Skipedia

The sad demise of the catered chalet ski holiday

by iain on Sep 25, 2023 • 8 Comments

Looking through a recent survey from Le Ski, I was struck by one stat in particular. While it was encouraging to read that the number of UK skiers and snowboarders is predicted to grow by 14% in winter 2023/24, the fact that only 13% stay in catered chalets highlighted how...

Ideas

Will ChatGPT make ‘ski experts’ redundant?

by iain on May 11, 2023 • No Comments

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is changing fast. A few years ago, it was just the name of one of Steven Spielberg’s less good movies, but in 2023 AI has moved from the world of ‘futurologists’ into the mainstream. The chances are that even if you haven’t tried ChatGPT (or Google’s ‘Bard’),...

Iain / Ideas / Tour Operators

‘Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines’ – article in ‘Ski+Board’ magazine

by iain on Mar 8, 2023 • 3 Comments

Iain’s article ‘Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines‘ has now been published in ‘Ski+Board’ magazine. It’s also now available as a special episode of The Ski Podcast My first experience of working in the ski industry came 35 years ago when I went to Chatel...

Iain / Resorts

Ski Touring in Morocco: A Photo Essay

by iain on Feb 8, 2019 • No Comments

Iain from Skipedia recently went ski touring in Morocco. Flying into Marrakech, and then travelling to Imlil (1740m), Iain then spent three nights at the Refuge des Mouflons (3207m), ski touring to different 4000m peaks. Ski hire was from Braemar Mountain Sports, guiding and logistics were organised by Toubkal Guide. You...

Resorts / Tour Operators

‘I’m a modern-day Batman’ says anti-ESF campaigner

by iain on Nov 2, 2014 • No Comments

These are difficult days for the ESF in the UK. The current legal cases against Simon Butler and Le Ski have stirred up plenty of negative sentiment within the British market against the ESF. Both cases – which deal with different aspects of the law – are currently at different...

Tour Operators

Why do chalet girls bake a cake every day?

by iain on Aug 13, 2011 • 2 Comments

Okay, not strictly anything to do with marketing, but just for fun… So why do chalet girls bake a cake every day? As far as I know chalets have always left out a cake for their guests to tuck into for ‘afternoon tea’. After a long day on the slopes,...

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Resorts

“It hurts to see the glacier like this” – Les 2 Alpes glacier closes six weeks early

by iain on Jul 13, 2022 • No Comments

Sadly, summer skiing is no longer on offer in France for 2022. After Val d’Isère’s decision not to open at all due to lack of snow on the Pisaillas glacier and Tignes’ decision to close early, Les 2 Alpes has been the next resort to close. The southern Alps resort opened earlier than normal on...

Ideas

Five Easy Things Ski Companies Can Do Today To Promote Sustainability

by iain on May 11, 2022 • No Comments

This time last week, I was busy hosting a lively sustainability session at the spring 2022 edition of LISTEX, organised by the Mountain Trade Network. Consumers want sustainable travel Hopefully the session was valuable for those who attended. We covered topics as diverse as train travel to wind power, EVs to upcycled clothing, but the...

Events / Iain

Dynastar X3 Triathlon (Courchevel) article in Trail Running Magazine

by iain on Apr 28, 2022 • No Comments

In April 2022, Iain took part in the Dynastar X3 Triathlon in Courchevel. His article on the event is now live on Trail Running Magazine. Thanks to Paul Halford for commissioning it and Florent Hazucka, Richard Lett, Chris Moran and La Tania – latania.co.uk for their help with logistics. You can watch Iain’s video about...

Ideas

The 7 Best ‘Ski’ Themed Numberplates

by iain on Apr 26, 2022 • No Comments

“What’s in a numberplate? A vehicle with any other matriculation would drive as sweet.” Shakespeare definitely did not write these words. But if he had seen these ski-themed numberplates, and had been a keen skier and a worse writer, then there’s the small possibility he might have. Rosiere These are all very well, but we’re...

Iain / podcast

The Ski Podcast wins ‘Best Wintersports Podcast’ Award

by iain on Apr 1, 2022 • No Comments

The Ski Podcast has been voted ‘Best Wintersports Podcast’ in the 2022 Sports Podcast Awards. The prestigious Sports Podcast Awards honour the best global sports podcasts, with 25 categories up for grabs. There were entries from 13 countries, and the shortlisted finalists were announced on 07 January 2022. Over 20,000 people took part in the...

Resorts

When the Sahara comes to the mountains…

by iain on Mar 16, 2022 • No Comments

This week the Alps, Pyrénées and Sierra Nevada have had the unusual experience of seeing their snow turn red. The occasional warm wind that blows from the other side of the Mediterrean has this week brought with it a layer of Saharan sand. The results have been confusing, shocking and occasionally beautiful: In the Sierra...

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The sad demise of the catered chalet ski holiday

Will ChatGPT make ‘ski experts’ redundant?

‘Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines’ – article in ‘Ski+Board’ magazine

Ski Touring in Morocco: A Photo Essay

‘I’m a modern-day Batman’ says anti-ESF campaigner

Why do chalet girls bake a cake every day?

“It hurts to see the glacier like this” – Les 2 Alpes glacier closes six weeks early

Five Easy Things Ski Companies Can Do Today To Promote Sustainability

Dynastar X3 Triathlon (Courchevel) article in Trail Running Magazine

The 7 Best ‘Ski’ Themed Numberplates

The Ski Podcast wins ‘Best Wintersports Podcast’ Award

When the Sahara comes to the mountains…

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