Travel

Hello fellow ski enthusiasts, Finding myself with 2 weeks between jobs, I was unable to find a last-minute mileage ticket to europe. I was able to cash in those about-to-expire air miles for a trip to Queenstown, South Island. A great way to get a jump on northern the ski season. Only 12 hour flight from San Fran to Auckland, then another 2 hours to Queenstown and a 1 hour drive. The lodge, run now...

I’m waking up to another clear sunny day here in Falls Creek, Australia. The clink of the chair lift is just starting up; Finn Marsland’s apartment, where fellow XC Oregon skier Zach Violett and I, as well as Gaber Lah (Slovenian skier/former Archery Biathlon World champ/Austrian National Team Wax Tech) are staying, is right next to the main lift out of the village. The nordic trails are just a couple steps away as well. Temps...

For the first time since the austral winter of 2002, nordic skiing is beginning in May near Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Thanks to a few small snows and a recent huge dump, there are “at least 40 centimeters in the lowest parts, a meter in most parts,” at the Francisco Jerman Ski Area, according to local skier and Club Andino Ushuaia member, Sebastián Menci. When the same May snow happened in 2002, nordic skiing...

Recently I’ve been getting in some great skiing at one of my favorite ski areas in North America — Tahoe Donner XC near Truckee, California. With the Gold Rush marathon completed and some time before the last big races up in Fairbanks, AK, I’ve been lucky to be able to enjoy some of the best ski conditions I’ve seen all year. The past four days have each consisted of positively unbeatable, perfect ski weather (sun...

What has become known as “The Sweden Trip” is gearing up for its 7th summer training tour to Sweden and Norway. It is a lot more than the name implies, and brings special memories to alums from all across the US, from Canada, and of course from Sweden and Norway. It begins with an inspiring dry-land camp with the Solleftea Ski Gymnasium in Sweden , and the chance to work on a daily basis with...

This comes under the heading of “Last Minute Opportunities”! Burke Mountain Academy has received an invitation to compete in a race weekend in Sweden and has arranged for accommodations, and some great touring and training. Dates are April 4th through April 18th, so if you have interest we need to act fast. This trip will be small and is geared to J1/OJ, and PG skiers who may have vacation time in this period. We see...

From the Yaroslav Military Air Base we loaded into buses for the ride into Rybinsk. Compared to last year’s eight-hour marathon from Moscow to race venue, this 2.5 hour ride was a welcome respite. A lead police car escorted us through Russia’s rutted country roadways. At every city intersection military roadblocks kept us out of traffic delays. Some serious planning went into getting all the athletes from Central Europe to Rybinsk. Nice. With nightfall came...

This Saturday (12/1), I went for my first ski in Bitsevsky Park in Moscow, Russia and was pleasantly surprised. The area is on the southern outskirts of the city and is accessible by the subway system and a short bus ride. It took about 1 hour from my apartment in the city center to the trail head. The trails were well packed with decent tracks in many areas, all done by snowmobile. We received 6...

Summit Station, Greenland Snowless hometown got you down? Tired of your rollerskis, rock skis, all those pine needles in your klister? Feeling hostage to climate and geography? FasterSkier is good about showing the farther-flung elements of our sport, as well as summer and early snow options…but perhaps you can’t quite afford a trip to Silver Star or the Snow Farm? If you pursue contract work through the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs (as...

Tierra del Fuego, Argentina is having its best winter since 2002 when conditions were similar this winter’s. These photos were taken on August 15th at two points along the race course for the annual Marchablanca, held outside Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The Club Andino Ushuaia started preparing the base for this Sunday´s race last week, and has ramped up grooming for that same race which will take place at the end of this week....

This is a picture taken on August 1st or 2nd of a culvert running under Argentine National Route 3. The road on top of this culvert dead ends at the Beagle Channel just 10 or 20 miles away in the Tierra del Fuego National Park to the west of the city of Ushuaia. In the other direction, the road continues on to Alaska. You could get in your car and go skiing this weekend! During...

Soldier Hollow Roller-ski Loop Expands SOLDIER HOLLOW, Utah (July 25) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is partnering with Soldier Hollow, the 2002 Olympic cross country venue, paying most of the cost for a new roller-ski loop as part of its Center of Excellence. After only a couple of training sessions on it, U.S. cross country and nordic combined skiers are raving about the intensity and effort required to conquer the “gnarly” uphill route...

The Soldier Hollow rollerski course and surrounding Olympic trails are bustling with activity these days. US Ski team members, Canadian and US biathlon skiers and some top juniors are all currently training outside Heber, Utah. Some members of the Canadian cross country team are supposed to arrive this week and will stay for the rest of the month. Here are some photos from early this week. Related article: Soldier Hollow's rollerski course has been greatly...