Kvitfjell, Norway

At first glance, you might think that Norwegian Kvitfjell is another insignificant Scandinavian ski resort. But when you realize that the slope is bigger than Åre and that it hosted the downhill race from the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, as well as running the World Cup every year, you realize that the mountain has plenty of skiing to offer. The resort can be reached by car from Gardemoen in two hours or offers the country's only ski-in, ski-out train station.

You can ski on both sides of the mountain and fast six-chair lifts take you to the top where you can choose your side on each run. The skiing is clearly adult as red and black slopes dominate. The Störtlopp piste is hair-raisingly steep. There are plenty of opportunities for lift borne off piste and several parks for jibbers. The area is known to be well-pisted in all weather, which we also agree with.

There are an unusually large number of eateries, with Tyrihanstunet standing out a little extra with plenty to choose from in a traditional Norwegian setting. As usual, the Norwegians are not shy about pricing. Expect SEK 150 for a lunch on the slopes.

There are many accommodation options at Mellomstasjonen but we stayed at Studio H which is located at 740 meters above sea level west of the mountain. Studio H is ultra-modern in design and function, not unlike the most modern French complexes. A private lift provides ski in - ski out. There is also a combined restaurant, café, after ski, shop, ski service and rental in a side building. However, remember to buy food before you go up if you are going to cook yourself.

Kvitfjell is best suited to those who are a little better at skiing. The atmosphere is Norwegian cozy and the lift queues are non-existent. We'll be back.

The text also published on freeride.se