Skiing the Planet

"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 in Blogspot. This page lists all the skiing-related articles from this blog series.

Ullahau
Marcus Larsson may have saved Gotland from becoming the Sahara of the Baltic Sea. But he also greatly reduced the sand dune skiing opportunities in Ullahau. But I am going ahead anyway, will I find some skiing?
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

August 2013, Ullahau, Gotland, Sweden
Skiing (Outdoor, Sand)

Bad Snow Year in Africa
Grass. Sun. Lonely wilderness. 4x4 transport. You would expect to find those in Africa. And I did. But I also found mountains, a ski area, olympic athletes, and snow. And the highest bar in South Africa. I'm in Tiffindell, South Africa's only ski area that re-opened this year, after being closed for a couple of years.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

July 2013, Tiffindel, South Africa
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain); Afterski

Sheep Skiing
The girl at the sheep farm gate is from Qatar. Most tourists here seemed to be from Middle East, so I ask her why she had come to Austria: "Because it is so cool, and the weather is nice." We are standing in cold rain, but I guess she prefers a change to the weather at home. But come to think of it, I too prefer cold and rainy.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

July 2013, Kaprun, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)

Skiing on the Equator
Headache. Nausea. I have them, but high winds and icy rain are the main culprits for the failure to reach the glacier. No one in the refuge dares to venture higher. The estimated 80 km/h winds would be dangerous on that initial steep rock climb. Particularly with skis on the backpack acting as sails.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)
(Svenskt version)

June 2013, Cayembe, Ecuador
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

June Snow Report
June 2nd. Sunny, temperature 25 degrees Celsius. I should be able to find some skiing, right? But the Grani slope seems all too green. Perhaps I should try skiing in Sahara? But I find only sand. But then my luck turned...
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

June 2013, Kauniaisten jäähalli, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Imported-Snow)

Mythbusting
Midsummer. Getting desperate with no snow around. But no matter. I will turn to doing something I have wanted to do for a while: testing skiing on dry ice. There's a claim in the Internet that dry ice isn't slippery. I want to know if that is true. So in Mythbusters style I have built a small test slope. I plan to put some dry ice on it and see if it I can ski it.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

June 2013, Tampereen jäähalli, Tampere, Finland; House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Substance-Other)

Dublin
There is great skiing in Ireland. Even in the summer. Really. It is Sunday and I'm spending the afternoon with Matt Campbell from the Ski Club of Ireland. We are in the outskirts of Dublin, sampling different qualities of fake plastic snow in the club's ski hill. I like the hard, brushy surface better than the soft, white beginner's surface. The white plastic feels like packed powder, but somehow I find the surface a bit too soft. I can understand that the beginners like it though, the 40 cm of padding under the surface will ease the falls.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

May 2013, Ski Club of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
Skiing (Outdoor, Plastic)

Bird Poo
"It is bird poo". I'm looking at the ski area webcam and there is a spot of white on the green. My friend does not believe I'm seeing snow, and she is a local here in Virginia. But I think it is worth a shot, particularly since I have nothing to do on Saturday morning, having completed the week's meetings and heading back to Europe in the evening.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

May 2013, Wintergreen, Virginia, USA
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)

Search
I am searching for a destination that I can fly to and back next Sunday, no Visa required for entry, there is snow left, and I have not been there before. This is surprisingly difficult.
Full story

April 2013, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Yellow Snow
I always wanted to ski on yellow snow. Well, not really. But it always seemed that those fun half pipes were forbidden for skiers, so I was glad to find an empty half pipe in Tahko last Sunday. With no one to tell me that skiers were not welcome. Even if it was a yellow half pipe.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

April 2013, Tahko, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)

Druskininkai
Country number 36 is Lithuania. I visited Snow Arena in southern Lithuania, near the border to Poland and Belarus. Snow Arena is a unique indoor-outdoor ski center, something that I have not seen before anywhere. The indoor ski hall operates throughout the year, but during the winter they open an exit from the top of the structure. An elevated "bridge" carries the upper part of the outdoor slope, which then continues along the natural terrain.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

April 2013, Druskininkai, Lithuania
Skiing (Indoor, Snow)

Season Is NOT Over
The skiing season is not over at all, not even here in the Helsinki region. Grani and Swinghill were still operating today, and Grani will run a couple of more days in the coming week. And in the other ski areas you can always hike up. And the weather is excellent. Get up, get out, get up, and come down!
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

April 2013, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland; Swinghill, Espoo, Finland; Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Mankkaan lumenkaatopaikka, Mankkaa, Espoo, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

NOBODY Expects the Spanish Off-Piste
Who would have thought there is incredible off-piste skiing in Spain? Let alone at La Molina, a beginner's ski area that we thought we had already scouted last year. It turns that that the second lift takes you to some interesting terrain. Including some hairy routes where falling is not a good idea.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

March 2013, La Molina, Catalonia, Spain; Grandvalira, Andorra; Vallnord, Andorra
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Denmark
Sunshine, snow, skislope, grill, loud Schlager music... Clearly, I must be in ... Denmark. This is a yet another one of my quick Sunday trips, this time to collect my 35th country.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

March 2013, Hedeland Skibakken, Copenhagen, Denmark
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Vuokatti
This sunday's random ski trip almost went to Denmark or Hungary. But we ended up going to Vuokatti instead. I knew where I wanted to go, as soon as ski area closures, flight availability, wife's non-negotiable requirements, and teenager's changing opinions became clear :-)
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

February 2013, Vuokatti, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

This is the 17th set of articles. The previous sets were set 1, set 2, set 3, set 4, set 5, set 6, set 7, set 8, set 9, set 10, set 11, set 12, set 13, set 14, set 15, and set 16. The next sets are set 18, set 19, set 20, set 21, and set 22.

