Ski Sweden

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Find some personal space when skiing Sweden
Find some personal space when skiing Sweden
Ski Sweden
Ski Sweden's largest resort at Åre
Riksgränsen in Swedish Lapland is known for freeride powder, ski touring & heli-skiing
Riksgränsen in Swedish Lapland is known for freeride powder, ski touring & heli-skiing
Björkliden shares a lift pass with neighbouring Riksgränsen in northern Sweden
Björkliden shares a lift pass with neighbouring Riksgränsen in northern Sweden
Åre ski resort powder
Åre ski resort powder
Top of the Abisko chairlift is a prime location to view the northern lights
Top of the Abisko chairlift is a prime location to view the northern lights
Funäsdalsberget is one of Sweden
Funäsdalsberget is one of Sweden's many small ski areas dotted around the country (photo Kiril Manolov)
Svanstein is a small Swedish ski area near the border with Finland
Svanstein is a small Swedish ski area near the border with Finland
Inbounds powder nearby & outbounds backcountry in the distance at Riksgransen Sweden
Inbounds powder nearby & outbounds backcountry in the distance at Riksgransen Sweden
Skiing in to accommodation at Åre ski resort Sweden
Skiing in to accommodation at Åre ski resort Sweden
Åre ski resort is beautifully located lakeside, & is accessible by train
Åre ski resort is beautifully located lakeside, & is accessible by train
Riksgränsen Hotel is the nerve centre of this small but very fun ski area in Swedish Lapland
Riksgränsen Hotel is the nerve centre of this small but very fun ski area in Swedish Lapland
Svanstein in northern Sweden is a freeride gem in powder
Svanstein in northern Sweden is a freeride gem in powder
Abisko ski area or
Abisko ski area or 'Nuolja Offpist' rises above the main road and train line in northern Sweden
Björkliden ski resort is conveniently placed on the train line between Kiruna & Narvik
Björkliden ski resort is conveniently placed on the train line between Kiruna & Narvik
Riksgränsen is a freeriders haven in northern Sweden
Riksgränsen is a freeriders haven in northern Sweden
Åre ski resort is Sweden
Åre ski resort is Sweden's most popular for a reason!
Heliskiing is possible in Sweden, particularly near Abisko, & pictured here at Riksgränsen
Heliskiing is possible in Sweden, particularly near Abisko, & pictured here at Riksgränsen
Treeless terrain is a feature of the Riksgränsen ski resort
Treeless terrain is a feature of the Riksgränsen ski resort
Ski into the sunset at Åre Sweden
Ski into the sunset at Åre Sweden

Ski Sweden

Ski Sweden

Skiing & snowboarding in Sweden offers unique snow experiences that are underrated by most, but not us. Ski Sweden and get loads of snow, the most northerly ski resort in the world, midnight sun skiing, aurora borealis viewing (ooohh, aahhhh!!), huge freeride terrain plus superb helicopter & backcountry skiing, making it a Powderhounds bucket list essential.

For families, Swedish ski resorts are amongst the best in the world and worth a visit for something completely different. Lovers of alcoholic beverages will need to be cashed up or drink in moderation. Alcohol is expensive in Sweden, so prepare to lose and arm or leg or just enjoy the purity of the Swedish air and water!

Swedish Skiing & Snowboarding

Ski resorts in Sweden are typically Scandinavian - relatively low elevation, extremely cold and delightfully snowy. There are allegedly over 100 ski resorts in Sweden, but let us face it, most of them are best described as 'small & slightly crap local hills'. Several notable exceptions exist and provide the basis for some tasty ski experiences.

Åre ski resort, with a respectable vertical drop of nearly 900m, 41 lifts and 111km of piste trails, is Sweden's largest by a far margin. The closest ski resorts of note to the capital Stockholm are clustered around the town of Salen. Six smallish ski resorts with skiable verticals of less than 400m are spread along the 50-odd km between Stoten and Klappen. Between Åre & Salen, the medium-sized Idre Fjall has over 40km of trails, albeit on only 300m of skiable vertical.

