Geilo from top of Vestlia Photo: Peter Lind
Geilo is a true ski classic. Ever since the Oslo-Bergen railroad was established in 1906, Geilo has been a hotspot for Oslo’s finest. The first ski lift was built in 1954. Since then, Geilo has been one of the Scandinavian ski capitals for you to enjoy.
Ski figures in Geilo do not impress at the first glance. 20 lifts, 46 slopes. A vertical drop of around 200 meters on average.
Is that even worth the trip?
Geilo hosted the F.I.S. World Cup slalom twice during the late 80s. So it could not be all bad. After passing through the valley several times without skiing Skitrotter decided to give it a fair try.
We arrived by car, but the train is a smarter choice
Morning skiing in the sun
Low mountains mean less shadow and more sun. That is already an advantage. We started our morning session in the northeast part of the valley.
Down town Geilo.
The slopes end up right where the town center starts. Unfortunately, the original chairlift that connected the railway station to the slopes has been retired. There are plans to replace it with a gondola, but it’s not done yet. Therefore, we had to take a short walk from our on-slope Dr Holms Hotel to the nearest lift, Slaatta.
This was where it all began once upon a time. Button lifts are not the most enjoyable ski lifts around, but they are great for beginners. And the Slaatta slope is for beginners. Connected to Slaatta is another button lift, Korken. It is moving steeply uphill.
Even though the vertical drop is not more than 200 meters, the slopes surrounding this lift are great. Black, red, and blue. The only disadvantage, except for the lack of vertical meters, is the fact that you need to ride the button lift.
It’s antisocial.
Early mornings you will have those slopes for yourself, a big advantage
Yes, the slopes are short. But hey, they are tons of fun for carving.
And they are facing east to the morning sun. After a few runs up and down Korken we aimed for the highest peak in the system, Havsdalshovda. To get there, we had to cross the ski square at Havsdalen and get on the T-bar called Fjellheisen.
This part of Geilo is high alpine, and skiing is vintage. Skilifts are old, and the slopes to. Nevertheless, they are worth a try at least once. If not for the ski experience, for the stunning view.
What a perfect way to start a day of skiing!
I was a little bit worried. Is this it in terms of ski challenge? Hard numbers say Geilo has a vertical drop close to 400 meters. And that is from this peak to the bottom of Slaatta. That might be true. But it’s more of a cross-country experience than alpine to ski those vertical 400 meters. Nevertheless, it looks perfect for families with small kids.
Time to head for the south face
The Geilo Express chairlift promised a bit more challenges according to the ski map.
This is also the area where Alberto Tomba won the slalom race in 1990. It needed to be carved. And the experience surprised us.
Facing south here, there are at least ten slopes that will satisfy you in terms of perfect skiing. That’s more good slopes than most Scandinavian ski resorts can offer.
The angle is just right for full-speed carving. Challenge is there in terms of terrain. Grooming is perfect. If I have any complaints, it would be that the fun in every run ends too quickly. The vertical drop in any of the slopes from top to bottom is hardly more than 200 meters.
Does it really matter?
During our visit on a weekend in the beginning of February, there were no lift queues. Within two hours we gain burning legs due to the fast laps in the two chairlifts serving the south face of Geilo. At the most western point of the system, Gullsteinshovda, there is a T-bar, and at the bottom of that, you will find one of Norway’s most genuine on-slope restaurants.
Hallstensgård is a must-visit when in Geilo
And a perfect stop after skiing through the whole system on the Geilo side. After lunch at Hallstensgård, our plan was to cross the valley and try out the Vestlia site.
The two systems share the same lift ticket but are not connected skiing-wise.
There is a free ski bus serving continuously, and the ride is about ten minutes. Vestlia appears promising based on the ski map. Two up-to-date detachable chairlifts and longer slopes.
But the weather and the current slopes lured us to stay in Geilo for the rest of the day. Dinner was already reserved at the Geilo Mountain Lodge, and we needed time to check out the shopping downtown as well.
Geilo is more than just a ski resort
Geilo is a mountain village full of life. People are not only visiting; people live here. Downtown Geilo holds hotels, restaurants, and shopping that are the best among the Norwegian ski resorts. And it’s genuine. No wonder why Oslo’s finest holds Geilo as their favorite.
