If you want a huge skiable vertical drop then don’t go to Sälen. This lump of hills, just east of the border with Norway, rise to just about 1,000m. Each run down is a single adrenaline rush, rather than one that can take some time. However, for a family friendly destination where you can learn or re-learn in a lovely environment, you can’t go wrong. Take the lift attendants; every one of them makes eye contact and says Heije or Hello and smiles. They do that every time they pass you the button or the T-bar. All day. It’s a big contrast to other countries and resorts where you can feel like a second-class citizen and begin to wish you weren’t English. It isn’t terribly expensive. On-slope coffee and hot chocolate, even with fresh cream and marshmallows (if you are allowed them), is at least competitive as at home, possibly cheaper. Obviously if your request for a “hot chocolate” is misunderstood and you are served a shot-glass full of goodness, that includes coffee, whipped cream and ...
We have got our ski legs back after eleven years and it’s just as well. The two boys have progressed exponentially and are now fearless. They aren’t using poles and just point downhill. If they need to slow they use snowplough but scarily this isn’t employed much. I have just tried to stay ahead of the younger one on the Free Ride, all the way down from the top. I failed. It’s the last day, Friday and it seems colder today but I think it’s again no lower than about minus 14. There’s no falling snow and visibility is better.