OPPDAL FACTS, FIGURES & SKI INFO
If I had to choose one word to describe Oppdal ski resort, I would pick two – “untamed” and “massive” – as it’s so huge and wild, a one-word description doesn’t do it justice.
Located in Oppdal, a charming little alpine town nestled in a quaint valley that sits at the crossroads of the Dovrefjell and Trollheimen mountain ranges in central Norway, Oppdal Ski Center is owned and operated by Alpinco, Norway’s biggest ski resort provider (they also own and operate the Kvitfjell and Hafjell ski resorts).
Oppdal’s 56 kms of alpine slopes are serviced by 15 lifts, and most of its 29 runs are above the treeline and very long, with a top-to-bottom skiable vertical of about 2500 feet, and a season that usually starts in early November and ends in late April. Oppdal also has a halfpipe, a terrain park, and a dedicated children’s area for beginner snow bunnies. The resort itself is made up of four different ski areas (Vangslia, Hovden, Ådalen, Stølen) that you need at least a week to explore properly.
In terms of a skiable footprint, Oppdal has an assortment of meticulously groomed runs and an all-you-can-ski freerider’s smorgasbord of wide open alpine snow bowls for off-piste aficionados that range from super steep to mid-range gentle. In terms of elevation, the town itself sits at about 1800 feet, and Oppdal’s highest peak is about 6500 feet above sea level.
There are parts of this resort that remind me of backcountry skiing in Japan, with big open spaces and bowls occasionally decorated with clusters of beautiful black and white birch trees, and, of course, incredible snow!
Vangslia Ski Area
The first chair you’ll probably ride up when your journey of alpine skiing discovery at Oppdal begins is the Vangslia area’s new 6-pack. Vangslia is Oppdal’s most popular peak because it has something for everyone. Some of the resort’s most challenging off-piste is directly accessible from the top of the lift, and this makes it very popular with powder hounds and freeskiers. Vangslia also has a fabulous assortment of groomers, a kid’s area with a magic carpet, and a terrain park loaded with jumps, bumps, and rails for those with a little extra spring in their step.
On my first ride up to the top of Vangslia, a local friend named Marius Nilsen pointed to a skier carving down the mountain like a rockstar on skis.
“You see that guy ripping down the mountain like he owns it?” Nilsen asked me with a grin. “Guess how old he is?” he asked with a follow-up.
When I answered “no clue,” Nilsen smiled and hit me with this…
“That’s Kjell Hamar, he’s a local who skis here about 100 days a year, and he’s 96 years old!”
Needless to say, after hearing this, I eventually cornered poor Mr. Hamar when he went inside for a hot chocolate, and when he went back out, I was riding chairs, ripping runs, and taking selfies with him for the rest of the day. A life-changing ski experience unlike anything I’ve ever had before. Check out the video of Mr. Hamar ripping…it’s in my Instagram (@theskiwriter) gallery in case you don’t believe me!
Hovden Ski Area
Oppdal’s Hovden ski area (aka “The Hill”) is home to the resort’s steepest and gnarliest terrain. With a single chairlift that services three spine-tinglingly steep black diamond runs, and some of THE MOST badass off-piste you’ll find in Norway, Hovden is definitely the place to go if you’re looking for thrills and chills.
On any given day, you could run into some of the world’s best freeskiers or World Cup alpine racing superstars testing their mettle and speed on this very wild side of the mountain!
Ådalen Ski Area
If you’re a freeriding enthusiast and have been to Norway, there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with Oppdal’s Ådalen ski area and its iconic “Ådalsfjeset” face that has hosted numerous world-class freeriding competitions over the years.
And here’s an insider’s tip from my buddy Marius Nilsen – when blizzards blanket Oppdal, the freeride crowd usually heads to Ådalen’s famed “Student Hang” – a huge snow bowl with a tantalizing array of cornices for big jump adrenaline junkies who love to launch into deep pow. And while we’re on the subject of fresh snow, untracked powder is usually abundant and borders on limitless in Ådalen, because the bulk of Oppdal’s skiable terrain is not covered in condos, hotels, and chalets, which is the reality at many resorts around the world. There is a definite backcountry vibe everywhere you look and ski in Oppdal, but you’re always not very far from a lift, which is absolutely amazing.
