Hafjell, near Lillehammer, went from hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics alpine skiing events to becoming a landmark of international mountain biking, confirmed by hosting the UCI World Championships in 2014.
An area inherited from the Olympics
From Hafjell, the chairlift gives access to a network of trails descending toward the valley through the conifer forests typical of the Innlandet region. Expect around 20 km of cumulative descending on a typical day, with 300 m of residual climbing, most of the elevation being handled by the lift. The terrain alternates groomed bike park runs with technical singletrack inherited from the 2014 World Championships course.
Getting the ride right
The area grades its trails by level, making it easy to build a progressive day starting on the more accessible trails before venturing onto the more committing singletrack. The World Championships legacy shows in the careful trail maintenance, a real plus for progressing safely.
When to go
June to September, the season the lift dedicated to mountain biking is open. The long days of the Nordic summer make it easy to fit in many descents without watching the clock.
Good to know
Lillehammer, host city of the 1994 Winter Olympics about twenty minutes away, offers a wide choice of accommodation and convenient train access from Oslo, about two hours away, for an easy MTB getaway from the capital.
