The Ski Podcast

We find all about the Zillertal region in the Austrian Tirol, as well as the new expansion in Deer Valley, Utah. 
We also hear how Val d’Isere are helping skiers to feel safer, and have snow reports from Japan, La Plagne and…Wales!
Host Iain Martin was joined in the studio by Katie Seiringer, owner of Kate Seiringer International Language Service in Mayrhofen and Emily Summers from Deer Valley Ski Resort.
---------
Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there.
---------
SHOW NOTES

Robin Shah reported from Japan (5:15)
Robin is staying at Yukiumi House
Jen Tsang runs the website That’sLaPlagne (7:00)
Mike Richards is the UK’s Wales ski expert (9:15)
It is now three weeks until the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics start (12:45)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Kirsty Muir (13:00)
Kirsty won her second event of the season at the Slopestyle in Aspen
https://x.com/skipedia/status/2009716157398548971
Zoe Atkin came second in the ski halfpipe, also in Aspen (13:30)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Zoe in Episode 238 (13:45)
Visit the official Zillertal website (14:30)
The Zillertal ski area consists of Fügen-Kaltenbach, Zell-Gerlos, Mayrhofen-Hippach and Tux-Finkenberg (18:30)
All 548km of pists and 180 lifts are covered on the Zillertal Superskipass (19:00)
The Hintertux glacier is open from October to early summer (19:45)
For non-skiers there are 460km of winter hiking trails, 113km cross-country trails and 48 km toboggan runs (21:15)
Find out more about ‘Snowbombing’ (22:45)
Mayrhofen hosts ‘The Brits’ - British Snowboard & Freeski Championships in March (23:00)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Brits’ organiser Stu Brass in Episode 245
Try the Tristenbachalm mountain hut (24:00)
Kate also recommends the Bichlalm in Tux (25:00)
She also suggests you try the Holzknechtkrapfen
Utah has ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth’ (26:30)
The average snowfall at Deer Valley is 762cm/300 inches (27:00)
Find out more about the new lift expansion (29:45)
Coming up with the names of new runs (34:00)
The new East Village Express gondola is designed by Doppelmayr (37:00)
Deer Valley East Village will have seven luxury hotels (39:00)
Deer Valley is on the Ikon Pass (39:50)
The 2034 Winter Olympics will be hosted in Utah (40:20)
Nicole Feliciano spoke about the ‘Slow Skiers Club’ in Episode 270 (41:30)
Cecile Ferrando from Val d’isere speaks about their new ‘Ski Tranquille’ zones (41:45)
Feedback (47:30)
You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to [email protected]. You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. 
Colin Tierney: “Episode 270 was interesting: I always go at a speed that I feel safe with for me and people around me”

Stuart Campbell: “The podcasts are brilliant, and I've enjoyed the range of topics. The ability to pull so many different people from different countries together is what makes it brilliant. I've just found your piece on St Anton by train so hoping to repeat something similar if I make it out in the spring.”

Robert Fogg: “Been catching up on all the podcasts I have missed. Thanks from a wet Cairns in Australia”

Jim Duncombe: “I was on the cable car in La Clusaz this morning, and ended up chatting with a Norwegian who lives in Annecy. Turns out he is a fan of the podcast.”

There are now 290 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. 
if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:
 
   -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode
   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify
   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today is a special interview with Kirsty Muir – the World Cup winning British slopestyle and Big Air freestyle skier.

Host Iain Martin spoke with Kirsty about her comeback from ACL and shoulder surgery to her first World Cup win last winter. We also discuss her journey from a dry ski slope in Aberdeen to becoming Britain’s youngest competitor at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 and look forward to the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. 

This episode is the latest in a series of interviews with high-achieving women in the world of snowsports. 

Previous episodes in this series have included interviews with Vicky Gosling, CEO of GB Snowsport, BBC Ski Sunday’s Chemmy Alcott, Kit DesLauriers – first person to ski the Seven Summits - as well as fellow Team GB freestyle skier Zoe Atkin.

