Why wearing a green hat in Norway might help you find love
The Norwegian outdoors – especially the mountains – are an excellent place for singles to meet. If you sport a green hat on your next hike, you might just stand a better chance of meeting that special person you've been looking for.
If you have spent any time trekking some of Norway's numerous mountains, you're likely familiar with the Norwegian Mountain Code (Norwegian: Fjellvettreglene).
The code, set forward by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT), aims to promote safe and responsible behaviour in the mountains.
It was introduced in 1967 because too many people were dying in the Norwegian mountains.
Almost half a century later, in 2014, the DNT launched the "Norwegian Mountain Pick-Up Code" as an April Fools' prank – stating that there are "too many singles in Norway."
"Many people are getting tired of online dating apps. The mountain is certainly the most romantic place to find someone. There, you can start a conversation easily, be yourself, and share common interests," Ida Amelie Helgesen, a communications advisor at the DNT, said on the occasion of the launch of the Pick-Up Code.
An April Fools' prank that went viral
The Pick-Up Code was an absolute hit. It quickly took on as hiking-loving Norwegians embraced it, and the prank went viral on social media in Norway.
Since 2014, it has helped numerous hikers flirt and meet other singles – all the while making sure that their heads stay warm.
The aspects of the code which attracted the most attention are the ones related to signalling your relationship status through the colour of your hat.
Are you single and looking for a romantic partner? In that case, wear a green hat to the mountains, the DNT notes.
On the other hand, if you're in a relationship and have no desire to flirt on your hikes, wear a red hat.
Stuck somewhere in between? Then wear a yellow hat to let others know that you might be open to flirting.
Thanks to their simplicity and straightforwardness, the Pick-Up rules have become somewhat of a fixture of Norwegian hiking etiquette.
As the green hat hashtag (#grønnlue) associated with the prank is still getting used on Instagram, the Pick-Up Code seems to be alive and well in 2022.
The rules of the Norwegian Mountain Pick-Up Code
So, if you want to know how to flirt on hikes in Norway, look no further. Here are the DNT's rules of the Norwegian Mountain Pick-Up Code:
1. Try and flirt in the mountains even if you don't have any practice. Practice makes perfect!
2. Inform people you meet about the route you have planned so you can meet them again.
3. Respect the colour of other people's hats. Green means they are available, red means they are in a relationship, and yellow/orange means they might be open to a flirt.
4. Stay put if the weather is bad so that you have an extra day to find your special person.
5. Always bring extra snacks along so that you can share them! The road to the heart often goes through the stomach.
6. Take heed of the advice of experienced mountain flirters.
7. Remember to pack a map and a compass so that you can ask someone to help you use them.
8. Never walk alone; always ask someone to walk with you.
9. Turn back while there's still time; there is no shame in running back to ask someone for their phone number.
10. Do not save your smiles for later, and laugh at bad jokes if necessary.
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If you have spent any time trekking some of Norway's numerous mountains, you're likely familiar with the Norwegian Mountain Code (Norwegian: Fjellvettreglene).
The code, set forward by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT), aims to promote safe and responsible behaviour in the mountains.
It was introduced in 1967 because too many people were dying in the Norwegian mountains.
Almost half a century later, in 2014, the DNT launched the "Norwegian Mountain Pick-Up Code" as an April Fools' prank – stating that there are "too many singles in Norway."
"Many people are getting tired of online dating apps. The mountain is certainly the most romantic place to find someone. There, you can start a conversation easily, be yourself, and share common interests," Ida Amelie Helgesen, a communications advisor at the DNT, said on the occasion of the launch of the Pick-Up Code.
An April Fools' prank that went viral
The Pick-Up Code was an absolute hit. It quickly took on as hiking-loving Norwegians embraced it, and the prank went viral on social media in Norway.
Since 2014, it has helped numerous hikers flirt and meet other singles – all the while making sure that their heads stay warm.
The aspects of the code which attracted the most attention are the ones related to signalling your relationship status through the colour of your hat.
Are you single and looking for a romantic partner? In that case, wear a green hat to the mountains, the DNT notes.
On the other hand, if you're in a relationship and have no desire to flirt on your hikes, wear a red hat.
Stuck somewhere in between? Then wear a yellow hat to let others know that you might be open to flirting.
Thanks to their simplicity and straightforwardness, the Pick-Up rules have become somewhat of a fixture of Norwegian hiking etiquette.
As the green hat hashtag (#grønnlue) associated with the prank is still getting used on Instagram, the Pick-Up Code seems to be alive and well in 2022.
The rules of the Norwegian Mountain Pick-Up Code
So, if you want to know how to flirt on hikes in Norway, look no further. Here are the DNT's rules of the Norwegian Mountain Pick-Up Code:
1. Try and flirt in the mountains even if you don't have any practice. Practice makes perfect!
2. Inform people you meet about the route you have planned so you can meet them again.
3. Respect the colour of other people's hats. Green means they are available, red means they are in a relationship, and yellow/orange means they might be open to a flirt.
4. Stay put if the weather is bad so that you have an extra day to find your special person.
5. Always bring extra snacks along so that you can share them! The road to the heart often goes through the stomach.
6. Take heed of the advice of experienced mountain flirters.
7. Remember to pack a map and a compass so that you can ask someone to help you use them.
8. Never walk alone; always ask someone to walk with you.
9. Turn back while there's still time; there is no shame in running back to ask someone for their phone number.
10. Do not save your smiles for later, and laugh at bad jokes if necessary.
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