"Mongolia is kind of close, right?" Story about an attempt to ski everywhere in the world where there's snow. And in some places where there isn't. On and off-piste skiing on all continents, skiing into craters of live volcanoes, climbing, photography, and travel.
The blog about skiing around the world. The most recent blog articles can be found here:
This web site list some of the recent and most popular blog entries below. A full list of all skiing-related articles in chronological order can be found here (and all articles regardless of topic here). here is also a list of services "approved by the Planetskier". The Planetskier has skied in 66 countries (55 outdoors on snow, 7 of the remaining indoors on snow, and 4 on some other material) in 323 places. The world map below shows these places:
See also the Planetskier blog articles about caving, urban exploration, climbing, cycling, flying, swimming, and saunas.
| I ordered a snow taxi, again These are challenging times, these are September times. Full story September 2025, Ritorps ishall, Ulriksdahls idrottsplats, Solna, Sweden; Cyloq Arena, Sollentuna, Sweden; Medley Solna Simhall, Ulriksdahls idrottsplats, Solna, Sweden; Medley Sollentuna sim- och sporthall, Sollentuna, Sweden; Sundbybergs Simhall & Gym, Sundbyberg, Sweden; Arlanda, Sweden Skiing (None); Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Swimming (Indoor, Waterbody-Pool, Water, None); Sauna (Normal, None); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal); Flying | |
| Ski, swim, and fly in one day Myyrmäki, Pornainen and Helsinki-Vantaa An active day, for sure. I needed to fly out today, but before that I wanted to get my August ski turns in the massive snow mountains of Myyrmäki's ice skating hall (picture above), visit my mom, and do a quick swim at a swimming place near her in Pornainen's Hietasen uimaranta (Hietasen's beach) in Vähä-Laukkokoski. A nice package for the day! The skating hall was open and there was a pile of snow, saw my mom, visited the beach with warm water and sunshine and no one else around, and had a pleasant flying experience in the air and at the airports. Full story August 2025, Myyrmäen jäähalli, Myyrmäki, Vantaa, Finland; Hietasen uimaranta, Vähä-Laukkokoski, Pornainen, Finland; Helsinki-Vantaa, Vantaa, Finland; Split Airport, Split, Croatia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Swimming (Outdoor, Waterbody-Lake, Beach); Flying | |
| Snø, again After having skied in Snø on the last days of June, now I was about to fly out from Norway, but had some time. I decided to go to Snø again, to cover my July skiing :-) Full story July 2025, Snø, Oslo, Norway Skiing (Indoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| There is a Cold God after all... Snozone Madrid Snow in Madrid??? I didn't believe it was possible, so I wasn't prepared. I should have had faith... of course there's snow. There always has been and always will be. Everywhere. Full story July 2025, Snozone Madrid, Madrid, Spain Skiing (Indoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Ice bears from the streets of Helsinki rescue my ski trip! Ski trip in the surroundings of Kista is going badly. Can’t find open skating rinks or their excess snow piles. And I dragged my mini-skis all the way to Sweden for this! Sigh. But, as you know we have ice bears walking on the streets of Helsinki... and they bring the cold, good stuff. Full story June 2025, Ritorps ishall, Ulriksdahls idrottsplats, Solna, Sweden; Medley Solna Simhall, Ulriksdahls idrottsplats, Solna, Sweden; Myyrmäen jäähalli, Myyrmäki, Vantaa, Finland Skiing (None); Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Waterbody-Pool, Indoor); Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Snø Can you imagine an indoor ski hall that has a 500-meter slope, is regularly used by World Cup teams for practice, has a separate elevated pathways for cross-country skiing, a park for the snowboarders, a snow castle for parties, a hotel, a game area, restaurants... and an indoor ice climbing wall. No? Well you guessed it, such a thing can only exist in oil-rich countries. Norway in this case. Seriously though, Snø and Snøbyen (the village) are a major destination and a delight for skiers. I wonder why I have not been here before. Well done, Norway! Full story June 2025, Snø, Oslo, Norway Skiing (Indoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Singapore Skiing. Finally. I've been trying to do this for almost six years. Obviously, it is not easy to find skiing in Singapore. I've been forbidden to ski when there was snow, arrived right after a skiing place had bankrupted, found alternative skiing on off-limits sand, and hidden in despair in caves and abandoned bunkers. But Sport Quest to the rescue! Today I finally managed to ski in Singapore with the help of Sport Quest's indoor facilities at the Snow City. Snow, ice, cold, and on skis. Wonderful! Full story (TGR version) (Suomenkielinen versio) November 2019, Snow City, Singapore, Singapore Skiing (Indoor) | |