Up north above the arctic circle in Swedish Lapland, Riksgränsen provides some of the great skiing when the weather plays the game! It bills itself as the most northerly ski resort in the world. Together with the relatively nearby ski resort of Björkliden and the off-piste lifted ski area of Abisko, long seasons, endless freeride terrain, lift-assisted backcountry ski-touring, and heliskiing are the main draw cards. Riksgränsen often has perfect powder and as much backcountry adventure as you can handle, but patience is required to get it. When it warms up in May, the lifts sometimes turn at midnight for a truly unique ski experience. Due to the long hours of darkness during the northern winter above the arctic circle, the Swedish Lapland resorts don't open until late February, but stay open until June if conditions are good.

North of Aare, but south of Riksgränsen, the resorts of Hemavan & Tärnaby provide reliable snow cover on interesting terrain in a region suited to the more adventurous ski traveller.

An outlying ski hill with an interesting freeride pedigree is Svanstein on the border with Finland. Svanstein has one of the world's most creative trail maps, giving a clear insight into its ethos.

Where are Swedish Ski Resorts?

Sweden's ski resorts are spread south to north along 1,400km of highlands and mountains near the western border with Norway. Ski resorts (we use the term loosely!) to the south are small hills of less than 200m vertical. The real ski resorts start near Salen, about 335km northwest of Stockholm. Åre is over 600km northwest of Stockholm and is directly accessible via a 7 to 10hr long train ride from Stockholm Central Railway Station.

The northern ski resort of Riksgränsen is a delightful 18hr overnight train ride from Stockholm, over 1000km north as the ptarmigan flies. Abisko and Björkliden are on the same train line and have their own railway stations. Unless you absolutely love overnight train travel, each is best accessed via Narvik in Norway (the other end of the railway line!) or Kiruna in Sweden. The small ski resort of Svanstein is over 850km northeast of Stockholm.

Gateway airports for skiing in Sweden are Stockholm (ARN) (35km north of central Stockholm and connected by an 18min train ride), plus , for the 3 main Swedish Lapland ski areas, Evenes (EVE) (near Narvik, Norway) & Kiruna (KRN). A host of smaller airports are closer to the ski resorts, including the important Åre Östersund (OSD), which is of course near Åre. The airport near Trondheim in Norway can also be used to access Åre & another intriguing small Swedish ski hill called Storlien.

Reasons to Ski & Snowboard Sweden

Sweden is still untamed in winter, but the people are wonderful, everything works well and travel is safe & easy. The weather in the mountains and in Lapland can be challenging, but so can anywhere in winter! Skiing and snowboarding can be done well into June during days of 24hr sunlight. In the depths of winter, snow is cold and stable - perfect for backcountry skiing and adventure. At either time of the season the light, particularly further up north, is amazing to ski & experience. Sweden also has many opportunities for heli-skiing. And really, who wants to die without observing the amazing Aurora Borealis firsthand? Ski Sweden.

Reviews

We finally visited the Swedish Lapland ski areas in March 2023. It was certainly interesting, with some challenging weather to navigate. We scored the holy trifecta at Riksgränsen - powder, no wind, blue sky. Even if it was only for a few hours it highlighted to potential payoffs from a visit to this region. See our impressions via the ski resort overview pages.

See how the Swedish ski resorts compare on the Sweden ski resort ratings page and to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.

Follow Powderhounds Europe on Instagram to see where we are currently skiing. Follow our main Powderhounds page on Facebook to stay in touch with up-to-date info, tours, and discussions.

Backcountry Skiing Tours

Lofoten Islands Norway Ski Touring
GUIDED BACKCOUNTRY SKI TOURING
7 Days | 6 Nights | 5 Ski Days
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Expert
Fully hosted & guided small group backcountry ski touring exploring one of the world's most stunning locations, Lofoten Islands on the Arctic coast of northern Norway. Stay in a fisherman's cabin & ski powder from a different summit every day down to the sea. Private groups of 3 to 6 people apply for your best dates.
Price p/p From price based on 6 nights in shared cabin lodgings in a private group of 3 to 6 people.
Base/invoice currency is in EURO inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 2,543
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See all Backcountry Skiing tours that visit Sweden here