Roldal Ski Resort

What other ski resorts dream of is everyday reality in Røldal: on average, up to eleven metres of snow fall here each winter — officially confirmed as Norway's most snow-reliable location. In this small fjord village of barely 500 inhabitants, roughly midway between Bergen and Stavanger in the heart of the Hardanger mountains, cabins are routinely buried up to the roof. Piste markers are only installed in poor visibility and removed at the end of each day — otherwise they'd be gone under a fresh blanket of snow by morning.

The resort, almost entirely above the treeline, offers 15 kilometres of pistes across wide, open terrain. The Røldal Ekspress chairlift carries you to around 1,000 metres; further surface lifts reach up to 1,281 metres. The longest run measures four kilometres. But what has truly made Røldal famous is its freeride terrain: the open, treeless landscape gives you the freedom to draw your own lines in every direction. The Freeriding World Tour visited in 2012, and the annual Røldal Freeride Challenge is a fixture on the Norwegian freeride calendar. That 20 of the village's 500 children train in the local sports club's "Future Freeriders" team tells you everything about the DNA of this place.

Røldal is regarded as the snowiest place in Europe — a claim officially approved by the Norwegian Patent Office. The season typically runs from November to May, with snow lying into midsummer in some years. Two kilometres of piste are additionally equipped with snow cannons, though they are rarely needed given the sheer volume of natural snowfall.

Three kilometres of pistes are floodlit and open for night skiing.

Around Røldal and the neighbouring Seljestad, close to 100 kilometres of groomed cross-country trails are available. A ski bus conveniently returns freeriders from the runs at Elvershei — which descend all the way to the access road — back to the lifts. The Norwegian national team also regularly uses Røldal as a training base — in early summer, when the season has long ended elsewhere.

Ski rental, a ski shop and a ski school are located at the ski centre. The infrastructure is deliberately kept simple — those who come here come for the snow and the terrain, not for frills. An internal bus runs within Røldal, and a ski bus operates from the Haugalandet region. Accommodation is available in the village and in the surrounding cabin area.

By Car
There are several parking spots right next to the ski center.

By Public Transportation
The Håradalen bus stop is served by lines 725 and NW180 and is located right next to the ski center.