Frakke1599968664 Posted June 2, 2009 Report Posted June 2, 2009 So it is nearly mid summer and everyone is thinking of a summer holiday getting a tan, kitesurfing etc etc ... and I have been talking today with a friend about snowkiting in Sweden and there are a lot of very interesting places to go if you wanted. The problem comes mainly with TIME and MONEY the further North you go the more time consuming and the more costly BUT the greater the rewards... So the real questions are if you would like to go... 1) how much would you be prepared to spend 2) how long would you want to go for 3) when would you want to go bearing in mind it is damn cold in the very north in mid winter (and very dark a lot too ) any info/feedback on this would be useful even though it is summer as I can then look into pricing up something and see if it is posible to organise trips out thanks for looking F Quote
5N1TCH Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 Hi Frakke, I'm also thinking about next winter and its only 2 weeks since I last snowkited! I don't know much about Sweden or where to go, what areas do you have in mind? Is it very expensive? And what are the best months to visit? I can't imagine mid winter being much fun if its dark and cold. Cheers. Stu Quote
Frakke1599968664 Posted June 4, 2009 Author Report Posted June 4, 2009 there are loads of places you "can" go but I am currently trying to get a handle on the logistsics... I believe that the ferry to Norway by DFDS stopped running a few years ago - think it went to Kristiansand (N) then Gothenberg (S) so flying in to either Norway or Sweden are now options (or you drive all the way from Esberg, Denmark ) OK so over here when the lakes freeze over there are a lot of places to go BUT if there is no wind the then snowkiting holidays suck... unless you like skating on frozen lakes . SO I am looking at places as close as 2 hours drive from Stockholm (around Romme Alpin and Börlänge) as there are lakes there and open land for kiting and Romme and Börlänge are local ski resorts in case of no wind days... I have snowboarded on Romme a couple of years now and it is certainly good enough for a few days in case of no wind as an alternative... and snow is guaranteed Slightly further away is Dellen where I thnk they have just lakes and open land but that's where Ev lives (adrenalispsycho on here) and Sälen and possibly Idre are do-able for days out if there is no wind - both are ski resorts. there is also Bolinäs and Örsa as well (these are smaller of course but closer by) Further north again is Åre - the Swedish alps - and this is the dogs for skiing with a massive lake as well. Far enough north to be frozen from october to April OK after that there are lots of plateaus "all over the place" which I am still looking into with a friend who does a lot of winter kite "expeditioning" which are basically "wilderness" in winter and wide open landscapes with no trees - lots of "hills and valleys" as well so more interesting that just a flat high up plateau... Problem is these can take time to get to and have a lot of driving involved - like Åre is about 7 hours north from Arlanda (Stockholm's main ariport). It's not an issue to drive there it's just the time involved e.g. a seven day vacation to kite on snow could involve 3 -4 days travel to get to the very far north..(or you can fly to "kiruna" and have done with it ) To Åre (which isn't really "far north") Fly out early day one (lose an hour to the time zone) 2 hours and a half to fly from Heathrow to Arlanda scheduled) plus check in check out times 8 hours drive to the north (Åre) including a food stop is the end of day one and double this to get back is about the shortest time it can take to get there if for example I met you at Arlanda with a minibus. I might be able to organise some gear as well but not sure of that ATM... but Åre is bloody excellent.. Trysil in "northern" Norway is also brilliant I've snowkited there as well (even though it isn't really "north":o) REMEMBER THAT A SKI PASS WOULD BE "EXTRA" COST in these cases Anyway these are ideas I have ATM and it is really a work in progress.. (of course if no one's interested then it's pointless as well BUT I appreciate that it's summer right now) Logistics prevail a lot for people flying in like how much it will cost, how long are you plannning to stay, how far north to go, how much gear you can bring with you (and how much would I have to find) - so that I can maximise the kiting/skiing and minimise the travelling. For the locals of course it is possible (and not uncommon) to make a 12-18 hour drive north and be way out there in wilderness... just to ski FFS (for some) !!! anyway food for thought I hope I am waiting on some pictures from last years trips to try and "show" what it was like F Quote
