 Poster: A snowHead
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We are thinking of heading Scandinavia way in our motorhome early May and I wondered where we could find some skiable snow? Has anyone got any experience of skiing this late?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Stryn.
Riksgransen.
Folgefonna.
Galdhoppigen.
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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?
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Thanks yes I've been compiling lists of resorts. Has anyone been in May? Or in a motorhome? Or got any general info?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you want to skin up, there will almost certainly still be plenty hills in good condition in the region around Tromsø, including Lyngen. Check out the guidebook Ski Touring in Troms (available from UK retailers including Amazon, in English translation) for more ideas. There's enough there for a lifetime of skiing. It's a longish drive to the north of Norway, but Troms region is very close to Finland/ Sweden - less than 3hr drive from the Finnish border to Tromsø city centre.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Are usually has plenty of skiing until the 2nd half of May. It is not such a long drive as Tromso. As you have your own transport you can decide at the last minute depending on actual conditions. When I lived in Sweden I regularly skied there in May
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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and probably plenty of cross country skiing - something different to try, if you've not done it before.
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Thanks
I would love to try cross country Pam, always wanted to and that's something that husband could try too.
However I only do pisted downhill routes and have never gone off piste and certainly wouldn't alone.
Are any of the resorts still open for down hill pisted skiing second half of May go you know ?@Rabbie,
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@poppyb, I'm only familiar with cross country skiing in France. It's not the same as touring. You are on pisted tracks, not out in the back country. And if you've never done it, you'd need to start with lessons, to try to get the proper technique (which is not just shuffling along "c'est un sport de glisse" as my instructor kept saying - you need to shift weight decisively from one foot to the other).
I should think Scandinavia would be a great place to start cross country skiing, especially if your husband could do it too. It does need VERY good balance, though. I'm still very much a beginner.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Riksgransen website says it closes weekend 20-22 May.
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Ah maybe not then as Martin's Parkinson's affects his balance. Do you think I'll find any down hill resorts open end of May?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Could contact Kittelfjäll and Svanstein to see if they are still open. Otherwise Riksgränsen re-opens for mid-summer weekend, 23-26 June.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Fonna Glacier might be worth a look. A very long way from Lapland though.
http://www.folgefonn.no/en/openinghours
Ski toured around Riksgransen last year in June. There was still a lot of snow about though the locals said that it was unusual to have that amount of snow.
Bjorkland and Abisko are open until the 9th of may this season, and Riksgransen is open for a few weeks after this. If the there is a lot of snow the Abisko chairlift has been known to run later into the summer.
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Thanks
The Fonno glacier looks interesting. We'd be coming from the UK so not far really after the ferry.
Was hoping to find ski opportunities in Finland and Lapland too.
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You know it makes sense.
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I think Ruka is the latest opening resort in Finland. Depends on snow cover but it is meant to close on the 9th of may as well.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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We did Ruka last year and had a great time. We are intermediate so not sure what the "serious stuff" is like. People great and few queues. We made the mistake of going with a famous tour operator and had an 11 hour delay in the return flight (they needed our plane to take people from France home when an airport {Toulon I think} was shut) which was very unpleasant. Loads of snow too at Easter. We did Norway this year and they hadn't had a good snow season; I was told that the Scandinavian countries generally hadn't done well but it's not something I looked at too closely. Hope you have a great time.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@bambionskiis, depends which resort you went to. Are did alright for snow this year. Trysil was pants early on....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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Trysil was great the week after Easter, everything open, only one lift queue all week, first thing Saturday morning which was a beautiful sunny spring day and the start of the last but one weekend of the season so perfectly understandable!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Themasterpiece, doesn't Are shut on 01 May?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@dobby, Holiday Club is renting the lifts on those specific days. Not sure if they've done this before in previous years? The snow at the top was still great when I was there at Easter, so it should be fun. My only worry would if its windy and they can't open the lift...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Themasterpiece, what an excellent idea!
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Years ago I used to go to Saariselka in late April or early May, and they always had really good snow both for downhill and nordic skiing. Saariselka, Levi and Yllas used to have plenty of snow until mother´s day and even much later, but as we all know winters have become more unpredictable and spring seems to arrive earlier every year, so nothing´s for sure. But I would definitely check those out.
My favourite for Nordic skiing is Saariselka, the scenery is superb. For downhill skiing the "mountain" is smaller though than Levi and Yllas, but should still be fun for most levels of skiers. Saariselka seems to be open until May 8th, Levi has a few lifts open until that date but Yllas seems to close first of May.
Even if your husband has some balance problems I would still absolutely encourage him to try nordic skiing, it´s not difficult at all once you get the hang of it, and of course your husband should stay close to wherever you´re staying at first to see how he manages. But on good equipment on a nice sunny day it´s so much fun he probably won´t regret it! It´s probably going to be a bit slushy so make sure your skis are appropriate for that weather!
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And of course, those are in Lapland, Finland 
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