The ski writer's guide to Kvitfjell
December 20, 2025 | By Michael Mastarciyan | First published in TheSnowMag.com
High up in Norway’s alpine country, a little ski train zigs and zags its way down the side of a snowy mountain peak. This is not your typical kind of choo-choo, though – this is the Jansrud Express – and its cars and passengers are one and the same!
The engine at the front is Jan Jansrud, the patriarch of the Jansrud clan, father and first coach of Kjetil Jansrud, one of Norway’s most decorated and legendary alpine ski racers who captured 23 World Cup victories, an Olympic gold in Super-G, and a World Championship downhill gold during an illustrious career before retiring in 2022.
The middle car of the choo-choo is one of the newest Jansrud skiers, four-year-old Frøya, who is being trailed by her dad, Kjetil, who on this day is playing the dual role of assistant coach and caboose on the Jansrud Express. It’s clear ski lessons are going on here, but there is a whole lot of fun happening too as Frøya zips around her Farfar (that’s Dad’s Dad in Norwegian) and Papa like a little snow bunny.
I’ve known Kjetil well since 2008, and covered his elite-level racing career from beginning to end, but it’s been a long time since we’ve spent quality time together as friends. This is also the first time I’ve had a front row seat to the world-class Dad he’s now become, and before long it becomes abundantly clear that Frøya is definitely a daddy’s girl who loves to ski!
In between ski laps, as we ride up the chairlift, Kjetil asks me where my ski trip to Norway will take me, and the first thing out of his mouth is the name “Oppdal”.
“Dude are you going to Oppdal?” Kjetil asks, his eyes twinkling like a child on Christmas morning.
“Yes I am. I’ll be heading to Oppdal and Hafjell when I leave Kvitfjell, but why are you asking?” I reply.
“Because you’re gonna luuuuuuv Oppdal, especially if you’ve never been. It’s big mountain skiing, and you feel like you’re in the backcountry, but you’re at a resort. It is absolutely epic! Hafjell is amazing too, but very different from Opdaal; it’s one of the best family-friendly ski resorts in Norway, if not the world. I did a lot of racing in Hafjell and Oppdal in my younger days; you’re really going to enjoy both places,” Janrud tells me with a big smile.
Spoiler Alert: I really enjoyed Hafjell immensely, and Oppdal really blew me away, but you’ll find out more about those two amazing ski resorts in upcoming installments of “A Skier’s Guide To:.” For now, let’s start with what you need to know if you’re planning on visiting magnificent Kvitfjell, Norway…
KVITFJELL FACTS, FIGURES & SKI INFO
A great big beautiful beast of a mountain, Kvitfjell, which means “white mountain” in Norwegian, has been a shining star on the world’s alpine ski racing stage ever since it hosted the men’s and women’s downhill and super-G events at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games.
Located in the village of Ringebu, Kvitfjell is only a two and a half hour’s drive or train ride from Oslo through some of Norway’s most scenic countryside, deep into the heart of the Gudbrandsdalen Valley, made famous by Henrik Ibsen’s famed Peer Gynt five-act epic play. The drive or train ride into this northern wonderland dotted with small lakes, meandering rivers, charming villages, medieval wooden stave churches, and fertile farmland is unforgettable. Kvitfjell, along with Hafjell and Oppdal (two of Norway’s other major ski destinations), is owned and operated by Alpinco, the country’s leading alpine destination provider.
I took a very fast and efficient direct train from Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport and disembarked at Kvitfjell’s very own train station which is directly located next to one of the resort’s main lifts. In theory, you could hop onto a train (as I saw many others doing) in your ski boots and get off, click into your skis, and immediately hit the slopes – the ultimate eco-conscious marriage of technology and sustainability!
In terms of mountain vibes, there is something for everyone at this resort, from extremely challenging slopes to family-friendly runs like the ones I enjoyed watching three generations of Jansruds explore together. Kvitfjell has 14 lifts servicing 34 km of alpine slopes, two terrain parks, two dedicated children’s areas, and 600 km of cross-country trails if you’d rather do your slipping and sliding on flatter surfaces.
