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.

Mt. Buller
An hour and a half. Australia is a big country, and we were on our way from the big ski areas of New South Wales to the airport in Melbourne. We only had an hour and a half to explore skiing in Victoria. I'm glad we made the stop though.
Full story

October 2013, Mt. Buller, Victoria, Australia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Athens
The noise does NOT come from grandma moving on crutches, as a passerby suggested. My skis and poles are just noisy on the concrete. I realize that it is an impropable material to ski on, but it is what I have. The view to the brightly lit Parthenon temple and the Acropolis in front of me make up for the lack of powder snow. Skiing in Athens!
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)

October 2013, Mt. Lycabettus, Athens, Greece
Skiing (Outdoor, Asphalt)

Uruguay
The emergency snow pack is still at -66 degrees. GPS says that I am at the right spot. I have miniskis on my feet. Everything is ready for the first descent of Uruguay's highest mountain. But first I need to bring on the winter.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)
(Svenskt version)

October 2013, Cerro Catedral, Uruguay
Skiing (Outdoor, Imported-Snow)

Tourist in Beijing
A few free hours appeared in my schedule, so I wanted to become a tourist. And do all the usual things tourists do here in Beijing. Like going to the sauna or skiing.
Full story
(Suomenkielinen versio)
(Svenskt version)

September 2013, Qiaobo, Beijing, China
Skiing (Indoor, Snow); Sauna (Normal)

Count
A friend asked what countries I have skied in. Since I have not counted in a while, it is time for a status report.
Full story

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

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)

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, set 22, and set 23.

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:

	Mt. Buller An hour and a half. Australia is a big country, and we were on our way from the big ski areas of New South Wales to the airport in Melbourne. We only had an hour and a half to explore skiing in Victoria. I'm glad we made the stop though. Full story October 2013, Mt. Buller, Victoria, Australia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Athens The noise does NOT come from grandma moving on crutches, as a passerby suggested. My skis and poles are just noisy on the concrete. I realize that it is an impropable material to ski on, but it is what I have. The view to the brightly lit Parthenon temple and the Acropolis in front of me make up for the lack of powder snow. Skiing in Athens! Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) October 2013, Mt. Lycabettus, Athens, Greece Skiing (Outdoor, Asphalt)

	Uruguay The emergency snow pack is still at -66 degrees. GPS says that I am at the right spot. I have miniskis on my feet. Everything is ready for the first descent of Uruguay's highest mountain. But first I need to bring on the winter. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) (Svenskt version) October 2013, Cerro Catedral, Uruguay Skiing (Outdoor, Imported-Snow)

	Tourist in Beijing A few free hours appeared in my schedule, so I wanted to become a tourist. And do all the usual things tourists do here in Beijing. Like going to the sauna or skiing. Full story (Suomenkielinen versio) (Svenskt version) September 2013, Qiaobo, Beijing, China Skiing (Indoor, Snow); Sauna (Normal)

	Count A friend asked what countries I have skied in. Since I have not counted in a while, it is time for a status report. Full story August 2013, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	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)