Riksgransen, population 60 (give or take), stands as Sweden’s northernmost ski resort, where adrenaline-seeking snowboarders and daredevils gather during the winter months for 360-degree heli-skiing. As far as remote destinations go, this is up there—125 miles shy of the Arctic Circle, where the summer sun never sets and winters are full of dancing Northern Lights and subzero temperatures (that extend well into May).
A mere 17-hour sleeper train from Stockholm, Riksgransen remains reasonably unpopulated because of heavy snowfall (even snowmobiles get lost and buried here). If you choose to settle down, your closest neighbors are elk, reindeer, and grouse, depending on the seasons. Yet this tiny village has become paradise for finance guys, tech giants, and C-suiters who want to shred 2,000 square miles of off-piste powder and ride a helicopter rather than a ski lift. This is more than just a hobby—it’s a way of life, and the super rich can’t get enough.
Unruly, untamed, and unlike any other destination in the world, Riksgransen is definitely never mentioned in the same vein as St. Moritz or Courchevel, but real powderheads know this is where skiers come to live with abandon. The Belmonds and Cheval Blancs of the world don’t exist here—they probably never will—but those in the know stay at Niehku Mountain Villa ($730/night, including breakfast but not activities), a 14-double-room lodge with an authentic Swedish sauna and aufgussmästare (sauna master), comfy Hästens beds, and a spectacular cellar stocking 3,000 bottles, including some crates from Romanée-Conti.
