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Ski Resorts in Sweden – Jämtland Härjedalen

Jämtland Härjedalen proudly comprises many of the major ski resorts in Sweden and whether you’re looking for perfectly prepared slopes, mogul skiing or good off piste options you can find it here. The most well-known ski resorts in the area are Åre, Vemdalen, Funäsfjällen, Lofsdalen, Storlien and Bydalsfjällen. They offer everything from quiet family slopes to fresh powder as well as a wide range of activities besides the skiing. Not far from the major ski resorts you can find some of the smaller gems. The perfect choice if you want to enjoy a skiing holiday with slightly lower pulse at the end of the day. Don´t miss out of the hacks for your perfect winter stay in Adventure Sweden.

Skiing in Sweden | Photo: Mark Going, Columbia Sportswear
Skiing in Swedish Jämtland Härjedalen. Photo: Mark Going

A part of Sapmi

The region of Jämtland Härjedalen is in the actual middle of Sweden. The population is 130,000 people, of these some 60,000 live in the one city of the region, Östersund. The region has a unique flora and fauna and is often referred to as “the lungs of Europe”. In addition to the clean air, it is well known for its accessible wilderness, superb homemade foods, the contrasts of the midnight sun and the winter darkness and its five clearly defined seasons.  The Sámi culture, with its own history and traditions, has had a major influence on the region. Jämtland Härjedalen has a total of 12 Sámi villages and around 44,000 reindeer.

Ski Like a Swede

Tourism has a long history and tradition in the region ever since the first hunters and gatherers made their way into the area and later pilgrims traveling through to get to St Olof´s grave in Trondheim, Norway. Most activities in Jämtland Härjedalen are related to outdoor life and nature. In winter, skiing is the most popular activity, but there is a whole range of other things to do when you want to ski like a Swede!

Winter fun activities, besides alpine skiing, are cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowmobile safaris, dog sledding, ice fishing, riding, ice climbing, reindeer sleigh rides, paragliding besides of course shopping for local outdoor gear and handicraft. And, the region is full of culinary innovators: awarded breweries, active shielings, tasty farm dairies, bakeries and truly charming restaurants. No wonder the region around Östersund is one of the worlds Creative Cities of Gastronomy (awarded by UNESCO).

Swedish After Ski

After a day of open-air activities it’s wonderful to pull on a hat and jump into a steaming hot tub in the middle of a winter wonderland. Most ski resorts offer steaming outdoor baths in wooden tubs and saunas with windows overlooking the mountains, all come with the opportunity to take a refreshing dip in the snow afterwards!
After Ski in Sweden is also the opportunity to dance in your ski boots to live music together with others coming directly from the slopes. Count on loud music and a wide variety of dance styles!

Ski Resorts of Mid Sweden

The largest ski resorts of the region are Åre, Vemdalen, Funäsfjällen and Lofsdalen. The slopes are often open for skiing from the middle of December til the end of April. Some even open in November thanks to early snow.  The feeling of having the slope all to yourself may not always occur in the larger resorts, so if that´s what you are looking for, go for the smaller: Bydalsfjällen, Storlien, Trillevallen or Edsåsdalen.

The slopes include everything from children’s/beginner’s areas to black slopes and Dream Parks. All the ski resorts are within 1-3.5 hours of Åre Östersund airport and have accommodation in a range of prices.

 

Skiing with reindeers | Adventure Sweden
Skiing and observing reindeers. Photo: Ola Mattsson, Skistar

8 Ski Resorts of Jämtland Härjedalen

Östersund – Skiing in the Middle of the City

Östersund is one of the main winter sport towns in Sweden and hosts many national and international winter sport events. The city has an alpine slope in the middle of town as well as more than 90 kilometers of illuminated XC tracks. It was founded in 1786 and is a strong commercial center with quite a selection of shops, cafés and restaurants as well as cultural attractions, such as the newly opened National Museum Jamtli. You can easily stay in Östersund, try out winter activities such as skating and snow mobile safaris, have all the service you want and do day trips to the mountains. The city is 10 minutes from Åre Östersund airport and there are hotels, B&Bs, hostels as well as cabins for your winter stay.

