TROLLØYPA – DAY 6

from Hornsjø Høyfjellshotell to Nordseter / Lillehammer

^22-02-21

Last day!

It has snowed some 2-3cm during the night, and the weather forecast now is not quite as nice as it promised some days ago.

But the fresh soft snow makes for good glide, and the sun is trying to fight through; just enough to make the snow glow and some vague shadows give more contrast to the landscape.

After crossing more moors (=swamps – sorry for my bad English) and then a short uphill, the first big drop in today’s long descent starts. This means also beautiful views opening up across the light forest and lakes.

I pass by a toilet and ‘gapahuk’ (open shelter), which would be the perfect lunchspot; but decide it’s too early, and rather press on.

Then I shortly touch the original Trolløypa again. I had left it at some point yesterday, to make my detour to Hornsjø. But here it’s continuing further east, to Sjusjøen; whereas I have decided that my final goal is Lillehammer train station.

Some more mostly downhill tracks, and I’m at the nordic wintersport eldorado Nordseter. Big parking lot, many cabins, and various circular skiing tracks.

This sign even asks me if I wanted to ski on to Oslo… hm, well, maybe another time 😉

I also pass Nordseter’s mountain chapel. Looks interesting, would love to see the inside… but in good protestantic tradition, I’m pretty sure it’s locked. And the door is blocked with half a meter of snow, that noone has shovelled off yet.

Then it’s more downhill, and through forest – so the løype here is much more narrow…

…until I decide it’s time for lunch and find this little treestump on a local hill top overlooking a little lake (or moor?).

And then it’s – surprise! – more downhill!

Until I ski into the olympic stadion, to roaring applause (by myself… in my head 😉 and almost get lost within all the loops and bridges and things. Luckily I manage to stay on the safe side of the guys training for biathlon shooting.

Then it’s a last downhill toward Lillehammer centre, over some fields…

…and past the ski jump.

The tracks here have not been prepared in some days, but there’s actually a lot of snow, and surprisingly soft – very easy to ski down.

Until I have to finally take off my skis at this road underpass – about 870m from Lillehammer train station.

Approximately 22km today; A LOT of them downhill.

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