 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I'm considering booking a trip to Hemsedal for five days from the 16th of April. Has anyone been at this time of year? How quiet is it? Quiet is good, but I've heard they often close runs in the early and late season (whilst still charging full whack). This happened to me in Saas Fee, and it made me so so angry that I don't want to repeat the experience!
We're looking for a bit of an 'all round' winter experience.
Any recommendations as to accommodation? We'll be car-less, and I can't tell from Skistar which cabins are close to bus stops.
Many thanks
Liam
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My experience with the Norweigian resorts is that they lose snow same as everywhere. I did Are (in Sweden) in 2004 Easter, up to 12 Apr, and some piste had holes but most of them were open.
Hemsedel will not be too much different. It was one of the coldest place I have been for skiing in Christmas time. We have to go into a warm room every now and then to get some sensation back to our toes. After that trip we bought ourselves boot warmer kits (battery powered) but I never had such a need it in any of the Alpine resorts. I think you will get more snow than the Alps but don't expect any resort close to the sea able to retain the snow.
I also can't tell how close the cabins from the chairlifts but in good snow one may ski out or ski back in at least one direction.
Hemsedal has 42km piste and is of a decent size by the Scandinavia standard but could be regarded as small in France, Switzerland, Italy or Austria. The Scandinavian skiing season generally ends later that in the Alps
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi lrx28, not been quite that late, I think I was there round about 5th April. Everything was very much in full swing, snow depth was c. 150cm, including full coverage (i.e. no rocks) in their marked off-piste areas. It seems to hold snow very well until the end of April.
Will it be busy? Well my experience was that it was busy on Saturday and Sunday (not queuing for lifts busy, but the Green slope motorway which runs down the mountain was pretty crowded) and the nightlife was jumping. Then in the week, absolutely dead - very pleasant on piste, eerily quiet in the town. Bear in mind that the 16th will be the end of the second week easter holidays, so snow permitting I'd be very surprised if they closed anything before the Monday 20th.
Accomodation. Well if you have no car (more on that in a bit), I would stay at the mountain centre. Any accomodation there will be right by the lifts - it's not very big. There's pretty much nothing in Hemsedal town (3km away), so no advantage staying there rather than on mountain (although 1 trip to the supermarket would be very advisable). Skarsnuten looked stunning.
If you want an "all-round" experience I would really recommend a car. I'm sure you've got a good reason to be car-less but if you fly into Oslo the drive up is a pleasure (head north then west, don't go through Oslo!), and you'll be so much more flexible when you're there - you could ski Geilo, drive into town as needed, stay a few km off the hill and get larger and cheaper accomodation. If you don't have a car i fear you'll either be stuck at the mountain or reliant on buses (or hitching - it's a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere) , and non-skiing activities will be a hassle.
One thing to consider when you're planning is cost of food. Looking at the exchange rate now a half-board buffet in a hotel for a non-resident will be about £30 a head, a basic pizza place in town will be about £20. Beer £5 a pint. The on-mountain eating wasn't actually that bad - about £10 for english pub/bar type lunch fodder. The supermarket was English prices though, so would either recommend going self catering or booking a half board deal in advance.
As saikee says, only 42km of piste, but a very fun mountain. One decent steep, one decent mogul run, a fantastic "small jump" terrain park plus a "proper" terrain park, marked off piste areas, and the rest is cruising terrain. Some wonderful views, of a very different character to the alps.
Overall I really liked it and would definitely recommend.
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Thanks both for your advice!
Jimihendrix - I don't really have a choice about the car, as I've never learnt to drive! By 'all round winter experience' I mean a bit of downhill, a bit of cross country, and a bit of lounging around in lovely scenery. Now I'm worried that Hemsedal is a bit sterile for the 'lounging around' bit. What do you reckon?
Cheers, Liam
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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lrx28, yes to be honest it may be a bit sterile for lounging around.
Hemsedal town itself is mainly off one street - there are something like 5 hotels, 5 bars/restaurants, 1 supermarket, couple of ski shops, petrol station, not attractive. The mountain centre has a restaurant, bar, ski hire place, and a bunch of cabins. It is in no-way comparable to a traditional alpine ski village for example.
I reckon you're only lounging option would be to stay in Skarsnuten - it probably has a website, from which you'll get an impression as to whether it would keep you happy for the duration.
If this puts you off then you may be better abandoning Hemsedal.
I guess the 16th April is fixed for you - obviously that restricts where you will still find snow. If you have selected Hemsedal then I figure you won't fancy a Tignes/Val Thorens high altitude French option? If you still fancy Scandanavia you could try Are. That's a great town, there is *tons* to do off slope. I don't think it's as snowsure as Hemsedal late season though. If you fancy it from what you see on Skistar i would give the tourist office a call (their English will be perfect) and ask them honestly when they've been closing the "Upper Zone" in the last few seasons - as without the "upper zone" the skiing is a bit crap. Alternatively if you search in this forum you will find plenty of resorts in Switzerland and some in Austria that tick your late season/all round criteria.
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I agree with JimiHendrix going up altitude is a good protection against late skiing. You may end up with rock hard snow in the morning and soft spongy snow in the afternoon though.
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Hmmm... I am tinkering with Zermatt as a possibility. The cross country is a bit of a sticking point though (It doesn't seem to have much, certainly not at altitude). Scandinavia appeals because I'm stuck with April (thanks to work) and I'd like to avoid Easter! I do need somewhere with an acceptable level of easy ski-ing for my nervous partner, as well as reasonably quiet piste (again scandinavia seems to fit the bill here). Thanks for the Are suggestion. I'll look into it.
Cheers, Liam
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I've been there late April. Long days, due to being so far north. Summer skiing conditions - icy first thing, slushy by 3pm.
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One can cut down the cost of skiing Zermatt by staying at the Italian side of Breuil Cervinia. The gondola and cable cars can take you to the Swiss side without skiing a grain of snow.
The top of Zermatt is also a beginner area with long drag lifts over a flat and wide area. The only reservation I have is the links can be closed in strong wind. Having said that Cervinia is a nice resort for intermediates. If snow is to be found in the Alps then Zermatt/Cervinia will have it.
Courchevel, Les Arcs, Tigne/Val D, L2A and LDA etc also have glacier skiing over 3000m and that is just France. Switzerland and Austria also have ample choices of high altitude resorts.
I suppose the Scandinavian resorts lose snow last for the same altitude for being further in the North. In a good year it can be totally acceptable.
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lrx28, the problem with cross country is that it's twisted and wrong.  No seriously, the problem with cross country late season is that it's typically at valley or resort level, so is very hard to snow guarantee anywhere in mid-April. Some friends of mine raved about the cross country in Are - I just rolled my eyes - another one to ask the tourist office I guess. There's stuff on Are in this forum - I'm sure I've posted on threads about it before, probably about the women (eyes glaze over )
Another one for your list - search this forum for Obertauern in Austria late season.
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