The ski writer's guide to Hafjell

HAFJELL FACTS, FIGURES & SKI INFO

Located 15 minutes south of Lillehammer in Norway’s picturesque Øyer municipality, Hafjell (which is what we’ll call the Hafjell Alpine Center from this point on in this story) first gained worldwide notoriety as the alpine skiing venue that hosted the men’s and women’s technical disciplines (slalom and giant slalom) during the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. You can still see the massive and iconic “Fakkelmannen” woodland mountainside 1994 Olympic Games torchbearer mural carved out of forest across the scenic Gudbrandsdal valley facing Hafjell. It’s definitely one of the best photo spots at the resort whether you’re ripping around on skis in winter or on a mountain bike or hike when the snow melts.

The resort still hosts international competitions that include World Cup slalom and giant slalom races for women and men, and was the host of X Games Norway’s Slopestyle and Big Air events in 2020.

Easily accessible by car,  Hafjell is only a 2.5 hour drive from Oslo, and is also easily reachable by train and bus. As far as infrastructure goes, Hafjell has 18 lifts that service 54 kilometers of slopes, and also has 600 km of cross-country trails if going downhill isn’t the only way you enjoy spending your time on skis.

As for terrain, there is something for everyone at Hafjell, but if you’re looking for big mountain skiing with heart-pumping off-piste options, you’re better off skiing at Oppdal or Kvitfjell if you’re in this part of Norway.

Now, if you’re looking for a ski area whose top priority is providing an uber family friendly experience to the nth degree, Hafjell is the place for you. And it’s not just because the resort has an abundance of big, wide, super-groomed beginner and intermediate-friendly hero-snow slopes. I’m saying this because the entire resort seems to be hyper-focussed on making sure you’re having a good time, especially if you’re skiing with little ones. Heck they even have a magic carpet learning area that is free for kids!

The resort has four designated family areas. One at the bottom of the hill, and two more at “Favn Hafjell” the resort’s sustainably designed mountain village consisting of ski-in/ski-out mountain homes, apartments, and restaurants. The fourth area is “Kid’s Gaia” next to the Gaiastova section at the top of the mountain that is the resort’s most vibrant and glitzy location for dining and après ski activities.

One of things that blew me away the most was a large, open-air, winter dining area with a multitude of picnic tables open to anyone who wanted to bring their own meal not far from the top of the resort’s main gondola at the Favn Hafjell section of the resort. I know this is not uncommon in Norway, where “matpakke” packed lunches are a cultural norm. But still I’ve never seen it to this degree anywhere else in Norway, and it’s definitely something I don’t remember seeing at any other alpine resorts during my ski travels around the globe. Oh, and did I mention Hafjell even has a family BBQ hut where you can grill at your leisure…yup, not kidding!

So why am I turning a story about a charming ski resort into – dare I say it – a “teaching moment” (as my Gen Z daughter might say) about the virtues of packed-lunch-friendly outdoor dining spaces? I can honestly say I’m doing it because I think the folks who run this resort are putting the concept of fun before profit. Don’t get me wrong, I am a dyed-in-the-wool capitalist, and nothing makes me happier than to see a business succeed, but it’s also nice to have options if spending more than the price of your lift pass is something you can’t or don’t want to do.

But let’s move away from socio-economic musings about ski resort dining protocols, and get to the heart of why I think Hafjell is the happiest place on earth when the snow flies. Below you will find some of the reasons why Hafjell made me feel like I was a 10-year-old again, having a blast with my buds and laughing my guts out at a snow-covered amusement park disguised as a ski resort.

REASON 1: HAFJELL’S MASCOT – ISA

I love mascots, whether it’s Mickey Mouse, or Youppi the big orange mascot of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens (and formerly of the MLB’s now defunct Montreal Expos), there is something that transforms me into a little kid whenever I see one of these adorably friendly furry fellows. Hafjell’s mascot is named Isa and I’m not quite sure if she’s a goat, squirrel, fox, lynx, or a melange of all of them, but I do know she’s beyond delightful.

