KUNGSLEDEN) – by FOOT and on SKIS Peter Rosén Peter the Eight Faces of Paradise It’S Been Occasionally Referred to As Thanks to STF and the King’S Trail Blaze
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THE KING’S TRAIL (KUNGSLEDEN) – BY FOOT AND ON SKIS Peter Rosén Peter The eight faces of paradise It’s been occasionally referred to as Thanks to STF and the King’s Trail blaze. You can travel by foot on well- Håkan Hjort bosselind.com Europe’s last wilderness, the mountain (Kungsleden) the innermost part of worn trails, sometimes with a break range stretching from Lapland down Lapland has been available to every- for a boat ride over a mountain lake. to Dalarna. If anything deserves to be one for over one hundred years. Skis apply if you choose the winter called Sweden’s own paradise, it is this To make it easier, we have chosen two season. In February and most of March, majestic mountain world. New views periods for you, when summer and the snow temperatures are cold for ski and natural experiences are constantly winter along the King’s Trail are the waxing and the days quickly become emerging here. Large areas are protected absolute best: from June to September longer and brighter. Late winter – and have been designated as nature and from February to April. early spring brings crusty snow and reserves, national parks, and even world During the summer season, the long, sunny days. Håkan Hjort heritage sites. mountain nature of colours, scents, Let us at STF take you to this Life in Lapland has many faces. sounds and movement vibrate. It is paradise. By foot or on skis. We The Sámi people, who have lived and essentially daylight all day and north promise that you’ll take part in many worked here for thousands of years, of the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun exciting and inspirational encounters. estimate that there are eight seasons shines brightly for several months. In Regardless of which season you choose. up here. September, the autumn colours are a Lapland – another country within Håkan Hjort Sweden’s borders Sweden has 11 peaks over 2,000 metres. and Muddus, the nature reserves Sjauna Of course, wildlife takes it easy during And you will find all in Lapland. and Stubba, parts of Kvikkjokk-Kabla, the winter, but some species change There is even a series of the country’s and Sulitelma and the Rapadalen over to their white winter colours and most spectacular valleys here. Together, Valley delta are included. work as usual. Arctic fox, hare and they form an exceptional, varying ptarmigan are some examples. It is not nature with everything from lush THE BIG FOUR uncommon for skiers to see wolverine mountain forests down in the valleys Just like the paradise described in and lynx tracks. to almost barren environments and poetry, Lapland is a sanctuary for wild- glaciers up on the bare mountain life. For those who know what to look GET TO KNOW SÁMI LIFE www.matsalmlof.se Håkan Hjort Håkan Hjort region. In the summer, the mountain for, you can find tracks from the big Reindeer breeding and the Sámi culture valleys can be pure jungles in spots, four of Swedish fauna – lynx, wolve- are very much alive along the King’s with both alpine blue sow-thistle and rine, bear and possibly wolf. Perhaps Trail. During the summer in parti- angelica as tall as a person. Trailing even see one of them up close. cular, you can meet the Sámi people azalea, alpine gentian, moss campion Up here, you also have the chance and their reindeer in the mountains. and mountain avens are happy on the to view golden eagle, gyrfalcon, Avoid disturbing grazing reindeer and mountain moors. Higher up on the peregrine falcon, long-tailed skua, please keep dogs leashed. If you bare mountain region, you can be ptarmigan, eurasian golden plover, would like to know more about Sámi lucky to see the glacier crowfoot, the bluethroat, snow bunting and many history, language, culture and today’s number one survivor of Swedish flora. other birds. Approximately half of reindeer breeding, we recommend The UN organization, UNESCO, the country’s 400 bird species have that you visit the Swedish mountain has elevated part of Lapland to the been sighted in Lapland. and Sámi museum Ajtte in Jokkmokk. status of World Heritage Site under Another common sight is the king You can also visit www.samer.se the name Laponia, where the national of Swedish nature, elk, not the least in parks Stora Sjöfallet, Padjelanta, Sarek the Tarradalen and Rapadalen Valleys. Håkan Hjort STF Abisko Mountain Station Address 981 07 Abisko, Sweden. E-mail [email protected] Website www.svenskaturistforeningen.se/abisko Phone +46 (0) 980-550 00. Season The mountain station is open year-round. Accommodation There are 300 beds, from which you can choose between different forms of accommodation. Single and double rooms with shower and WC. 2- and 4-bed rooms with shower and WC in the corridor. Cottage apart - ments for 2–6 