| So close, yet so far I saw snow today! Outside the Leppävaara skating rink... behind bars. What did that snow do, and why is it locked up, and we're not allowed to play? Full story (TGR version) April 2019, Leppävaaran jäähalli, Espoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Tokyo commute. With skis. I only have an evening, not enough to take a Shinkansen to the real mountains. But I do have time to visit yet another Tokyo indoor ski place. This time, the Snova Mizonokuchi! It was fun to ride through downtown Tokyo with my skis and boots, through the train system. Full story (TGR version) (Suomenkielinen versio) January 2019, Snova Mizonokuchi, Kawasaki, Tokyo, Japan Skiing (Indoor) | |
| Slow start to the season Hahnenkamm The season's first run on the Streif, the famous downhill run from the Hahnenkamm. Why first? Because it was partly on grass... Full story (TGR version) November 2018, Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Black Snow. Again. I was again at Hintertux for summer skiing, at the low point of the yearly snow cycle. The glaciers were dark... black even. Full story (TGR version) (Suomenkielinen versio) August 2018, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Canadian Heatwave Snow I had a great Sunday, starting with work work work, with some progress I think, then went skiing, and finally returned to have a nice sauna and a swim at the hotel. And afterwards met some fun new Argentinians from my meeting at a late reception. Full story (TGR version) July 2018, Mont Saint-Sauveur Versant Avila, Quebec, Canada Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Skiing in Aland It is mid April and the sun is shining. Is there still some snow left somewhere? There is, at Aland! The Aland islands between Sweden and Finland are known for their sunny summers and flat landscape. I took a boat there to investigate if there'd be any skiing. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) April 2013, Germundo Alpin, Aland, Finland; Hotel Savoy, Maarianhamina, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal) | |
| Seasons in Kauniainen My local hill may soon be opening, as they predicted over a foot of snow today. It has not yet arrived, but lets hope it will. Anyone want to join for a pre-season ski run this evening? Bring your old skis... could be grassy or even rocky. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) November 2012, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Skiing (Outdoor, Grass) | |
| Two Feet High We went to Matinkylä, southern Espoo today. One of the largest shopping malls in Finland, Iso Omena ("Big Apple") is located in Matinkylä. But they are also known as the site of M2, a mountain with icy slopes even in the middle of the summer. The steep slopes of M2 rise a whopping two feet above the surrounding landscape, scaring skiers and mountaineers alike. Indeed, very few climbers have climbed it. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) June 2012, Matinkyla, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Imported-Snow); Urban-Exploration (Skating-Rinks) | |
| Carrying Skis to 17,000 ft I don't know where to start. Skiing at 17,000 ft? Ice climbing? A night in a tent at 5 kilometers? No acclimatization? The close call with tragedy? Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) May 2012, Tarija Peak, Cordillera Real, Bolivia Climbing (Mountain, Ice); Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking) |
Skiing at 17,000 ft in Bolivia from The Planetskier on Vimeo. |
| Spring in Chamonix Chamonix is arguably one of the best ski destinations in the world. If not the best. But can you ski in there in early April, when the rest of France sports sunshine and temperatures nearing +20 degrees? Full story April 2012, Chamonix ski areas, Chamonix, France Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Africa. Snow. AK-47s. I'm glad to be back home in Finland. It was so damn cold in Africa! Full story August 2011, Afriski, Lesotho Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Urban-Exploration (Ruins) | |