Tusten Ski Centre in Molde, Norway Photo: Øivind Leren

Winter in Molde and Romsdal

The winter season normally lasts from December to April/May in Molde and Romsdal. Go skiing in Bjorli, join an organised trip or try ice-climbing.

The official website for Molde and Romsdal

visitmolde.com

Cross-country skiing

The area north of Molde, Moldemarka, is a great hiking area with prepared ski tracks. Other good cross-country areas include Bjorli, Fursetfjellet, Eide, Vistdalsheia, Vistdal, Rødfjellet-Gammelsetra, Hjelset, Isfjorden, Skorgedalen, Skaret, Ørskogfjellet, Tomrefjellet, Hauglia and Nord-Heggdal.

Skiing maps with marked suggestions can be bought at the tourist information offices.

Ski centres

Tusten
Tusten is a five-minute drive from the centre of Molde. The ski centre is built around three lifts, and offers up to 20 kilometres of prepared pistes (more than two kilometres of which are floodlit).

The 14 slopes have varying degrees of difficulty - ranging from easy (suitable for beginners) to very difficult. Tusten also has a halfpipe, children's slide, sledging slope, scooter track, ski school, ski workshop, café and ski hire.

Bjorli
Both natural and artifical snow ensure that Bjorli is usually the first ski centre in the country to open, normally during the second half of October.

Bjorli Ski Centre is often used for training for ski teams from both home and abroad.

Bjorli has eight downhill slopes and four lifts, one of which is the new six-seater chairlift. The slopes also consist of two half-pipes, rails and a terrain park. There is also a nursery slope with its own two lifts for children and novices alike.

Rauma - Skorgedalen
Rauma Ski Centre, located by Isfjorden, is an eldorado for traditional cross-country and Telemark enthusiasts. Here you will find prepared tracks, lifts and fantastic top tour possibillities. Popular mountains are Skarven and Smørbotntind.

Read more about skiing and winter in Molde and Romsdal

Tour suggestions

To go skiing from fjord to mountain is an experience out of the ordinary, and there are plenty of trips to choose from. Some favourites include Skjorta, Smørbotntind and Ystetind.

Organised trips (information in English):
Contrast Adventure
Bre og Fjell
The mountain guide
Solli Adventure

Mountains under 1,000 metres:

Melen, 768 metres (Fræna)
Urdfjellet, 979 metres (Fræna)
Vardfjellet, 896 metres (Nesset)

Mountains over 1,000 metres:

Fløtatind, 1,711 metres (Nesset)
Kirketaket, 1,439 metres (Rauma)
Sjøvdøla, 1,719 metres (Nesset)

Ice climbing

Conditions for ice climbing are very good in Romsdal. The area around Flatmark in Romsdalen is popular during periods of cold and stable weather in winter. Skogagrova is a small, "easy" waterfall whilst Døntefossen Waterfall on the other side of the valley is far more demanding, and really puts an ice climber's strength and experience to the test.

The Eresfjord and Boggestranda areas also have plenty of great ice lines. Mardalsfossen Waterfall and Ytste Mardøla in Eikesdal are two other challenges for the ice axe and crampons.

Whatever you decide on, it pays to get in touch with local climbers for information about ice conditions.