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.

Skiing in the Rain
You know that old story about pots of gold at the end of a rainbow? Well, I only found some wet sheep.
Full story
Alternate link

June 2011, Galdhøpiggen, Norway
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Dog Finds Slovenia's Last Snow
Dogs that climb. Dragging skis to top of mountains on our backs. Skiing Slovenia's last traces of snow. Meeting with the guy who skied down from the seven summits.
Full story
Alternate link

May 2011, Ceska Koca hut, Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Slovenia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

Skiing Kauniainen at 3AM
May 2011. Its 3AM and I'm about to ski on the local hill in Kauniainen.
Full story
Alternate link

May 2011, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

90 Minute Ski Trip to Haarlem
This was supposed to be a two helmet ski trip, where I could do both skiing and biking. Instead, it is quickly turning into a dreaded zero helmet ski trip.
Full story
Alternate link

May 2011, Snowplanet, Haarlem, Netherlands
Skiing (Indoor, Snow)

Poland Is Melting Away
Fail. Noon, Saturday, somewhere in Poland mountains. Despite a 6am wakeup the weekend is quickly turning into a disaster.
Full story
Alternate link

April 2011, Zakopane, Poland; Strbske Pleso, Slovakia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Invasion of the Golfers
This is the end. Snow is melting, snowmaking is over, the cliffs are no longer covered by snow -- not that it prevented me from skiing them -- and the bar has run out of Pepsi Max. And the golfers are invading Peuramaa.
Full story
Alternate link

April 2011, Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Five States in 48 Hours
The 48 hour challenge: to ski in as many states as possible during 48 hours. My tour covered five states: Sundown (CT), Mad River Glen (VT), Bretton Woods (NH), Sunday River (ME), and Nashoba Valley (MA). I found some truly incredible skiing along the way. Mad River Glen: Just wow. And Nashoba Valley...
Full story
Alternate link

March 2011, Sundown, Connecticut, USA; Mad River Glen, Vermont, USA; Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA; Sunday River, Maine, USA; Nashoba Valley, Massachusetts, USA
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

The 48 hour challenge, take two
A couple of weeks ago it was northeast United States, now its eastern Europe. I have from Friday evening to Sunday evening and a car. Where could I go?
Full story
Alternate link

March 2011, Zakopane, Poland; Strbske Pleso, Slovakia
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

State of the Mission
Cullen asked me how many countries I have skied in. I now have an answer. I have skied in 5 continents, 17 countries, 29 countries or states and been to about 80 different ski areas. This season I have been to 14 different countries or states.
Full story
Alternate link

March 2011, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland; Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland; Alpincenter Bottrop, Germany; Mall of Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Levi, Kittilä, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Off-Piste Skiing in the Peuramaa Alps
Peuramaa is a full service ski area: there's a parking lot, ticket sales booth, a couple of ski lifts, and even a bar. Seriously though, they have the playground.
Full story
Alternate link

March 2011, Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Afterski

Skiing the Horny Donkey
Yesterday I skied at the Horny Donkey ski area. Well, Horni Domky. This is a small ski area in northeast Czech Republic near the border towards Poland. I was surprised that a wet, steep grass hill sticks to your skis and slows you down quite a bit. Steep is better in grass skiing then, too.
Full story
Alternate link

March 2011, Horni Domky, Czech Republic
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

Family and Off-Piste Skiing in Are
As far as I can tell, Are is the best family ski resort on the planet.
Full story
Alternate link

March 2011, Are, Sweden
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal, Steam); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)

Mad About Mad River Glen
I had heard the stories about Mad River Glen, but seeing is believing. Their slogan is "Ski it if you can". The 700 meters of vertical on the icy bumps of the "Chute" crushed my belief in my skiing abilities and sent me skiing blue runs.
Full story
Alternate link

March 2011, Mad River Glen, Vermont, USA
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

The 48 hour challenge
How many states can you ski in during 48 hours? I'm about to find out...
Full story
Alternate link

February 2011, Mt. Ashland, Oregon, USA; Mount Shasta, California, USA
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

Zillertal on the Cheap
I had forgotten how good ski destination Austria is. While the highest altitudes in Austrian resorts are generally moderate, 1600 meters of vertical is nothing to be sneezed at. In fact, that tops any ski area in Northern America. And you can ski it top to the bottom on one, consistently steep run.
Full story
Alternate link

February 2011, Zillertal, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Afterski

I am on a Mission
The mission is to ski in as many places in the world as you can. All countries where there's natural or man-made snow. In every major ski destination in the world. In at least some of the smaller places. On mountains, on hills, indoor, in winter and summer, on piste and off piste, on powder, slush, crust, and, occasionally - frequently, as my ski repair shop would say - on rocks. Going up by ski lift, on foot, on skins,crampons, cats, cars, or helicopters.
Full story
Alternate link

January 2011, Puijo, Kuopio, Finland; Treblecone, New Zealand; Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand; Valle Nevado, Chile
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

This is the 23th 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, set 20, set 21, and set 22. This is the last set.

