Skiing in Sweden until the summer

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Guest writer: Christian Muda

Skiing in Sweden until 29 May? Yes, it is possible in Riksgränsen - Sweden's northernmost winter sports resort. Riksgränsen is the place in the whole country that gets the most precipitation per year. This means lots of rain in the summer and lots of snow in the winter. 

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I took my son up to Riksgränsen for a couple of days at the end of April - and got to experience fantastic off-piste skiing that I've never been close to in Sweden before!

There are fifteen piste runs here - but it is for off-piste skiing that most people go to Riksgränsen. The standard of lifts cannot be compared with ski resorts such as Åre or Sälen where there are fast 6-chair chairlifts. In Riksgränsen there are a total of 6 lifts, two of which are two seat lifts that you take all the way to the top of the Riksgränsen mountain. The other four lifts are button or anchor lifts.

Once at the top, the off-piste areas outside the lifts are the most attractive, where there is often untouched snow. You can ski close to the slopes on your own, but if you're going far beyond the marked areas, it's a good idea to get a guide - and make sure you have the safety equipment required for this type of off-piste skiing. This includes trackers to find a person buried under the snow and a collapsible snow shovel to dig them out.

Many also take their skis on their backs and walk up to a completely unspoilt part of the mountain. Or take a helicopter up to a mountain top - heliskiing as it is called is popular here. But it's an expensive way to get up - 1500 SEK per 'drop'!

Read more about skiing in Riksgränsen here

Living in Riksgränsen

There are several different options for accommodation in Riksgränsen, from hostels to larger apartments for rent and hotels. All are located "in the middle of things" - a stone's throw from both the train station and the lifts. We checked in at Hotell Riksgränsen which is a classic mountain hotel with good service. Check out the hotel, rooms, restaurants and spa in this report.!

Travelling to the Riksgränsen

You can drive all the way up to Riksgränsen, or fly to Kiruna or Narvik in Norway. But the most convenient way is to take the night train with VY all the way up, where you can sleep off much of the 18-hour journey and walk directly from the train station to the Riksgränsen hotel just 100 metres away. Read more about taking the night train to Riksgränsen in this report.!

Who is the national border for?

I would say that Riksgränsen is perfect if you have done a lot of skiing and have started to take an interest in off-piste. Here both beginners - like us - can get started with a guide. And more experienced off-piste skiers can find fantastic unspoilt areas that often require a walk along or up the mountain. The standard of both lifts and restaurants on the slopes is basic - so it's for the skiing that you go here - which is magical if you're lucky enough to get some fresh snow!

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Christian Muda

Christian runs Matochresebloggen.se - an award-winning blog about food, drink, travel and activities such as skiing, diving, cycling and hiking. If you want to eat and drink well - both at home and when travelling - check out Matochresebloggen!

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