Skiing in Norway: the Resort of Gausta
23rd October 2023
Last modified on October 28th, 2023
It is in the south-west of the country with skiing up to 1,883m. It has a fascinating history as it sits in birthplace of skiing, Telemark, with the area playing a key role in World War II.
Right folks, hands up who has heard of Gausta.
No, neither have we.
Until now.
It has come to our attention as it has just joined the group of Norwegian resorts in the portfolio of Norway Home of Skiing.
Gausta. Image c/o Norway – Home of Skiing
The resort has 35 slopes that are accessed by its 13 lifts.
Gausta is known for its family friendly slopes and has mostly greens and blues.
There is also a black FIS approved slope, and then there is Gaustatoppen.
It is one of the most famous and iconic mountains in Norway with some utterly fabulous views.
You take a train 850m into the centre of the mountain and then change to a funicular for a 1,000m, 39° ascent.
It was originally built as a top-secret military listening post to spy on the Russians during the Cold War.
Then you can choose to ski back down off piste, or take the train back down.
Gausta. Image c/o Norway-Home of Skiing.
There are also 85 km of cross-country trails in Gausta, and on top of the skiing there is tobogganing and snowshoeing.
Now, what about the history that we have mentioned?
Gausta is located in the Telemark region of Norway, that is widely regarded as the birthplace of modern skiing.
The area also played a pivotal role in the Second World War when Norway was occupied by the Germans.
The Nazis took over the hydroelectric power plant at Vemork, a UNESCO Industrial Heritage Site, that is next to Gausta.
As well as a marvel of engineering, the daring story about the 1943 sabotage of the heavy water plant here featured in the 1965 film ‘The Heroes of Telemark’, that starred Kirk Douglas.
The founder of Gausta Ski Resort, Olav Svartdal, was Kirk Douglas’s stunt double in all the skiing scenes that feature in the film.
With the proceeds from this, he was able to build the main hotel in the resort which was recently refurbished to a high standard in 2022.
“Gausta deserves a place on every skiers’ bucket list,” said Andy Hemingway, the Norway Product Manager for Ski Safari.
“It’s accessible to all levels, from beginners through to freeriders ready for new adventures.
“I highly recommend the train ride inside the mountain, either to see the views from Gaustatoppen or the freeride area – it’s a unique experience you will never forget.”
If you go don’t forget a sauna and then a swim after skiing.
From the sauna you can jump direct into the fresh lake.
Gausta. Image c/o Norway-Home of Skiing.
Details of the resort were unveiled to visitors to the recent London Snow Show on the Norway – Home of Skiing stand.
The London Snow Show. Image © PlanetSKI
Regular PlanetSKI readers will know we are particularly fond of ski visits to Norway and our editor, James Cove, is a huge fan.
Narvik, Norway. Image © PlanetSKI
Firstly it has an excellent snow record with the cold temperatures preserving things.
Gausta averages over 2.5m of snow each winter, and is often the first resort in Norway to receive snow.
Norway is so much further north than the Alps, and reaps the benefits across the winter.
But more importantly in our view it is simply a fabulous country, with wonderful people and it offers a unique skiing experience that is completely different from the Alps.
Last winter we had some fabulous snow as we embarked on a rail trip visiting Voss, Myrkdalen and Norefjell.
Oslo, Norway. Image © PlanetSKI
Skiing in Norway. Image © PlanetSKI
We have been to Norway pretty much each winter for the past dozen or so years.
In 2022 it was to Narvik deep inside the Arctic Circle, again with some fascinating history from World War II.
Narvik, Norway. Image © PlanetSKI
Narvik, Norway. Image © PlanetSKI
We haven’t made firm winter plans yet, but a visit to Gausta is already on our list for this coming season.
Very high up on the list.
Watch this space…
See here to book a holiday to Gausta.
Season: December – May
Nearest airport: Oslo Airport
Transfer time: 3.5 hours
Transport: Train / Bus / Private transport
Elevation: 3150 ft
Vertical drop: 1804 ft
Ski lifts: 13
Runs: 35
Grade: 10% Advanced, 40% Intermediate, 50% Beginners
Gausta. Image c/o Norway-Home of Skiing.
Related Articles:
More about Norway – Home of Skiing:
It is Norway’s largest group of ski resorts, offering an easy selection in one place to variety of ski products to suit all abilities.
From beginners to adrenaline seeking off-piste skiers to cross-country, we truly have something for everyone interested in skiing in Norway.
Norway is a wonderful alternative to the traditional ski resorts in the Alps and with a population of only five million, living in a country a third larger than the UK, you can understand why the ski slopes are rarely crowded and how the dramatic natural landscape is largely untouched.
For an all-round winter ski experience, you can’t beat skiing in Norway.
We are the home to more gold medals at the Winter Olympics than any other nation, so it’s no surprise that skiing is in the DNA of our nation.
Combine your next ski trip with an ultimate bucket-list holiday item such as skiing under the Northern Lights, taking a rib tour across a frozen Fjord, mushing away on a Husky Safari or a night in an Ice Hotel, the opportunities to make great skiing memories are endless…
Narvik, Norway. Image © PlanetSKI
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