OK folks... Due to an inability to really hit the slopes this year, the only real way of getting through the winter is to start thinking about 2014/15 season...
So, with that in mind I have been thinking of stepping away from the Alps, and venturing towards different countries/mountain ranges...
I have 2 trips in mind... Val Gardena, which I think pretty much speaks for itself, and Åre...!!!!
I know NOTHING about Swedish skiing and Åre in particular... What is this place really like...? Seems to be the biggest place in Sweden??? Will it be ok for a weeks trip, for someone that likes a lot of terrain...? Or is a long weekend better here? Are the lifts an issue (drags)? I hear they have put a couple of new chairs in this season...? What is the town like??? Any recommendations????
Basically, can anyone give me the lowdown on anything and everything to do with this place, or anywhere else in Scandinavia that might suit...?
Cheers folks...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I am heading to Åre in early march (this year) for a week, planning on writing it up as there's not a huge amount of information about it on here.
So far, flights to Trondheim with Norwegian are quite cheap if you go out Friday night / back Sunday, and there's about a 2.5hr train to Åre itself. Have a rental apartment booked Sunday -> Sunday so am going to have a poke around Trondheim on the Saturday. The weather forecasts have been very cold, there doesn't look to have been a lot of natural snow, and it gets very windy up top. More in 6 weeks time!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I have been to Åre every easter for the last three years. Yes it's the biggest place in Scandinavia but the size in't much compared to places like the Dolomites. It's coysy and different from the Alps. You can get around all the pists in 3-4 days. The resort contains of three parst and you have to take bus between two of the areas. There are a lot of T-barlifts, but there are chairts and bubbles to the top. The big gondola is quite exposed to wind and can easely close down. If the weathers is nice you have an awesom view from the top of Åreskutan. Eating oute is rather expensive and food quality isn't like in the Alps. There's a BigAir contest called JOI in Åre that is interesting to chek out.
If you wanna go to Åre you should go later in the season, then it's not so dark and cold. There is a train connection from Stokholm and Malmö to Åre.You can make it as an exptra ski trip in the season due to the go there late in the season and I think it's good to stay there a hole week.
Im also going there this easter and i can definetly recomend Åre.
Siff
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
AlpineAddict, I have been there for mountain biking a few years ago and have always had the intention of going back for skiing. There looked some good runs to me and the village is really cool, very friendly people and despite all the warnings I did not think the booze price was too bad (from the strangely, for me, named systembolaget(?)). Like siff(?) says above the views from the top of Areskutan are awesome, I walked up to it in September and had to avoid the ice shards falling off the transmitter mast, massive lakes and waterfalls, I think as far as the arctic circle. There were only a few lifts open for the biking but at the "Norway end" of the village there was a new 6 person, I think, bubble that got you so far up and then, I think, another bubble got you up level with the cable car. I might be wrong though it was a few years ago.
The train station is right in the middle of the town, so a great way for you to arrive. I cannot imagine that it would not be a good place to ski to be honest.
The big problem with Åre is that if the wind is to strong and the High Zone is closed the skiing is not that good, if the High Zone is open I really like it otherwhise it can get really crowded in the low zone.
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Poster: A snowHead
