Rauland Skisenter and Vinje Maskin, on behalf of Rauland Turist, have the task of preparing the cross-country trail network at Rauland.
There is white gold and wonderful trails in the mountains, and almost every morning you are rewarded with freshly laid "tram rails".
The view is of course free, but the costs of keeping the slopes the same are formidable. That is why we encourage everyone who uses the cross-country skiing offer to "give money" - i.e. pay the trail fee, which ensures a well-maintained and well-maintained trail network throughout the season.
For the 2023-3024 season, almost NOK 10 has been invested in new cross-country skiing machines. Read the full press release here.
Vinje municipality and the companies in Rauland pick up most of the bill, in addition to providing a free ski bus, an offer which, like the slopes, has been in danger of being reduced. Therefore, we are completely dependent on those who use the offer to contribute!
As a Gje låm contributor, you have – in addition to fresh cross-country trails – several advantages, and are entered into the draw for great prizes, Read more about this here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When are the trails run?
At 5.30 each morning, the trail runners start to make it through the trail network by 12.00, preferably at 10.00 - with a small caveat; 150 kilometers must be driven up. (Wind, snow drifts and new amounts of snow make it a technically demanding job to maintain the slopes for periods of time).
Why are there no runs during the day?
Some people think it's a shame that we don't prepare the slopes during the day, for example in case of heavy snowfall. The reason for this is mainly safety considerations. It can be dangerous to have too much motorized traffic in the trail network when there are many skiers there. We try to be finished by 10.00.
Why do you start skiing so late in the autumn?
The answer to this is simply that it is the weather that determines this. Although it may look white and nice, the reality is that a pedal machine should have 50 cm of snow to work. In addition, it is often very wet. If there is no tele in the ground, both bogs and streams are open. Although in recent years we have invested a lot in pipes in many places, the reality is that our trail network for a long time requires both snow and tele.
Some trails are better prepared. These are, for example, the illuminated slopes in the center and the ski arena between Vierli and Rauland Høgfjellshotell. These are opened as some of Norway's earliest slopes every season.
Especially in the time around start-up, you will find that the slopes are not driven up as often. The reason for this is that we simply have to save on the snow. Often we have caused it to freeze, and we do not want a trail machine weighing many tons to sink into the terrain and destroy the trails. It is also the case that by preparing you often lose several cm of snow. Not least, loose snow is blown away by the wind.
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Why don't you prepare every day?
If a storm has been reported with a lot of snow and wind, it will often be of no use to drive.
If the trail network is not too worn, it will also sometimes be practical to save driving so that the trails remain fixed. If it is not so cold, preparation will cause the slopes to become a little softer. We try to follow this principle in the alpine descents, where we mainly prepare in the evenings.
Sometimes there are also events on the slopes. We are lucky enough to be among the most snow-sure in the country and events are increasingly being moved here. After all, we have limited resources, and will sometimes prioritize this.
Sometimes we also need to rest a little. Both machines and people need a bit of maintenance once in a while, while technical errors do occur from time to time.
Why can't you drive past my cabin in the morning?
Many people want us to drive past their cabin when they go out, so that the trails are perfect. In addition to this, it is to say that we have a long trail network to reach over.
For practical and, of course, financial reasons, we must choose a route for the preparation that is most favorable for the completion of the work. On a fairly normal day, the machines start at 0530. Together, they drive over 200 km in the trail network, which is 150 km long. There will be some double-driving anyway, but we cannot drive criss-cross through the whole of Rauland.
Why are some tracks omitted, but others run?
Mostly, it is the weather that determines whether the trails are run. Easy areas are particularly exposed in bad weather, such as Silkedalen, Sveige Bru and also surrounding areas Vierli. Although it may be nice you are, it could be completely different weather right nearby.
In the network that is lowest, for example in the light trail network in the center of Rauland and inside the forest, the probability of better weather and the greatest frequency of trail running will be best.
Why are there different widths on the slopes?
Certain parts of the network are not prepared for wide machine. This is linked both to the use of the landowner's property and the costs of ground preparation. Some tracks are wide enough for a wide machine, but are still driven with a narrow machine. This is because both machines have to be used anyway and we have to have a fairly similar amount of time to finish the net before the skiers are out.
Why are there sometimes two tracks and other times only one or no tracks?
Skiers have different desires. Some are active athletes, some skate, some have sleds etc. We mainly try to lay two tracks, but on slopes we only lay one or no tracks because it is then easier to plough/brake. Although our trail network is widely used by active runners, it is mainly touring runners for whom our network is best suited.
