A ski resort in northern Sweden has officially kicked off its 2026-27 season using snow that survived the summer. Kåbdalis Skidliftar, located in Swedish Lapland, opened for lift-served skiing on Saturday, October 17, after spreading snow that had been stored beneath protective covers since last winter.
The resort confirmed its opening with one slope available for the first weekend and its chairlift operating from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kåbdalis has also announced daily operations beginning October 17, making it one of the first Swedish ski areas to begin its regular winter season.
How Kåbdalis Saves Snow Through the Summer
Kåbdalis has spent years refining a technique known as snow farming, which allows ski resorts to preserve large quantities of snow through the warmer months.
Rather than relying on October snowfall or waiting for temperatures to drop enough for snowmaking, the resort stockpiles snow from the previous winter in large mounds. Those piles are covered with insulating fabric that slows melting during the summer.
When autumn arrives, crews remove the covers and use snowcats and other grooming equipment to spread the preserved snow across the slopes.
The technique has allowed Kåbdalis to open early for several years. Back in a 2021 resort owner Johan Gunnarstedt explained that the mountain had preserved enough snow to cover a slope more than 4,900 feet long and approximately 164 feet wide, with a snowpack roughly 3 feet deep.
An Early Start to a Long Ski Season
Kåbdalis is located in Norrbotten County, between the towns of Älvsbyn and Jokkmokk, in a region known for its long winters. The resort has four lifts, nine designated runs and approximately 690 feet of vertical drop. Although the mountain is relatively small compared with Sweden’s major destination resorts, its early opening makes it an important training location for racers.
Beginning October 20, crews planned to progressively harden the snow surface to accommodate the ski teams arriving for preseason training.
Snow farming is becoming an increasingly important tool for ski areas looking to extend their operating seasons and reduce their dependence on unpredictable early-season weather. While the practice requires substantial preparation and snow storage, it allows resorts to offer skiing weeks before natural conditions would ordinarily permit.
Kåbdalis expects its 2026-27 season to continue into early May, potentially giving the small Swedish resort more than six months of skiing from snow preserved through the summer to the final days of spring.
