Go skiing in Sunnmørsalpene, Norway Photo: Anders Gjengedal/Innovation Norway

Sunnmørsalpene

Majestic peaks and a rugged alpine massif distinguish Sunnmørsalpene from other mountain areas in Norway. Off-piste skiing is at its best here.

Tallest mountains

Kvitegga – 1,717 metres above sea level Vestre Smørskredtind - 1,630 metres above sea level Austre Smørskredtind - 1,606 metres above sea level

The spectacular snow-capped summits rise nearly 2,000 meters right up from the sapphire blue fjords. From February to June these mountains are perfect for off-piste skiing. Thankfully, there are also gently sloping hills ideal for hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and dog sledging. You can also go fishing in fjords, lakes and rivers teeming with fish.

Most popular hiking routes

The hike up Slogen (1,564 metres above sea level) is rated among the top ten mountain walks in Norway, largely due to its beauty, view and the fact that it rises directly up from the fjord. Another popular walk is from Stranda to the Patchell hut and Øye.

Flora and fauna

In the valleys and deciduous forests there are many interesting birds, for example white-tailed eagle and golden eagle. The same area is also the home of reindeer, deer, elk, otters, fox, marten, stoats and hares.

You can catch cod, coalfish, wolf fish and haddock in the fjord. In the mountain lakes you can catch trout and char.

In many parts you can find blueberries, cloudberries, fungi, heather and flowers such as foxgloves and marsh marrigolds.

Accommodation

There are plenty of hotels, inns, cabins and lodges in the area. You can stay in town/village centres or up in the mountains. The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) maintains some mountain cabins/lodges in Sunnmørsalpene. In the city of Ålesund you can stay at a youth hostel.

For a truly unique place to stay, try Hotel Union Øye. It is a perfect base from which to climb the well-known Slogen and Jakta mountaintops. A stay here is more than a visit to a beautiful place, it is also a travel back in time. The hotel is a member of the Historic Hotels and Restaurants in Norway.

Those seeking an action-packed holiday should try “skiing by boat”. Skiers sleep on board a boat, getting off every morning at the base of a fjord to hike up the mountain and ski down it, with luck, in glorious powder, to the next pick-up point. The local tourist information offices can provide more information about “skiing by boat”.

Camping

If you plan to sleep in a tent, caravan or mobile home you may do so anywhere, except in cultivated fields and lay-bys. You can stay for as long as you wish, as long as your tent, caravan or mobile home is no closer than 150 metres to the nearest house or cabin.

Maps

Detailed maps of the area can be bought at the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT), local bookshops and the local tourist information offices.

Getting to Sunnmørsalpene

From Oslo
Sunnmørsalpene lie approximately 550 kilometres northwest of Oslo.

By car:
The drive from Oslo takes approximately eight hours (ferries not included). Follow the E 6 from Oslo to Otta, and then follow Rv 15 to Nordfjordeid. From Nordfjordeid you follow the E 39 to Volda and Ørsta. Ferry between Folkestad and Volda.
By bus:
Daily departures to Ålesund, Volda, Ulsteinvik and Ørsta (approximately 10 hours). For timetables and booking, please contact Nor-Way Bussekspress.
By plane:
Daily departures from Oslo to Ålesund Airport Vigra and Ørsta-Volda Airport Hovden. Flight time approximately 55 minutes. For timetables and booking, please contact SAS and Widerøe.

From Stavanger
Sunnmørsalpene lie approximately 570 kilometres north of Stavanger.

By car:
The drive from Stavanger takes approximately 10 hours (ferries not included). Follow the E 39 northwards from Stavanger via Bergen. Ferries between Oppedal and Lavik, Anda and Lote, and between Folkestad and Volda.
By plane:
There are no direct flights between Stavanger and the airports near Sunnmørsalpene. However, you can take the plane from Stavanger to Oslo, and then catch a new plane. Daily departures from Oslo to Ålesund Airport Vigra and Ørsta-Volda Airport Hovden. Flight time approximately 55 minutes. For timetables and booking, please contact SAS and Widerøe.

From Bergen
Sunnmørsalpene lie approximately 340 kilometres north of Bergen.

By car:
The drive from Bergen takes approximately six hours (ferries not included). Follow the E 39 northwards from Bergen. Ferries between Oppedal and Lavik, Anda and Lote, and between Folkestad and Volda.
By bus:
Daily departures to Volda, Ørsta and Ålesund (approximately nine hours). For timetables and booking, please contact Nor-Way Bussekspress.
By plane:
Daily departures from Bergen to Ålesund Airport Vigra. Flight time approximately 45 minutes. You can also take a plane from Bergen to Sogndal, and then catch a new flight between Sogndal and Ørsta-Volda Airport Hovden. Total flight time approximately one and a half hours. For timetables and booking, please contact SAS and Widerøe.

From Trondheim
Sunnmørsalpene lie approximately 340 kilometres southwest of Trondheim.

By car:
Choose between three different routes:
1: Follow the E 39 southwards from Trondheim. Ferry between Halsa and Kanestraum, Molde and Vestnes, and between Solavågen and Festøya. This route takes approximately eight hours (ferries not included).
2: Follow the E 6 from Trondheim to Dombås, and then follow Rv 15 to Nordfjordeid. From Nordfjordeid you follow the E 39 to Volda and Ørsta. Ferry between Folkestad and Volda. This route takes approximately six hours (ferries not included).
3: Follow the E 6 from Trondheim to Dombås, and then follow the E 136 to Ålesund and E 39 to Ørsta. This route takes approximately six hours.
By bus:
Daily departures to Ålesund and Ørsta (approximately eight hours). For timetables and booking, please contact Nor-Way Bussekspress.
By plane:
Daily departures from Trondheim to Ålesund Airport Vigra. Flight time approximately 45 minutes. For timetables and booking, please contact SAS.

Getting around

Once at Sunnmørsalpene, the best way of getting around is walking, skiing, cycling and riding. You can of course drive your car on certain roads, use a snowmobile in certain areas or use public transport where this is applicable.

However, when travelling around Sunnmørsalpene and the surounding area in your own car, you should be aware that the road can suddenly end and that the journey must continue by ferry.

The Eiksund subsea road is the world’s deepest underwater tunnel and provides a ferry-free link between the mainland municipalities of Ørsta and Volda, and the island municipalities of Sande, Herøy, Ulstein and Hareid. At its deepest 287 metres below the seabed and almost 8 kilometres long, the tunnel will is a unique experience in its own right.