Suggestions for week-long ski camping tour in April

[Philippe Jumeau]

Hi, I have completed two variants of the Hardangervidda ski crossing from Finse to Haukelisetter in recent years and I am now looking for ideas for a similar trip in a different region, either camping or hut to hut.  Ideally, the trip would start from the train drop-off point and could be circular or ‘linear’ to a destination where I can get the train or bus back to Oslo. I don’t want to have to hire a car.  I am looking to ski around 150 km over 6 or 7 days in the first two weeks of April.  I am hoping that someone out there with ground knowledge has got some suggestions that I can investigate.  Thanks in anticipation.

[+sneakyowl]

Not straying too much from the train route youre already used to, but you can have some nice ski trips in and around the Finse area, without being in the same places youve been before during a Hardangervidda crossing.

Are you willing to navigate on your own, or follow routes set with branches (kvist)?

A very nice area that easily triumphs the Hardangervidda plateu is the area north of Finse and Hallingskarvet. You can draft your own route as long as you like and either return to Finse in a circle, or get the train back to Oslo from for instance Geilo.

[Philippe Jumeau]

Thank you for your suggestion.  I had considered a circular route north from Finse or a series of 1 or 2 day trips from Finse.  Is there an area that you would particularly recommend?  I enjoy the routes marked with kvists because I can switch off from navigation, but I am happy making my own trail too.

[+sneakyowl]

Herr is just a quick draft example of a 45-50 km circular trip:

 

Another suggestion is train to Hjerkinn, and ski through mountain areas such as Dovre, Rondane, Ringebufjellet and/or further down south in the direction of Lillehammer. Anywhere along these areas there are good possibilities for getting down to civilization, and grab a cab to the nearest train station in order to get to Oslo.

DNT has a signature route called Saga in these areas you can draw inspiration from:

https://ut.no/turforslag/1112172097/signatur-saga-langrute-mellom-lillehammer-og-snhetta-vinterrute

I skied 200 km along much of this route (but not exact) last easter. I did not know then that it was a defined route and navigated on my own most of the time.

[Swiss John]

From Finse northwards through Skarvheimen, via the following DNT huts:

Geiterygghytta (serviced)

Kongshelleren (self service)

Iungsdalshytta  (serviced)

Bjordalsbu (self service)

Skarvheim (self service)

From Skarvheim DNT (at Bristølen Pass on Road 52) you can take a bus to Oslo or, in the opposite direction, towards Sogndal. From the Sogndal bus you can change at either Borlaug or (I think) at Lærdalen to the Bergen bus. At Borlaug there is a YHA hostel. EDIT #1: Borlaug Hostel open only during summer season.

You can also continue northwards from Skarvheim/Bristølen to Sulebu DNT (self service) and from there down to Tyinkrysset where you can take the bus to Oslo or Bergen. A further extension would be to head north-west from Sulebu, crossing  Filefjellet and over the E16 road at Kyrkjestølane, then north and east to Slettningsbu DNT (self service). From Slettningsbu it is a short stretch eastwards to Road 53 at Tyinstølen where you can have half-board and a cabin for the night and from where you can take the Oslo bus.

The entire route mentioned above, including the extensions, is marked with sticks at the appropriate time of year – which can be seen on the ut.no website.

By the way, almost every time I have skied through Skarvheimen I have come across countrymen of yours, so you might even end up speaking French most of the time!

EDIT #2: The skiing in Skarvheimen is more demanding than Hardangervidda, assuming one is following the marked routes in both areas.

Endret 1. februar av Swiss John

[+DrKneipp]

I am planning on doing this hike in the summer. A reverse might be a good winter option with a few modifications.

edit: emphasis on modifications.
The endpoint doesn't have to be Vinstra. It can be any train/bus station in Gudbrandsdalen. See ut.no for established ski routes in the area.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/2019603079?ref=itd&share_token=aqqr36Jmw7OUviQ7KdTCsEOF6307U8TcrPeraENqaIMxcZcc0y&ref=its

Endret 1. februar av ryback

[+sneakyowl]

ryback skrev (1 time siden):

I am planning on doing this hike in the summer. A reverse might be a good winter option with a few modifications.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/2019603079?ref=itd&share_token=aqqr36Jmw7OUviQ7KdTCsEOF6307U8TcrPeraENqaIMxcZcc0y&ref=its

In winter with skis and pulk I would strongly recommend evaluating conditions and skills before choosing to go over or around the mountain between Dørålseter and Haverdalen. The DNT Saga route goes around. I went the route over the mountain last year, and sure it´s a great experience if conditions are good. It´s even "kvistet" but it is quite steep and strenuous, both up with the pulk and also down (depending on conditions of course). One point on the northern descent is even straight up dangerous if you were to lose control and fall down the cornice.

Going up:

 

On the descent, looking up:

[Bokhylla]

https://ut.no/turforslag/1115810/skitur-i-saltfjellet-asjonalpark-lnsdal-midtistua-beiarstua

 

https://ut.no/turforslag/116139/skitur-i-sulitjelma-og-pa-saltfjellet-fra-sulitjelma-til-lnsdal

A combination of these two? Havent walk the whole route by myself, yet😅

[Swiss John]

3 hours ago, sneakyowl said:

On the descent, looking up:

Looks hairy enough – especially with a pulk.

[Philippe Jumeau]

56 minutes ago, Bokhylla said:

https://ut.no/turforslag/1115810/skitur-i-saltfjellet-asjonalpark-lnsdal-midtistua-beiarstua

 

https://ut.no/turforslag/116139/skitur-i-sulitjelma-og-pa-saltfjellet-fra-sulitjelma-til-lnsdal

A combination of these two? Havent walk the whole route by myself, yet😅

 

[Philippe Jumeau]

Nice suggestion. But a little too far north for me on this occasion.

 

[Philippe Jumeau]

I will take a close look at your suggestion going north from Finse.  It looks a good one.

[Lompa]

Philippe Jumeau skrev (3 timer siden):

I will take a close look at your suggestion going north from Finse.  It looks a good one.

I would suggest facing the sun and go south. Take the bus to Tyinkrysset/Filefjell, and end up at Finse. There are plenty of cabins on the route, and it is possible to cut off a couple of places if the weather turns bad or something happens. 

And we must all hope for more snow, if we want to ski during easter this year.. 

[Swiss John]

On 2/1/2025 at 6:35 PM, Philippe Jumeau said:

I will take a close look at your suggestion going north from Finse.  It looks a good one.

I have just been over the route which I recommended to you (from Finse to Breistølen) and have posted some pictures and comments. You might find the information useful, especially if you are considering the suggested extension to Sulebu, as there is now a detour involving a ca. 2.5km walk along the main road. This could be a problem if you have a pulk and are on your own.

Snow conditions can, of course, change considerably between now and next week, but at the moment they are quite challenging.

Oh……and as I mentioned in my previous post, there was no shortage of French tourists, and I found myself speaking to different French speakers every day of the trip!

My posts can be seen here:

https://www.fjellforum.no/topic/63251-hvor-har-du-vært-på-tur-i-dag-2025/?page=3#comment-552430