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.

Santa Claus skiing
Time for the traditional Xmas eve ski run. Maybe the best one ever was on the steps of the cathedral in Helsinki, but skiing my local hill in Santa Claus costume and a bag of presents was also nice!
Full story
(TGR version)

December 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

More ski training for the twins
I just love the colours of night skiing. And in Finland, we only have night skiing, because usually there's either no light or very little light. And I also love taking my sister's twins for skiing, this time in Talma, Sipoo's great ski resort, 30 minutes outside Helsinki.
Full story

December 2021, Talma Ski, Talma, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

First fall of the season!
My first time this season on the Kauniainen ski hill. With my crappy, duct taped skis because, well, no need for the better skis in potentially rocky conditions. But the conditions were not rocky. It -8, solid ice blown from the new "snow" machines, probably meter or two thick at places. My skis did not have the edges to stick to the ice, so I fell... and fell further... and further. Had even difficulties to get back up to fetch the pole I left in mid-slope :-)
Full story
(TGR version)

November 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

First time in movies again!
October 2021 -- my first time in movies since the beginning of the pandemic. I joined the Banff Mountain Movie Festival in Helsinki, with many interesting ski and other adventure movies.
Full story

October 2021, Savoy Theater, Helsinki, Finland
Skiing (None, Social, Media)

Namco's Alpine Racer
I visited Tampere's game museum -- maybe the best museum of this kind that I've seen anywhere. Many. interesting things, displayed and playable in the setting of the time. But for me the jewel of the museum was Namco's Alpine Racer arcade game. I wish I had one at home...
Full story
(TGR version)

October 2021, Suomen pelimuseo, Vapriikki, Tampere, Finland
Skiing (None, Media)

It's dark, we're wearing sunglasses, and ski season just opened
It is pitch dark. Raining heavily. The whole place is closed. But I'm on a mission, so I grab my skis and walk to the bottom of the hill in my boots, as there's a rumour that there's some snow in the hill. And when I get to the bottom, what I find is a group of teenagers with just a couple of flashlights -- skiing, jumping the jumps, riding the pipes and rails. Wonderful!
Full story
(TGR version)

October 2021, Hyvinkään Sveitsin hiihtokeskus, Hyvinkää, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

Swinghill Season's Opening
It is snowing in Swinghill, the lift is running, and I opened the season. Cool.
Full story
(TGR version)

September 2021, Swinghill, Espoo, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Birthday trip, full of fun!
How much fun can you pack into one birthday trip? I started with a drink ... non-alcoholic, of course. And then things starting going faster after that: a sauna at the Oberstegen, continued with skiing on the Hintertux Glacier, went for a SUP paddling tour in an ice cave river under that glacier, and ended up climbing to the Grafenloch and Rossstall caves, and doing a 3D model of them. Not bad, and that was just the first day! Maybe for my next birthday I'll try to come with an active program.
Full story
(TGR version)

September 2021, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria; Hintertuxer Gletscher Eispalast, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria; Grafenloch, Oberaudorf, Germany; Rossstall, Oberaudorf, Germany; Gasthof Oberstegen, Stockach, Söll, Austria; Gasthof Oberstegen, Stockach, Söll, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Basic, Boating, Surveying, Ice); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Surveying); Hiking; Sauna (Normal, Infrared); Travel

Bus parking
So this is where the busses are parked in the summer...?
Full story

August 2021, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria
Skiing (None)

This is better skiing than last week
Last week I skied on my own yard, with snow carried in cardboard boxes. This week I'm skiing in Austria's glaciers. Not too shitty, as we say in Finland!
Full story
(TGR version)

August 2021, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

July skiing done at the last moment
This month's skiing - check. Falling & road rash - check. Edges didn't work so well on rock.
Full story
(TGR version)

July 2021, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

June and the Grani hill is still going strong
It is June 6th, and Grani ski hill *still* has snow! Thanks go to the ski hill maintenance team who made and piled a lot of snow during the season.
Full story
(TGR version)

June 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

Kauniainen is melting!
Kauniainen ski hill is melting! Just a few days ago it was almost completely skiable, but now... just two plots of snow left.
Full story
(TGR version)

May 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

Vihti. And then the car breaks down.
Clutch failure. Stranded in Vihti... waiting for the call from towing company ...
Full story
(TGR version)

March 2021, Vihti ski, Vihti, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Car

Serena at the quiet hour
Today's outing was in Serena, a small commercial ski hill in northern Espoo. Serena combines skiing with summer activities from downhill cars to tree climbing routes, and one of the largest spas in Finland. It has been very popular... the Corona times have hit it as well, however. Nevertheless, skiing was great.
Full story
(TGR version)

March 2021, Serena, Espoo, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Yet Another Abandoned Ski Area
While looking for ski areas I could go ski at, I came across a nearby ski hill that I had not even heard about: Klaukkala's Tornikeskus, or Tower Hill. Unfortunately, they just closed permanently. That doesn't mean I couldn't go ski there, of course :-)
Full story
(TGR version)

March 2021, Tornikeskus, Klaukkala, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