See also the Planetskier blog articles about caving, urban exploration, climbing, cycling, flying, swimming, and saunas. There is also a full list of all articles regardless of topic, a list of services "approved by the Planetskier, and a world map of all skiing related destinations from the blog series:

	Ullahau Marcus Larsson may have saved Gotland from becoming the Sahara of the Baltic Sea. But he also greatly reduced the sand dune skiing opportunities in Ullahau. But I am going ahead anyway, will I find some skiing? Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) August 2013, Ullahau, Gotland, Sweden Skiing (Outdoor, Sand)

	Bad Snow Year in Africa Grass. Sun. Lonely wilderness. 4x4 transport. You would expect to find those in Africa. And I did. But I also found mountains, a ski area, olympic athletes, and snow. And the highest bar in South Africa. I'm in Tiffindell, South Africa's only ski area that re-opened this year, after being closed for a couple of years. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) July 2013, Tiffindel, South Africa Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain); Afterski

	Sheep Skiing The girl at the sheep farm gate is from Qatar. Most tourists here seemed to be from Middle East, so I ask her why she had come to Austria: "Because it is so cool, and the weather is nice." We are standing in cold rain, but I guess she prefers a change to the weather at home. But come to think of it, I too prefer cold and rainy. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) July 2013, Kaprun, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)

	Skiing on the Equator Headache. Nausea. I have them, but high winds and icy rain are the main culprits for the failure to reach the glacier. No one in the refuge dares to venture higher. The estimated 80 km/h winds would be dangerous on that initial steep rock climb. Particularly with skis on the backpack acting as sails. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) (Svenskt version) June 2013, Cayembe, Ecuador Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

	June Snow Report June 2nd. Sunny, temperature 25 degrees Celsius. I should be able to find some skiing, right? But the Grani slope seems all too green. Perhaps I should try skiing in Sahara? But I find only sand. But then my luck turned... Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) June 2013, Kauniaisten jäähalli, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Imported-Snow)

	Mythbusting Midsummer. Getting desperate with no snow around. But no matter. I will turn to doing something I have wanted to do for a while: testing skiing on dry ice. There's a claim in the Internet that dry ice isn't slippery. I want to know if that is true. So in Mythbusters style I have built a small test slope. I plan to put some dry ice on it and see if it I can ski it. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) June 2013, Tampereen jäähalli, Tampere, Finland; House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Substance-Other)

	Dublin There is great skiing in Ireland. Even in the summer. Really. It is Sunday and I'm spending the afternoon with Matt Campbell from the Ski Club of Ireland. We are in the outskirts of Dublin, sampling different qualities of fake plastic snow in the club's ski hill. I like the hard, brushy surface better than the soft, white beginner's surface. The white plastic feels like packed powder, but somehow I find the surface a bit too soft. I can understand that the beginners like it though, the 40 cm of padding under the surface will ease the falls. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) May 2013, Ski Club of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland Skiing (Outdoor, Plastic)

	Bird Poo "It is bird poo". I'm looking at the ski area webcam and there is a spot of white on the green. My friend does not believe I'm seeing snow, and she is a local here in Virginia. But I think it is worth a shot, particularly since I have nothing to do on Saturday morning, having completed the week's meetings and heading back to Europe in the evening. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) May 2013, Wintergreen, Virginia, USA 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)

	Search I am searching for a destination that I can fly to and back next Sunday, no Visa required for entry, there is snow left, and I have not been there before. This is surprisingly difficult. Full story April 2013, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Yellow Snow I always wanted to ski on yellow snow. Well, not really. But it always seemed that those fun half pipes were forbidden for skiers, so I was glad to find an empty half pipe in Tahko last Sunday. With no one to tell me that skiers were not welcome. Even if it was a yellow half pipe. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) April 2013, Tahko, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)

	Druskininkai Country number 36 is Lithuania. I visited Snow Arena in southern Lithuania, near the border to Poland and Belarus. Snow Arena is a unique indoor-outdoor ski center, something that I have not seen before anywhere. The indoor ski hall operates throughout the year, but during the winter they open an exit from the top of the structure. An elevated "bridge" carries the upper part of the outdoor slope, which then continues along the natural terrain. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) April 2013, Druskininkai, Lithuania Skiing (Indoor, Snow)

	Season Is NOT Over The skiing season is not over at all, not even here in the Helsinki region. Grani and Swinghill were still operating today, and Grani will run a couple of more days in the coming week. And in the other ski areas you can always hike up. And the weather is excellent. Get up, get out, get up, and come down! Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) April 2013, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland; Swinghill, Espoo, Finland; Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Mankkaan lumenkaatopaikka, Mankkaa, Espoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	NOBODY Expects the Spanish Off-Piste Who would have thought there is incredible off-piste skiing in Spain? Let alone at La Molina, a beginner's ski area that we thought we had already scouted last year. It turns that that the second lift takes you to some interesting terrain. Including some hairy routes where falling is not a good idea. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) March 2013, La Molina, Catalonia, Spain; Grandvalira, Andorra; Vallnord, Andorra Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Denmark Sunshine, snow, skislope, grill, loud Schlager music... Clearly, I must be in ... Denmark. This is a yet another one of my quick Sunday trips, this time to collect my 35th country. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) March 2013, Hedeland Skibakken, Copenhagen, Denmark Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Vuokatti This sunday's random ski trip almost went to Denmark or Hungary. But we ended up going to Vuokatti instead. I knew where I wanted to go, as soon as ski area closures, flight availability, wife's non-negotiable requirements, and teenager's changing opinions became clear :-) Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) February 2013, Vuokatti, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)