Planning Norwegian Ski Trip (with 6 year old)

[Janne]

You can do long predictions by looking in the arrangement of the sacrificed animal's entrails.....

( what I mean - longer predictions than they have are very unpredictable. Remember the saying about a wing beat from a butterfly... )

 

[Janne]

-17 is fun. The snow has a lovely 'crunch' and sparkle the colder it is.

 

[Robson Valley]

Google "Tucker Sno-Cat". There are 3 of them in the village which are used for 300 km
local XC trail track-setting. Huge and heavy sled which compacts 2 sets of track grooves.
Standard work all over the world.
Also used here to compact major approach roads for snowmobile traffic into the high alpine.
My district is the #1 destination for snowmobiling in North America.

Back country users have to buy a trail-pass. That helps to pay for all the SnoCat work.

Above that and you're using company powder skiis for heliskiing at $10,000/week.

Snow at -17C ( 0 F ) is dry like sand. If you're walking, use snowshoes big enough for your weight and purpose.
In powder, I have better than 60" long "trail-breakers." No more than 12" wide, you don't have to walk bow-legged.
Anything technical and I use Sherpa 'bear-paw' with ice claws.

I'd expect Norway to be exactly the same as here. Boreal forest and crisp snow.

 

[Janne]

Soon you are there!
Have fun and be safe!

 

[Paul_B]

Oh yeah! A few days of packing then Xmas day at my parent's. The two days after that at my partner's parent's. Then train to Edinburgh for a night half day there. Then flight and train to Geilo. A week today we'll be in Geilo. There isn't an emoticon that's smiling as much as I am right now thinking about it. I'm practically a smile where my head was!!

I'm worried about getting lessons in case they're fully booked. They're not showing as booked up. Also renting the skis. Is there a chance there is not enough of the right sized kit for us all?

The other thing is helmets. To wear a plastic hat or not? It seems they don't hire them out. Should we buy them at go outdoors for example before going? They're £30-40 there I think. Or not bother? Or do they just not advertise them for hire but do offer them if needed.

What's your views on skiing helmets?

If not needed it'll be thick wool hats Or a trapper style from didriksons for junior. Warm with hood on jacket if windy or very cold.

Well this will be an adventure for us. To anyone born and bred in cold climates with real snow remember we're from NW England by the coast. Whilst the lakes is very close we really don't get the proper white stuff very often. I've been into double figures below zero a few times but it's rare and I've never been to a place where it's nearly 800m in the valley. I've never skied.

We only have to get the family Xmas bit out of the way first. Are we looking forward to the holiday or Xmas more?

 

[Janne]

Most Scandinavians have their own skis, and I would not think there will be that many foreigners there in that period, so correct equipment should be plenty.

Yes, helmets are a must. I never used one as young, but started using in my early 20’s. Same with bicycle helmets.

Christmas ? Well, we lost the ’Christmassy feeling’ when we moved to UK in -95. No snow, no ice.
For us, Christmas means snow, ice, skiing into a forest to harvest your tree, stuff like that.
We do have a tiny plastic tre with lights, swedish lights in the front windows, a (fake) spruce thingy on the front door.

 

[Janne]

If you have a bicycle helmet, wear that one, if you can fit something warm under.

To be frank, I do not know if helmets are rented out, but I would think do.

We have never rented equipment as we had our own.

 

[Paul_B]

The hotel rents ski equipment out but no mention of helmets. We're wondering if we should buy helmets from go outdoors. Kids from £26 and adults from £30.

The thing about cycle helmets they're one hit use. Not designed to take repeated knocks like I guess ski and climbing helmets are. Although most people do keep wearing them after a spill. I fully expect to fall a lot this holiday. Looking forward to it! Battered and bruised I might end up being at the end of the week but it'll be full of laughs and stories to tell family and friends. The spills are hopefully going to be as much fun as the moments I manage to stay upright.

Another question, what is an akebakke? Slide hill I believe. Is it a toboggan run? It looks about 1600m long.

And what is a Skivei / skliloype? The last word might be a Skiløype to use the local characters. The piste map translates it as skiway.

 

[Janne]

Depends how thick your wallet is if you want a helmet, but remember, if you smack your head into the compacted snow it is not as hard as a road surface = helmet will be perfect for a long time.
Also if you plan do do it again.

I am Swedish so I do not want to translate it as it can be inaccurate.
I will have a look and see if I can find the piste map.

 

[Janne]

Check out
https://www.skigeilo.no/en/piste-map

Length, difficulty, all info!
There you get all info.
Yes, you will fall. Yes, it can hurt.
Please do not break you leg or legs.
Follow this rule to the dot. If you see you are travelling against another person, threw yourself sideways down. Type bend your knees and lie back, then twist youlrgs to one side.
Why?
The worst injuries are done by somebody slamming into another person from the rear.

Another good rule is - swallow your pride. Be safe. If you should end up on a slope that scares you when you look down it - take off the skis and walk down alongside the edge.

The cross country prepared tracks are not marked out on the map, but there must be loads.

