Red Cross reports hectic Easter

Large numbers of Easter tourists in the mountains and on skis kept Red Cross emergency workers busy during last week’s annual påskeferie (Easter holiday). Red Cross volunteers responded to 377 accidents and treated 980 injuries, according to Red Cross officials. “The huge numbers of people heading outdoors this year is the main reason for the [...]

Yet another avalanche hits Tromsø

Norway’s northern city of Tromsø, along with much of the northern region of the country, continued on Monday to be plagued by avalanches that have caused major emergencies throughout the Easter holiday week. Monday’s slide hit frighteningly close to home, in a residential area and close to a local school. The avalanche could be seen [...]

Orange tradition lives on at Easter

Norwegians are expected to consume fully 5,000 tons of oranges this week, as they fill fruit bowls and backpacks with the popular citrus fruit. Norway, report state food officials, tops international statistics for consumption of oranges at Eastertime. It’s a tradition dating back to the first imports of oranges to Norway 100 years ago. Toril [...]

Spring skiing season saved at Sjusjøen

PHOTO FEATURE: While many areas of southern Norway suffered a lack of snow during the popular Easter holidays last week, the skiing and snowboarding were close to perfect around Sjusjøen in the mountains above Lillehammer. That saved holiday traditions for many families, while conditions in the far north were said to be brilliant as well. [...]

Red Cross tackles the Easter blues

Norway’s long, five-day Easter holiday isn’t only a spring fling full of fun. For many Norwegians, it can be a period of loneliness and depression, so the Red Cross was standing by with more than rescue squads for wayward skiers in the mountains. “There are very many who don’t head for the mountains during Easter, [...]

Pace of ‘påske’ accidents picks up

Hard and icy ski trails along with challenging conditions in the mountains of southern Norway left Red Cross workers dealing with a sharp increase in accidents by mid-week, after an otherwise calm start to the country’s traditional Easter skiing holidays called påske. In northern Norway, however, skiing conditions were described as pretty close to perfect. [...]

Making the most of the mountains

A trip to the mountains for a final fling of spring skiing during the Easter holidays is a Norwegian tradition that many won’t give up, even when there’s precious little snow left for skiing. These determined skiers were spotted over the weekend on the remnants of a ski trail in the popular area known as [...]

Annual Easter exodus gets underway

The annual Easter exodus from Norwegian cities started on Friday but it may not be as extensive as in earlier years. Warm weather in recent weeks has resulted in a lack of snow for traditional spring skiing in the mountains, and there was lots on tap for those staying in Oslo. The week between Palm [...]

Spring skiing over for the season

This was the scene this week on a lake in the hills north of Oslo, where spring skiing is usually in full swing during Norway’s long Easter holiday. Not this year. Even King Harald and Queen Sonja abandoned their traditional Easter skiing holiday in the mountains and many Norwegians have been flocking to the coast [...]

Late Easter trims annual exodus

Thousands of Norwegians were beginning their traditional Easter holidays this weekend, but fewer were heading for the hills for a final fling of spring skiing. The Red Cross would still be out in force, even though the late Easter and a sudden spurt of warm weather last week spoiled the snow all over southern Norway. [...]

Red Cross busy during Easter

Norway’s Red Cross mounted more than 200 search and rescue missions during the Easter holidays but it otherwise was a relatively quiet Easter, with few serious accidents. Police could also report a decline in burglaries of homes whose residents were off on holiday. Norwegians were getting back to work on Tuesday after the country’s traditional [...]

Easter exodus underway

Norwegian cities started to empty out on Friday, as residents headed into the Easter week and its unusually long string of official days off. Spring skiing in the mountains is the traditional way of spending the Easter holidays, and the royal family is among those moving up to higher elevations. Next Thursday, Friday and Monday [...]