Cross-country skiing in Hafjell – 220 km of tracks and the way on towards Sjusjøen

Hafjell is best known for its downhill slopes, but for many Norwegian families the cross-country tracks are the main thing. Above the ski centre, Øyerfjellet spreads out – a typical Norwegian mountain with plateaus and gentle slopes – and here around 220 kilometres of tracks are groomed. The tracks also continue south towards Nordseter and Sjusjøen and north towards Ringebu, so the network together becomes over 600 kilometres.

This guide is about cross-country skiing: where you start, where the floodlit track is and how to find trips that suit the children. We cover the slopes in Hafjell's slopes, and general information about the resort is in Hafjell.

Where do you start?

There are several good starting points, and which one you choose depends on where you stay and whether you also ski downhill:

• Gondoltoppen – take the gondola from the ski centre and you are right at the track network. Best for families who split the day between the slopes and the tracks.
• Hafjelltoppen – the Hafjell 360 lift takes you to the highest point, close to the bare mountain.
• Mosetertoppen and Lisetra – you get there by car via the mountain roads, and this is where the tracks start out towards Øyerfjellet.
• Pellestova – a mountain hotel up on the plateau, with a bus from Lillehammer (change in Øyer) for those without a car.

The floodlit track at Gondoltoppen

A 7-kilometre floodlit track runs through the cabin area at Gondoltoppen. The lights are on from six in the morning until eleven in the evening during the winter. That makes it perfect for an evening trip after a day on the slopes – or a short loop before ski school starts.

Darkness comes early in December and January, so the floodlit track is often the best option for families during the darkest part of the season. In March and April the daylight is enough for long trips on the mountain.

Check the track status before you go

The tracks are groomed by the local trail association Øyer Turskiløyper, which has two grooming machines running as soon as the snow arrives. On Skisporet – the website and the app – you can see in real time which tracks are freshly groomed, how long they are and how high they are. With GPS in the app you can also see where you are, which is reassuring on the bare mountain if the weather changes.

Trips for children and for adults

• With small children: a loop on the floodlit track or short circuits near Gondoltoppen, with a break and hot chocolate. It is better to turn back while it is most fun than to push on.
• With older children: a half-day trip out on Øyerfjellet from Mosetertoppen, with a packed lunch at a resting place.
• For adults: long trips south towards Nordseter and Sjusjøen. It is a full day – check the track status and arrange transport back.

Tips: Weather and visibility change quickly on the bare mountain. Always bring an extra warm jumper, a windproof jacket and a charged phone – and turn back in time if the wind starts to pick up.

Sjusjøen and the Birkebeiner trail

South of Hafjell lies Sjusjøen, one of Norway's best-known cross-country areas with over 350 kilometres of tracks, of which around 300 kilometres are also groomed for skating. From here the network connects with Lillehammer, Nordseter, Hafjell and the mountains towards Rena and Rondane – over 2,500 kilometres in total.

Through the area also runs the Birkebeiner trail, the course for the Birkebeiner race: 54 kilometres from Rena to Lillehammer with a 3.5-kilo backpack, in memory of when the Birkebeiners carried the little prince Håkon over the mountain in 1206. After about 40 kilometres the race reaches Sjusjøen, and from there it is downhill to the finish in Lillehammer. The stretch from Sjusjøen to Lillehammer is a classic trip even for those who are not racing.

You can see how Hafjell, Sjusjøen and the other resorts lie in relation to each other on the 3D map in the ski resorts around Lillehammer.

Cross-country and downhill in the same week

A week in Hafjell can easily be mixed: downhill skiing in the morning when the children are fresh, a short trip on the floodlit track after dinner and a full day on the mountain in the middle of the week as a rest day from the slopes. If you also want to ski in Kvitfjell, it is 40 minutes to the north with the same lift pass. More packing tips are in packing list for the ski trip, and other Norwegian resorts with good cross-country skiing are in Norway's ski trips.