Avalanches also occur in the Swedish mountains. The marked trails are designed to avoid avalanche-prone areas. If you venture off the trails, go on a summit tour, or are in steeper terrain, you should be extra vigilant.
Tips to avoid avalanche-prone areas
The mountain sides in the lee are always more dangerous than the wind-exposed mountain sides. Snow accumulates on the leeward side, and where a slope drops away after a crest, cornices often form. Such a cornice is a risk in itself if it breaks off, but it can also trigger an avalanche due to its weight. Never go under or on top of such a cornice.
The greatest risk for avalanches is in slopes where snow accumulates (leeward side) and has a gradient of 25 degrees or more.
Avalanche risk increases with rapid temperature changes, heavy snowfall, and strong winds. Layers form in the snow, one of which may become a slip layer, on which the overlying snow layers can slide away on.
Do not climb up or ski in the middle of large snowfields; instead, follow mountain ridges, rocky terrain, and spurs.
The Swedish mountain range stretches from Treriksröset in the north to Dalarna in the south. Here, breathtaking landscapes and hundreds of miles of marked hiking trails await.
