Urban freeriding and Norway's best children's ski slope

Children's training slope

‘The children’s slope has a very gentle gradient and runs from 170 to 100 metres above sea level, so it's perfect for children practising skiing or snowboarding,’ says the park and centre manager Lars Tore Lien.

Tusten Ski Lifts is a family-friendly centre close to the city and has wonderful areas for freeriding. The gentle 500-metre children's slope is not only fun to ski but gives kids a real feeling of mastery.

Terrain park, jumps and rails

‘We receive a lot of praise for our terrain park, which is very popular with children and young people,’ says Lars Tore Lien. The terrain park boasts three large jumps and several rails where users can do some tricks in the air.’

Tusten Ski Centre has four ski lifts, three T-bars and rope tows on the children's slope. In total there are 3,400 meters of ski slopes, spread over ten different runs, designed for all levels of difficulty. There is also a special randonnée slope.

Lien explains that the centre is excellent for children and young people, but also offers many challenges for more seasoned skiers. There are two demanding black runs: Lysløypa and Utforløypa. The Norwegian Downhill Championship for seniors has been held on the Utforløypa run.

World-class freeriding

The ski magazine Fri Flyt has visited Tusten on several occasions and rates the facility as having world-class lift-based freeriding.

Lien also highlights the freeriding areas on the mountains of Østfjella and Vestfjella as part of reason the ski centre can compete with the bigger centres. ‘We also quite possibly have the world's most beautiful view,’ he adds. “The off-piste runs offer almost 500 meters of altitude with varied and challenging freeriding terrain.”

There is also the Skikroa bar, which can house more than a hundred guests and serves home-made food and drink. Ski hire is also available, as well as a ski school.

With a large and free-of-charge car park just a stone's throw from the town centre, this is an easily accessible ski area, with plenty to do and something for everyone. It’s also worth mentioning that Tusten is quite possibly the ski centre in Norway that’s closest to an airport.

Excellent opportunities for cross-country skiing

If you’re more into cross-country than downhill skiing, there are many awesome cross-country trails in the town. The newly opened Storlihytta lodge serves waffles and coffee along with a panoramic view of the Romsdalsfjord and the mountain range to the east. From Tusten, you can also strap on your cross-country skis and follow the well-trodden track up to Skaret Ski Centre, 10 km from the centre of Molde. Moldemarka recreation area has a huge network of cross-country trails, and is also close to an eldorado of mountain peaks.

The magical Skaret ski centre

Skaret Ski Centre has excellent cross-country skiing trails, ideal for families, children and fitness enthusiasts alike, and has been used several times as an arena for the national skiing championships. There are plenty of parking alternatives at the ski centre and Eventyrlige Skaret serves a delicious dinner and is perfect for cocoa after your trip. They also have a range of unique accommodation options.

Molde is a destination packed with experiences! It offers a unique combination of culture, nature, culinary delights and active experiences that few other small towns can boast.