Crazy ways to get down the hill

Out comes the sun, and everyone goes a little bit crazy in the mountains. Suddenly just skiing or snowboarding seems a bit last month, and instead schemes are devised to make the downhill route a bit more exciting, dangerous and flamboyant. Check out three of our favourite unusual things going on in the mountains this spring

Åre, Sweden, and the Red Bull Home Run

There’s fancy dress, there’s giant Swedes, everyone’s tanked up on taurine. It’s all a big excuse for a monstrous après-ski party in the Åre afternoon sunshine, but that sounds just fine to us.

Starting after the slopes empty for the evening, the Home Run is an all-out race from top to bottom. Participants begin with a run to their skis or snowboard, followed by an 840-vertical-metre drop, as everyone barges their way to the bottom. Last year 200 people took part, many in fancy dress. Åre is a great fun resort any time of the year, and the reindeer burgers, bright wooden cabins and wide-open landscape make a refreshing change from the Alps.

If you’ve ever experienced Swedish après-ski you’ll know that it’s pretty upbeat. Add this maverick way of getting there into the mix and it’s bound to be one not to tell the grandkids.

Saturday 8^th April, register at www.redbull.se

Red Bull Home Run video. It's in Swedish, but you get the idea of the sheer bonkersness

Chill Factor, Manchester, and the Avalanche

For some mayhem on home turf, the indoor snow slope Chill Factor^e in Manchester has masterminded a new way of getting down their hill: strap into a 4m diameter inflatable ball, and roll down at 30mph, with 4Gs of force acting on you, of course. It’s the first time that ‘sphering’ has been done on ice, and to deal with the lack of space for a gentle run out they’ve had to build a kind of metal scoop to catch you, which looks thrillingly dangerous.

Book at www.chillfactore.com

Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and the Afghan Ski Challenge

A 7km backcountry ski-touring race, and trip of a lifetime. Skiing through the beautiful 5000m mountains of dry and untouched powder is just the start. The real experience is being part of a project bringing the fun of a ski race to an area downtrodden by war and poverty. The founders of this unusual ski event were a bunch of Swiss skiers who taught ten local Afghans to ski and compete. This will be the second event, and international entrants are welcomed.

Date TBC, register through www.afghanskichallenge.com

This article was written by MadDogSki and first appeared in Sport magazine