Welcome to the Lumi Experiences blog, where we share stories and tips related to our trips. It’s more than just a collection of stories though. Scroll through the posts or click the dropdown menus below to search by country, topic, and year for updates about upcoming trips, travel tips or just to check out the photos. Enjoy!
Walking to the start, the smell of pine fills the air like a tree farm during harvest season. But the only pine around the Lago di Tesero stadium is the fresh pine tar heated into skis for kick and glide at the start of the Marcialonga Story, a vintage ski race in the Italian Alps.
Read MoreHappy Hahnenkamm Weekend! The Super Bowl of alpine ski race takes place in Kitzbühel this weekend on the legendary Streif Downhill--arguably the most dangerous downhill in the world. A US Ski Team tradition is that rookies have to carry a brick in their duffel all winter, representing the load that the Streif weighs on your conscience, and can only take it out once they've skied the Hahnenkamm.
Read MoreLet My People Go Surfing. Have you read it? Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard wrote this book about "the persistence and courage that have gone into being head of one of the most respected and environmentally responsible companies on earth."
I was in Munich a few years ago, in search of the perfect hotel for travelers on our Lumi Experiences ski vacations. Somewhere central with good access to explore the city. Ideally a family run hotel where our guests can feel at home. I was finishing a meeting with a hotel owner when he commented on my Patagonia backpack. He asked if I ever read Chouniard's 'Let My People Go Surfing' (I had), then he said: "I let my people go surfing."
Read More“Sorry for the delay, Garrott. I’ve been overwhelmed by the schnapps.”
Usually, a call like this would be cause for concern. But in this case, I knew the caller wasn’t talking about alcoholism...it was Rudolf, owner of one of Austria’s top brandy, or schnaps distilleries. The distillery is located in a centuries-old cellar in the village of Lienz in East Tyrol.
Read MoreWhile most North American skiers cannot travel to Europe this winter, the USA Nordic Combined Team (ski jumping and cross country skiing) has been using Seefeld, Austria as their base between World Cup weekends. One highlight this winter has been skiing with them and getting out to explore new ski areas. Galtür, Austria, on the border with Switzerland, has been one of those dreamy destinations and definitely one we are adding to Lumi Experience's list of self-guided trips for the views, cuisine and 100+ km of skiing with a variety of terrain. The video shares a little sense of the skiing in Galtür. Enjoy!
Read MoreWatching the Tour de Ski cruise through the snow-covered trees in the heart of the Dolomites brings memories of one of my favorite trails, the Via Ferrovia or Rail Trail from Cortina to Toblach. This 25 km ski follows an old railroad trail through long tunnels, over breathtaking bridges and past some of the most iconic peaks in the Dolomites: the Tre Cime or Three Chimneys.
Read MoreWishing our blog readers "einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr" ... a good slide into the New Year with a video from the Gschnitztal Valley, in Tirol, Austria!!
Read MoreAs the Ski Flying World Championships kick off in Planica, Slovenia this weekend, we're sharing one of our all time favorite ski flying photos from the 2019 World Cup in Planica.
Read MoreBack on snow in Seefeld! A 2km snowmaking loop opened up in Seefeld, Tirol, Austria last weekend beneath beautiful bluebird skies. Cold temps mean snowmaking is going in Seefeld and Leutasch. We snuck out with a couple of Lumi Experiences trip leaders and met up with the US Nordic Combined team as they prepared for the upcoming World Cup in Ruka, Finland this weekend. Here we go!
Read MoreEvery year, skiers from around the US descend on West Yellowstone for the start to the winter season. Sure, this winter the West Yellowstone Ski Festival will be different. But this isn’t about how this year will be different. This is about skiing in Yellowstone National Park.
Read MoreIt’s that time of the year. Temperatures are cold enough for snow and chances are pretty good that there is already an artificial snow loop open close to you. In a year where long distance travel to chase natural snow is almost impossible, here are a few reflections to help enhance your enjoyment of your local gerbil loop.
Read MoreLumi Experiences joined the US Nordic Combined team at a recent training camp in Tirol, Austria. What is Nordic Combined, you ask? Check out the blog for more background and video from the training session. Enjoy!
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