Rondane Explorer
Rondane Ski Touring
This tour is an intro-intermediate Nordic skiing tour with coaching whilst ‘on the move’. As such this tour provides a first step on the way to doing more challenging hut-to-hut tours in Norwegian type terrain, having done, for example, our ‘Geilo & Finse’ week or one of our Nordic trips in the Alps. The location and the itinerary have been carefully chosen to allow less experienced ski tourers to further develop skills along the way and to add to their experience to be more self-contained and confident when touring in the future. The terrain is always gentle and the distances are quite short; at the start of the week 5kms and gradually increasing to 15 to 18kms later in the week. Every day will include some coaching, especially earlier in the week, and your leader will provide the guidance to build your touring confidence on a daily basis.
- Develop Nordic skiing technique and skills; build confidence & experience in hut-to-hut touring.
- Enjoy this delightful skiing terrain of plateau and forest, with the stunning backdrop of the Rondane mountains.
- Complete a point-to-point hut-to-hut tour, with coaching ‘en route’
By the end of the week you will have the satisfaction of having completed a point-to-point tour, you will have developed your skiing and confidence to new levels and you will be looking across the valley to the Jotunheim mountains or the Hardanger Plateau, knowing you are ready for greater challenges in the future!
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Introduction
The Rondane is an area of 2000m peaks lying east of the Jotunheim group, north of the Lillehammer area and immediately east of the main railway from Oslo to Trondheim. For this tour we stay on the edges of the mountains and then travel across the plateau and forests that fringe the range as we head southwards away from the highest mountains. This allows us to use the ideal terrain of frozen lakes, rolling meadows, plateaux and forests to develop Nordic skiing technique and enhance your touring experience and knowledge.
The hut-to-hut itineraries and the times set aside for coaching are carefully designed to gradually develop skills on suitable terrain and over relatively short hut-to-hut distances. As skills and confidence increase during the week, greater distances can be tackled over more ambitious terrain.
By the end of the week you will have the techniques and skills to undertake a more challenging hut-to-hut tour e.g. at our ‘Intermediate’ grade. You are ready to continue with many years of hut-to-hut skiing!
Type of skiing - Nordic
Day tours, coaching sessions or multi-day tours using cambered, metal-edged skis and leather or soft plastic touring boots. Waxes are usually used and skins only for bigger climbs. Terrain is gentle to moderate, depending on the week. Skiing is usually on way-marked routes but sometimes through untracked snow. Only the easiest tours have machine-prepared trails.
Level
To join this trip skiers should have some previous Nordic skiing experience, be able to travel over undulating terrain, have a confident snowplough turn and be able to ski down moderate terrain in a variety of snow conditions. Skiers should be capable of Nordic travelling techniques (i.e. not just using skins) and be able to maintain a reasonable pace, have a good level of fitness and stamina as you'll be in a relatively remote area, though the itinerary is designed to give plenty of time each day and over the week to complete the route. Typical daily distances are 12 – 22km and daily ascents between 50 & 100m.
The following is intended as a guide only and route details are subject to confirmation.
Day 1 Arrival
Flight to Oslo Gardemoen airport (own arrangement). Train to Otta; taxi minibus to our ‘fjellstue’ for our first night in the hills (dinner, B&B included).
Day 2
A short warm-up day getting used to being on skis again, finding our ‘skiing legs’ and practicing basic travelling techniques followed by the short tour to our first ‘hut’ or mountain lodge. 5km ‘hut-to-hut’ plus practice/warm-up skiing and/or loops.
Day 3
Today we ski along the foot of the snowy peaks of the Rondane to a ‘hut’ tucked in beneath the highest peaks (10kms). The skiing is straightforward and the situation is dramatic and rewarding! Probably time for a local excursion once at the lodge.
Day 4
From the ruggedness of the high Rondane we ski away from the high peaks. We enjoy gentle downhills and make the most of gravity (!), to reach the pine forests and snowy glades surrounding the luxury of our overnight at a ‘hoyfjellshotell’ (16kms)
Day 5
We continue through the pine glades and then follow the trail up a long incline onto the high plateau, enjoying extensive views back to the Rondane and maybe distant glimpses of the spikier peaks of the Jotunheim. Overnight at a ‘self-service’ lodge; 15kms.
Day 6
A more downhill day again as we traverse around and then descend to the lower areas of scrub birch and pines set amongst the rolling hills of Venabu (15kms). After the more spartan accommodation of last night’s self-service, we are back to the luxuries of a hotel!
Day 7
A day based at Venabu; options include a circular tour along the ridge of Nordre Bolhogda for the awesome views or a visit to the shapely cone of Svartfjellet.
Day 8 Departure
Minibus to Ringebu station and train Oslo Gardemoen airport. Flight to UK (own arrangement).
