Many would assume there needs to be snow falling to make possible a skiing trip. But at Oslo’s Vinterpark the ski season doesn’t pause because of unsuitable weather, here they have snow cannons to create snow so you can ski everyday without fail.
This winter Norway is experiencing the warmest weather for over 100 years… there is no snow on the streets and temperatures are way above zero (tropical considering -20 is normal for January here). Locals are craving the picturesque white winter they have come to know and love. For Oslo’s residents, skiing is a sport they can enjoy after work or at the weekend, it is just as accessible and affordable as anything else. Work finishes at 4pm, then with a metro card, in just 20 minutes, you can travel by tram from central Oslo to the Alpine slopes, ski for two hours and be home in time for dinner… it is a luxury no other European city can boast.
Vinterpark is Oslo’s largest ski resort, consisting of 18 slopes. The area has 11 lifts, of which two are four-seaters and one is a new six-seater express chairlift. The ski resort is open from November to April, everyday except Christmas Eve with floodlights illuminating the slopes for evening skiing. When spring comes, the site is used for extreme sports… downhill mountain biking, zipwiring, canopying and other activities. The slopes have an interesting history, they were opened in the 1930s after a portion of the mountain was swept of all trees following a storm, ever since they have been used for skiing and grow in popularity every year.
The instructors at Vinterpark are friendly and helpful. As a first timer I needed extensive help, luckily Jonathan was on hand to teach all the basics, demonstrate the ‘snow plough’ and build my confidence when it began to falter. All the necessary ski and snowboard equipment is available to rent at the resort, though warm under-clothing and gloves must be brought along. All kitted out, we travelled by ‘magic carpet’ (a conveyer belt for people) to the nursery slopes to join the children and adult amateurs. Wowed by the talented toddlers, who seemed to be gracefully flying down the steep snowy hills, I was encouraged that this sport could not be too challenging. Wrong. After 20 minutes my leg muscles ached and burned, I’d fallen over in a pile of mud (off the course) and was feeling rather shaken. Jonathan patiently continued to give tips and advice, and gradually the technique became more natural.
The Vinterpark has imaginative routes for people of all ages and abilities, from beginners to professionals, so everyone can learn, enjoy and be challenged by the snowy slopes on offer. After the two hour lesson, Jonathan took us to the proper adult slope, a green run for the first experience of real skiing! It was terrifying but exhilarating, exhausting but wonderful, and just so, so beautiful. Travelling back up in the steep chairlift, I began to understand the thrill and adrenalin, and the addictive nature of this sport.
Oslo is the only capital city in the Europe where you can ski so conveniently, and this is a real selling point for the destination. Vinterpark gave me the perfect introduction to this sport… hopefully I will be able to fit in some more snowy adventures in 2014.
More information about Oslo Vinterpark here: oslovinterpark.no
Many thanks to Oslo Tourist board for their help with this trip. More information here.
