First trip to the alps after the pandemic - summer skiing in Hintertux

Summer 2020. This was the first flight after the pandemic. Even to the birthplace of the initial spreading of the disease: the Austrian alps. But no crowded after-ski this time... just masks, solitary skiing ... but how wonderful was that skiing! Hintertux is a long-time favorite and the skiing is just superb. Also pretty much the only place to ski in the summer in Europe, either here or in Zermatt.

Up top, chilling out above the Hintertuxer Gletcher slopes. Very sunny, very nice, great snow. At least in the morning and outside the slopes.

Below, masked up and going up :-)

The wonderful green valley of Hintertux and Zillertal:

Slopes:

Summer views:

Some of the other experiences from this trip included the Tuusula pond swim, Tegernsee swim, Weitentalbach swim, Tuxbach swim, Berghotel sauna, and Achensee swim. I also wrote about the flight itself.

This article has also been published here. See more Planetskier stories from Blogspot, and Planetskier.net. Photos, videos, and text (c) 2020 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved.

Colors of Switzer...Hyvinkää

These are some of the first official runs of the season, in Hyvinkää's Sveitsin Hiihtokeskus. Very nice, I loved the evening colors in snow-falling weather. Well done!

This article has also been published here. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot. Photos, videos, and text (c) 2022 by Jari Arkko.

Kallin hiihtokeskus

On our drive back from the Lapland's mega ski resorts, Tero and I stopped at the Kallin Hiihtokeskus, the Kalli ski center. This is a small ski resort in Keminmaa.

Small but vibrant! Lots of kids on the jumps, etc. Nice.

The official ski area home page is here. They have 50 meters of vertical, four runs, ski school, cafeteria, etc.

This article has also been published here. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot. Photos, videos, and text (c) 2022 by Jari Arkko.

May melt at Hyvinkää's Switzerland

It is May, but Hyvinkää's "Switzerland" ski resort is still going. Signs of melt are there, however... but a lot of fun in the sunshine!

The funny thing is that they advertised Hyvinkää's opening times... with some days not open because "we have to cut grass somewhere" or "today we will install a pier on our summer cottage". Fortunately, they were open on May 2nd when I was there...

Very interesting views and slope colors:

The guns have gone silent. Time for summer:

This article has also been published here. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot. Photos, videos, and text (c) 2022 by Jari Arkko.

It's a turn! Really!

Midsummer is difficult time for finding snow. Going through the local skating rinks, only one of them had excess snow, and that was just a tiny bit. But I can always pour drink ice cubes on my yard and ski them, right? I think it counts, because technically, the skis were on ice, and there was a turn. Or at least I claim it was a turn.

Video:

Photos:

And here's the Leppävaara ice skating hall's yard... not much of a mountain to ski on?

This article has also been published here. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot, TGR. Photos, videos, and text (c) 2023 by Jari Arkko.

Sunny skiing at the Talma Glacier and Sherwood Forest

It was a sunny day, there were hammocks... and great skiing! Both in a running ski area (Sipoo's Talma) and one that had been abandoned years ago (nearby Kerava's Keinukallio).

Keinukallio is nicknamed Sherwood's forest, with a sign to prove it :-)

I remember Keinukallio ski center from my childhood (I lived nearby), but I can't remember when it closed. And can't find any information from the Internet about it. But according to this Helsingin Sanomat article, it was operating in 1990 at least. Anyone know the history?

Video:

Talma:

Keinukallio / Sherwood:

This article has also appeared here. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot. Photos, videos, and text (c) 2024 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved.

Mumbai swim

India. Business trip to New Delhi and Mumbai. Not a lot of time for other things than business... except that small excursion (alt. link) to ski during the weekend... and now a quick dip to the hotel pool and sauna after business has been done.

Great pool! Acceptable sauna.

The hotel was Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences, link to the official home page is here.

This article has also appeared here. Read tall swimming stories at planetswimmer.com and sauna articles at saunablogger.cool. Or all blog articles from Blogspot. Photos, videos, and text (c) 2011 by Jari Arkko. The pool and sauna pictures have been taken when the facility was empty.

Caver's Xmas party and Högberget visit

(Photo by Paul MacKrill)

The official year-end meeting of the Finnish Caving Association was in December, combined with the pre-Xmas party of the club. Very nice; lots to discuss, videos and photos to share. And new people to meet! Thank you Mark for hosting the event!

The next day we visited some local caves in Kirkkonummi, now that the non-Helsinki area cavers were anyway in town. We visited the Högberget cave and its side caves. The cave is near the popular Peuramaa ski and golf resort, and has convenient parking and even signage thanks to the next door horse farm.

As always, Högberget draws admiration despite its small size. At just seven meters long, it is the most famous Finnish cave thanks it is nice shapes. For some people it brings association of onions, but feel free to do your own ink blot test.

Party photos below. There were stories about mud diving in Sweden's Lummelunda cave, flamingosailing on cave lakes in France, and many other interesting things. 

Main Högberget cave:

The team in Högberget (Jari, Jarmo, Duncan, and Paul):

There are several other Högberget (boulder) caves around, some the nice rounded, worn-out forms as the main cave does. Note how happy the team is finding these few meter spaces under boulders. Some even with a through trip :-)

Previous articles about the Högberget cave here (alt. link) and here (alt. link).

This article has also been published at Planetcaver.net here. Read the full Planetskier series at planetskier.net, urban exploration stories from theurbanexplorer.net, and other underground stories from planetcaver.net, or all blog articles from Blogspot. Photos and text (c) 2025 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved. The opening photo is by Paul MacKrill.