There are few secrets left in the world of ski holidays. Fortunately, the Norwegian seaside resort of Gausta – 185 kilometers west of Oslo in the Telemark region – manages to keep quiet.
Originally designed as a tourist attraction in the early 1950s, Gaustatoppen Mountain and its unique tram line were occupied by NATO agents from 1959 during the Cold War. Radio transmissions and Soviet intelligence services were intercepted from a secret bunker below the summit (1,883 metres). After the military decommissioned the facility in the early 1990s, local enthusiasts worked to reopen the site, including the invisible officers’ quarters and radio room.
Entering the mountain through a series of thick steel doors marked “top secret”, the cable car transports you (in its original compact carriages) 850 meters into the depths of the rock. Then a vertical track of 1,040 meters ascends a 39-degree slope to the top. From here skiers can access a handful of runs and it is this unique experience that puts Gausta on the ski holiday map.
According to data from Norway’s Home of Skiing, the number of British visitors to the country’s resorts has skyrocketed over the past decade – a 900 percent increase since 2014. The aim is to almost triple this number by 2030, as resorts in the Alps are becoming increasingly overcrowded. , less snow guaranteed and more expensive.
This winter, Ski Safari became the first British operator to offer holidays exclusively to Gausta, a move that sets the trend for the future, with the resort welcoming the arrival of British holidaymakers with open arms and extravagance – as I discovered on a recent visit with my man.
After exiting the escape tunnel into the bitter Norwegian wind, we followed the signposted path and navigated down from the summit before finding ourselves in the shelter of the col as the sun set. The view from Gaustatoppen covers a staggering sixth of Norway and as the light began to fade the sky turned from dusky orange to pink as we savored every turn and the joy of our remote, untracked discovery.
Skip ahead: How do ski holidays in Norway compare to the Alps?
Besides the secret of Gaustatoppen, the local slopes were just as deserted. The 45km ski area may be modest, but its appeal is the space you have to enjoy it – all against the backdrop of stunning scenery. We didn’t have to queue once and strolled along snow-sure, well-maintained slopes without any interruptions. The skiing was varied, with plenty of warming blues, wide open reds and opportunities to dive off-piste through lush forests.
While skiers hungry for miles might worry they won’t be satisfied, the less pressure to cover big distances ensured we had fuel in the tank to keep going after dark, when the resort’s slopes staying open for night skiing – the Norwegian alternative to après-ski drinking and dancing on tables.
When the time finally came to retire, our base at Gaustablikk Fjellresort exuded Scandinavian chic. From the panoramic windows the view across the valley towards Gaustatoppen was breathtaking and at sunrise and sunset the Alpenglow lit up its face in an enchanting show. The hotel is also making a name for itself in the culinary field. We dined on elk carpaccio, beef tenderloin and fresh trout. It was a masterclass in how ski diets don’t have to revolve around melted cheese and overpriced schnitzel.
In a further break from the familiarity of the Alps, we only heard two English voices during our stay. “We destroyed the Alps,” Kevin from Dorset told me at the breakfast buffet. He and his wife, Teresa, enjoyed the change of pace and planned to spend the day cross-country skiing (there are more than 53 miles of trails) before taking it easy in one of the hotel’s private floating saunas .
We also changed course on our last afternoon. Rjukan, the town twenty minutes drive below the resort, has its own unusual story to tell. Once the world’s largest producer of fertilisers, it became a UNESCO Industrial World Heritage Site in 2015 and has an unlikely 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 influential secret military operations of World War II. On February 16, 1943, Operation Gunnerside saw a team of Norwegian saboteurs under British command set out to destroy 18 containers in the basement of the site, which was under Nazi occupation. The cells were 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 casualties.
Fans of the 1965 film The heroes of Telemark may remember the story, but now the basement has been expertly restored to house an exhibition, which – at a time when Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer wins endless awards – even non-history buffs will find this fascinating.
It’s another secret Gausta has been keeping and another reason to trade the Alps for Telemark before everyone else does.
Essentials
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 suite, based on a family of four (two children under 12). 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 top of Gaustalopen on the Gaustabanen (gaustabanen.no) cost from £27; entry to the Vemork Museum (nia.no) costs from £15.
How do ski holidays in Norway compare to the Alps?
Snow: 5/5
Norway’s northern latitude promises quality snow all winter long – often with freezing temperatures – and the season often runs from late November well into May. The snow on the slopes was well maintained, despite the strong wind, and the snow depth was more than 100 cm on the highest slopes. Visit the area at Easter for more pleasant temperatures and soft, forgiving snow.
Ski areas: 4/5
Skiers used to the vast ski areas of the Alps may be put off by the modest nature of Norway’s pistes. Trysil is the largest in the country, with 78 km, served by 31 lifts. For comparison, Gausta has 45 km with 13 lifts. Although we were able to cover most of the area in one day, being able to explore such peaceful slopes meant we could take a different route each morning (lifts open at 10am). This allowed us to duck into the trees and enjoy a more leisurely pace without the pressure of covering huge miles. Beginners and advanced users will also enjoy the freedom to build confidence.
Après: 3/5
The après-ski offering is muted. Drink prices in Norway are notoriously high and can hit your bar bill. We spent our evenings on the slopes under floodlights, in the spa or playing bar games at the hotel. The bars we visited were much more relaxed than their Alpine counterparts – don’t expect pumping music or dancing on tables.
Travel: 4/5
Flight times to Oslo are much the same as traveling to Geneva or any of the other major hubs in the Alps, and the flight schedules are impressively regular. In a change from a crowded bus transfer, we took the train to Kongsberg before continuing with a private transfer. Traveling by train is becoming increasingly popular in Norway – from Bergen you can reach the seaside resort of Voss in an hour by train. Fly directly to the Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sweden, cross the border and within 40 minutes you will be in Trysil.
Hospitality: 5/5
In Norway everyone was happy to see us. There was no grumbling from an over-tired seasonal owner in the equipment rental shop and no rude comments from locals. As the week progressed, the elevator operators became familiar faces, smiling and waving at us in recognition. British skiers are apparently 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 cost us £18 – they are easily comparable to mainstream venues in the Alps. Ski passes are a bargain 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.