Land of powder
On the latitude of 68.4266° N, 18.1253° E in north Sweden is an oasis of ski resort called Riksgränsen. I have visited this place for the first time in 2012. After that I have tried to visit there every spring with my friends from Levi area. We have tradition among few of my friends and colleagues, when season ends in Levi around may, we embark on adventure to Riksgänsen to ski as much as possible. I have always enjoyed vacation where I get to do adventure and exercise almost all day. Sleeping afterwards of a great day of skiing feels amazing.
How to get there?
Riksgränsen is sited right at the north of Sweden right cross of national border of Norway. City that is close by is Kiruna which is 134 km to the south of Riksgränsen. Ski season starts on February and lasts until June.
The reason why many travel there usually spends about minimum of week. Not just for the gorgeous landscape but also the three different ski resorts which are in proximity of each other. Abisko, Björkliden and Riksgänsen are all close by on road E10 all the way to Norway where is also a chance to ski at Narvik. I recommend traveling once along the road to north, the scenery is truly beautiful especially during springtime.
There is shuttle bus that is driving between three different ski resorts daily when the season is going on. I have travel to Riksgränsen by a car usually. There is also possibility to arrive by train, which is very convenient because train station is almost right next to the hotel. From Kiruna by train, it takes about 2 hours car is about 1,5 hours. You can take train from Riksgränsen to Narvik also which takes 47 minutes, by car 45 minutes.
Playground
Skiing on the slopes is main attraction for me usually. Always it feels there isn’t enough time to ski and do all the slopes and off pistes. Landscape and the area to ski with different kind of equipment seems sometimes endless. There is marked slopes for beginners to advanced as many resorts do. For many experienced skiers the main course is to go hiking with your equipment’s attached to backpack to find you own path to ski. If you choose so it’s even possible to ski right a cross the border to Norway side, which I normally tend to do it’s all off-piste area.
Safety is the key
Safety is very important when going to ski in any of these ski resorts. Among the basic ski equipment and clothing, I also bring with me avalanche gear. Which includes avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel. Because off the density of snow in the area avalanche warning are especially high in the start of the season. February avalanche activity can calm down a bit closer to spring. I recommend visiting Riksgränsen not just for skiing but also for the history the place has. Landscape, nature and especially surrounding of the mountains have always given me such relaxed feeling.
Some rare tips for Riksgränsen
- There are very good ski rental services in all the resorts
- During March to May there is a chance to book helicopter guided tour also possibility to ski on designated places.
- On season book a lift on cat ski which will take you up to 1228 m above sea level. Spend a night on exotic location.
- Enjoy the mountains the way you want to so many possibilities. There is also chance to spend day at the spa and relax
The site for the resort: Riksgränsen | Lapland Resorts (riksgransen.se)