Gothenburg isn’t known as a ski destination, but there are ski slopes within a few hours drive that are worth a day trip if you don’t have time to drive to the north. Even when there is no snow on the coast, inland there is more consistent and cooler weather that makes for a better location for winter sports. Many need to supplement the snow falls with snow machines to create the ski runs, but it still makes for some pretty good skiing, especially for learners and kids.
Bollekollen
Bollekollen at Bollebyd is both a ski area in the winter and a mountain bike park in the summer months. Located about 40 minutes drive from Gothenburg, it is well within reach of those staying in Gothenburg. To get there, you should take route 27/40 east of Gothenburg towards Landvetter and Borås – the ski area is in between these two towns.
The skiing here is good, with a longest run of 900 metres, and a drop height of 100 metres. There are two lifts – a conveyor belt on the learners slope, and a T lift on the main slope.
Ulricehamn
Ulricehamn is between 1 and 1.5 hours from Gothenburg, in between Borås and Jönköping, and is a popular ski area in the winter months, and a mountain biking and hiking location in the warmer months. There are seven lifts in total, and they are a mix of t-bar and j-bar, the longest lift running for about 500 metres. The ski area is better for beginner and intermediate skiers, as most runs are green or blue, but there is one red ski run, and one that is partly red, and turns into a blue, or a short red with a lift back to the top. There are eight runs in total.
The ski area is located about four kilometres from the town centre, and you can either drive there, or try the new Bus On Demand service from Västtraffik, which is a trial running in 2024. The bus runs from the Ulricehamn urban area to the ski area.
For more details, see the website SkiBikeHike Ulricehamn here.
Mössebergsbacken
Near Falköping in the smaller, local ski field of Mössebergsbacken, which has a smaller number of runs, but one of the few that has a black run, making it more suitable for skiers at all levels. It has four lifts and five downhill runs in total, plus 32 km of cross-country ski trails. Mössebergsbacken also offers night skiing.
It is located near Falköping, and is about 1.5 hours drive from Gothenburg. For gear sales and hire, see this website.
Alebacken
Alebacken is a bit different to the other ski fields because it is run by a not-for-profit organisation Alebacken Sk. It is a smaller ski field with only three ski slopes and lifts, but ensures there is a good snow coverage with snow cannons, plus lighting for evening skiing – during weekdays in the winter months it is open until 9:00 pm at night.
Alebacken is located to the north of Gothenburg, and takes about 30 minutes to drive there. It can be reached by public transport as well by taking a train to Nödinge station and then a bus to Himlaskolan, Ale.
Alandsrydsbacken
A longer journey from Gothenburg is Alandsrydsbacken, which is between 2 and 2.5 hours drive near the town of Värnamo. It is located in the countryside about 30 minutes drive south of Jönköping. It is a smaller ski area with three ski slopes and one lift, and is a good place to ski for families with children. Like Alebacken it is run on a not-for-profit basis with a lot of the work done by volunteers, all with the goal of providing a nice place to ski during the winter.
Mullsjö Alpin
The last ski field on our list is Mullsjö Alpin, which is a larger ski area in the area inland and south of Gothenburg. Boasting 7 ski runs, including a ski jump, and a number of lifts, including children’s lift, this ski field is worth a longer visit. They have a snow cannon system that ensures a good snow coverage in the event of no snow fall. If there is snow, they also have cross country tracks to explore.
They have accommodation on site in the form of caravans for those who wanting to have a longer stay. Mullsjö Alpin is about 1.5 hours drive from Gothenburg, located east of Gothenburg between Borås and Jönköping.