!!! Snowkite Sweden !!!

[Carver]

I think I mixed area of terrain is best, otherwise you might as well stick to a beach, the snow makes the surface really rideable, a lake is a good place to learn those basics but to really make use of the skills you need to be elsewhere, you don't have to be on a 45 degree slope, little bumps and hills give kite a whole new dimention

[flyvan]

I just redirect to another post here >> http://forum.kitecrowd.com/showthrea...88#post2048188

it's exactly the place you were speaking about... cool !

[vindman]

For the winter, went to Are in March and did some snowkiting on the lake. It hadn't snowed much and the surface was pretty much pure ice, and not smooth either. All in all, it made it very uncomfortable on a snowboard - stick to the snowy plateaus (of which there don't appear to be any suitable in Are resort itself..)!

As I wrote above and in another thread there are better places than Åre. South of Åre you get further away from the Atlantic and therefore better snow conditions. The terrain is also better than in Åre for snowkiting.

It is snowing right now in Dalarna, for the first time this winter in the "southern" part of Sweden!! The snowkite season is soon here! Today's photo:

[vindman]

The season has started!

Today's photo, from the southern Swedish mountains:


(photo from kitenation.se, thanks to Emil)

[5N1TCH]

Lucky buggers! Thats a long season you must have over there.

[flyvan]

ouch... also here in Härjedalen has been snowing, but not so so much... I don't think enought to snowkite anyway, but i have not yet been in the spots...
where is it from this picture?

[vindman]

The photo is from Storulvån.

For you who don't know where it is, Storulvån is 60 km southwest of Åre. There is a good mountain lodge there, which arrange snowkiting activities when the winter has come for real.

[vindman]

And now the ice season has started.

Tuesday 6th Oct (Sautusjärvi, Kiruna, northernmost Sweden):


There is a skating season up north, during autumn before the lakes and the sea are covered by snow.

Photos from isplanket.com.

[5N1TCH]

That ice looks so smooth, I'd love to give it a go with skates and a small kite

[metal_snapper]

Been following this thread with a keen interest if I'm honest
What was the decision then in the end??....Lakes or mountains and plateaus??

I've been to Dellen on one of Ev's snowkite trips.......unfortunately the wind never really showed but we still had a great time ripping up the slopes!
It had snowed a lot but not a lot had settled on the lakes at all so you were on ice which as previously mentioned was difficult .

So personally, I'd prefer plateaus and mountains as I've also had the epic experience of Harddangervidda as well

So, more input for you guys, I'd personally want to go to the best place you could find with ski resort within a decent driving distance at the time of year when there is a good amount of light for a decent days snowkiting / downhilling...lol

Maybe do your sums and put up some options and who ever is interested will post comments....do a breakdown of costs and do your homework!..lol
Will watch with interest as I'm trying to decide between snow or hot sun for a break in the early part of next year.

[vindman]

So, more input for you guys, I'd personally want to go to the best place you could find with ski resort within a decent driving distance at the time of year when there is a good amount of light for a decent days snowkiting / downhilling...lol

Well then Funäsdalen is a place for you. There you have good skiing and boarding in the resorts. It is in the southern mountains so you have relatively many hours of sunlight even in mid winter. Here is a video that was shot 7th October showing skiing/boarding in sweet powder snow, even though the lifts are not yet open (officially, as far as I know). The Funäsdalen mountains consist of these resorts/villages for alpine skiing:



Tännäs is in the bottom of the map, Funäsdalsberget in the middle of the map, Ramundberget on the top and Tänndalen on the left of the map. The lines on the map are nordic ski tracks.

Funäsdalsberget is the mountain in the Funäsdalen village itself and it has some good slopes. The largest resorts are Ramundberget and Tänndalen. One ski pass covers all resorts (totally 121 slopes, 35 lifts) and there are ski buses that regularly go between the resorts. If you aim for resort skiing combined with snowkiting, then Tänndalen and Ramundberget are good because there you just exit the ski lift to access excellent snowkiting terrain. Several pictures that I posted earlier in this thread are from this area.

Funäsdalen has the world's largest nordic ski system. There are well prepared tracks that go between all the villages and over the mountains. In Bruksvallarna the season started in the end of September and right now they have opened 40 km of nordic ski tracks. In some places you can get a ride up to the mountain by a snowcat and this is a very nice way to go snowkiting. For example, in Bruksvallarna you can get towed by a snowcat to the Kariknallen café and in Tänndalen you can get a snowcat ride to the Andersborg café. These cafés are in the middle of the mountains. Up there you have as much snowkiting you can dream of. When you are finished you just ski down to the village. If you are adventurous you can go snowkiting over the mountains from one café to another. You could for example plan a tour from one village to another, straight over the mountains, and return by ski bus. Tours like this require some winter mountaineering skills and touring equipment, such as touring skis (alpine, nordic or telemark) and skins or skiwax, in addition to kites.

Here are some recent photos from Funäsdalen.

6th October 2009, Bruksvallarna:


7th October 2009, Ramundberget:


8th October 2009, avalanche on Skars mountain:


10th October 2009, Tänndalen:

[flyvan]

I'd personally want to go to the best place you could find with ski resort within a decent driving distance at the time of year when there is a good amount of light for a decent days snowkiting / downhilling...lol

Maybe do your sums and put up some options and who ever is interested will post comments....do a breakdown of costs and do your homework!..lol
Will watch with interest as I'm trying to decide between snow or hot sun for a break in the early part of next year.

You are speaking about Härjedalen ... and it's not only Funäsdalen area...

[metal_snapper]

Vindman,

Huge thanks for your info, looks a bit good there
Have you and Frakke decided where you will be doing the trip to yet??

@ flyvan....eh???

[flyvan]

I just said, as Vindman, that your description corrispond really at Härjedalen... and that Härjedalen is not only Funäsdalen area, but much bigger with many others location perfect for snowkite. Actually we are operating also in Funäsdalen... but not only

[vindman]

Yes, Härjedalen is good. Here are a couple of other places in Härjedalen for combined resort skiing and snowkiting:

Vemdalen. Snowkiting on the mountains above the ski slopes.

Lofsdalen. Here's a nice movie about a snowcat ride to the vast mountain wilderness that begins just south of the ski resort, complete with running reindeers and everything

As Flyvan says, there are many more places for snowkiting. But not only in Härjedalen, also south and north of Härjedalen.

Edit: Do not approach the reindeer with kite, keep the distance! A kite moves very fast so the animals can get really stressed and that is not what they need in winter; they need to preserve their energy. Please be very careful with the animals when snowkiting in the Swedish mountains so that snowkiters don't get a bad reputation!