Kungsberget, Sweden

January 2006

I got to ride this out-of-the-way skill hill in northern Sweden as one of our friends had a posting in Stockholm for a year so we decided to visit. Not a place you really mark off as a snowboarding destination but as usual exploring new terrain and sharing new experiences is always lots of fun. We made the 2.5 hours drive from Stockholm in a Ford Mondeo with studded tyres - wow, these things are mind-blowing. Driving on compact snow and powder feels like driving on a gravel road. The confidence these tyres give is truly amazing.

As for the hill, in mid-winter, things get dark pretty quick this far north. At around 3:00pm the lights come on and you're riding in their beams for the rest of the day. It's a small place, no chairs just t-bars, and you're done in a day or two. Nice snow though. Good place to learn unless you're unlucky enough to tear your shoulder tendon on your first run you've ever done - exactly what my friend Russ did! Poor fellow - had to watch us ride for the rest of the weekend! The town is interesting and you can tell not many tourists make it out here so we stood out like sore thumbs! Another great little adventure with plenty of memories (some not so good, hey Russ?).

Mick

Riding buddies: Caro, Russ, Sean and Frank.