Where to Ski And Snowboard - Norway glacier opens to 14.9m of snow

Norway glacier opens to 14.9m of snow

5th May 2020, by Abi Butcher

Norway's Fonna Glacier opens with great snow and Covid social distancing measures

The Fonna Glacier in Norway has opened for the summer season with social distancing measure in place — tremendous amounts of snow.

The glacier opened on 1 May with an incredible 14.9m of snowfall. The social distancing measures in place could provide an interesting model for other European ski areas that plan to open this summer — including Austria which is opening its glaciers now. Norway was one of the first European countries to go into lockdown due to coronavirus on 12 March and has been gradually re-opening “little by little” since mid-April.

Only families can go in pairs on a T-bar. Pic: facebook.com/visitfonna

In Fonna, lift tickets are only available online, with the café, park and ski rental shop closed. There are no tables and chairs outside and skiers are asked to park their cars a distance from each other, and stand two metres apart from each other — 2.5m apart from staff members.

The glacier has asked people to ride the T-bar one at a time, unless they are from the same family, and to wear gloves at all times, covering their nose and mouth with a buff in areas where people are gathering. People are asked not to go to the glacier if they have been abroad in the past 14 days or are in quarantine, or showing any symptoms of a cold at all.

Those who do manage to get there look set to enjoy some fantastic conditions though!

Clearing the road to the glacier in mid-April. Pic: facebook.com/visitfonna