Planica, Slovenia
Planica, Slovenia

Planica is a place you want to learn to pronounce. You’ll be hearing it a lot in the lead-up to the 2023 Nordic World Championships in Planica, Slovenia. Planica isn’t a village. Technically, it’s the name of a valley in the northwestern corner of Slovenia, less than 10km from the 3-country border with Italy and Austria. For all intents and purposes, Planica is a Nordic ski venue. Specifically, a ski jumping venue, best known as host of the final ski flying World Cup of the year, the last weekend in March. That’s this weekend.

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SloveniaGarrott KuzzyWorld Cup
Holmenkollen, Norway
Holmenkollen, Norway

The Holmenkollen Ski Stadium in Norway was quiet last weekend, with no final World Cup of the season. No fans camped out for days to cheer on racers. No ski jumpers flying over Oslo. Still, like the rest of the ski world, they are already preparing for events to return next winter.

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NorwayGarrott KuzzyWorld Cup
Skiing the Engadin Valley in Switzerland
Skiing the Engadin Valley in Switzerland

How does a kid get hooked on skiing? I was 7 years old the first time I saw the Engadin Ski Marathon in St Moritz, Switzerland. With a mom who worked for Northwest Airlines and a dad who grew up in northern Wisconsin, travel and skiing have long been part of my life. I remember the trains and sledding a lot more than the skiing on that trip. Still, that experience had an impact. In hindsight, there are many threads that string together life experiences. For me, the Engadin is one of them.

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SwitzerlandGarrott KuzzyWorld Cup, Trip Leader
Playing on skis in Seefeld
Playing on skis in Seefeld

In a winter where hotels are closed and international travel is verboten, almost everyone on the trail in Seefeld is local from Tyrol. Lumi Experiences trip leader Raphi got out for a playful afternoon to inspire local kids to try Nordic skiing. There is much more to the sport than racing and Raphi shares some insights into his passion for cross country skiing, along with a few tricks. Enjoy!

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Austria, SwitzerlandGarrott KuzzyTrip Leader
Nordic World Championships: A Primer
Nordic World Championships: A Primer

Greetings ski fans! While the virtual Birkie is underway this week, it is also the start to another big event: the Nordic World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany. That’s right, folks. The World Championships. World Cups happen practically every weekend, but World Champs are only once every two years. Like the Olympics, the competitions are stretched out over two weeks.

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Garrott KuzzyWorld Cup
The Val di Fiemme in Italy
The Val di Fiemme in Italy

The Val di Fiemme valley in Italy. This place is legendary for Nordic skiers. It’s home to the Marcialonga Worldloppet Marathon, has hosted multiple Nordic World Championships and will be the Nordic venue for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Many may recognize the Alpe Cermis alpine ski area as the Tour de Ski climb where Jessie Diggins just became the first American to win the Tour de Ski.

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ItalyGarrott KuzzyWorldloppet
Marcialonga Story
Marcialonga Story

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.

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ItalyGarrott KuzzyWorldloppet, Culture
Hahnenkamm
Hahnenkamm

Happy 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.

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AustriaGarrott KuzzyKitzbühel, AustriaWorld Cup
Surfing in the City
Surfing in the City

Let 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."

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Garrott KuzzyMunich, GermanyTrip Leader