unlikely links with the British armed forces.
In the basement of the Vemork hydroelectric power plant – once the largest of its kind in the world and now home to the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum – is the site of one of the most influential military operations of the Second World War. On 16 February 1943, Operation Gunnerside saw a team of Norwegian saboteurs led by the British who wanted to destroy 18 containers in the cellar of the site, which was under Nazi occupation. The cells were being used to produce heavy water – a key component in the race to build the atomic bomb – and in a heroic feat, the mission was successful without a single shot fired or casualty.
Fans of the film 1965 Heroes of Telemark The story can be recalled, but now the cellar has been expertly restored as an exhibition, which – at a time when there was a Christopher Nolan exhibition. Oppenheimer gaining endless awards – even a non-history buff will find it interesting.
It’s yet another secret that Gausta has kept his faith and another reason to trade the Alps for Telemark before everyone else does.
Fundamentals
Lucy was a guest at Ski Safari, Norway Home of Skiing and Gausta.
Ski Safari (01273 920503; skisafari.com) offers a week at Gaustablikk Fjellresort from £1,140 per person half-board in a junior room, based on a family of four (two children under 12) sharing. Includes flights to Oslo and transfers to Gausta (train and private car).
Six-day lift passes cost from £143 (gausta.com); One-way trips to the summit of Gaustatoppen on the Gaustabanen (gaustabanen.no) cost from £27; Entry to the Vemork museum (nia.no) costs from £15.
How are skiing holidays in Norway as far as the Alps?
Snow: 5/5
Norway’s northern latitudes promise quality snow throughout the winter – often with freezing temperatures to match – and the season often stretches from late November to May. The snow on the pistes was well groomed, despite strong winds, and the snow depth exceeded 100cm on the highest slopes. Visit at Easter for more welcoming temperatures and soft, majestic snow.
Ski areas: 4/5
Experienced skiers may be put off by the large ski areas of the Alps due to the relatively steep nature of Norway. Trysil is the largest in the country, with 78km, accessed by 31 lifts – in comparison, Gausta has 45km and 13 lifts. Although we were able to cover most of the area in one day, having such uncrowded slopes meant that we were able to take a different route each morning (lifts open at 10am). This allowed us to go between the trees and enjoy a more leisurely pace without the pressure to keep up huge mileage. Beginners and intermediates love the freedom to build confidence too.
After: 3/5
The après-ski offer is dumb. Drink prices in Norway are very high and can put a dent in your bar bill. We spent our nights on the slopes under floodlights, in the spa, or playing bar games in the hotel. The bars we visited were much more relaxed than their Alpine counterparts – don’t expect music or table dancing.
Travel: 4/5
Flight times to Oslo are much the same as traveling to Geneva or one of the other main Alpine hubs, and the schedules are extremely regular. As a change from having a packed transfer on a coach, we caught the train to Kongsberg before a private transfer onward. Train travel is becoming increasingly popular in Norway – from Bergen the resort of Voss can be reached by train in an hour. Fly direct to Scandinavia Airport in Sweden, cross the border and you can be in Trysil within 40 minutes.
Hospitality: 5/5
In Norway, everyone was happy to see us. There was no joke from an overtired seasoner at the equipment rental shop and nothing rude from the locals. As the week progressed the elevator attendants became familiar faces, smiling and waving at us in recognition. British skiers seem to be more welcome in Norway than in the Alps.
Price: 4/5
Although food and drink prices seem high for such a small destination – a beer and a large Aperol Spritz at the bottom of the slopes set us back £18 – they easily compare with mainstream venues in the Alps. The lift passes are steep and the standard of accommodation is second to none – many ski-in/ski-out properties are spa and wellness-centric and designed in a comfortable, modern style.