people with shower and WC. Food KRAV eco-labeled breakfast, lunch and the evening’s supper with the appropriate wine package added on. Après Ski in Storstugan during the winter or a beer in the light of the midnight sun during the summer. Service Trip leader, shop, mountain equipment rental, sauna and self-catering. Activities The summertime offers guided tours to our favourite locations, courses in, among others, digital photography, watercolour painting, and mountain birds. Midnight sun tours with the chairlift on Nuolja. The winter offers week-long courses in telemark skiing and avalanche training, ice climbing, snow- mobile tours, day tours and off-piste skiing on Nuolja, touring and cross-country skiing. Abisko is possibly the world’s best place to see Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Håkan Hjort Experience Abisko National Park with us! Getting there Daily train connections from Stockholm, Göteborg and Kiruna to our own train station Abisko Turist. Fly to Kiruna and ABISKO TURISTSTATION then take a bus to Abisko (always verify the Abiskojaure bus times when you book you flight). Road is Alesjaure the European Route E10. Tjäktja Sälka KIRUNA STF Kebnekaise Mountain Station Singi Nikkaluokta KEBNEKAISE Kaitumjaure Address 981 99 Kiruna, Sweden. FJÄLLSTATION Teusajaure E-mail [email protected] Vakkotavare SALTOLUOKTA Website FJÄLLSTATION GÄLLIVARE www.svenskaturistforeningen.se/kebnekaise Sitojaure Aktse Phone +46 (0) 980 550 00. Pårte Season Mid-February to the beginning of May, KVIKKJOKK JOKKMOKK mid-June to mid-September. FJÄLLSTATION Accommodation 2- or 4-bed rooms or an alcove in the room with extra beds. Shower and WC in the corridor. Single rooms available. 196 beds. Tärnasjö Serve AMMARNÄS/WÄRDSHUSET Viterskalet Food The restaurant Giebme serves breakfast, Syter Aigert HEMAVAN lunch, supper and à la carte with Lapland speci- SORSELE Suggested tours TÄRNABY/ÅKERLUNDSKA GÅRDEN alties, Swedish home fare, and newly baked 20 km bread from our own bakery. Fully licensed. Doug McKinley Service Shop, bakery, rental of certain mountain equipment, trip leader, sauna and self-catering. Activities The summertime offers high alpine courses, climbing instruction, guided tours to Facts Abisko – Nikkaluokta Sweden’s highest peak, glacier walking, floral ABISKO TO NIKKALUOKTA picturesque alternative via the moun- this unforgettably beautiful surroun- foot or on skis. In the summer, shorten tours, and theme weeks. Other things worth Mountain map BD6 The train stops right in front of Abisko tain huts in Vistas and Nallo. Here, ding. The hut custodians along the the trip 5 km by taking the boat over seeing are the giant caves in Ladtjojåkka, the Length 105 km Silver Falls in the Singi Valley, Kitteldalen Valley Mountain Station and the northern the mountains rise sharply up from King’s Trail will gladly inform you of Days 5–7 Ladjojaure Lake. After some good food and Tarfala. The wintertime offers courses in Number of huts 5 on the King’s Trail starting point for the King’s Trail. On the valley and the tour interchanges their best spots. When you reach the and a nice sauna, it’s time to continue high alpine ski touring, ice climbing, and guided (Kungs leden) and 7 adjacent the way to the mountain lodge at between mountain birch forest and huts at Singi, continue southwards to in between the mountains to Singi. ski tours in the valley or at altitude. For good Provisions Abisko, Abiskojaure, Alesjaure, off-piste skiers, many metres of vertical drop Abiskojaure Lake the journey initially bare mountain region. The terrain Vakkotavare or turn off towards the Kebnekaise, Sälka, Vistas, Unna Allakas There, you enter into the King’s Trail await in Jökelbäcken, on the Storglaciären or becomes more barren if you hike the Kebnekaise Mountain Station to then Sauna Abisko, Abiskojaure, Alesjaure, – with Abisko to the north or Saltolu- goes through a birch forest in Abisko Hydrologrännan. Ski tourers will find trails in Kebnekaise, Sälka National Park that is abundant in game. King’s Trail towards the huts at Tjäktja. go to Kiruna via the bus in Nikkalu- okta to the south. The latter will the Tarfala Valley or towards the Singi huts. Lapporten, one the mountain When you reach the Tjäkta Pass, okta. Of course, you can choose the initially take you through the beautiful Getting there Train/fly to Kiruna. Bus to world’s most famous silhouettes, the highest point along the King’s Trail, opposite direction and walk from NIKKALUOKTA TO SALTOLUOKTA Tjäktjavagge Valley. The lakes Kaitum- Nikkaluokta, then hike/ski 19 km. Possible VIA KEBNEKAISE boat transport 5 km in the summer or snow- watches over you during your hike. one of the mountain world’s greatest Nikkaluokta to Abisko. jaure and Teusajaure have nice huts mobile/tracked vehicle in the winter. During certain times of the summer experiences awaits. Forty kilometres of This tour begins in Nikkaluokta, where with good fishing.