Zippy Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 After snowkiting my local a couple days this year, a few of us are talking of going for a snowkite rather than kitesurfing holiday. It sounds like an excellent idea to me and I will be watching this thread to see where it goes for sure, Think if I were to get away I would like to go for two weeks myself, so as to go off exploring the wilderness. But then how knackered would that leave me at the end? Good luck with the logistics F. Hope you come up with somat appealing for us Quote
Frakke1599968664 Posted June 4, 2009 Author Report Posted June 4, 2009 I can of course try and make something up around what you would like as well... it works just as easy both ways. get some mates together and try and sort out what you might like - let me know - and I'll start looking that way around as well. If it takes off and works well I am happy to do "custom" holidays as well as a "package" the only problem I see ATM is short notice booking of chalets in peak seasons times F Quote
baldwhippet Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 I have the logistics for such a trip already set up! For the North of Sweden you actually need to fly to Norway and get a train, coach, pickup. PM if you want more info. I have a contact over there too. Quote
vindman Posted June 7, 2009 Report Posted June 7, 2009 For the North of Sweden you actually need to fly to Norway You can fly to the the north of Sweden if you want to go to the north of Sweden. Quote
vindman Posted June 8, 2009 Report Posted June 8, 2009 Hi, I am one of the Swedish guys Frakke mentions. I am happy to help out with any questions regarding snow vacations in Sweden It's a little weird to talk snow right now, midsummer is approaching, but why not... I grew up in the very north of Sweden, so maybe that's why I like many kinds of wintersports, like skiing (downhill, cross-country, alpine touring, nordic touring), skating, and of course snow and ice kiting! I have a lot of experience from winter tours all over the Scandinavian mountains, from extreme Sarek tours with winter bivouac, to eaiser family tours with children in pulka (sled). When the wind is good I use kites for pulling me and my children. I have also been downhill skiing in most of the major ski resorts. It is fun to bring people from other countries here to enjoy the snow. I have been guiding German and Spanish friends during several winter expeditions in the mountains. Snow kiting in the Scandinavian mountains is great, but also snow kiting on the frozen lakes is really fun. There are more than half a million lakes in Sweden (if you count also very small lakes). Some of the lakes are big and you cannot see the shore on the other end, while other lakes are smaller in size, like Loch Ness and Loch Lomond. There is a huge number of lakes that are just a couple of kilometers across and they are also good for snow kiting. Nowadays I live further south (Stockholm), so I also know the areas in south-central Sweden quite well. In this area I do snow kiting on the lakes in the weekends during winter. So, where do you want to go? Frakke and I will be able to help out Quote
vindman Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 Hi again, I spoke to Frakke and he is very enthusiastic about going snow kiting on the lakes, now that he has moved here (we are going to prepare our buggies for the winter with spiked tires, ice blades and skis). Frakke thinks the lakes should be great fun for the British. So, I gave logistics from the UK some thoughts. There is actually a convenient and cheap way to get quick access to snow kiting from the UK: Fly Ryanair to Stockholm-Västerås from Stansted (direct flight). In Västerås you rent a car and travel two hours north to Dalarna County. The largest ski area in Scandinavia is found in northern Dalarna (Sälen and Idre-Grövelsjön) but it is not necessary to drive that far north. You can stay further south in Dalarna close to the place where the annual Swedish Ski Games take place (and where this year’s world cup final in Nordic skiing took place). There I know many lakes that are perfect for snow kiting. For example, there is a place in the wilderness, on a peninsula in a lake, with accommodation in good huts/flats. From the huts you have direct access to snow kiting in every wind direction. This lake is small, but you will still have one kilometer or two of free run before you need to turn. Well, the lake is small by Swedish standards but it still has 54 islands. When you have mastered the skills at the local lake you can go to the larger lakes close by for kite touring/cruising. There are lakes in every size; the largest