Further Information
This programme is intended as a guide and many other options exist. We have to consider weather, snow conditions and the abilities & ambitions of all group members. Flexibility is essential when considering the safety & enjoyment of a group in the mountains & all participants should be aware that ski-touring is more serious & committing than skiing based at a resort. The final decision remains with the group leader, for the safety and enjoyment of all. However, nearly all itineraries are completed to the satisfaction and enjoyment of our clients while making any adjustments necessary for safety in the prevalent conditions.
Leadership
The course leader will hold a British Association of Snowsports Instructors Nordic qualification; (‘Ski Instructor’ at the least and may also be a BASI Telemark Instructor). She/he will hold the Winter Mountain Leader Award or have the ability and experience to navigate in winter conditions. Coaching on technique will be given most mornings and also along the way 'as necessary'. Intensive input for improvement of Nordic travelling, downhill or telemarking is available on our various instructional courses.
Accommodation
Accommodation for 7 nights will be at the well-known Den Norske Turistforening 'huts' or privately run lodges of similar standard. The literal translation from the Norwegian 'hytte' really is a bit of a misnomer and the buildings are perfectly weatherproof, warm and dry! These staffed ‘huts’ are more like hotels! Sleeping is in shared rooms with bunks for 4 - 6 people. There are excellent drying rooms, hot showers (sometimes there is a small charge), a lounge, dining room and small shop & bar! All meals are provided and you make up your own packed lunch from the breakfast buffet - and we have seen some amazingly inventive sandwiches over the years!
We will also be using a 'self-service' lodge for one of the 7 nights. These are excellent timber-built buildings set in remote surroundings, with bunk rooms, fully-equipped kitchens, wood-burning stoves, a stockpile of wood (ready for chopping!), chemical toilets and food in store. As a group, we will share the tasks of wood-chopping, water collection, cooking, clearing up, etc.
The accommodation we use and the quality of the facilities at the lodges do mean that, when we are travelling from one to the next, we are carrying relatively ‘minimalist’ rucksacks – good news!? This also allows us to focus on our ski technique better and to enjoy the skiing more!
What to Bring
A full equipment list will be sent to you on booking or can be downloaded by visiting our Members area under Booking and Information. Generally, outdoor clothing, metal-edged Nordic touring skis, 75mm bindings, 75mm norm leather touring boots (with vibram soles) and touring poles are needed. Since this is a point-to-point tour, it is not convenient to hire this equipment in Norway. We can advise you about equipment hire in the UK. Ski equipment can be hired in the UK from Braemar Mountain Sports who offer a courier service. If you'd like to buy a map these details will also be included.
Full Package and Travel Arrangements
The full package includes return rail travel from Oslo Gardemoen Airport to the Rondane, taxi transfers to/from the touring area, full-board accommodation (7 nights) in the Rondane, all instruction & leadership, DNT annual membership. If you have your own DNT membership, you can save £60 on the tour cost, on production of a photocopy of your membership card.
Flights
- Flights need to be arranged with your own travel agent, ‘cheap flights’ companies or on the internet.
- Flights need to be to Oslo Gardermoen, recommended for convenience, or Oslo Torp or Rygge with Ryanair.
- Visit www.travelsupermarket.com or www.ryanair.com for options.
- Flight arrival times on March 18th: recommend no later than 1 hour before the train departure at 14.45 from the Gardemoen airport train station.
- Return flight departure times on March 25th: recommend min. 1 hour after the 14.43 train arrival at the Gardemoen airport train station.
- Flights should not be booked until this trip is guaranteed to run
- Train times given above are for 2011-2012 times are likely to be very similar but please confirm with us before booking flights
- NB If using Oslo Torp airport or Oslo Rygge than please allow considerably more time either way. For transfer details to Oslo city refer to the Ryanair website and for rail links from Oslo city to meet the rest of the group at Oslo Gardermoen airport contact us.
- NB When booking flights be aware of their skis-on-flight charges and separate ski check-in procedures!
Exchange and Finance
There are exchange facilities in Oslo Airport but it would be best to obtain Norwegian Kroner prior to your departure from the UK, to save time and for convenience once we are on tour away from banks! Not a great deal of extra money is required but allow for the following: personal expenditure on drinks, postcards, trolls, etc, any food or refreshments between Oslo and the Rondane.
Insurance
A reminder that you need to arrange this independently at the time of booking; holiday insurance with special cover for touring is required. You need to be covered for ski touring and skiing on piste, in-track and on way marked trails. If you need more information, please contact us.
Minimum Numbers
This trip requires a minimum of five clients to book before it can be guaranteed to run. We usually take a maximum of 10 clients for a hut-to-hut tour. If this number is exceeded then two leaders will run the trip rather than just one.
These arrangements and services are provided by The Telemark Ski Company, our partners in Norway.
