The tips of the skis break the well-prepared soft corduroy snow cover that sparkles in the sun. The sun warms the face and the thigh muscles burn wonderfully after we have been on the slopes. We can basically drive straight into the lift without a queue, over and over and over again. Our hungry skiers' stomachs are satisfied in the hospitable restaurant and we fall asleep in modern fresh cabins right next to the slopes. We want to come back here!
Just 30 minutes from Boden and about an hour inland from the Norrbotten coast and the airport is Storklinten. We turn off road 97 in the village of Svartlå. The last bit towards Storklinten goes on a winding forest road lined with snowy pines and spruces like a fairy tale.
When you arrive at Storklinten, it is buzzing with life. The facility has existed since the 1970s and breathes sustainability and experience, but also a pioneering spirit and faith in the future. It is being built and planned step by step in a plan that extends over several years.
We have chosen to stay in one of the newly built cottages, modern, well-equipped and fresh, so close to the slope that we can step on our skis outside the door. There is also caravan camping, both large and small cabins and hostel accommodation.
The wind rushes around your ears, your lungs are filled with fresh Norrbotten air and a big spontaneous smile spreads on the way down one of the red slopes.
Storklinten catches the whole family, regardless of skiing experience or interest. Beginners take their first tentative runs in Gunnard's very gentle slope, where you get up via a blessed conveyor belt. Here you can also go bobsledding or sledding, have a barbecue and socialize.
With a bit of trepidation, a group of beginner kids gather for an intensive course at Storklinten's ski school. They start with step one, getting on and off their skis and making their way up, without being pulled or pushed by mom or dad. The children's self-confidence grows and before we know it we see the youngest waving and cheering from the button lift where it was easy to learn how to get on and off the lift all by himself. With that, the family's skiing life enters a new phase. When the children want to go off on their own with their friends, Storklinten is ideally manageable for us parents. The children, and the parents, can ski independently and at the same time see each other and have contact on the slopes.
The newfound freedom encourages you to go the extra mile on the slopes. The wind rushes around your ears, your lungs are filled with fresh Norrbotten air and a big spontaneous smile spreads on the way down one of the red slopes.
Storklinten offers slopes for both beginners and more advanced skiers. The anchor lift up to the top goes through a beautiful forest landscape that at the top is replaced by miles of open space. With the sun shining from a clear blue sky, you just want to stop time and enjoy. A few steps later, the only sound you hear is the rustling of steel edges in the snow and your own breathing. We glide into the Skogsslingan, which offers really cozy sliding where even the youngest join in as soon as they get on the anchor lift. From Skogsslingan there are several detours that lead to the larger slopes for those who want a little variety. At the restaurant there is also a slope with a button lift that is enjoyed by the whole family.
Storklinten is a positive contrast to the big resorts of the ski industry. In Storklinten the feeling is familiar. The staff recognize their guests and the guests recognize the staff. It feels like the staff is genuinely committed and cares. Several have worked here for many years and most live in the area and are passionate about the development of the region.
The restaurant itself is one of the reasons to visit Storklinten, which offers a renowned Christmas buffet every year.
Food and entertainment
On Friday evening, the restaurant invites you to a relaxed and convivial afterwork buffet. Caravan and cottage guests and residents from neighboring villages meet here to end the work week and start the weekend. The theme of the menu varies from weekend to weekend. A popular feature is the mountain's own pizzas and Chef Roger's specialty hamburgers are also popular. The restaurant itself is one of the reasons to visit Storklinten, which offers a renowned Christmas buffet every year. The restaurant also has an a la carte menu that is carefully composed with flavors from the forest and river and as local ingredients as possible. During the day, the restaurant serves home cooking, a grill menu, soup of the day and other things suitable for hungry skiers' stomachs.
On Saturday, the evening fun begins with the children's après-ski with Henke, who runs the ski school and is friends with the children on the slopes. He is accompanied by the children's favorite and Storklinten's mascot, Gunnard the Flying Fox. Gunnard's own song should be learned by every parent with a sense of self-preservation. Some weekends there is live music on Saturday night, and during the exciting hockey derby the sports bar opens for those who want to follow the matches with something good to eat and drink.
Cross-country skiing
We also test the resort's very nice, well-prepared cross-country skiing trails. The longest is about 8 km and goes up over the mountain with both pulse-raising climbs and wonderful slopes to slide in. The shorter ones are down in the valley with access from the hill. Feel free to bring a packed lunch and stop along the way and enjoy. A coffee basket can also be ordered from the restaurant.
Living well
In Storklinten there is every opportunity to stay and enjoy a whole weekend or week for those who want to. Like an alpine village, newly built cottages overlook the slopes and the wide open spaces around. You can stay in peace and quiet a little way up, or right next to the slopes where you can ski right out the door.
The newly built cottages have fully equipped kitchens and are modern and freshly decorated. Some even have a whirlpool on the terrace. For those who want something simpler, there is also Urbergslängan, which is particularly appreciated by associations and larger groups. For all accommodations, the restaurant can assist with catering if desired. In Storklinten there is also a caravan campsite with many loyal regulars who come here every weekend winter after winter. The heart of Storklinten is the skiing, but you can also enjoy so much more - nature, snowmobile trails, guided tours, fishing and other activities in the immediate area, all year round. Storklinten feels like a safe facility that is here to stay and grow gently. Thanks for this time "klinten", see you again soon!
Text: Anna Bergström
Photo: Mats Engfors/Fotographic
