Which mountain peaks can you hike up in Sälen?

The mountain peaks in Sälen have a characteristic that makes them particularly rewarding: they are high enough to give you that real open-mountain feeling and views stretching for miles across the forest, yet low enough to climb in a single morning. It’s a completely different experience from the multi-day treks in the northern mountains – here, a group of ordinary people in everyday clothes can reach the summit before lunch and be back in time for afternoon tea. This guide details which peaks are accessible, what they require and what you’ll actually see from the top. If you’d like to go on several hikes in the same week, mountain cottages for the summer week the natural base.

Let’s make one thing clear straight away: this article is about getting up on foot on bare ground. Winter ski mountaineering, with the equipment and avalanche knowledge it requires, is a completely different activity, which we cover separately in the guide on off-piste and ski touring in Sälen.

Short answer: several mountain peaks in Sälen can be climbed in half a day

The Sälenfjällens peaks are at an altitude where a person of average fitness can complete the ascent in a couple of hours. None of them require climbing equipment, none of them require experience of the mountains, and several of them can be reached via marked trails starting from the facilities. What distinguishes the peaks from one another is mainly the length of the initial forest section, the steepness of the slope and the amount of open, bare mountain terrain you pass through towards the end. Bear in mind that it is precisely this final, open stretch that determines how the hike feels – there is no shade, no shelter from the wind and no way to find your way apart from cairns and signposts.

The top models in the Sälenfjällen range – and what sets them apart

The most accessible peaks are those where the facilities have been built: Hundfjället, Högfjället, the mountain side of Tandådalen and Lindvallen, as well as Näsfjället and Kläppen on the outskirts of the system. The advantage of these is that the infrastructure is in place – car parks, trails, signposts and often a place to eat somewhere along the way. The downside is that you share the mountain with both ski lifts and other visitors. If you’re looking for a more secluded mountain experience, there are peaks further into the wilderness where you’ll encounter far fewer people, but where trail markings are also sparser and the demands on your own navigation skills are higher. We’ve addressed the question of which peak is actually the highest separately in the article on Which mountain is the largest in Sälen?.

This is how long a hike to the summit takes

The time taken depends on the elevation gain and the terrain, not the distance. A common rule of thumb in mountain terrain is to allow about an hour per four kilometres on a flat, well-maintained path – and then add a fair bit for every hundred metres of elevation gain. On rocky or boggy ground, you’ll make slower progress than most people think. Also allow time for what you actually came for: standing still at the summit, eating your packed lunch and taking in the views. A realistic plan for a summit hike in Sälen is half a day with a margin to spare, not just a couple of hours. The descent rarely takes half as long as the ascent, as loose scree and tired knees slow you down. Always decide on a turnaround time before you set off, and stick to it.

Up by lift – the shortcut to the bare mountain

One of Sälen’s best tips for walking on bare ground is to let the lift do the uphill bit. During parts of the summer season, lifts operate in the area, meaning you can get up to the bare mountain without using up all your energy on the climb, and then hike around or back down at your own pace. For families, mixed groups and anyone who wants to enjoy the views without the uphill climb, it’s unbeatable – and it opens up the summit even to those who wouldn’t otherwise make it there. Which lifts are running and when varies between seasons and resorts, so check the latest information directly with the resort ahead of your week. Our page on hiking and cycling in Sälen gives an idea of what else the bare-ground season has to offer.

The view: what you actually see from up there

What makes the peaks of Sälen so special is that they rise out of a vast forested landscape. From above, you can see the Västerdalälven valley, the mountains of the Norwegian border region to the west and a seemingly endless carpet of forest in every direction – a landscape whose scale is difficult to grasp until you see it from above. On the bare mountain, the vegetation changes completely: low shrubs, lichens, crowberries and windswept mountain birch at the tree line. Clear autumn days in September offer the best visibility all year round, whilst the summer haze often lingers over the valley. Bring binoculars and allow plenty of time – most people who have done the hike say that the half-hour they spent sitting still at the summit was the best part of the whole day. We’ve answered the question of how high Sälen lies above sea level in the article on how high Sälen is.

What you need for a summit hike (summer and early autumn)

In terms of equipment, the requirements are modest but not non-existent. Boots or sturdy shoes with good grip, windproof and waterproof outerwear, an extra layer for the summit, food, water and a map. The most important thing is to realise that the weather at the summit is always different from that at the car park: it’s colder, windier and often wetter up there, and the difference can be strikingly great in the space of a single day. Turn back if visibility deteriorates – on open, bare mountain slopes, both the horizon and your sense of direction disappear quickly in the mist. In practice, the season for summit hikes runs from early summer, when the patches of snow have melted, until the first snow falls at higher altitudes. We’ve covered this in detail in the guide on The hiking season, month by month.

Summary – choose from the mountain peaks in Sälen

A brief guide to the mountain peaks in Sälen and how to reach them:

• Several peaks can be climbed in half a day and require neither climbing equipment nor experience of the mountains.
• The slopes at the resorts have the best infrastructure; those further inland offer more unspoilt nature but require more navigation.
• Measure in metres of altitude and hours, not in kilometres – and set a turnaround time.
• Take the lift up when the ground is clear of snow if you want to enjoy the view without the climb.
• The weather at the summit is always different from that in the car park: extra layers, a windbreaker and a packed lunch.
• You’ll get the best visibility on clear days in September; the season runs from early summer until the first snowfall.

If you choose a peak that suits your group’s fitness level, the summit hike will be the obvious highlight of the week – quite literally.