November 6, 2006 – Welcome to the future, welcome into the cold. You might as well be on the moon or even Mars. That is the extraordinary feeling you get after skiing inside the Fortum Ski Tunnel, which opened its doors in June. Of course, in order to maintain the constant -3°C (27°F) temperature inside, the doors were shut pretty quickly!

At 1.3-kilometres long, the tunnel is the longest in the world. The designers made some significant improvements over other tunnels besides its length. Rather than a straight out-and-back trail, the tunnel is a loop, and has skate and classic tracks in both directions, effectively doubling the ski-able distance. Built following the natural topography of the land, the eight-metre-wide tunnel has variable terrain – flats, turns, a speedy downhill and a steep climb to boot.

And don’t be frightened by the sight of Spandex-clad skiers carrying rifles around inside. They’re not there for security; the tunnel is also the first to incorporate a small biathlon range.

Made of some 500 pre-formed concrete arches, the tunnel took 15 months to complete at a cost of $8.5 million (US). To improve insulation, the tunnel sits halfway beneath ground level. The concrete tunnel was covered with a plastic sheet to keep moisture out and then backfilled so that it now resembles a snake of dirt and rock slithering through the forest of towering conifers..

Embedded in the ceiling are approximately a dozen industrial refrigeration units. The chilled air is circulated around by fans through a fabric tube. Snow is hosed in from an outside snowmaking building when needed. Overhead lights provide good illumination. Grooming is done every night after closing.

The tunnel is a fabulous novelty will undoubtedly attract skiers from all over the world as part of a winter trip to Sweden who can now consider the tunnel as a guarantee of snow regardless of the weather outside.

Fly into Karlstad. Rent a car at the airport and drive 100 kilometres north to Frykdalen and the town of Torsby (www.torsby.se), hometown of Gunde Svan. Stay at the Hotel Örnen (www.hotellornen.se) in the town centre. Breakfast is included, and many restaurants and cafes are located nearby for lunch and dinner. The ski tunnel is approximately two kilometres away.

A three-hour pass for the tunnel costs $20 (US) or $23 (CDN) and equipment and clothing can be rented from the in-house ski shop, which also carries wax and service tools in case you forgot something at home. The shop also offers stonegrinding and full ski preparation.

The snow inside the tunnel is rather abrasive, and the classic tracks can get icy later in the day. Iron on a binder and cover with Swix VR 60 or a similar warm-weather hard wax. With 80% humidity inside the tunnel, wear more clothing than you would expect for -3°C.

For the best conditions, arrive just before the tunnel opens at 9:00am. To avoid the elite athletes, though, as well as the after-work crowd, try a noon start.

If there are good conditions outside, the tunnel will close. More than 40 kilometres of groomed trails for classic and skating start at the Valberget, where the tunnel is located.

The centre also features a full biathlon range, a five-kilometre paved rollerski track, soccer fields and a small alpine hill. Construction is underway to build an 800-metre extension from the tunnel using CoolTrack technology, allowing the equipped trail to hold snow as early as mid-September.

While you’re in Torsby, consider driving to Mora to visit the finish line of the world’s oldest, longest and biggest ski race – the original Vasaloppet. If you’re looking for 100 kilometres of trails, stay at the LÃ¥ngberget Sport Center (www.langberget.se), about 100 kilometres away or try Mattila (www.mattila.se/fritid.htm), a 35-minute drive north. Oslo is also only a scenic 160-kilometre drive west of Torsby.

For more, visit (www.fortumskitunneltorsby.se)