The longest day of the year, the summer solstice, always falls between June 20th and June 22nd. It is also an important day in Swedish culture, so Midsummer’s Eve is an official national holiday, celebrated on a Friday between June 19th and 25th. Midsummer is also when many Swedish families start to take their summer holidays and take advantage of the long days and good weather. I was fortunate to have some time off during the summer solstice and took the opportunity to create an ultrarunning destination trip to the Jämtland region of Sweden. It turned out to be a great time to experience the area since there were very few people on the trails and the lodges were quiet this time of yeay.

The Jämtland Triangle, also known as the STF Triangle, is a hiking trail approximately 50km long, located in the middle of Sweden. It is known as a triangle because of the mountain stations at each corner of the triangle run by the STF. The STF, in Swedish the Svenska Turistföreningen, is the Swedish Tourist Association that maintains as well as promotes many lodges and trails throughout Sweden. On this trail, the STF has three mountain stations, Storulvån, Sylarna and Blåhammaren, that can be used while hiking the trail. These mountain stations are far more than just huts, they are proper lodges including saunas, sit-down meals, and a variety of accommodation options from bunk rooms to private rooms. Besides these major mountain stations, there are also warming huts at the midpoint of each trail.

My trip started with a one hour flight at 8am from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to the Åre Östersund Airport. After the flight, I drove my rental car two hours west to the Storulvån Mountain Station, getting there about noon. Of the three stations on this hike, Storulvån is the only one accessible by ground transportation. While I drove, there was also bus service from a nearby train station for those taking public transportation. Along the way you’ll pass through the ski town of Åre, but the drive is mostly made up of a tree lined two-lane highway. When I got to Storulvån, I checked in at the front desk to get a parking pass, changed into my running gear in the locker area in the basement, and wasted no time getting my run started.

Overall, the trail is very runnable, but there was still a lot of snow on the ground, and large sections are through boggy areas with boards placed to keep your feet dry, which slowed my overall pace. The sections with boards can be very slippery when wet, so I took my time crossing them too. Stepping off a board in many places would have also resulted in a fall into water, which I wanted to avoid given the close to freezing temperatures. I was also careful crossing many of the snow fields, since they cover streams, which occasionally had holes in them where you could see the running water below.

In my three days there, the temperature ranged from 32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 10 Celsius) with a mix of rain, sleet, and bright sun. At different points in the run, it was also very windy, especially at the Blåhammaren Station. As with any run in the mountains, one needs to be prepared for all potential weather, so I carried two fleece jackets, rain proof pants and coat, gloves, and a warm hat.

These stations are exceptionally clean, have full-service restaurants, and even a small shop if you’ve forgotten something. Just like at a home in Sweden, one needs to leave your shoes at the door on one of the provided racks. At Sylarna, they even had some slides available to walk around in, but most people walked around in their socks. While I didn’t stay overnight at the Blåhammaren Mountain Station, I stopped in to have a beer, potato chips, and a chocolate bar for lunch. I had the place to myself since at midday most everyone is still out on the trails.

The Jämtland Triangle provides for nearly 50km of distance, but there are also many trails that lead from Sylarna, including one trail leading to Norway. This trail system is a great first ultrarunning destination trip given the amount of support available on the trail, as well as the relative convenience of getting there from Stockholm. The mountain stations were excellent in all ways. I highly recommend staying at least one night for any trip to this area.

Tracks

Leg 1 - Storulvån to Sylarna

Start: Storulvån Mountain Station
End: Sylarna Mountain Station
Distance: 10 miles (16k)
Elevation: 1866 feet (569m)

I enjoyed the Sylarna station the most, so highly recommend it for where you stay while out on the trail. The dinner included a charcuterie board in addition to the reindeer stew. At breakfast they even had waffle makers available!

Track

Gallery

Leg 2 - Sylarna to Blåhammaren

Start: Sylarna Mountain Station
End: Blåhammaren Mountain Station
Distance: 11.3 miles (18km)
Elevation: 1581 feet (481m)

Track

This day started with blue skies and bright sun, a welcome reprieve from the cold rain of the previous day. As I approached the half way point, the sun gave way to clouds, and I was thankful to have my extra fleece in the colder temperatures. Lunch consisted of a beer, potato chips, and a chocolate bar purchased at the shop in the mountain station. I also stepped into the sauna for a minute to warm up before heading back out onto the trail

Gallery

Leg 3 - Blåhammaren to Storulvån

Start: Blåhammaren Mountain Station
End: Storulvån Mountain Station
Distance: 7.5 miles (12km)
Elevation: -1165 feet (355m)

Track

The final leg is all downhill, and culminates with a sweeping view of the mountain station in the distance. If there is still snow, be aware of holes that drop down into the creeks below. Also note that you will get your feet wet crossing the river at one point since the “bridge” is just submerged concrete steps in the riverbed.