Norwegian mountain association revives ‘hat trick’ dating code for Easter hikers

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) has confirmed its colour-coded woollen hat system—designed to help singles connect on mountain hikes—remains active this Easter, Dagbladet reports. The simple but effective method uses hat colours to signal relationship status: green for single, red for taken, and yellow for open to conversation.

First introduced in 2014 as an April Fool’s joke, the initiative gained unexpected traction and has since become a staple in Norway’s hiking culture. “The hat trick is thriving and offers a straightforward way to indicate you’re interested in meeting others,” Ingvild Lundberg Bakke, an advisor at DNT, told the newspaper. She noted an uptick in green-hatted hikers at Glitterheim lodge, adding, “It’s a great way to identify who you might approach.”

For those spotting a green hat, Bakke’s advice is direct: “Smile, strike up a conversation, ask about their route or tips for the trail.” She emphasised that the system fosters deeper connections than urban dating, citing reports of relationships—even love—sparked in mountain lodges, on shared hikes, or over communal meals. “A day on the trail can equal a month of city dating in terms of getting to know someone,” she said.

DNT has also published a tongue-in-cheek “mountain flirting guide,” blending practical hiking tips with social cues. Key rules include respecting hat colours, sharing snacks (“the way to the heart is often through the stomach”), and not hesitating to ask for a phone number—“there’s no shame in chasing after someone to get it.”

Above all, Bakke stressed, consent is paramount: “A no is a no, and hat colours must be respected.”

The system’s popularity peaks during Easter, a traditional period for Norwegians to head to the mountains, where lodges and trails become hubs for both outdoor activity and social interaction.