Suspended in time and place, only eagles dare go where these abandoned cable cars once reached as these glorified zip lines lost their zip long ago.

If you build it, they will come… or not, as was the case of the ill-conceived Okutama Ropeway. Constructed in 1962 at an artificial lake west of Tokyo, the two-car transportation system operated for only four years before shutting down for good. Perhaps the builder/owner was unaware of plans to construct a bridge that would make his pride & joy redundant.

That said, the cars and associated infrastructure have held up remarkably well over the past half-century! Kudos to Lee Chapman of Tokyo Times for visiting this long-forgotten relic and photo-documenting its current (as of July, 2013) status. This video by Riding Japan explores the abandoned and, to quote the videographer “quite eerie” station.

Georgia On My Mind

Lovely “Seaside Park” in Gagra, Abkhazia suffered significant damage during the early-1990s Abkhaz-Georgian Conflict; the still unsettled political situation and a chronic lack of funding has constrained any moves toward restoration. A single yellow gondola remains in place – its red-painted partner was blown up some years ago during the filming of a movie.

High Wire Act

Can a cable car system that’s lost its cars still move you? Yes it can… figuratively speaking. Flickr user philm1205 snapped the spindly remnants of an abandoned Soviet cable-way in August of 2007, fifteen years after the fall of communism. One thing about the commies, at least they made the cable cars run on time – or run, period.

“Top Of Youth”

It’s the “Top of Youth” and the bottom of the barrel in Berlin, courtesy of Flickr user TheSleeping03 and the photo above. Taken on February 6th, 2014 at an old abandoned theme park in the German capital, the image presents the permanently-grounded gondola in a raw yet oddly appealing light.

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Suspended 13 Hung Out To Dry Abandoned Cable Cars

Designed for Astana, the cold capital city of Kazakhstan, this ‘white roof’ 1,000-foot ski run wraps around an apartment tower, bringing winter sports right to residents’ doorsteps.

Despite the length of winters, this urban setting offers little by way of local options, forcing citizens to drive for hours to the closest ski destinations, at least until now.

The slope is designed to wrap around the roof of the building, taking advantage of curves and grade changes all the way down and potentially usable with Snoflex (artificial snow) all year round.

Incorporating 421 domestic units, this 21-floor design by Shokhan Mataibekov Architects was recognized as a finalist in the 2015 World Architecture Festival and is now seeking funding.  Additional shops and restaurants on the ground floor would serve both skiers and apartment dwellers. Upon completion, it would be the first such mixed-use skiing center of its kind in the world.

You barely have to stop on your way down the slope to grab a burger and fries at the McDonalds ski-through window, located on a popular resort in northwest Sweden. The location has been open since the mid-‘90s and can seat 140 people inside, though most seem to choose the grab-and-go option. Why bother taking off your gear when you can just chow down and then hop right back on the lift?

Meanwhile, in the small Swedish town of Pitea, locals get only four hours of sunlight a day in the winter, with temperatures hovering around minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit. That means most residents use snowmobiles to get around, leading to bizarre scenes like the one pictured below.

As weird as the McSki McDonalds might be in comparison to the ones in your neighborhood, it doesn’t even break the top 10 most bizarre locations of the fast food chain around the world. In addition to the world’s largest McDonalds, a UFO-shaped location and a brandless, minimalist ‘Quarter Pounder’ experiment in Tokyo, there’s the rotting carcass of a ‘McBarge’ floating in an inlet in Canada.

‘Please do not apply if you’re scared of heights,’ warns AirBnB about this private sky-high chalet located at the very top of the Holmenkollen ski jump, where some of the world’s top skiers have launched themselves onto the slopes. The fully-furnished apartment is 250 steps above the world’s first ski museum, and features the highest roof terrace in all of Oslo. Tell AirBnB why you’d like to stay here in 100 worlds or less, and you could win the chance to experience it yourself.

The vacation rental service is offering up a one-night stay at the Holmenkollen ski jump and as long as you’re available on March 26th or 27th, if you win, they’ll fly you in from anywhere in the world. You have until midnight on March 16th to submit your entry.

The ski jump superstructure was first built in 1892 and hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics, where expert skiers gazed out onto the Nordic landscape before flying off the ramp in front of thousands of spectators. Since 1923, it’s also been home to a museum displaying over 4,000 years of ski history. The pinnacle, where the apartment is located, is 200 feet in the air.

Only pros are allowed to use the ski jump, “so don’t think you’re going to be pulling any tricks in your toboggan,” says AirBnB. But you’ll be steps away from thousands of miles of ski slopes, and if you want, you can even leave via zip-line when your trip is over. Apply here.

It’s that time of year when most ski resorts and destinations are wrapping up their winter ski season and avid urban vacationers are taking those last weekend runs. Ski buffs sometimes brag about skiing at Whistler, Big Sky or other more exclusive resorts, but how many can say they’ve skied in Bolivia or New Zealand? You can’t beat the price of skiing in South Africa and you can even catch a (chilly) lingerie fashion show on the slopes in Lebanon.

Lebanon: Who would have thought that Lebanon not only has ski resorts but that one of those resorts have annual lingerie shows? That’s right, the Faraya Ski Resort – an hour from Beirut and the largest ski resort in the Middle East – holds an annual show where shivering models show off the latest sexy styles. Lebanon is also one of the few places in the world where you can go skiing in the morning then take a dip in the Mediterranean in the afternoon! Of course, be sure to check the political climate before checking into a Lebanese resort.

Bolivia: At over 5,000 meters Bolivia has the highest ski slope in the world. However, the Chacaltaya glacier has been melting in recent years and much of the permanent snow cover has been depleted with time due to climate changes. Nonetheless, during the snowy season there are still skiers to be found on its slopes though – for now at least.

South Africa: Africa sounds like the last place to have skiing at any time of year, but find the right spots and accept man-made snow and you are good to go – just don’t trail-blaze too far!