242: Selva Val Gardena, Saint Gervais & the World’s Steepest Cable Car

We find out more about Selva Val Gardena in the Italian Dolomites, Saint Gervais in the Haute Savoie region of France and the world’s steepest cable car in Murren, Switzerland.

Host Iain Martin was joined by freelance journalist Katja Gaskell and Alan Ramsey, sales manager for Schilthorn Cableway - the Murren lift company.

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SHOW NOTES

Katja was last on the show in Episode 207 (1:00)
Alan was last on the show in Episode 70 discussing the Inferno ski race (1:30)
Andy Butterworth (Kaluma Ski) is in St Anton, Austria (6:00)
Alex Irwin (150 Days of Winter) reported from Courchevel, France (7:30)
Ben Nyberg (Ski Scandinavia) reported from Trysil, Norway (8:30)
Moncler hosted a fashion show in Courchevel last week (9:45)
Luca Carrick-Smith took gold in the GS at the recent World Jr Champs (10:30)
The Ski Podcast is giving Team Carrick Smith financial support this winter (11:15)
Billy Major recorded his first ever World Cup Top 10, with 9th at Hajfell in Norway (11:15)
Jasmin Taylor currently leads in the Overall, Sprint, and Classic Telemark standings (11:30)
Mia Brookes (Big Air & Slopestyle), Charlotte Bankes (SnowboardX) and Zoe Atkin (Half Pipe) have already won the Crystal Globes in their disciplines (11:45)
Kirsty Muir take her first World Cup victory in Ski Slopestyle last week in Tignes (12:00)
Betony Garner spoke with Kirsty in Tignes (12:30)
Sandra Caune won two medals at the European Youth Olympics (16:45)
Listen to Iain’s interview with Kirsty recorded in April 2023 (18:00)
Find out more about the European Sleeper in Episode 237 (18:30)
Iain was in Selva Val Gardena in the Italian Dolomites (20:45)
Local guide Gunter Costa showed Iain around the ‘Legendary 8’ runs around Val Gardena (21:00)
Katja visited Val Gardena with 80-year-old father (22:00)
Iain skied the famous ‘Sella Ronda’, travelling via Arabba, Val di Fassa and Alta Badia (22:30)
Christina Demetz works at the Val Gardena Tourist Office (25:15)
Find out about the GSTC accreditation that Val Gardena has been awarded (26:30)
The Italian Dolomites are included in the Ikon Pass (28:30)
Katja travelled to St Gervais Le Fayet by train (31:00)
Find out about the new ‘Le Valléen’ lift (32:30)
St Gervais is on the Domain Evasion Mont Blanc lift pass (35:15)
Iain was at the Kandahar Slalom race in Les Houches in Episode 200 (36:30)
There is a thermal spa in St Gervais (39:30)
Find out more about the water-powered Thermes lift (39:45)
Read Katja’s article for Sunday Post
Listen to our Inferno Special Episode (40:30)
Sir Arnold Lunn invented alpine ski racing in Murren (42:30)
Murren has opened the 'world's steepest cable car' (44:00)
It goes from Stechelberg 866m to Murren 1,640m in 4 mins (44:30)
It's the first part of a CHF130m project (45:00)
Mürren (1640m) to Birg (2670m) opened in December 2024 (46:00)
The second track will open in a year’s time (46:30)
Birg to the Schilthorn at 2970m opened in March 2025 (47:00)
‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ was filmed at the Schilthorn in 1969 (50:00)
The view from Murren to the Eiger, Munch and Jungfrau is incredible (51:00)

Feedback (52:30)
I enjoy all feedback about the show, I’m always interested to hear what you think, so please do contact me on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com

Wells Jones: "Listening to your latest episode, I was fascinated by your ski touring adventure on Mount Etna. Your vivid descriptions transported me right there, amidst the eruptions. It’s intriguing how you combined skiing with a unique rail ferry trip in Italy."

Ian Simpson: “We are currently touring in our motorhome and inspired by your podcast to visit Val Cenis. Well worth it and managed a day in Bonneval Sur Arc which is very different and amazing especially for those that like off piste. Keep up the great work.”

There are now 254 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with and 128 of those were listened to in the last week. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not to go theskipodcast.com, look around the tags and categories – there is so much in there you’re bound to find something of interest.

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