SHOW NOTES

Listen to Iain’s previous interview with Kirsty in Episode 174 (2:00)
Kirsty was on the show in Episode 242 after her slopestyle win in Tignes (2:30)
Kirsty tore her ACL in Dec 2023 at the Big Air at Copper Mountain (3:15) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9yJucQDxfUQ
Coming back from injury (5:45)
Using the Red Bull recovery centres (8:15)
The psychological side of recovery (10:30)
Training again after coming back from injury (12:30)
Kirsty was Britain's youngest competitor at Beijing Olympics  at just 17 (14:30)
Starting skiing at Aberdeen Snowsports Centre (14:45)
Discovering freestyle skiing (15:30)
Being mentor to Sandra Caune – winner of the Big Air at THE European Youth Olympics (16:45)
Competing at the Beijing Winter Olympics (18:00)
Taking part at Milano-Cortina (19:15)
The coaching team (20:15)
Learning new tricks (22:15)
Training in the gym (23:30)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Reece Bell (25:00)
Plans for this season (26:00)
Do you keep your high-value tricks hidden? (26:30)

Feedback
You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to [email protected]

You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. 

There are now 289 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, then go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find plenty more to listen to.

If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:

-          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode
-          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify
-          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you save money on your ski hire with an additional discount by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com. Simply take this link in the show notes for your discount to be automatically applied.

Today we find out more about the Arlberg ski area in Tirol, Austria – focussing on St Anton and Lech – plus we look at the rise of the ‘Slow Skiing’ movement. 

Austria for sponsoring The Ski Podcast and making this winter’s episodes possible.  If this is your first time listening, you’ve already missed out on some great conversations about Tirol. 

Host Iain Martin was joined in the studio by Nicole Feliciano, founder of Ski Moms.

---------

 Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there.

--------- 

SHOW NOTES

Nicole skied at Catamount in New England (2:00)

Tim Hudson from Inspired Italy reported from the Dolomites, Italy (5:15)

Jen Tsang from That’s La Plagne reported from La Plagne (6:45)

Floss Cockle, aka FreeFloFloss on YouTube, reported from Tignes (8:30)

Next week’s episode will be an interview with GB freestyle skier Kirsty Muir (10:15)

Iain revealed in Episode 269 that he broke his scapula while skiing in St Anton (10:45)

Find out more about the museum in St Anton (11:45)

Yannick Rumler works for the St Anton Tourist Office

Hannes Schneider founded the first ski school in the world (14:30)

Find out about St Anton’s annual race ‘The Weisse Rausche’ (16:15)

Gerhard Eichhorn is Sustainability Officer at the St. Anton Tourism Board (17:30)

Iain travelled to St Anton by train (18:30)

Lech is actually in the Vorarlberg region of Austria, but both resorts are part of the huge Arlberg ski area (21:30)

Iain stayed in the family run Hotel Stafeli (22:15)

The Stafeli is part of the ChangeMaker network of hotels

Julia Fenneberg is from the Lech-Zurs tourist office (23:00)

The annual ‘White Ring’ race (24:30)

Discover the amazing Lech Skyspace (26:30)

Iain spoke with Angelika Kaufmann about avalanche blasting (28:00)~

Iain tried Kaiserschmarn at the Sennhutte in St Anton (34:00)

He also has a superb Gröstl at the magnificent Verwallestube at the top of the Galzigbahn (34:30)

In Episode 225 Nicole shared the results of your ‘Ski Moms Happiness Survey’(36:30)

Earlier this year Nicole founded the ‘Slow Skiers Club’ (36:45)

Nicole’s Instagram post launching the club went viral (38:30)

Why does slow skiing matter? (39:00)

Nicole conducted a survey to find out more (43:00)

Listen to Episode 229  Kimberley Kay & Carol Porter discuss ‘The Fear Project’ (46:00)

Nicole spoke to Chemmy Alcott on her SkiMoms podcast

The First Rule of Slow Skiers Club (49:00)

Feedback

If you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to [email protected] 

You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast.

Judy Matthews: “Thank you for all your wonderful work, been really enjoying your pod.”



Colin: “267 was another great episode: I’ve been considering a trip to Sauze and Livigno was already on my wish list”

Chris Weer: “Thanks for the podcast. Wishing you a speedy recovery!”