lake in this area is Siljan which I think is about six times larger than Loch Ness. Note that kiting on Siljan depends on the season and can be dangerous. You would need local guides on the bigger lakes. Also the smaller lakes are dangerous in the beginning and the end of the season, but accessible with guides. If you get tired of snow kiting (or in case there is a day without wind) you can go alpine skiing/snowboarding in Romme, 30 minutes away with car. There you can rent skis and snowboards for the snow kiting if needed. The skiing facilities have 23 slopes in varied wooded environments, with the longest downhill run having a 275m drop and a length of 2700m. There are 11 lifts - 2 of them are modern six person chair lifts. There are more fun snow activities you can do in the wilderness: * Fine cross-country skiing and nordic tour skiing just outside the door. With a bit of luck there is the chance that you might see moose (elk) or some tracks from lynx and wolf. * Excellent cross-country skiing in the hills of Gyllbergen around the corner. Gyllbergen is a vast nature reserve situated almost 500m above sea level. The wilderness trail passes right through five ancient mountain pastures (link). The scenery is magnificent with low mountain terrain, small knotty birches and the occasional pine trees. There is ample shelter from the wind and eight mountain cabins that are open all year round. * Snowmobile tours. I know a place near-by for renting snowmobiles, with or without guides. * Snowy horseback tours on Icelandic horses. I know a stable close by that arrange horseback excursions. * Tour skating. There is a big lake where they plow many tracks when there is too much snow. The longest track is 16 km (link). * Ice fishing. * Snow-shoe walking. If you get fed up with wilderness, you can also do some more civilized tourism, like: * Visit the town of Falun with the well-preserved wooden buildings and the UNESCO World Heritage Site. * Visit some of the picturesque villages in Dalarna with their traditional timber houses. Here are more options for more civilized holiday activities (link). Does lake snow kiting sound okay? Or would you prefer to go to the higher tree-less mountain areas for snow kiting? I can recommend loads of places for mountain and tundra kiting as well. Do you prefer pristine wilderness where you can kite in a straight line for days without encountering any traces of civilization (that’s the kind of tour kiting I prefer)? Frakke and I will try to help to sort out the logistics. Cheers from vindman Quote
Tjah1087 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 What are the wind stats like? I think plateauish areas might be your best bet. I think people would get bored with just flat lakes to play on. To me half the fun of snowkiting is riding the terrain. Could be tempted for march time next year. Quote
vindman Posted June 9, 2009 Report Posted June 9, 2009 Personally I prefer kiting where there is a mix of plateaus, low mountains and high mountains. Only plateaus, tundras and flattish glaciers are boring in the long run. Well, they are of course not not boring, they are really excellent and some of my favourite play spots, but they cannot beat the mixed terrain. I use alpine touring skis so in mixed terrain I can kite the rolling terrain, valleys and plateaus, plus I can choose to kite up high mountains and walk with climbing skins when the terrain gets too difficult and then ski down. This kind of kiting requires ski mountaineering skills. The expedition aspects of mixed terrain kiting are also great, pulling a large pulka containing the camping equipment. If you think snow kiting on snow-covered ice is boring, I suppose flat beaches for kite buggy and flat-water kitesurfing is also boring? (no offense, just kidding ) Kiting on the large lakes can be an extremely exciting experience, maybe more thrilling than mountain kiting. When you are in the middle of a large lake like Siljan you feel very small and alone on an ice planet. You hear and see the ice cracking around you all the time in roaring sounds, and occasionally you see this crack spreading between your legs and hundreds of meters in front of you. These cracks are normal since even strong ice cracks by itself and especially when there are people on the ice. If the sound is deep like thunder, then you are safe, but if there are light cracking sounds, be careful. On the large lakes you will encounter big holes where the lake never freezes and you will encounter wide and long cracks with open water where you need to find a spot where the crack is less wide so that you can jump over it. Large lakes are of course extreme and can only be done with guides. The large lakes further north in Sweden are