 

[Janne]

well, I did find some info about them too!
https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/eastern-norway/geilo/things-to-do/winter/cross-country/

You as an avid bushcrafter and extreme sportsman, should do a couple of things fir fun and to appreciate life a little bit more.

1: in a secluded area ( you do not want to scare any old ladies or children) undress, and take a bath in the snow. A little quick ‘swim’, a little rub down.
2: in an area of undisturbed snow, like 10 meters on the side of a road, take a walk of - say - one kilometer. Parallel to the road so you do not get lost and so you can walk back using the road.
3: take your firelighting stuff and try to make a small fire using what is around you.
4: find a snowdrift and make an emergency shelter.

 

[Janne]

You will get good Snowman building and Snowball war weather!

 

[Paul_B]

deep snow is fun.

I am Swedish so I do not want to translate it as it can be inaccurate.
I will have a look and see if I can find the piste map.

Yes, different language but possibly similar origins or development.

 

[Janne]

Developed from Old Norse, all Scandi languages.

 

[Paul_B]

Whereas English comes from some language it of northern Germany and into neighbouring Netherlands I read once. Not too far away especially since norse words also made it into English in some form or other. Would be interesting to read a book on European language origins and commonality.

 

[Janne]

Very complex, both the language history/ development and cultural development.

The Migration during the Migration period did mess things up royally.

Many Norse origin words and names in UK, specially in the area that had the Dane Law

That is why we Scandi's find UK such a pleasant country and culture....
We helped forming it!

The Norse from (todays) Norway, Denmark and west coast of Sweden are responsible for that.

Europe is in fact culturally and genetically hugely intertwined.. I am a typical European *******.
The difference between myself and most other people is that I know my heritage. Both written and by extensive DNA testing.

 

[Paul_B]

Only know parts of my ancestry. Courtesy of a distant cousin in America my grandads history has been traced back to various places via Georgetown. The first direct male ancestor to hit America came from Bristol but they only traced another side of the family to the approximate date they got to America from Sweden. A few greats back from my American grandad I believe. No idea which part of Sweden they came from. No records found before America.

Other nations represented in my blood include Welsh and one Irish ancestor. Also by rumour Spanish and German. I always say that I am very English in that I'm a typical European mongrel. If you could trace things back my surname is linked with the Normans so that's France and further north.

Whatever my ancestry I think I'll only find out with genetic testing there's a few companies doing it for £70!

I say my liking of Sweden (Gothenburg or Göteborg) is down to the Olsens in my ancestry.

 

[Janne]

You will enjoy the foid in Norway. Very exotic!
Have you rented a self catering cabin or will you stay in a hotel?

 

[Paul_B]

Hotel. Vestlia hotel. Googling it seems there is an easy 10km xc route that starts at the bus stop for the vestlia Hotel / ski centre. It appears to go past the hotel. Might be too far for us and we're only hiring downhill kit. Reckon we've got too much to learn about skiing too try xc plus it'll be too much for a 6 year old novice.

Vestlia resort where we're staying has a few swimming pools too. Including an 82m water slide that goes from the 4th floor! We plan to do more than just skiing.

UK isn't great for sledging (not the Aussie kind). I hope to give it a go in real snow. It'll be an experience. I've experienced deep snow in North York moors, Scotland and the lakes very rarely but nothing like Scandinavian snow conditions.

We get there 7pm on the Saturday. The plan is to collect the ski kit and straight into private lessons on the Sunday. I know that's not cheap but group lessons start on Monday and run for 5 days. Less of there's 3 or fewer people but it's still a lot of hours. Private lessons mean effectively a guide for the hours you book and an instructor in one person. They can teach according to your progression. Fast track and starting sooner too. We've got one week so best use our time well.

We're thinking it could be an annual activity for us if our son likes it and all else is going well. The idea for a year's time is to go to Manchester ski centre and practice, practise, practise. Lessons at Geilo will be the foundation we reckon.

BTW sorry to bang on about this trip. You only get a first once. IMHO it feels this is a big first for us too. My partner is used to living through two cold winters in Eastern Europe. My son and I haven't. It is part of what makes it an adventure. The only family member who has ever skied is a cousin who moved to Switzerland for a while. I have never seen him since we were kids. So it's new in the family too.

 

[Janne]

You are not banging on.
XC skiing is what most of people in my gen started with, as there are tracks around every town and village, most are even lit up!

I checked out the hotel. Nice!

The restaurant has ‘average’ Norwegian price level. Which means quite expensive.
£21 for a venison burger or a goat sausage
£25 for a Trout
£35 for a Reindeer Sirloin.
( in case you did not find the restaurant menu)

I recommend you go one evening to the nearest petrol station, and eat some hot dogs there!
That is a classic traditional (cheap) meal both in Sweden and Norway.
We do that at the airport, as soon as we get through the Customs!

As you do not drink alcohol one thing:
Do NOT buy bottled water in Norway.
The tap water is just as perfect. I assume you have heard about Voss bottled water?

It is what comes out from the tap in Norway!

Buy two bottles, or take empty bottles in checked luggage, then refill.