We are planning to take a large family group (8--12) to Norway in mid-March this year. We are considering taking Hurtigruten two nights up to Trondheim. The alternative is taking a few days to drive from Bergen to Trondheim. Tentative route would be north on E39, then follow hwy 55 north to Fossbergom, east on hwy 15 to Otta, then north the rest of the way on E6.
Does anyone know what road conditions are like in this area in mid-March?
Is the E39 and E136 route equally scenic?
Any idea if day-hiking can be done in the Jotunheimen or Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Parks in March? or maybe cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing?
Hjerkinn and Kongsvold along eastern side of Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella look like good spots to stay fo r1--2 nights. Any other suggestions of places to stop in this region?
I have never been on a cruise, and I fear that a big ship would feel like a tour-bus experience so maybe car-ride through the hinterlands would be a better way to experience Norway? But maybe March is just dark and muddy along our tentative route? THANKS for any suggestions! from Ellen
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
My best suggestion would be to change your trip in Scandinavia until later in the year.
Bergen, Norway March temperatures are 34 degrees to 43 degrees. But they just average 3 hours of sunshine per day with 17 precipitation days in March.
We were there in September, and weather is usually starting to be bad then.
Posted by
115 posts
55 Sognefjellet is closed until last days of April/early May. You can drive to Sogndal, then 5 north to Skei, continue to Stryn and 15 to Lom(Fossbergom).
Hiking season in the mountains starts in June. Equinox is 20 March, so March isn't dark.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Wow! Thanks for the info on Hwy 55.
We are from Seattle, so rain isn't a deal-breaker for our vacation. I thought hiking would probably not be possible this early in the year----I will plan other activities.
Do you know if it will be possible in March to cross-country ski at the lower elevations?
Thanks for your advice.
Ellen
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
Any idea if day-hiking can be done in the Jotunheimen or Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Parks in March? or maybe cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing?
March is still ski season in the Jotunheimen. Mountain huts/lodges are usually open and staffed at least through Easter.
Dates that ski routes are marked:
https://english.dnt.no/waymarked-ski-routes/
Winter waymarking is done for the principal skiing season at Easter,
although some routes are waymarked as early as February. In all, each
year, some 6,500 km of skiing tracks are waymarked.kvisting: marking trails with sticks/twigs
Fjellområde: Mountain range
Rute: Route
Tidsrom: Dates (Day/Month)
DNT charts shows that Jotunheimen routes are typically marked this season from mid February to March through May 1st. Plan on skiing.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
Do you know if it will be possible in March to cross-country ski at the lower elevations?
The Oslo NordMarka may still be skiable in March. Take the T-1 metro from Oslo city center. Some of the trails are lighted for night skiing. The Frognerseteren stop is the end of the line for the T-1 and the highest at 469 meters above sea level.
http://www.newsinenglish.no/2015/02/06/a-guide-to-skiing-around-oslo/
https://www.visitoslo.com/en/articles/suggested-ski-routes/
DNT office is in Oslo a few blocks from the Oslo S train station: Storgata 3, 0155 Oslo.
PS The Oslo Holmenkollen Ski Festival is scheduled for 9-11 March 2018: https://www.visitoslo.com/en/whats-on/holmenkollen-ski-festival/
FIS World Cup Nordic 9–11 March 2018
For more than a hundred years, Holmenkollen has hosted international
ski jumping and cross-country skiing events.Cross-country race in Holmenkollen
The annual FIS World Cup Nordic competitions draw thousands of
spectators to Holmenkollen, to cheer from the ski arena or along the
cross-country ski tracks in the forest.
Biathlon starts a week later: https://www.visitoslo.com/en/whats-on/biathlon-world-cup/