– This is spice to the tourism offer, says Atle Hovi. He is managing director at Beitostølen Resort, which runs the alpine resort in Raudalen in Vang in Valdres. There, they developed and tested the activity “Catskiing” this winter. SPICE: Atle Hovi, managing director at Beitostølen Resort, believes catskiing is a spice to the tourism offer. Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news Catskiing involves ski tourists being transported up the mountain using motorized vehicles, such as tracked vehicles, snowmobiles or pedal machines. The point is to be able to ski in mountainous terrain without having to climb up on your own machine. Trial project According to the Act on motor traffic in rural areas, the activity is not actually legal, but a few years ago the government started a trial project to allow a few municipalities to allow the activity. A total of six municipalities got the green light, but only two of these municipalities actually offer catskiing today – Vang and Stryn. VANG: Vang in Valdres is one of six municipalities that have been allowed to test the activity catskiing. In Vang, they have tested it on Filefjell and in Raudalen, in an extension of the alpine centre. Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news At two destinations in Vang, Raudalen and Filefjell, they have tested the activity. – It is a fantastic experience, says Hovi. At Easter, the first trip to the top of Slettefjellet was with customers. FIRST TIME: This winter there have been several trips to the top of Slettefjell, but this Easter was the first time they brought customers with them. Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news Kenneth Hjertum was one of those who was pulled up to the top, 1315 meters above sea level, by the pedal machine. – This was a great experience. We have seen a lot of the mountain, he says. He goes on a lot of summit trips, and agrees with Hovi that catskiing is a spice to the offer. – Catskiing will not replace the summit tour, that is quite clear. This is a bit simpler, and it perhaps makes the summit trip more accessible to most people. It’s nice, he says. WOW: At the top of Slettefjellet you are greeted with a view of both Jotunheimen and Langsua national parks. Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news “Tivolifaktor” Truls Gulowsen, head of the Nature Conservation Association, believes that “cat skiing” is something tourism in Norway does not need. – There are a lot of pedal machines and trail machines that go in the mountains anyway. If you want to hitchhike with them, you are welcome to do so, but driving tourist traffic up the mountain with trail machines is both a polluting and disruptive activity, says Gulowsen. LAZINESS: Leader of the Nature Conservancy, Truls Gulowsen, refers to catskiing as laziness. – If you are going to ski downhill, you should also be able to go up, he says. Photo: Naturvernforbundet He hopes it will be with the trial project. The trial period ends in 2024. – It seems that part of the tourism industry thinks that tourism should be carried out in Norwegian nature with as much of a fairground factor as possible. – My appeal is to show nature as it is and make arrangements for people to travel safely, he says. TRADING MACHINE: With the help of a pedal machine or other motorized vehicles, tourists are transported up to mountain peaks in an extension of the alpine resort. Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news He refers to “catskiing” as laziness, and advises people to be proper on a trip, when a prince is going on a trip. – You get a better nature experience from walking yourself, than standing in the exhaust of a tracked vehicle, he believes. Preoccupied with resilience Hovi is clear that peace and quiet in the mountains is important for tourism in Beitostølen. – That is what we live on. I also question whether this is what we should invest in, but since we have been allowed to test it, we will do so. TEST IT OUT: Atle Hovi, director at Beitostølen Resort, is also skeptical about whether catskiing is something they should invest in. He himself thinks it is a fantastic experience, but that it should not come at the expense of anything else. Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news In 2022, Menon Economics in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Natural Sciences carried out an evaluation of the trial period with catskiing so far. They cannot say that there are more advantages than disadvantages to the activity. In the report, it is highlighted that catskiing can have negative effects on both outdoor life, natural diversity and reindeer husbandry. As the situation is now, Hovi does not see catskiing as something tourism in Beitostølen and Vang needs. – No, it is not something we must have, but it is the total offer, and yet a new experience.
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Transporting ski tourists to the mountains with a pedal machine – nature conservationists react – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
