Hemsedal’s after-ski scene draws crowds with heavy drinking and little skiing

The Norwegian ski resort of Hemsedal has become a magnet for partygoers, where alcohol and costumes overshadow the slopes, reports Dagbladet.

As the doors open at Skistua, the resort’s central after-ski hub, music blares and crowds raise their hands on command—though few appear to have spent the day skiing. “Get your fucking hands up!” echoes across the mountainside, where arguments, tears, and ejecting bouncers are as common as dancing.

Frida Evjen, a local who recently completed her military service, calls Hemsedal’s after-ski “the best in the world,” having just earned 50,000 kroner in post-service pay. “I hope I don’t blow it all here,” she admits.

Yet skiing takes a backseat. At Skistua, most patrons wear street shoes, not ski boots, despite the venue’s proximity to the lifts. “80 percent of people here haven’t been on the slopes today,” observes Swedish café worker Cesar Højer. “Just look at their footwear.”

A group from Oslo’s affluent west end—Erle Valebrokk, Alexander Liodden, Philippa Liodden, and Stine Moe—insist they skied earlier, though their fashionable attire suggests otherwise. “If you don’t ski before after-ski, it’s just ‘after,’” Alexander Liodden quips.

Behind the scenes, 67-year-old Ole Bårtveit, the sober mastermind of the concept, laughs off the chaos. “I haven’t been drunk since I was 18,” he says. “I’ll keep this going until AC/DC plays here.”

Police later intervene, ejecting around ten young adults for aggressive behavior. Lars Phillip Holter, 20, who budgeted 10,000 kroner for the week, shrugs off the incidents: “There’s fighting, drugs, and pushing—classic bad vibes. But mostly, it’s about drinking with friends.”

The party continues at Stavkroa, billed as the world’s largest indoor after-ski venue, where crowds spill in ahead of concerts by Soppgirobygget and Ari Bajgora. Security jokes about royal visits—”The crown prince has been here, but now it’s more about his daughter”—referring to Princess Ingrid Alexandra.