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.

March Swinghill Madness
My March was super busy at work, and I was also away for extended part of the month. I had to put in my March skiing in early. A Saturday with decent weather seemed like what I should do. I opted for going to Swinghill in Nuuksio, a small but nice hill. The visit turned out to be really nice. The restaurant was booked for some private event, so no snacks for me. But there was a fire in the fire pit outside, which I loved.
Full story

March 2023, Swinghill, Espoo, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

More Yokohama Forever Snow
I've been here before. But now I was again in Yokohama for conference, and also had some friends eager to go skiing. After our meetings were over in Friday evening, Dan, Tero, and me got into a taxi and headed to Snova Shin Yokohama.
Full story

March 2023, Snova Shin-Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan
Skiing (Indoor, Snow)

I love the smell of ...
... ski boots in the morning.
Full story

February 2023, Helsinki-Vantaa, Vantaa, Finland
Skiing (None); Travel; Flying

Kalavrita Highest vertical ski resort in Greece
Greece: I have always pictured it as a land of sunshine, warm beaches, and white sand. I clearly had no idea. It is those things, too, particularly in the summer. But in the winter it is surprisingly cold, has a lot of mountainous areas, and yes, IT HAS SNOW AND SKI RESORTS! I tried two of them in February 2023...
Full story

February 2023, Kalavrita Ski Resort, Kalavrita, Greece
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Grani, WTF?
Apparently, there's "no winter maintenance" at the Grani ski hill in Kauniainen. Weird. But ok...
Full story

February 2023, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Skiing the Mount Parnassus
Early morning by the olive trees. Too early, but I have a long drive, 3-4 hours from my hotel to Mount Parnassus, a premier ski resort in Greece. It is perhaps the resort that is known, if anyone has heard of any. A quite magnificent ski resort, I think. Slightly lover than the other one that I visited, Kalavrita, but with more slopes, lifts, and because Mount Parnassus stands alone (prominence: 1,590 m) it feels a much bigger mountain. There is a vast area of snow up there, and only tiny fraction of it is in the ski resort. This would be a wonderful place to do so ski touring!
Full story
(TGR version)

February 2023, Parnassos Ski Centre, Polidrosos, Greece
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

2x ski maintenance, please!
Ski maintenance needed. Make that double! (And maybe on the rocks?)
Full story

January 2023, Ski Service, Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki, Finland
Skiing (None, Equipment)

Rain, darkness, and wind GREAT Zakopane ski experience!
Their official name is Koziniec-Ski Sp. z o.o. Czarna Góra - Stacja Narciarska, but I have no idea what any of that means. But they appeared with their lights and ski lifts on from the wet darkness of miserable drive through rain and sleet as we were nearing Zakopane on our return trip from Slovakia. And I needed to ski properly in Poland. In 2011 I was on a through trip and managed to hike up a closed ski hill. Nice, but now I when had an opportunity to ski on an actual open and lit ski slope, I needed to take it!
Full story

January 2023, Koziniec Ski Stacja Narciarska, Nadwodnia, Czarna Góra, Poland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

LEGO snow cat
Want.
Full story

January 2023, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (None, Equipment)

Tatranska Lomnica
Foggy day. At the top, at least. No matter. Let's ski.
Full story
(TGR version)

January 2023, Tatranska Lomnica, Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Jasná Nízke Tatry - Chopok
Our second day of skiing in Slovakia was on Jasná Nízke Tatry, also called Chopok. Chopok is the name of the 2024 meter peak by the highest lift station, few meters lower at 2004 meters. I did climb to the peak as well, going up was easy but coming down was treacherous as it was quite icy. And speaking of ice ... I think either my skis were a bit off sharpness, or the slopes were extremely ice. Actually maybe both. It was difficult to control speed on the steep black runs from the top.
Full story
(TGR version)