Åre – With International Ambience

Åre is a traditional mountain village where the wide range of skiing, shopping, restaurants and bars on offer are creating a real metropolitan vibe. The ski slopes and vistas are familiar from the many World Cup events that have been hosted here and international travel magazines have repeatedly named Åre one of the world’s best ski resorts. Åre is 100 km from Åre Östersund airport and in total there are more than 100 slopes and 40 ski lifts, with the longest slope being 6,5 km long.

Vemdalen – Family Friendly

Vemdalen is a genuine ski resort located in the heart of Sweden. The skiing is comfortable, with a number of newly built lifts and wide slopes with challenging vertical drops. Most of our accommodation here is close to the slopes and lifts. Vemdalen is 110 km from Åre Östersund Airport and in total there are some 60 slopes and 35 ski lifts in Vemdalen.

Funäsfjällen – The Dream Resort for XC skiers

The Nordic Ski Centre in Funäsfjällen is Europe’s largest connected ski track system. It is part of one of the areas in Sweden that is assured of snow, with some areas already preparing tracks in October. Over 300 kilometres of tracks are prepared for classic and skate skiing regularly during winter. There are 450 kilometres of extra trails, 10 rest stop cabins and over 30 wind shelters. In addition there are some 140 slopes and 40 ski lifts on one ski pass. Funäsfjällen is 230 km from Åre Östersund airport.

Lofsdalen – Everything Within Reach

Lofsdalen is a peaceful ski resort surrounded by snow-covered mountain peaks. Everything is within reach in this mountain village, cabins, apartments ski lifts, XC tracks, restaurants, ski rental and shops. Forget about line-ups at the 9 ski lifts and enjoy the skiing in the 26 slopes and the view from mount Hovärken overlooking the National Park Sonfjället. Lofsdalen is 190 km from Åre Östersund airport.

Bydalsfjällen – The Hidden Gem

Just 60 km from Östersund you will find yourself in a small mountain village with family friendly slopes. There are a total of 55 slopes and 16 ski lifts included in the ski pass of Bydalsfjällen and  a range of cabins and apartments for your perfect winter holiday.

Trillevallen – Big skiing in a Small Format

Trillevallen ski resort is not far from Åre with 21 slopes and 8 ski lifts. It is a true family favorite among ski resorts in Sweden. You will find great skiing both for the novice and the more experienced. Chances are good to get the powder all to yourself in this resort 85 km from Åre Östersund airport.

Edsåsdalen – Heavenly Waffles

Travel back in time and visit the small mountain village Edsåsdalen, not far from Åre and 82 km from Åre Östersund airport. The ski resort offers 11 slopes and 5 ski lifts in a sheltered terrain as well as prepared tracks for XC skiing. Take the snow cat up to mount Renfjället for the ski lift above the tree line and for a real treat, a heavenly waffle with cloudberry jam and whipped cream!

 

Skiing in Sweden | Photo: Mark Going, Columbia Sportswear
Powder skiing in Funäsfjällen. Photo: Mark Going, Columbia Sportswear

Larger Ski Resorts in the Swedish region Jämtland Härjedalen - Overview

Visit the host of FIS Alpine World Ski Championship 2019 and northern Europe’s largest winter resort, Åre, bring the kids to Bydalsfjällen or go off piste skiing in Storlien. When it comes to alpine giants among ski resorts in Sweden it’s hard not to find the perfect resort for your winter holiday in Jämtland Härjedalen.