This is the 6th set of articles. The previous sets were set 1, set 2, set 3, set 4, and set 5. The next sets are 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, 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:

	Santa Claus skiing Time for the traditional Xmas eve ski run. Maybe the best one ever was on the steps of the cathedral in Helsinki, but skiing my local hill in Santa Claus costume and a bag of presents was also nice! Full story (TGR version) December 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

	More ski training for the twins I just love the colours of night skiing. And in Finland, we only have night skiing, because usually there's either no light or very little light. And I also love taking my sister's twins for skiing, this time in Talma, Sipoo's great ski resort, 30 minutes outside Helsinki. Full story December 2021, Talma Ski, Talma, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	First fall of the season! My first time this season on the Kauniainen ski hill. With my crappy, duct taped skis because, well, no need for the better skis in potentially rocky conditions. But the conditions were not rocky. It -8, solid ice blown from the new "snow" machines, probably meter or two thick at places. My skis did not have the edges to stick to the ice, so I fell... and fell further... and further. Had even difficulties to get back up to fetch the pole I left in mid-slope :-) Full story (TGR version) November 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

	First time in movies again! October 2021 -- my first time in movies since the beginning of the pandemic. I joined the Banff Mountain Movie Festival in Helsinki, with many interesting ski and other adventure movies. Full story October 2021, Savoy Theater, Helsinki, Finland Skiing (None, Social, Media)

	Namco's Alpine Racer I visited Tampere's game museum -- maybe the best museum of this kind that I've seen anywhere. Many. interesting things, displayed and playable in the setting of the time. But for me the jewel of the museum was Namco's Alpine Racer arcade game. I wish I had one at home... Full story (TGR version) October 2021, Suomen pelimuseo, Vapriikki, Tampere, Finland Skiing (None, Media)

	It's dark, we're wearing sunglasses, and ski season just opened It is pitch dark. Raining heavily. The whole place is closed. But I'm on a mission, so I grab my skis and walk to the bottom of the hill in my boots, as there's a rumour that there's some snow in the hill. And when I get to the bottom, what I find is a group of teenagers with just a couple of flashlights -- skiing, jumping the jumps, riding the pipes and rails. Wonderful! Full story (TGR version) October 2021, Hyvinkään Sveitsin hiihtokeskus, Hyvinkää, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

	Swinghill Season's Opening It is snowing in Swinghill, the lift is running, and I opened the season. Cool. Full story (TGR version) September 2021, Swinghill, Espoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Birthday trip, full of fun! How much fun can you pack into one birthday trip? I started with a drink ... non-alcoholic, of course. And then things starting going faster after that: a sauna at the Oberstegen, continued with skiing on the Hintertux Glacier, went for a SUP paddling tour in an ice cave river under that glacier, and ended up climbing to the Grafenloch and Rossstall caves, and doing a 3D model of them. Not bad, and that was just the first day! Maybe for my next birthday I'll try to come with an active program. Full story (TGR version) September 2021, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria; Hintertuxer Gletscher Eispalast, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria; Grafenloch, Oberaudorf, Germany; Rossstall, Oberaudorf, Germany; Gasthof Oberstegen, Stockach, Söll, Austria; Gasthof Oberstegen, Stockach, Söll, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Basic, Boating, Surveying, Ice); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Surveying); Hiking; Sauna (Normal, Infrared); Travel

	Bus parking So this is where the busses are parked in the summer...? Full story August 2021, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria Skiing (None)

	This is better skiing than last week Last week I skied on my own yard, with snow carried in cardboard boxes. This week I'm skiing in Austria's glaciers. Not too shitty, as we say in Finland! Full story (TGR version) August 2021, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	July skiing done at the last moment This month's skiing - check. Falling & road rash - check. Edges didn't work so well on rock. Full story (TGR version) July 2021, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

	June and the Grani hill is still going strong It is June 6th, and Grani ski hill still has snow! Thanks go to the ski hill maintenance team who made and piled a lot of snow during the season. Full story (TGR version) June 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

	Kauniainen is melting! Kauniainen ski hill is melting! Just a few days ago it was almost completely skiable, but now... just two plots of snow left. Full story (TGR version) May 2021, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)

	Vihti. And then the car breaks down. Clutch failure. Stranded in Vihti... waiting for the call from towing company ... Full story (TGR version) March 2021, Vihti ski, Vihti, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Car

	Serena at the quiet hour Today's outing was in Serena, a small commercial ski hill in northern Espoo. Serena combines skiing with summer activities from downhill cars to tree climbing routes, and one of the largest spas in Finland. It has been very popular... the Corona times have hit it as well, however. Nevertheless, skiing was great. Full story (TGR version) March 2021, Serena, Espoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Yet Another Abandoned Ski Area While looking for ski areas I could go ski at, I came across a nearby ski hill that I had not even heard about: Klaukkala's Tornikeskus, or Tower Hill. Unfortunately, they just closed permanently. That doesn't mean I couldn't go ski there, of course :-) Full story (TGR version) March 2021, Tornikeskus, Klaukkala, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking)