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.

Bolivia Is Kind of Close
I have finished my meeting in Washington DC and more work awaits me next week in California. But first things first. There's a weekend in between, and what better way to spend the weekend than to fly 16,000 kilometers to Bolivia?
Full story
Alternate link

May 2012, Tarija Peak, Cordillera Real, Bolivia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain, Ice)

Snowless in Oulu
I am amazed how bad the snow situation is. I am in Oulu, 600 kilometers north from home, but there is much less snow here than on my local hill. But I have to try to find skiing, given that I dragged my skis along for this trip.
Full story
Alternate link

May 2012, Köykkyrin hiihtokeskus, Oulu, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Grani Summer Ski
I am at the summer ski center in Kauniainen. It is +15 degrees Celcius in hot sunshine and a gentle, warm wind. It is a perfect day to go skiing, in my swimsuit. Today is First of May, a national holiday in Finland. Most people party hard or gather in crowds in the city center to do silly things. I've chosen to do my silly things here on my local ski hill.
Full story
Alternate link

May 2012, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)

Sukset paskana
Both of my skis went to the repair shop today, in anticipation of the shop closing after this week. I need my skis in good shape as - obviously - the season continues. The guys at the shop gave their expert opinion about my skis: they are in shit condition. Or "paskana" in Finnish. Oh well, maybe they are fixable.
Full story
Alternate link

April 2012, Kaprun, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Equipment

Two Countries in Eight Hours
The primary challenge with my trip was time. I could only burn one day on this and I had only one choice of flights in and out. But there was quite a bit of driving, not a lot of room for making navigation errors, and frankly too little time for the actual skiing. But in the end I was able to ski for one hour in the first place and a bit more than an hour in the second.
Full story
Alternate link

April 2012, Kakisklans, Latvia; Kuutsemae, Estonia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

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
Alternate link

April 2012, Chamonix ski areas, Chamonix, France
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Hero or Bonehead?
While the opinions were split among the spectators that came to talk to me afterwards ("are you the guy who skied that?"), I think the answer is definitely "bonehead". This was just too dangerous. I need to go back to skiing safer slopes.
Full story
Alternate link

April 2012, Kitzsteinhorn, Kaprun, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain); Sauna (Normal)

Planetskier, The Next Generation
My 9-year old son was the first to ski the local hill at Kauniainen this winter. And now he announced that he wants to be the last one as well.
Full story
Alternate link

April 2012, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Estonia
I'm thinking of making an excursion to Estonia on Sunday to see what kind of ski hills they have. Anyone want to join?
Full story
Alternate link

March 2012, Kuutsemae, Estonia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Velo avec des Skis
Bike to train station with skis on your back, take the TGV, go skiing. That's what I did in Paris.
Full story
Alternate link

March 2012, Snowhall, Amneville, France
Skiing (Indoor, Snow); Biking (Bike-City, Track-City, Outdoor)

Six Pictures
Everyone has probably seen the Facebook meme on six pictures for what your friends think you do, what you think you, and what you really do. I wanted to make one for skiing.
Full story
Alternate link

March 2012, Val Thorens, France; Vallnord, Andorra
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

The Eight Hour Challenge
I booked flights that give me 8 hours on site, with 4 hour drive from arrival airport (Riga) to departure airport (Tartu), and two countries and two ski areas in between. Doable?
Full story
Alternate link

March 2012, Kakisklans, Latvia; Kuutsemae, Estonia
Skiing (Indoor, Outdoor, Snow)

Moominworld Cliffs
If I have to spend eight days per year in Moominland, it is clear that I need to come up with something interesting to do there. How about skiing down the President's Cliff? Fifteen meters of near vertical rock. Too bad I forgot my ice axes, because the return was even tricker.
Full story
Alternate link

February 2012, Moominworld, Naantali, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Urban-Exploration (Amusement-Parks)

Peuramaa II
I've written about Peuramaa and its playground before. But I noticed something new. What strikes me about these visits is the darkness.
Full story
Alternate link

February 2012, Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Out of Bounds in Les Arcs
I was more worried about falling on that vertical wall than the police catching me, but both were real concerns. And then I caused an avalanche. This is a story about my four day trip to Les Arcs, France.
Full story
Alternate link

February 2012, Les Arcs, France
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

Palm Trees and Ski Bags
To boldly go where no skier has gone before: Spain. And the really tough guys dress in ski clothes on the plane bound to Barcelona (not me).
Full story
Alternate link

February 2012, La Molina, Catalonia, Spain
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

This is the 21th 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, set 16, set 17, set 18, set 19, and set 20. The next sets are set 22, set 23, and set 24.