There are now 288 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. 

if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:

 

   -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode

   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify

   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today is a special episode covering the latest snow conditions in Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland and in Canada, plus we reveal the results and the lucky winner from our 2025 Listener Survey.

---------

Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there.

---------

SHOW NOTES

View results of our 2025 Listener Survey (1:00)

James Fletcher was the winner of the prize draw (1:45)

Zoe Atkin won the half pipe at Copper Mountain in the States (2:00)

Jasmin Taylor took her first telemark win of the season in Pinzolo

Lindsey Vonn became the oldest skier – at 41 years old - to win a World Cup race, in the Downhill in St Moritz (2:!5)

I have picked up my own injury (2:30)

Andy Butterworth from Kaluma Travel is in St Anton (3:50)

Listen to Iain’s interview with James Cove in Episode 261 (5:40)

James Cove from planetski.eu is spending this winter in Canada  (5:50)

James & Sinead from Sauze Online are in Via Lattea (8:!5)

Tim Hudson from Inspired Italy is in the Dolomites (9:20)

James Webb was in Selva Val Gardena (11:15)

Dave Burrows from SnoPros Ski School was in Les Crosets (13:20)

Al Judge from Alikats chalet company is in Morzine (14:40)

Jim Duncombe is in La Clusaz (15:45)

Betony Garner reported from St Gervais (17:20)

Jen Tsang from That’s La Plagne is in La Plagne (19:10)

Alex Irwin from the YouTube channel ‘150 Days of Winter’ is in Courchevel (20:40)

Nicholas from Freeride Republic is in Meribel (21:20)

Alex Armand from Tip Top Ski Coaching reports from Les 2 Alpes (23:00)

Mike Richards was out in Pra Loup (23:30)



Feedback

If you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to [email protected] 

Matt Hayes: "Episode 267 was great. I appreciate all the work that goes into these." 

You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. 

There is so much in our back catalogue if you would like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. 

if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:

 

   -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode

   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify

   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

This is a special interview with Kit DesLauriers – the person to ski the Seven Summits – the highest mountains on each of the planet’s seven continents.

I read Kit’s book ‘Higher Love’ in the summer of 2025 and was blown away by her bravery, courage, determination and, quite frankly, by her incredible organisation.

During our conversation Kit covers her background in skiing as a former Freeride World Tour champion, as well as explaining the logistical, physical and physiological challenges she faced while tackling the Seven Summits.

This episode is the latest in a series of interviews with high-achieving women in the world of snowsports. Previous episodes in this series have included interviews with Vicky Gosling, CEO of GB Snowsport, BBC Ski Sunday’s Chemmy Alcott and founder of YSE Ski Fiona Easdale, as well as the Team GB freestyle skiers Zoe Atkin and Kirsty Muir.

SHOW NOTES

Read Kit’s book: ‘Higher Love: Climbing and Skiing the Seven Summits’

Kit learned cross country skiing first (7:00)

Skiing in Verbier (9:00)

Chamonix and Alagna (13:00)

Kit worked on the ski patrol at Telluride (14:00)

Moving to Jackson Hole (16:15)

Joining the World Freeski Tour (17:30)

Being sponsored by The North Face (19:00)

Dick Bass gifting his book (21:00)

Mt Elbrus (27:00)

Listen to Iain’s interview with Dan Egan (28:00)

Vinson Massif, Antarctica (29:00)

Using neoprene over boots (30:00)

Aconcagua (31:00)

Mount Kilimanjaro (35:00)

Was Everest always going to be last? (38:00)

‘Complete autonomy’ contract with Dave Hahn (40:30)

Buddhist blessings (44:00)

A call from Megan Carney (47:30)

Jimmy Chin (52:00)

Skiing from the summit of Everest (53:00)

Skiing the Lhotse Face (54:00)

Becoming a parent (58:00)

The Brooks Range of Alaska (59:00)

Feedback

You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to [email protected]

You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. 

Take part in our 2025 Listener Survey and you could win £400 worth of prizes.

There are now 286 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, then go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find plenty more to listen to.

If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do: 

-          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode

-          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify

-          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you save money on your ski hire with an additional discount by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com. Simply take this link in the show notes for your discount to be automatically applied.