Nature seekers, keen winter anglers, family groups and thrill-seekers alike enjoy snow mobile excursions in Swedish Lapland. Combine ice fishing, experiencing the Northern lights or midnight sun on an Arctic snow mobile adventure.
Northern Sweden’s Arctic Landscape
The snow covered landscape of Lapland is made up of tundra, swamp land and fjell björk skog (mountain birch forest). Rolling hills rise from the towns of Abisko and Riksgransen (popular starting points for snow mobile enthusiasts) culminating 100 km to the South in Sweden’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise. The land is broken by a lattice of crystal clear lakes, frozen in winter popular with ice fishermen. Small villages dot large tracts of wilderness intersected by few roads.
Who Can Drive a Ski-Doo in Sweden
In Northern Sweden the ‘snow mobile season’ runs roughly from the end of January to the end of May, depending on snow conditions.
The neighbouring counties of Norrbotten and Lapland provide almost unlimited snow mobile access allowing sufficiently skilled enthusiasts to tour all the way out to Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain. Exceptions include: private property, Abisko National Park among several protected park lands, certain areas restricted due to reindeer herding and the immediate surrounds of the Riksgransen Ski Resort. Snow mobiling in Norway is prohibited.
Almost anyone with a driver’s licence can rent a snow mobile under a similar arrangement as renting a car.
Snow Mobile Tours with Arctic Safaris Riksgransen
Arctic Safaris run a snow mobile operation from the frozen lake Vássejavri at the base of the Riksgransen Ski Resort with about 20 machines available for rent.
Based on 2010 prices, the cost for:
- half day (1pm to 5pm) is SEK 1200 (US$165) +gas (40 l tank)
- 1 day (9 to 5pm) is SEK1600 (US$220) + gas.
Machines for rent, worth SEK100 000 (US$13 800), are Yamaha 500ci, 4 stroke engines (similar to a small car such as a Mitsubishi Colt).
Arctic Safaris fjellguiden (mountain guides) run guided tours that range from three-hour trips to overnight safaris. A guided group consists of a maximum of seven or eight snow mobilers per guide.
Popular guided tours include:
- ski mobile outings for 3 hours to 1 day with ice fishing and an elaborate picnic lunch typically based on Röding Arctic Char.
- visits to Locktjokka 1230m, a three-hour trip where one can enjoy hot waffles and coffee.
- overnight stay at the privately leased Nordanjaure hut, ice fishing, a generous dinner and sauna. Arctic Safaris can supply fishing gear, clothes and helmet.
Guests come from all over Sweden and Europe. As well as individuals and families, Arctic Safaris work regularly with film crews and conference or company groups. Trailer sleds can be attached to the snow mobiles dragging supplies or people.
Roger Nilsson continues to enjoy running guided snow mobile tours after working for Arctic Safaris for 14 years. Unfortunately they get their fair share of hooligans whose intent seems to be "to tear up the landscape", says Nilsson.
Arctic Safaris operate in virtually all conditions. Nilsson says he has only turned around once in blizzard conditions.
Snow Mobiling Risks in Northern Sweden
Apart from a few trails around the outskirts of the Riksgransen Ski Resort, Kiruna and a number of other towns; there are few marked snowmobile routes.
The snow mobile landscape of Northern Sweden is largely wilderness. Conditions can change rapidly due to the vagaries of mountain weather.
Slushy snow creeks opening late spring, snow drifts, getting lost or disorientated in white out conditions, rapid changes in weather and avalanche hazard are some of the risks encountered by Ski-doo enthusiasts.
