Tampere. A great destination for the winter vacation. But can you take the city bus to the slopes? Yes you can.
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February 2016, Mustavuori, Tampere, Finland; Tampereen rinteet Hervanta, Hervanta, Tampere, Finland; Hirvi-Simunan luola, Lempäälä, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)
I like caves and skiing, of course, but it is rare that the two mix. But in Cervinia there's small cave that you can ski through. If you dare.
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February 2016, Cervinia, Italy; Small cave, Cervinia, Italy; Small cave, Cervinia, Italy
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Skiing (Outdoor, Underground, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Morphology-Crack, Skiing)
It was a cold night in HEL, -29 degrees at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. I felt like I needed to go south to find better skiing weather.
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January 2016, Kekestetö, Hungary; Palvolgyi Cave, Budapest, Hungary
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Showtour)
Imagine rocks thrown together, all sizes all the way up to house-sized boulders. Korkberget doesn't get more than a brief mention in "Caves of Finland". But it is one of the biggest caves in our area, and quite a maze.
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December 2015, Korkbergetin lohkareluola, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)
You have to take six lifts to get to the top. And we were late, because travel. But it turns out you can also stay late. By the time we started our final 2km vertical descent, it was already dark.
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December 2015, Engelberg, Switzerland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic); Sauna (Normal)
There are usually no great views from caves, at least not of the sunset. Except at Rokokallio.
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December 2015, Päällysluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kuusijärvi, Vantaa, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic); Sauna (Smoke); Swimming (Ice, Water, Waterbody-Lake, Beach)
I thought there are no caves in Finland, but there are some! This weekend's adventure was to visit the specially formed Högberget flow-erosion cave.
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December 2015, Högberget, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Erosion, Basic)
I like caves, but feel suspicious of touristy tours. They usually leave a bland feeling, too easy, too packaged. Not so with Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennesee!
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October 2015, Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Showtour)
A blown-up bunker. Debris. Darkness. Bats. Concrete rising to the heights. Walls hanging where they should not be. An ideal climbing place, if it wasn't for the grim past of this place and the morbid pictures of soldiers.
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June 2015, Humboldthain Flaktürme, Berlin, Germany
Climbing (Wall); Caving (Man-Made); Urban-Exploration (Bunkers)
My kids follow me on some of my trips. Not only to enjoy the great skiing, but also to learn about culture. For instance, where else would my sons learn about der Sauna, except by going to the Freizeitcentrum im Stubai, Austria?
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January 2015, Stubaital, Austria; Eisgrotte Stubaier Gletscher, Stubai, Austria; Schlick 2000, Austria; Patschkofel, Austria; Freizeitcentrum im Stubai, Stubai, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Glacier, Basic, Showtour); Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Indoor, Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)
The sun is still bright, but the environment is getting strange. Fog is engulfing us. Plants are starting to look pre-historic. And I'm hanging from a 100 meter rope, above the Lost World, a cave system in Waitomo, New Zealand. And it is starting to look like my landing spot is in the river at the bottom of the cave.
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August 2014, Waitomo, New Zealand
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, SRT); Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)
Midsummer in Gotland, Sweden. Perfect place for boating, hanging out on the sand beach, swimming, as well as a little bit of climbing. And all this underground!
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June 2014, Lummelunda, Gotland, Sweden
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Boating, Swimming); Swimming (Underground, Water, Waterbody-Cave)
I like lazy Saturdays. The ones with no meetings, and planes not leaving until the evening. And no plans, other than having a swimsuit and wanting to visit some natural pools in the warm weather. But I ended up seeing incredible cenotes, colours, and diving in the world's 3rd longest underwater cave.
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April 2014, Dos Ojos, Yacatan, Mexico
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Swimming, Diving); Diving
Does anyone remember the arcade game where you stood on skis? I loved that game, and one of the interesting tracks in the game goes through a cave. Ever since playing the game I have wanted to experience skiing underground. This week I was visiting Alpe d'Huez, France, and my wish was fulfilled. The "Le Tunnel" slope begins with a 200 meter tunnel through the mountain. And then continues as the most difficult black run the ski area has to offer.
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January 2013, Alpe d'Huez, France; Val d'Isere, France
Skiing (Snow, Outdoor, Underground, Lifts); Skiing (Snow, Outdoor, Underground, Lifts); Caving (Man-Made); Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Skiing)
Biking underground, in a cave/mine? Why not when that's available! And in Maastricht it was!
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July 2010, Sibbergroeve, Valkenburg, Netherlands
Biking (Bike-Mountain, Underground); Urban-Exploration (Mines); Caving (Man-Made, Biking, Rock, Rock-Marble)