For decades, the Folgefonna glacier in Norway served as a sanctuary for summer skiing, hosting national teams and enthusiasts alike. However, the site, known locally as “Fonna,” faced a dramatic decline, culminating in bankruptcy and the permanent closure of its high-altitude infrastructure. According to reports from SnowBrains, the original T-bar lift has been scrapped, and the glacier itself has receded significantly, leaving a large lake between the ice and the former entrance.
Svein Olav Espeland, who served as operations manager at the resort from 2021 to 2024, is now spearheading a movement to salvage the site’s legacy. Rather than attempting to revive the volatile glacier-based operations, Espeland is proposing a project dubbed “Folgefonna Aktivitetspark.” This initiative focuses on a wind-loaded zone situated at approximately 1,100 meters of elevation, which historically retains snow better than the exposed ice fields above.
The initial phase of the project, referred to by Espeland as “step zero,” involves the installation of a 150-by-100-meter terrain park serviced by a 90-meter conveyor belt. Espeland has already secured the conveyor equipment and is awaiting final approval from local municipal authorities. If successful, this pilot program would serve as the foundation for a phased expansion, potentially including additional conveyors and eventually a 600-meter chairlift.
The project is deeply personal for Espeland, a local dairy farmer who has been involved with the glacier since 1996. He views the initiative as a necessary evolution to keep the local tradition of summer skiing alive in a landscape that has been fundamentally altered by climate change. While the plans are currently under review by the municipality, the county council has reportedly expressed no objections to the proposal. As the industry watches, the Folgefonna Aktivitetspark represents a pragmatic approach to mountain recreation in an era of rapidly changing alpine environments.