I had the good fortune meeting Isa at a daytime marshmallow roast by an open fire as she was being swarmed by dozens of little skiers and snowboarders. I also saw her skiing, and presiding over a “speed check” zone as skiers ripped around GS gates to see who had the fastest run. Let’s just say I’m now a huge Isa fan, and will never travel again without my little souvenir plush Isa key chain I bought before leaving Hafjell!

REASON 2: HAFJELL SPEED CHECK ZONE

Ahhhh, the pleasures of a place on a ski hill where you can go as fast as you like without having your pass pulled by a ski patroller. Yup, Hafjell has its own

“Speed Check” zone and it’s the perfect place to see how fast you can rip and it’s usually located at the top of Hafjell’s “Isa’s Cabin Trail” or somewhere on Trail 2. If you’ve got an insatiable “need for speed” this is the place for you!

REASON 3: HAFJELL’S HELLY HANSEN SKI CROSS COURSE

Sponsored by the quintessentially Norwegian clothing brand Helly Hansen, Hafjell’s ski cross track is open to skiers of all ages (up to four skiers at a time) who want to experience the thrills, chills, and hopefully no spills, of a challenging course full of spinetingling rollers, turns, jumps and other obstacles!

I LMFAO-ed with a group of local friends on this course so hard we had to do it a second time after lunch because I accused them of false starts after they destroyed me in our first little race. I’ve never laughed so hard in my life on a pair of skis. The experience was like being ON a rollercoaster –  and being THE rollercoaster all at once…and it was here that I had my initial “Hafjell really feels like an amusement park” epiphany!

REASON 4: ISA’S HYTTELØYPE (CABIN SLOPE) & ISA’S SKOGSLØYPE (FOREST SLOPE)

I’ve enjoyed tree-skiing all over the planet, from North America, to Europe, and even in Japan, but I’ve never giggled as much as ripping through Isa’s “Hytteløype” and “Skogsløype” trails. This little alpine ski safari will warm your heart…especially when you hear the hoots and hollers from the littler skiers who are zipping through this tree-covered wonderland with their mums and dads. The best part though is watching the looks on their rosy little faces when they eventually end up in front of Isa’s mountain cabin home, priceless to say the least!

REASON 5: TERRAIN PARKS FOR ALL AGES AND COURAGE-LEVELS

Okay, so I’m definitely not a terrain park skier (aka “park rat”), but even I couldn’t resist attempting a few friendly jumps at Hafjell’s “Frontyard” terrain park for kids…and adults who don’t want to scare themselves witless. OMG I laughed so hard when I actually landed a decent sized jump and didn’t blow out an ACL or go full-on yardsale!

For those of you out there who are more elastic and less cowardly, Hafjell also has its “Backyard” park not very far from the Frontyard slope area with bigger jumps and boxes. For folks who are serious park aficionados Hafjell’s “Main Park” has huge jumps, half pipes, and enough boxes and rails to scare the bejesus out of you. Main Park, btw,  is considered by many as one of the top 10 best terrain parks in the world, and has even hosted X Games competitions.

HAFJELL ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Hafjell has a wide selection of ski-in/ski-out holiday homes, apartments, and hotel rooms you can book via your favourite travel app or via the Alpinco’s website.

During my visit, I stayed at the historic Nermo Hotell, one of Hafjell’s (and Norway’s) most iconic alpine resort hotels, which was a five-minute car ride, or a 10-minute shuttle bus, away from the resort’s main gondola station.

Owned by the Nermo family since 1866, this stately white clapboard hotel was originally a farmhouse/hunting & fishing lodge before turning into the luxury boutique hotel it is now. Nermo Hotell has 31 rooms and 53 apartments, and a host of public areas where you can lounge around by a fire and quietly enjoy reading a book with a glass of wine.

My hotel room was absolutely gorgeous, with its own living room area and a fabulous gas fireplace that I couldn’t resist nestling up too late at night. Breakfasts at Nermo are also phenomenal, and you can even make your own Norwegian waffles every morning, something I will never forget!  