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:

	Skiing in the Rain You know that old story about pots of gold at the end of a rainbow? Well, I only found some wet sheep. Full story Alternate link June 2011, Galdhøpiggen, Norway Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Dog Finds Slovenia's Last Snow Dogs that climb. Dragging skis to top of mountains on our backs. Skiing Slovenia's last traces of snow. Meeting with the guy who skied down from the seven summits. Full story Alternate link May 2011, Ceska Koca hut, Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Slovenia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

	Skiing Kauniainen at 3AM May 2011. Its 3AM and I'm about to ski on the local hill in Kauniainen. Full story Alternate link May 2011, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	90 Minute Ski Trip to Haarlem This was supposed to be a two helmet ski trip, where I could do both skiing and biking. Instead, it is quickly turning into a dreaded zero helmet ski trip. Full story Alternate link May 2011, Snowplanet, Haarlem, Netherlands Skiing (Indoor, Snow)

	Poland Is Melting Away Fail. Noon, Saturday, somewhere in Poland mountains. Despite a 6am wakeup the weekend is quickly turning into a disaster. Full story Alternate link April 2011, Zakopane, Poland; Strbske Pleso, Slovakia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Invasion of the Golfers This is the end. Snow is melting, snowmaking is over, the cliffs are no longer covered by snow -- not that it prevented me from skiing them -- and the bar has run out of Pepsi Max. And the golfers are invading Peuramaa. Full story Alternate link April 2011, Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Five States in 48 Hours The 48 hour challenge: to ski in as many states as possible during 48 hours. My tour covered five states: Sundown (CT), Mad River Glen (VT), Bretton Woods (NH), Sunday River (ME), and Nashoba Valley (MA). I found some truly incredible skiing along the way. Mad River Glen: Just wow. And Nashoba Valley... Full story Alternate link March 2011, Sundown, Connecticut, USA; Mad River Glen, Vermont, USA; Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA; Sunday River, Maine, USA; Nashoba Valley, Massachusetts, USA Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	The 48 hour challenge, take two A couple of weeks ago it was northeast United States, now its eastern Europe. I have from Friday evening to Sunday evening and a car. Where could I go? Full story Alternate link March 2011, Zakopane, Poland; Strbske Pleso, Slovakia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	State of the Mission Cullen asked me how many countries I have skied in. I now have an answer. I have skied in 5 continents, 17 countries, 29 countries or states and been to about 80 different ski areas. This season I have been to 14 different countries or states. Full story Alternate link March 2011, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland; Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland; Alpincenter Bottrop, Germany; Mall of Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Levi, Kittilä, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Off-Piste Skiing in the Peuramaa Alps Peuramaa is a full service ski area: there's a parking lot, ticket sales booth, a couple of ski lifts, and even a bar. Seriously though, they have the playground. Full story Alternate link March 2011, Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Afterski

	Skiing the Horny Donkey Yesterday I skied at the Horny Donkey ski area. Well, Horni Domky. This is a small ski area in northeast Czech Republic near the border towards Poland. I was surprised that a wet, steep grass hill sticks to your skis and slows you down quite a bit. Steep is better in grass skiing then, too. Full story Alternate link March 2011, Horni Domky, Czech Republic Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	Family and Off-Piste Skiing in Are As far as I can tell, Are is the best family ski resort on the planet. Full story Alternate link March 2011, Are, Sweden Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal, Steam); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)

	Mad About Mad River Glen I had heard the stories about Mad River Glen, but seeing is believing. Their slogan is "Ski it if you can". The 700 meters of vertical on the icy bumps of the "Chute" crushed my belief in my skiing abilities and sent me skiing blue runs. Full story Alternate link March 2011, Mad River Glen, Vermont, USA Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)

	The 48 hour challenge How many states can you ski in during 48 hours? I'm about to find out... Full story Alternate link February 2011, Mt. Ashland, Oregon, USA; Mount Shasta, California, USA Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain)

	Zillertal on the Cheap I had forgotten how good ski destination Austria is. While the highest altitudes in Austrian resorts are generally moderate, 1600 meters of vertical is nothing to be sneezed at. In fact, that tops any ski area in Northern America. And you can ski it top to the bottom on one, consistently steep run. Full story Alternate link February 2011, Zillertal, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Afterski

	I am on a Mission The mission is to ski in as many places in the world as you can. All countries where there's natural or man-made snow. In every major ski destination in the world. In at least some of the smaller places. On mountains, on hills, indoor, in winter and summer, on piste and off piste, on powder, slush, crust, and, occasionally - frequently, as my ski repair shop would say - on rocks. Going up by ski lift, on foot, on skins,crampons, cats, cars, or helicopters. Full story Alternate link January 2011, Puijo, Kuopio, Finland; Treblecone, New Zealand; Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand; Valle Nevado, Chile Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)