safer (some with public ice roads) but any large lake can have weak spots. On the lake shores the ice move up on land creating strange formations. This is fun in the archipelagos where you can find low islands so that you can use these formations as kickers and natural playgrounds. Kiting on the frozen sea between Sweden and Finland is not bad either. One good excursion is kiting between the hundreds of islands in the Luleå archipelago in the north of the Baltic Sea, visiting the old fishing settlements. This can be dangerous, but an outing in the Luleå archipelago can be done in a safe manner at right time of the season by driving out on the public ice roads that connect the islands; just park the car somewhere on the sea and start kiting. The ice roads are 40 to 45 meters wide and the ice is at least half a meter thick before they start preparing the roads, so it is no problem to drive there with cars or even lorries. This year the ice roads were open until 16th April. The snow walls of the ice roads are good kickers Another fun but slightly frightening experience is kiting on snow-less ice with large ice-sailing skates. This is *extremely* fast and when you fall you slide for hundreds of meters it seems like before you stop. Anyway, just choose your playground; I think I can find something for any taste Quote
vindman Posted June 11, 2009 Report Posted June 11, 2009 Here are some pictures from the southern mountains, so you can get an understanding of the landscape, and imagine what kind of kiting can be done there. View towards the Helags mountain: http://www.harrietcederqvist.se/Helags_m_dimma_copy.jpg View from Helags peak: http://www.harrietcederqvist.se/Helags_toppen_liten.jpg View towards the Skars mountain: http://www.harrietcederqvist.se/Skars_fr_Faltj_3_copy.jpg Undulating landscape for endless kite cruising: http://www.harrietcederqvist.se/Kryss_liggande_copy.jpg Exit the ski lift to access sweet kiting terrain as far as the eye can see: http://www.harrietcederqvist.se/Martina.jpg View towards the Sylarna mountain: http://www.marklund.biz/towards_sylarna.jpg The Sylarna mountain: http://www.marklund.biz/sylarna.jpg Not so bad, right? Cheers, vindman _ Quote
5N1TCH Posted June 12, 2009 Report Posted June 12, 2009 That does look pretty good, where is it exactly? Quote
vindman Posted June 12, 2009 Report Posted June 12, 2009 These pictures are from the Funäsdalen mountains and also north of Funäsdalen (link), but there is similar terrain also further south the Grövelsjön mountains (link). Quote
hughie Posted July 14, 2009 Report Posted July 14, 2009 Hi, 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..)! Flew into Ostersund, which was only about 40k away from the resort Quote
Carver Posted July 20, 2009 Report Posted July 20, 2009 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:) Quote
FreeAir Posted September 16, 2009 Report Posted September 16, 2009 I just redirect to another post here >> http://forum.kitecrowd.com/showthread.php?p=2048188#post2048188 it's exactly the place you were speaking about... cool ! Quote
vindman Posted September 28, 2009 Report Posted September 28, 2009 (edited) 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: http://www.dt.se/multimedia/archive/00114/090928-Idre-Fj_ll-s_114438b.jpg Edited September 28, 2009 by vindman Quote
vindman Posted September 30, 2009 Report Posted September 30, 2009 The season has started! Today's photo, from the southern Swedish mountains: http://www.marklund.biz/pic/kite/2009-09-30_storulvan.jpg (photo from kitenation.se, thanks to Emil) Quote
5N1TCH Posted October 3, 2009 Report Posted October 3, 2009 Lucky buggers! Thats a long season you must have over there. Quote
FreeAir Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 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? Quote
vindman Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 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. Quote
vindman Posted October 8, 2009 Report Posted October 8, 2009 And now the ice season has started. Tuesday 6th Oct (Sautusjärvi, Kiruna, northernmost Sweden): http://www.isplanket.com/main/planket/showpics/8199_5.JPG http://www.isplanket.com/main/planket/showpics/8199_4.JPG http://www.isplanket.com/main/planket/showpics/8199_3.JPG There is a skating season up north, during autumn before the lakes and the sea are covered by snow. Photos from isplanket.com. Quote
5N1TCH Posted October 10, 2009 Report Posted October 10, 2009 That ice looks so smooth, I'd love to give it a go with skates and a small kite Quote
metal_snapper1599968645 Posted October 11, 2009 Report Posted October 11, 2009 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. Quote
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