Episode 38: Blind Skiing, Heliskiing in Iceland, Val d’Isère & the Timberline story
In Episode 38 Jim and Iain find out about how to start skiing if you’re blind or visually impaired, offer tips on resorts for beginners and hear about a heliskiing adventure in Iceland.
We find out about Val d’Isère’s new podcast as well as the fascinating rise and fall of Timberline resort.
Listen now…
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Show Notes
- Anne-Flore Marxer went on strike for equal pay for snowboarders
- Research has shown that ski grooming patterns can help your skiing
- Jim interviewed Chris Howie about heliskiing in Iceland. He travelled with Viking Heliski.

- The podcast has a new feature: ‘Ask Jim and Iain’
“I am looking to take my girlfriend skiing for the first time this coming season. She is having beginner ski lessons at the Chill Factore this weekend but I want her first experience of skiing to be a very positive one so she falls in love with skiing like we all have. Can you recommend any resorts which you think are excellent for beginners – ideally somewhere with excellent ski schools and lots of beginner pistes to build confidence.”
Michael Hart
- Jim recommended Val d’Isère
- Iain recommended Les Saisies
“Hey guys, was wondering if you could help me out… I am registered blind and also where one hearing aid and I have never tried skiing before, so what would your advice be for me and where I can do it and who I can talk to?”
Jamie McAllister
- Answers came in from across the snowsports community:
- Jim interviewed John Sherwood about Timberline Ski Resort. You can read his blog here.
- Iain interviewed Cécile Ferrando, Director of Communication, about Val d’Isère’s podcasts that they published within their app last season
- Don’t forget to review us if you get the chance – it helps other people find us
- We have an average of 5 stars on iTunes, which is nice…
- SnowOnly offer a wide range of chalets and apartments in ski resorts – great for summer, as well as winter.

- Jim and Iain have taken Ed Drake’s suggestion (from Episode 38) and will be reading ‘Going Downhill Fast’ by Cleeves Palmer for our next Ski Book Group book
- Don’t forget to subscribe to The Ski Podcast on your podcast provider of choice.
- You can catch up with over 50 episodes of The Ski Podcast with some great ‘evergreen’ content. We have interviews with Eddie the Eagle, Billy Morgan, Graham Bell & Chemmy Alcott, plus tips for mogul and powder technique, skiing in Morocco and North Korea and exclusive news on skiing celebs like Sting.
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Coming up in Episode 39
- Emily Sarsfield on women-only ski camps
- The ‘Warm Up Weekend’ in Val d’Isère
- Morzine in summer
- Trail running in Val d’Anniviers

- The Timberline Resort story
- Plenty more…