Stølen Ski Area
At the other end of Oppdal, you’ll find the Stølen ski area that, like Vangslia, has something for everyone, including the resort’s most popular children’s slope, as well as a very nice assortment of groomed runs and powder-filled off-piste options. This section of Oppdal is probably the most family-friendly and is a great place to learn how to ski if you’re a newbie to the sport.
OPPDAL ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
Oppdal may look like a big, wide-open backcountry monster out in Norway’s hinterland, but the resort does have lots of on-mountain ski-in/ski-out accommodation options, as well as lots of off-mountain places to stay. For more info on where you can stay when you’re in Oppdal, check out the Alpinco website.
During my visit last March, I stayed at the iconic Oppdal Turisthotell, located a 10-second walk from the town’s main train stop. This historic hotel has 75 very modern rooms, and a fantastic in-house restaurant (called Perrongen) if you want to dine where you sleep.
My room was elegantly decorated with a gorgeous ski mural behind the bed, and was very spacious with lots of room for the 200 pounds of ski gear and luggage I usually travel with. The hotel also has a fantastic lobby bar and a lounge area with a roaring fireplace. The warmth and glow from this wonderful space is unforgettable, especially after a chilly day on the slopes.
But my favorite sight at Oppdal Turisthotell was the life-size Musk Ox replica near the front desk. Musk Ox actually inhabit nearby Dovrefjell National Park, and it’s one of the only places on the planet where they still roam freely. The hotel can help you book a Musk Ox safari if you are so inclined…I know I will be on my next visit to Oppal, that is for sure!
OPPDAL DINING & APRÈS OPTIONS
Oppdal has a wide range of restaurant options, both on-mountain and in the main part of town. Here are some of the restaurants I experienced during my visit…
PERRONGEN (OPPDAL TURISTHOTELL’S IN-HOUSE RESTAURANT)
I was ravenous and tired on my first night in Oppdal, so I decided to dine at Perrongen, Oppdal Turisthotell’s elegant and super-chill in-house restaurant. For my starter, I chose a heavenly, creamy lobster bisque, accentuated with blue crab, parsley oil, and parmesan. For my main, the restaurant’s signature dish – delicious cuts of striploin beef steak you broil yourself on your very own hot stone slate. Served up with a scrumptious side of sauteed potatoes and mushrooms made the meal absolutely perfect!
THE HILL 1125 RESTAURANT
Located at the top of the Hovden ski area, The Hill 1125 Restaurant is the perfect place to pop in for a snack (try the fresh-baked cinnamon buns, they’re to-die-for) or a meal. This fantastic restaurant is kitted out with wall-to-wall windows and breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
Helmed by Rune Nilsen, a super-friendly professional chef and ski junkie from nearby Trondheim, Hill 1125’s menu includes delicious homemade soups, stews, salads, and sandwiches, but the highlight dish here is pizza. In fact, the restaurant’s wood-fired pizza was built from scratch by Nilsen himself!
So what kind of pizza did I order? Reindeer pizza was on the menu, so reindeer pizza is what I had, and OMG was it deliziso! And if you’re wondering what reindeer meat tastes like on pizza, I can say with experience that it tasted almost like Greek gyro, and I love Greek gyro, so that’s a definite thumbs up from me!
MØLLEN RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA
Craving a greasy homemade burger with fries and onion rings, I took the advice of a nice young gentleman at the Oppdal Turisthotell’s front desk and headed to Møllen Restaurant & Pizzeria to get my fix.
The burger and its fabulous fried compadres were exquisite – as was the apple pie and ice cream I couldn’t resist ordering as the back end of the meal. Definitely going back to this restaurant!
VANGSLIA STORSTUGGU
Norwegians love their cinnamon buns (and who can blame them?), and a ski trip to Norway would be criminal without ordering at least one (or a half dozen, as was the case for me). One of the best places to get one of these sweet, soft little beauties is at Vangslia Storrstuggu on the resort’s western edge.
You can order all kinds of goodies at this cozy little mountain lodge restaurant (hot and cold bevvies, burgers, salads, stews, soups, doughnuts, iconic Kvikklunsj candy bars, etc), but the big draw for me was a nice midday hot chocolate and freshly baked cinnamon bun. Oh, and it’s a great place to bump into Kjell Hamar, the world’s most badass 96-year-old skier who likes to hold court here when he’s not ripping runs down Vangslia’s main piste!