HAFJELL DINING & APRÈS OPTIONS

NERMO HOTELL RESTAURANT

Open to guests and non-guests, the restaurant at Nermo Hotell is, as just mentioned, a fantastic place for breakfast (OMG those waffles!!!) or dinner. On my first night at the hotel I devoured a hearty plate of roast pork with potatoes, root vegetables, covered in the most delicious thyme and onion gravy. Best to make reservations on the hotel’s website if you’re not a guest though.

VIDSYN

The word for panoramic view in Norwegian is “vidsyn” and that’s exactly what you’ll get at this sophisticated on-mountain restaurant with some of the most incredible alpine dining views in all of Norway. Located just below the Hafjelltoppen summit next to trail no.8 (Hafjelløype), Vidsyn is not far from the resort’s new 6-pack express lift and easy to spot because of its huge outdoor sun terrace and eyecatching floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

Menu selections include all manner of fish and game sourced locally from the Øyerfjellet mountain region, as well as an abundance of vegetarian options. I couldn’t resist ordering Vidsyn’s “Homemade Elk Burger” as I’d never tasted elk meat before, and I definitely made the right choice as it was delicious! Not overly “gamey” in terms of taste, the burger itself was very juicy, but made even more so by the heavenly triumvirate of aioli, lingonberry cream, and onion marmalade it was topped with.

One of my ski buddies ordered an amazing baked potato that looked like it could be a dessert. I actually considered ordering one to tie a bow on my lunch, until I noticed the irresistible words “Warm Apple Crunch With Ice Cream” on the menu, which was the right choice as it was an utterly delectable dessert dish!

FAVN RESTAURANT

Located in the heart of Hafjell’s stunning, new, Favn mountain village built on the doorstop of the resort’s Gondoltoppen mountain station, this impressive ski-in/ski-out restaurant (designed by cutting edge Norwegian architect Reiulf Ramstad) is a chic, contemporary take on traditional timber-clad Nordic alpine cabins.

There is a definite vibe at Favn Restaurant – crisp but cozy – a mix of warm wood and industrial metals, the perfect harmony of modern and traditional. We booked a table (it’s a good idea to do that at Favn as it’s very popular) on the second floor not very far from the restaurant’s striking mid-century modern-inspired curved chrome bar that sits under a hanging art installation. I honestly couldn’t stop staring during my meal, it is a thing of beauty!

In terms of dining options, Favn Restaurant’s menu is vast, with all kinds of classic Euro-mountain dining faves like schnitzel and bratwurst, but it also has a large selection of Italian dishes and fantastic pizza to choose from.

I couldn’t make my mind up between Goulash Soup and Wild Mushroom Risotto, so I convinced one of my ski buddies to go “sharesies” with me so we could enjoy both. This turned out to be a great decision as both dishes were beyond scrumptious! For dessert I chose “Sjokoladekake” (which is Norwegian for chocolate cake) and it did not disappoint – the perfect little energy boost before an afternoon ski cross re-match!

LODGEN AFTERSKI BAR & RESTAURANT

What most folks call “après” is lovingly referred to as “afterski” in Norway, and one of my favorite places to drop into for a post-ski pint or glass of vino in Hafjell is Lodgen Afterski Bar & Restaurant.

Open for lunch, dinner and après, Lodgen’s gorgeous wood and glass decor, with floor-to-ceiling window walls, towering rough hewn log posts, a very inviting bar, and a large sitting area around a huge glass fireplace will be something you’ll never forget. This beautiful restaurant and bar is hands down, my favorite spot for a nice, civilized glass of Chardonnay after a day out whooping it up on Hafjell’s slopes.

Pro tip: head to Lodgen to watch the sunset on their panoramic outdoor deck. The deck is lit by alpenglow and torchlight, and will make you think you’re about to enter the halls of Valhalla for some après festivities with Thor himself!