"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 here:
This web page lists some of the recent and most popular blog entries below. A full list of all skiing-related articles in chronological order can be found here (and all articles regardless of topic here). here is also a list of services "approved by the Planetskier". The Planetskier has skied in 70 countries (58 outdoors on snow, 6 of the remaining indoors on snow, and 5 on some other material) in 340 places. The world map below shows these places:
See also the Planetskier blog articles about caving, urban exploration, climbing, cycling, flying, swimming, and saunas.
| Flottsbrobacken Quick stop at Flottsbro ski hill south of Stockholm before heading to the airport and back home. End of a busy week with demos etc. in Kista. Nice ski moment, but a bit bittersweet as I kept remembering a recently lost local friend who I knew also loved to ski … Full story Alternate link February 2026, Flottsbrobacken, Huddinge, Sweden Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Purnu Day trip to Prune ski hill (Hiihtokeskus Purnu), a medium-sized ski hill south of Jyväskylä. Wonderful winter day and light! Trees with snow cover were amazing. It was a great ski mountain too. This was my first trip with the fixed Volvo, it faired well, no breakages. On the way back I stopped at the Vierumäki sports academy swimming hall, which was also a nice experience. I thought it would have been crowded on a weekend, but by seven pm it was more or less empty. Full story Alternate link February 2026, Hiihtokeskus Purnu, Hartola, Finland; Vierumäen uimahalli, Vierumäki, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal) | |
| National Alpine Skiing Day Celebrations To celebrate today’s National Alpine Skiing Day, I did a tour of four ski resorts that I have not been to: Ellivuori in Sastamala, Hiitteenharju in Harjavalta, Ruosniemi in Pori, and Salomonkallio hill at the Nakkila Golf resort in Nakkila. It took two days though 🙂The resorts are between Pori and Tampere, a cornerof Finland that I haven’t spent much time in. Full story Alternate link January 2026, Ellivuoren hiihtokeskus, Sastamala, Finland; Hiitteenharjun hiihtokeskus, Harjavalta, Finland; Rantakartano, Pori, Finland; Ruosniemen hiihtokeskus, Pori, Finland; Salomonkallion hiihtokeskus, Nakkila Golf, Nakkila, Finland; Harjavallan uimahalli, Harjavalta, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool); Sauna (Normal); Car | |
| First day, first ski resort This is the first day of the year, and I am at my first ski resort. Not just the first of the year, but my actual first ski resort that I skied at age 7 ... or 8, can't quite remember. In any case, a few years ago. A few decades ago... five. Uh. Anyway, a really nice experience once again. And a very nice local ski hill that trains little kids to ski and to race, like it did back when I was here the last time. Wonderful. Full story Alternate link January 2026, Kokonniemen hiihtokeskus, Porvoo, Finland; Kokonniemen tykkiaseman rauniot, Porvoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Urban-Exploration (Ruins, Military) | |
| Sitting is believing Another day, another swimming hall :-) This time I went to Kärkölä's swimming hall -- mostly because I had not been there, and it was close-ish to my previous stop at Talma Ski. Full story Alternate link January 2026, Talma Ski, Talma, Sipoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Day trip to Tallinn snow, caves, and water I'm collecting things. Or rather experiences. Or visits to places. Ski resorts, swimming halls, caves... preferably as many as possible. Could I do a one day trip to Tallinn for some of the closest ski hills, caves, and spas that I had not yet visited? How many could I do in one day? Full story Alternate link January 2026, Vimka - Viimsi Mäepark, Lubja, Viimsi, Estonia; Nõmme Lumepark, Mustamäe, Tallinn, Estonia; Viimsi Koobas, Lubja, Viimsi, Estonia; Naage Koopad, Naage, Estonia; Elamus Spa, Tallinn, Estonia Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Basic, Man-Made, Rock, Surveying); Urban-Exploration (Tunnels); Caving (Basic, Rock, Surveying); Swimming (Water, Waterbody-Pool, Indoor); Sauna (Normal, Steam) | |
| Singapore Skiing. Finally. I've been trying to do this for almost six years. Obviously, it is not easy to find skiing in Singapore. I've been forbidden to ski when there was snow, arrived right after a skiing place had bankrupted, found alternative skiing on off-limits sand, and hidden in despair in caves and abandoned bunkers. But Sport Quest to the rescue! Today I finally managed to ski in Singapore with the help of Sport Quest's indoor facilities at the Snow City. Snow, ice, cold, and on skis. Wonderful! Full story Alternate link November 2019, Snow City, Singapore, Singapore Skiing (Indoor) | |
| So close, yet so far I saw snow today! Outside the Leppävaara skating rink... behind bars. What did that snow do, and why is it locked up, and we're not allowed to play? Full story Alternate link April 2019, Leppävaaran jäähalli, Espoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Tokyo commute. With skis. I only have an evening, not enough to take a Shinkansen to the real mountains. But I do have time to visit yet another Tokyo indoor ski place. This time, the Snova Mizonokuchi! It was fun to ride through downtown Tokyo with my skis and boots, through the train system. Full story Alternate link January 2019, Snova Mizonokuchi, Kawasaki, Tokyo, Japan Skiing (Indoor) | |
| Slow start to the season Hahnenkamm The season's first run on the Streif, the famous downhill run from the Hahnenkamm. Why first? Because it was partly on grass... Full story Alternate link November 2018, Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Black Snow. Again. I was again at Hintertux for summer skiing, at the low point of the yearly snow cycle. The glaciers were dark... black even. Full story Alternate link August 2018, Hintertux, Zillertal, Austria Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Canadian Heatwave Snow I had a great Sunday, starting with work work work, with some progress I think, then went skiing, and finally returned to have a nice sauna and a swim at the hotel. And afterwards met some fun new Argentinians from my meeting at a late reception. Full story Alternate link July 2018, Mont Saint-Sauveur Versant Avila, Quebec, Canada 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 Alternate link April 2013, Germundo Alpin, Aland, Finland; Hotel Savoy, Maarianhamina, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal) | |
| Seasons in Kauniainen My local hill may soon be opening, as they predicted over a foot of snow today. It has not yet arrived, but lets hope it will. Anyone want to join for a pre-season ski run this evening? Bring your old skis... could be grassy or even rocky. Full story Alternate link November 2012, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Skiing (Outdoor, Grass) | |
| Two Feet High We went to Matinkylä, southern Espoo today. One of the largest shopping malls in Finland, Iso Omena ("Big Apple") is located in Matinkylä. But they are also known as the site of M2, a mountain with icy slopes even in the middle of the summer. The steep slopes of M2 rise a whopping two feet above the surrounding landscape, scaring skiers and mountaineers alike. Indeed, very few climbers have climbed it. Full story Alternate link June 2012, Matinkyla, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Imported-Snow); Urban-Exploration (Skating-Rinks) | |
| Carrying Skis to 17,000 ft I don't know where to start. Skiing at 17,000 ft? Ice climbing? A night in a tent at 5 kilometers? No acclimatization? The close call with tragedy? Full story Alternate link May 2012, Tarija Peak, Cordillera Real, Bolivia Climbing (Mountain, Ice); Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Hiking) |
Skiing at 17,000 ft in Bolivia from The Planetskier on Vimeo. |
| 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) | |
| Africa. Snow. AK-47s. I'm glad to be back home in Finland. It was so damn cold in Africa! Full story Alternate link August 2011, Afriski, Lesotho Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Urban-Exploration (Ruins) | |