January 2023, Jasná Nízke Tatry - Chopok ski area, Demänovská Dolina, Slovakia; Chopok, Horná Lehota, Slovakia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

December snow at Vihti
While my car was broken again (long story...) I got a ride from a friend to visit Vihti ski center again. I started my Finnish ski season here in November, but it seems that I'm skiing here again in December. No complaints, it is a great place to ski in. And the snowmageddon in southern Finland has laid plenty of nice powdery stuff on the hill.
Full story

December 2022, Vihti ski, Vihti, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

London skiing. On a side of a building.
One thing you do not expect when strolling in London is a huge mural on the side of a building, depicting skiing and ski lifts. Well done, South Kensington!
Full story

November 2022, Reece Mews Ski Mural, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
Skiing (None, Media)

Season is on again! Only six months break in Vihti and Hyvinkää
I opened my official Finnish ski season on 16th of November in Vihti. Vihti actually opened already on the 14th and Hyvinkää had already had sessions from October 24th. The last seasons ended on May 10th in Vihti and May 9th in Hyvinkää, so only 5.5 - 6 months summer break! Well done!
Full story
(TGR version)

November 2022, Vihti ski, Vihti, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

October turns at the x-country ski hall
The city of Helsinki maintains a previously commercial Kivikko indoor ski hall. It has been scheduled for closing, however, due to rising energy costs and small number of users. Hopefully that decision can be turned! But. It is an *x-country* ski hall, how can one enjoy it for downhill skiing? To begin with, I was wondering if I'd be allowed in with my ski boots and alpine skis. But no one batted an eyelid... and I put them in touring mode, which made progress on the track nice. And then .. there is about a 4-5 meter slope along the track... I switched to "skating" mode and side of the track... voilà!
Full story
(TGR version)

October 2022, Kivikon hiihtohalli, Helsinki, Finland
Skiing (Indoor)

Taking the chairlift to September runs
I try to ski every month and September is always a difficult one. Today’s run was short, but with full service.
Full story
(TGR version)

September 2022, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

This is the 4th set of articles. The previous sets were set 1, set 2, and set 3. The next sets are 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, 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:

	March Swinghill Madness My March was super busy at work, and I was also away for extended part of the month. I had to put in my March skiing in early. A Saturday with decent weather seemed like what I should do. I opted for going to Swinghill in Nuuksio, a small but nice hill. The visit turned out to be really nice. The restaurant was booked for some private event, so no snacks for me. But there was a fire in the fire pit outside, which I loved. Full story March 2023, Swinghill, Espoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	More Yokohama Forever Snow I've been here before. But now I was again in Yokohama for conference, and also had some friends eager to go skiing. After our meetings were over in Friday evening, Dan, Tero, and me got into a taxi and headed to Snova Shin Yokohama. Full story March 2023, Snova Shin-Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan Skiing (Indoor, Snow)

	I love the smell of ... ... ski boots in the morning. Full story February 2023, Helsinki-Vantaa, Vantaa, Finland Skiing (None); Travel; Flying

	Kalavrita Highest vertical ski resort in Greece Greece: I have always pictured it as a land of sunshine, warm beaches, and white sand. I clearly had no idea. It is those things, too, particularly in the summer. But in the winter it is surprisingly cold, has a lot of mountainous areas, and yes, IT HAS SNOW AND SKI RESORTS! I tried two of them in February 2023... Full story February 2023, Kalavrita Ski Resort, Kalavrita, Greece Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Grani, WTF? Apparently, there's "no winter maintenance" at the Grani ski hill in Kauniainen. Weird. But ok... Full story February 2023, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Skiing the Mount Parnassus Early morning by the olive trees. Too early, but I have a long drive, 3-4 hours from my hotel to Mount Parnassus, a premier ski resort in Greece. It is perhaps the resort that is known, if anyone has heard of any. A quite magnificent ski resort, I think. Slightly lover than the other one that I visited, Kalavrita, but with more slopes, lifts, and because Mount Parnassus stands alone (prominence: 1,590 m) it feels a much bigger mountain. There is a vast area of snow up there, and only tiny fraction of it is in the ski resort. This would be a wonderful place to do so ski touring! Full story (TGR version) February 2023, Parnassos Ski Centre, Polidrosos, Greece Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	2x ski maintenance, please! Ski maintenance needed. Make that double! (And maybe on the rocks?) Full story January 2023, Ski Service, Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki, Finland Skiing (None, Equipment)

