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Staying within 4 hours west of Oslo?

Where would you suggest staying about 4 hours (or less) west of Oslo, that would provide both outdoor (thinking snow shoeing without hiring a guide) and indoor (museums, etc.) options? Like the idea of a smaller town that can provide shopping/groceries/museums/and also outdoor options. Not leaning towards a ski resort, for we are not downhill skiers. Going mid/end of March. Would like to consider a place where we can cook meals ourselves too. And do we need to be concerned about avalanche risk, especially if driving ourselves?

OR should we consider going East or North of Oslo?

Posted by
11159 posts

Avalanche danger can vary day to day. If you are on groomed trails, I would expect signs to be posted if closed due to avalanche hazard. If you just wander off in to some back country area, you may very well be at risk

Posted by
5835 posts

Norwegians ski, and in Norway when a Norwegians says skiing they mean langrenn (cross country skiing). Lift assisted downhill skiing is Alpine skiing. Seeing a Norwegain on snowshoes would be an uncomon sight. You can try "Google" serach for "snowshoing in Norway". End of March is before Easter and still ski season in Norway.

We were in Beitostølen several years ago. Beitostølen is a small village with winter tourist activies but such activies center around skiing, downhill and cross country. The skiers would not like snowshoers walking on the classic (groved) ski tracks. The village is about 4 hours northwest of Oslo. https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/beitost%C3%B8len-ski-center/6114/
https://www.bookingservice.no/en/

Not a small village but Lillihammer is several hours north of Oslo by train and has a nice museum. Do a search for "self catering lillehammer" and "self catering sjusjoen".
Sjusjøen is a half hour bus ride uphill from Lillihammer and is the winter langrenn area. https://en.lillehammer.com/about-the-region/destinations/mountain-areas/sjusjoen
Note that this year's Birkebeinerrennet takes place March 19th 2022 and housing will be impossible in the Lillihammer area that week.