The History of Sälen – 
from quiet mountain village to ski paradise
In the late 19th century, people from Sweden’s larger cities began discovering the mountains of Dalarna. They did not come to stand in long lift queues or charge down steep slopes. They didn’t come to mingle with the jet set at après-ski parties or drink glühwein. None of that existed yet. No, they came to enjoy the fresh air, the silence, and the vast open mountains. Here you could truly relax and experience nature.
But nothing lasts forever.
In fact, the story began already in the 1520s when Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa family fled on primitive skis through the forests of Dalarna, from Mora toward the Norwegian border. He was escaping King Christian II of Denmark, often called “the Tyrant.” Gustav (a.k.a. Gösta) hoped the brave Norwegians would help him fight the Danish king. But the slow-moving yet loyal men of Dalarna caught up with him and persuaded him to return (at least that is how the history goes). A year later he became King of Sweden and laid the foundation for the modern Swedish state — which celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2023 and is still fairly modern.
Just over 400 years after Gustav Vasa’s escape, journalist and Mora native Anders Pers came up with the idea of commemorating the event with a ski race. The race would follow the same ninety-kilometre route through a winter landscape of snow-laden branches and surprised moose. The first Vasaloppet (number one), took place on March 19, 1922, with 119 participants. The event struck a chord of proud nationalism in Swedish hearts, and the following year Gustaf Ankarcrona from Leksand coined the motto: “In the tracks of our forefathers for the victories of the future.” And that is how it has remained.
The race made the small mountain community known throughout Sweden. Suddenly the area became associated with skiing, endurance, and adventure.
When the railway reached Malung and Lima in the early 1900s, the rest of the journey to the mountains became much easier by horse and sleigh. At Sälenstugan in the high mountains, local farmers welcomed visitors with food and lodging. Tourism slowly but steadily became an important part of life in the area.
During the 1930s development took a major step forward. The Högfjällshotellet opened in 1937, attracting even more visitors. Soon after, Sälen’s first slalom slope was built. In 1946 the first slalom competition was held in Sälen, and just a few years later – in 1949 – the first ski lift was inaugurated. Until then you had to ride up by horse and sleigh. After that, everything went downhill.
The Swedish equivalent of America’s Route 66 could be considered the E45, which runs from Gothenburg to Karesuando. National Road 66, however, is the road that runs from Sälen village across the Sälen mountains to the Norwegian border. When this road was completed in the late 1950s it became much easier to travel around the Sälen mountains. This opened the door to new ski areas such as Tandådalen, Hundfjället, Lindvallen, Stöten and Kläppen.
During the 1970s and 1980s development exploded. More and more Swedes began travelling to the mountains for winter holidays, and Sälen quickly grew into one of the largest ski destinations in the country.
Today Sälen attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. They come for the skiing, the nature and the mountain atmosphere – just like the first tourists did more than a hundred years ago. The difference is that today there are far more slopes, lifts and cabins to stay in. Some of them just happen to be ours.
Vasaloppet Week, from late February until the first Sunday in March when the main race takes place, attracts around 70,000 participants and thousands of accompanying family members. Fortunately, there are about 55,000 commercial beds available in the Sälen mountains.
We in the Andersson family rent out roughly 44 of them in our houses and apartments in Gruven and Tangen.
Would you like to see what’s available?