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:

	Bolivia Is Kind of Close I have finished my meeting in Washington DC and more work awaits me next week in California. But first things first. There's a weekend in between, and what better way to spend the weekend than to fly 16,000 kilometers to Bolivia? Full story Alternate link May 2012, Tarija Peak, Cordillera Real, Bolivia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain, Ice)

	Snowless in Oulu I am amazed how bad the snow situation is. I am in Oulu, 600 kilometers north from home, but there is much less snow here than on my local hill. But I have to try to find skiing, given that I dragged my skis along for this trip. Full story Alternate link May 2012, Köykkyrin hiihtokeskus, Oulu, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Grani Summer Ski I am at the summer ski center in Kauniainen. It is +15 degrees Celcius in hot sunshine and a gentle, warm wind. It is a perfect day to go skiing, in my swimsuit. Today is First of May, a national holiday in Finland. Most people party hard or gather in crowds in the city center to do silly things. I've chosen to do my silly things here on my local ski hill. Full story Alternate link May 2012, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)

	Sukset paskana Both of my skis went to the repair shop today, in anticipation of the shop closing after this week. I need my skis in good shape as - obviously - the season continues. The guys at the shop gave their expert opinion about my skis: they are in shit condition. Or "paskana" in Finnish. Oh well, maybe they are fixable. Full story Alternate link April 2012, Kaprun, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Equipment

	Two Countries in Eight Hours The primary challenge with my trip was time. I could only burn one day on this and I had only one choice of flights in and out. But there was quite a bit of driving, not a lot of room for making navigation errors, and frankly too little time for the actual skiing. But in the end I was able to ski for one hour in the first place and a bit more than an hour in the second. Full story Alternate link April 2012, Kakisklans, Latvia; Kuutsemae, Estonia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	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 Alternate link April 2012, Chamonix ski areas, Chamonix, France Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Hero or Bonehead? While the opinions were split among the spectators that came to talk to me afterwards ("are you the guy who skied that?"), I think the answer is definitely "bonehead". This was just too dangerous. I need to go back to skiing safer slopes. Full story Alternate link April 2012, Kitzsteinhorn, Kaprun, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain); Sauna (Normal)

	Planetskier, The Next Generation My 9-year old son was the first to ski the local hill at Kauniainen this winter. And now he announced that he wants to be the last one as well. Full story Alternate link April 2012, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Estonia I'm thinking of making an excursion to Estonia on Sunday to see what kind of ski hills they have. Anyone want to join? Full story Alternate link March 2012, Kuutsemae, Estonia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Velo avec des Skis Bike to train station with skis on your back, take the TGV, go skiing. That's what I did in Paris. Full story Alternate link March 2012, Snowhall, Amneville, France Skiing (Indoor, Snow); Biking (Bike-City, Track-City, Outdoor)

	Six Pictures Everyone has probably seen the Facebook meme on six pictures for what your friends think you do, what you think you, and what you really do. I wanted to make one for skiing. Full story Alternate link March 2012, Val Thorens, France; Vallnord, Andorra Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	The Eight Hour Challenge I booked flights that give me 8 hours on site, with 4 hour drive from arrival airport (Riga) to departure airport (Tartu), and two countries and two ski areas in between. Doable? Full story Alternate link March 2012, Kakisklans, Latvia; Kuutsemae, Estonia Skiing (Indoor, Outdoor, Snow)

	Moominworld Cliffs If I have to spend eight days per year in Moominland, it is clear that I need to come up with something interesting to do there. How about skiing down the President's Cliff? Fifteen meters of near vertical rock. Too bad I forgot my ice axes, because the return was even tricker. Full story Alternate link February 2012, Moominworld, Naantali, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Urban-Exploration (Amusement-Parks)

	Peuramaa II I've written about Peuramaa and its playground before. But I noticed something new. What strikes me about these visits is the darkness. Full story Alternate link February 2012, Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Out of Bounds in Les Arcs I was more worried about falling on that vertical wall than the police catching me, but both were real concerns. And then I caused an avalanche. This is a story about my four day trip to Les Arcs, France. Full story Alternate link February 2012, Les Arcs, France Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

	Palm Trees and Ski Bags To boldly go where no skier has gone before: Spain. And the really tough guys dress in ski clothes on the plane bound to Barcelona (not me). Full story Alternate link February 2012, La Molina, Catalonia, Spain Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)