One particular shop stands out, and that’s the 100-year-old Geilo Sport. This is the most assorted sports shop in the Scandinavian mountains. Go visit.
I said it before, Norway is not renowned for its restaurants, but in Geilo you will not be disappointed. There are enough good restaurants to serve picky guests for a week. And the best of them all, in my opinion, is the Geilo Mountain Lodge.
The Geilo Mountain Lodge is, foremost, a home for travelers, a boutique hotel. Top of the league when it comes to small ski hotels. A total of eight double rooms. But they also serve a few external guests their evening menu of local origin. When in Geilo, make sure you dine in here at least once. We did not only dine; we checked in overnight.
Time to check out Vestlia Resort
As we woke up in one of the coziest hotels we ever experienced, we were not rushing to hit the slope. If the dinner experience last night was perfect, the breakfast was beyond that. With that said, we did not arrive at the slope before half past eleven.
The thing is that Vestlia’s main slopes face northwest.
This means skiing in the shadow.
So if you are not aiming to be a World Cup racer, there is no need to hurry when you are hitting the slopes on this side.
Different from the Geilo side, Vestlia has fewer slopes but more modern lifts. The main slope is frequently used for training and ski racing. It’s a good slope, but it’s not as fun as the ones on the opposite side of the valley.
In fact, skiing in Vestlia is quite lame after an hour. Ski racers, park rats, and beginners can enjoy a whole day of skiing here for sure. But if you are into carving and burning legs, you should stay on the sunny side. Development is ongoing on this side, both in terms of private ski lodges and skiable acres.
There is a new lift and several slopes in progress east of the Vestlia Express, and it’s necessary.
Kikuttoppen is worth a stop
On top of the second chairlift, there is a small wine bar named Kikuttoppen (lookout peak). If the weather is good, calm, and sunny, go there. And make sure you get a chair. This is that type of location where you sit in and skip skiing just to enjoy life. Kikuttoppen is a brilliant investment by the land explorers.
We skipped skiing after noon and decided to sit in until it was time to check in at the Vestlia Resort, which was our hotel for the night.
Vestlia Resort loves all and serves all
If Dr. Holms stands for history and Geilo Mountain Lodge stands for boutique, then Vestlia Resort stands for mass tourism. A 32,000-square-meter hotel complex that holds hundreds of hotel rooms, restaurants, spa and pool areas, playrooms, and more.
This is more of a cruise ship than a mountain lodge. In the lobby you will meet fully dressed skiers, spa guests in bathrobes, screaming kids, wedding parties, and business people on their way to the congress hall. Even though thousands of people pass through daily, the complex does not feel like a shopping mall.
Somehow it works
It may not be our cup of tea as a middle-aged couple, but we can definitely see why it’s a popular choice among families, training groups, and business meetings.
What stands out in Vestlia is the collection of Norwegian art and home craft.
This is the biggest private art collection in the country. While here, take your time to check it out.
Impressive.
After a buffet dinner in the main restaurant, we decided to withdraw to our hotel room to get some quiet time on our own. The plan made up sitting to long at Kikut wine bar was to make an early wake-up call to go cross-country skiing exploring the high alpine terrain of Hallingdal Valley. Aiming for Prestholtseter at the foot of the mountain named Hallingdalskarvet.
Cross-country skiing, the mother of all skiing
Cross-country to Prestholtseter starts at Havsdalen. What awaits you is a good seven kilometers uphill on high alpine terrain. Make sure the weather is good.
We were lucky to get perfect conditions: minus two degrees Celsius and zero wind. But hey, being close to sixty and a pro liftborne skier cross-country uphill for seven kilometers eats your mind. Especially as nine-year-old Norwegian kids skate around you up and down just for fun.
Anyway, it satisfies the missus.
Enough complaining; this is actually as good as it gets being on a mountain on narrow skis. And remember, turning back after seven kilometers uphill, you are facing seven kilometers downhill on narrow skis to get back to your starting point. You should give it a try once. You might even make it a habit.
Despite the bitter face after a seven-kilometer easy uphill in perfect conditions and perfect weather, we can easily say that Geilo is worth a visit. In fact, Geilo is worth returning to. If Geilo wasn’t on your bucket list, it’s time for you to put her on it.
We both left Geilo with a smile on our faces.
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