Kvitfjell is actually made up of three different mountainsides, and because of Norway’s very northern geographic location, is one of Europe’s most snow-sure ski destinations. Kvitfjell’s slopes usually start turning white in October, and stay that way well into April.
The resort’s eastern face hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races for women and men, and has some very stimulating pistes if steep, long, and fast runs are your cup of tea. Kvitfjell’s West (considered the resort’s sunniest face because of its location) and Varden mountainsides are jam-packed with long, winding groomed cruisers, a fabulous “Powder Forest” with epic off-piste options and glade skiing, and lots of room for fun on numerous family-friendly slopes.
KVITFJELL ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
There is an assortment of accommodation options in and around Kvitfjell. You can stay at hotels in nearby Lillehammer or Hafjell and commute via train or car to the resort, or you can rent ski-in/ski-out accommodations via the Alpinco.com website that range from the more budget-conscious Yttersvingen Apartments to the newly built, luxury Varden Chalets.
The beautiful Hotel Kvitfjell is also an excellent ski-in/ski-out option, but the jewel in the crown of this resort is definitely the majestic Gudbrandsgard Hotel. Located at mid-mountain on the Eastern mountainside of the resort, perched on a slope high above Kvitfjell’s famed Olympiabakken downhill piste, the palatial Gudbrandsgard Hotel is the place to be if luxury and location are important to you when selecting a hotel.
Built like a supersized Scandinavian longhouse out of dark logs, the Gudbrandsgard’s towering wood-paneled ceilings, and the amber glow of its stately dining hall lit by vintage reindeer antler chandeliers, are pure magic when the sun goes down and the stars come out on a cold winter’s night.
Bedrooms are roomy but still very cozy at this hotel, with wood-paneled walls, large wooden beds covered in beautiful quilts, and panoramic windows and wooden balconies with views of the surrounding peaks. The hotel also has fabulous bar and lounge areas with comfy couches in front of rustic stone fireplaces, and a fantastic in-house spa and wellness center with a large indoor pool.
KVITFJELL DINING & APRÈS OPTIONS
Kvitfjell has some fabulous on-mountain dining and après locales that you may want to pop into when you’re skiing there. They include…
VARDEN RESTAURANT
Light colored wood, lots of windows, comfy seating nooks, tempting cocktails, and a menu full of fresh and healthy selections make Varden Restaurant a great choice if you’re not looking for a meal that’s gonna make you feel like a lead weight on the slopes.
I popped in for lunch and ordered a super refreshing Hugo Spritz (Elderflower liqueur, Prosecco, sparkling water, and fresh mint), and a creamy White Veggie soup topped with truffles, thyme, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil served with homemade focaccia and aioli as a starter. For my main, a delicious Poke Bowl topped with a breaded Chicken Katsu, and a to-die-for classic lemon pie with Italian meringue for dessert. I highly recommend this wonderful restaurant, a place I never miss when I’m skiing on the Varden side of Kvitfjell!
TYRIHANSTUNET
The best place for amazing pizza, coffee and treats, or some rip-roaring après when you’re done skiing on the West side of Kvitfjell is Tyrihanstunet. You can’t miss this fab little conglomeration of rustic, dark log buildings (there are four of them) and its central courtyard that is absolutely rocking by the end of the day!
I love this place because each building has a different vibe (all of them super cozy), and between them, a vast menu that includes everything from salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts to more elaborate Raclette cheese dinners.
KOIA KVITFJELL
Do not, and I really mean DO NOT, MISS a couple of hours of après ski in Koia Kvitfjell, which is very probably THE COOLEST ski bar in Norway, if not in all of Europe.
Located on the eastern mountainside of the resort, Koia is one part bar and one part ski racing cabinet of curiosities. You’ll find all kinds of memorabilia housed inside the ancient log cabin that is Koia – even ski goddess Mikaela Shiffrin’s downhill suit from the 2023 Kvitfjell World Cup races, which hangs proudly from the bar’s ceiling rafters. Oh, they also have every kind of booze imaginable at Koia, and if they don’t have what you’re looking for, the bar’s extremely friendly staff will find you something you’ll like even more!