  • Åre is the leading ski resort in Northern Europe with over 100 pistes and 42 lifts. With the longest slope being 6,5 km long.
  • Funäsfjällen encompasses five ski resorts with 136 pistes and 38 lifts in one ski pass.
  • Vemdalen encompasses three ski resorts: Klövsjö/Storhogna, Vemdalsskalet and Björnrike with a total of 35 lifts and 58 pistes.
  • Bydalsfjällen ski resort has a family-friendly profile with 55 pistes and 16 lifts in varying terrain.
  • Lofsdalen ski resort offers 26 pistes from novices to brutally steep and 9 lifts.
  • Storlien ski resort has a great mix of nicely groomed slopes and very good off piste skiing. There are 23 pistes and 9 lifts.

Smaller Ski Resorts of Swedish Jämtland Härjedalen - Overview

Get the same challenge in the slope but in a more quiet environment, visit one of our smaller and lesser known ski gems.

  • Edsåsdalen ski resort offers 11 pistes and 5 lifts in a sheltered terrain.
  • Åkersjön has one lift with which you reach to pistes in sheltered forest terrain. 100% natural snow.
  • In Stora Blåsjön you find Sweden’s fourth highest vertical drop, about 475 meter. There are 10 pistes and 4 lifts.
  • Trillevallen ski resort have 21 pistes, 8 lifts and is a true family favorite among ski resorts in Sweden. You find great skiing both for the novice and the more experienced here.
  • In Ljungdalen there are a few pistes and 2 lifts.
  • Frösön in Östersund offers skiing just minutes from the city center. There are 3 pistes and 2 lifts.
  • Hammarstrand have 3 pistes that offers varied skiing and beautiful views. The longest piste is 1200 meters.
  • Almåsa ski resort offers mainly natural snow. There are 9 pistes and 2 lifts.
Skidåkare i Åre | Foto: Niclas Vestefjell
Photo: Niclas Vestefjell

Six Hacks for the Perfect Ski Holiday

A Ski Holiday with the Kids

When travelling with kids choose destination wisely. Just about all resorts offer Ski School for kids and it may be worth considering the distance to the slopes, childrens activities, kids discounts, ski rental shops from where you are staying for convenience.

Ski In & Ski Out

Gliding all the way to the door sure makes life at the ski resort so much easier. Travelling in a group with different ambitions and stamina makes it so much easier to let everyone start and finish skiing at their own liking. When travelling kids you can easily stop by for a change of clothes, lunch, coffee breaks, changing diapers etc. Staying close to the slopes may cost you a bit more, but may still be worth it getting a hassle free vacation.

Green Travel

How are you planning to reach the destination of your choice? And once you have gotten there, how do you plan on getting around within the destination? The best thing for responsible travel is usually public transport – so keep that in mind when choosing your winter holiday resort.

You can reach the Ski Resorts of Jämtland by train from Stockholm or from Europe. It is even possible to go to sleep on the train in Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm and wake up at the following ski resorts or nearest stations for further transfer:

  • Åre – train station in the Ski resort. Night trains available from Stockholm for you to wake up at the resort by SJ or Snälltåget.
  • Vemdalen – train to Röjan station with convenient transfer by bus. Night trains available from Stockholm.
  • Storlien – train station in the Ski resort. Night trains available from Stockholm by Snälltåget.
  • Edsåsdalen & Trillevallen – Train to Undersåker station with convenient transfer by bus or taxi. Night trains avaliable by SJ or Snälltåget.

Travel in Between Holidays and Save 

If you are flexible to adapt your holiday to the less frequented weeks this may save you a lot of money.Traveling between New Years and the Swedish Sports Holidays (week number 6-10) and between the sports holidays and the easter holidays will save you a lot.

Keep An Eye on the Event Calendars 

Swedish Mountain Resorts offer so much more than skiing. There may be ski races, local food markets, music events and kids competitions. So when picking your destination this winter, make sure you check out the Event Calendar of the area chosen.

Mountain Safety

Even if a mountain holiday equals joy and time spent together, this may be when the unforeseen accident happens. Make sure you pack some smart stuff like a first aid kit and make sure you all know some basic safety for skiing. Here is some basic mountain safety tips.

Some inspiration: "Just Right - Skiing in Sweden"

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