Riksgransen is located in the far north of Scandinavia, right on the border between Sweden and Norway. It shot to fame in the mid 90s when Ingemar Backman launched his infamous method there, but its remoteness and lack of park facilities have ensured that over recent years, it has been largely overlooked in favour of central European glaciers. The extreme latitude – 200km north of the Arctic Circle – guarantees snow in June and it’s recent glaciations have scraped the bedrock smooth, resulting in a unique selection of obstacles.
The UK Adidas Snowboarding team, consisting of Dom Harington, Angus Leith, Jon Weatherly and Team Manager Thrashmore took advantage of the summer solstice being a regional holiday, where the resort fills up with eager tourists and opens the lifts for three days, to undertake a summer shred trip with a difference! Taking on all types of spots in and around Riksgransen and Bjorklieden, riding on snow, rock and moss, as well as taking a swim in the Arctic Ocean, the crew also managed to fit in a heli day, a party, and some bizarre pagan solstice dancing with the locals! Here is the edit:
Welcome to Destination Trail, a series that follows riders as they travel the globe, hunting for its greatest trails. Some of what they find might be renowned, some undiscovered, but that’s the point. When expectations and attitudes are stripped away, only the essence of mountain biking remains. This is where adventure thrives, and it’s here that memories are made.
In this episode, we follow the Coastal Crew’s Kyle Norbraten, Curtis Robinson, and Dylan Dunkerton as they head to the Chilcotin Mountains of British Columbia in search of natural inspiration for their Coast Gravity Park. First traveling by floatplane, then horses, a hike-a-bike, and a long descent, the Chilcotins proved to be remote and isolated, with many of the trails being carved out from centuries of horse and wildlife use. In other words, it took some hard work to get out there, but once the crew started riding, they quickly realized that they not only had these epic trails all to themselves, but the stunning views, sprawling vistas, and jagged ridgelines also existed for their eyes only. It’s mountain biking in its purist form—unplugged, adventurous, and completely outside of your comfort zone.
Featuring: Kyle Norbraten, Curtis Robinson and Dylan Dunkerton