	Rain, darkness, and wind GREAT Zakopane ski experience! Their official name is Koziniec-Ski Sp. z o.o. Czarna Góra - Stacja Narciarska, but I have no idea what any of that means. But they appeared with their lights and ski lifts on from the wet darkness of miserable drive through rain and sleet as we were nearing Zakopane on our return trip from Slovakia. And I needed to ski properly in Poland. In 2011 I was on a through trip and managed to hike up a closed ski hill. Nice, but now I when had an opportunity to ski on an actual open and lit ski slope, I needed to take it! Full story January 2023, Koziniec Ski Stacja Narciarska, Nadwodnia, Czarna Góra, Poland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	LEGO snow cat Want. Full story January 2023, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (None, Equipment)

	Tatranska Lomnica Foggy day. At the top, at least. No matter. Let's ski. Full story (TGR version) January 2023, Tatranska Lomnica, Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Jasná Nízke Tatry - Chopok Our second day of skiing in Slovakia was on Jasná Nízke Tatry, also called Chopok. Chopok is the name of the 2024 meter peak by the highest lift station, few meters lower at 2004 meters. I did climb to the peak as well, going up was easy but coming down was treacherous as it was quite icy. And speaking of ice ... I think either my skis were a bit off sharpness, or the slopes were extremely ice. Actually maybe both. It was difficult to control speed on the steep black runs from the top. Full story (TGR version) January 2023, Jasná Nízke Tatry - Chopok ski area, Demänovská Dolina, Slovakia; Chopok, Horná Lehota, Slovakia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

	December snow at Vihti While my car was broken again (long story...) I got a ride from a friend to visit Vihti ski center again. I started my Finnish ski season here in November, but it seems that I'm skiing here again in December. No complaints, it is a great place to ski in. And the snowmageddon in southern Finland has laid plenty of nice powdery stuff on the hill. Full story December 2022, Vihti ski, Vihti, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	London skiing. On a side of a building. One thing you do not expect when strolling in London is a huge mural on the side of a building, depicting skiing and ski lifts. Well done, South Kensington! Full story November 2022, Reece Mews Ski Mural, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom Skiing (None, Media)

	Season is on again! Only six months break in Vihti and Hyvinkää I opened my official Finnish ski season on 16th of November in Vihti. Vihti actually opened already on the 14th and Hyvinkää had already had sessions from October 24th. The last seasons ended on May 10th in Vihti and May 9th in Hyvinkää, so only 5.5 - 6 months summer break! Well done! Full story (TGR version) November 2022, Vihti ski, Vihti, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	October turns at the x-country ski hall The city of Helsinki maintains a previously commercial Kivikko indoor ski hall. It has been scheduled for closing, however, due to rising energy costs and small number of users. Hopefully that decision can be turned! But. It is an x-country ski hall, how can one enjoy it for downhill skiing? To begin with, I was wondering if I'd be allowed in with my ski boots and alpine skis. But no one batted an eyelid... and I put them in touring mode, which made progress on the track nice. And then .. there is about a 4-5 meter slope along the track... I switched to "skating" mode and side of the track... voilà! Full story (TGR version) October 2022, Kivikon hiihtohalli, Helsinki, Finland Skiing (Indoor)

	Taking the chairlift to September runs I try to ski every month and September is always a difficult one. Today’s run was short, but with full service. Full story (TGR version) September 2022, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)