"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 347 places. The world map below shows these places:
See also the Planetskier blog articles about caving, urban exploration, climbing, cycling, flying, swimming, and saunas.
| Last day of lift-assisted skiing in Southern Finland On April 3 I was wondering if I'd done my last lift-assisted turns in Southern Finland. But no, they were done today on April 12, at Vihti Ski. I was on the tail end of a flu, so only showed up half an hour before they would close (at 12!) and was one the last lifts up. Wonderful skiing though. Full story Alternate link April 2026, Vihti ski, Vihti, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Last lift-serviced skiing in the Helsinki region this spring? Could this be the last lift-serviced skiing in the Helsinki region for me this season? Most ski resorts, such as Swinghill or Kauniainen have already closed... Vihti and Hyvinkää are still going, but not on all days, so today I chose to go to Serena instead of further away Vihti. And I'm away next few days, so when I come back, there may not be anything else than hiking left. But hiking up is always good! Let the season be long :-) Full story Alternate link April 2026, Serena, Espoo, Finland Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Port Ainé and Espot Esquí I've already been to multiple ski resorts in this corner of the world, in Andorra, and also here on the Spanish side: Port del Comte, La Molina. But now I had an opportunity to take a day and a half off after my meetings in Barcelona, could I score some more ski resorts? Full story Alternate link March 2026, Port Ainé, Rialp, Spain; Espot Esquí, Espot, Spain Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts) | |
| Qianhai Snow World - Largest indoor ski hall in the world Wow. It is new, just opened four months ago. I knew there was an indoor ski place in Shenzhen where I was traveling for a conference, but I did not know that they would have the world's largest indoor ski hall. Now I *had* to find an evening to visit it. Full story Alternate link March 2026, Qianhai Snow World, Shenzhen, China Skiing (Indoor) | |
| 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) | |
| Hetan Hiihtomaa Wow, a ski resort in Finland that I have not even heard of ... Hetan Hiihtomaa is a small ski resort run by the Enontekiö community, high up north. On their best day they may get only 100 skiers. Must visit some day! Full story Alternate link February 2026, Hetan Hiihtomaa, Enontekiö, Finland Skiing (None) | |
| 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) | |