About

In Sussex circa 1985, slaloming around moonboots

The original More Than Skiing started life as a little tour operator, set up shortly before the Millennium by my sister, Teresa, and me, Yolanda, both ski fanatics since the age of three, former instructors and particular fans of Austria and Switzerland.

Clad in dirndls at the Olympia Ski Show more than a decade ago we endeavoured to persuade punters to come on our group holidays to the Tirolean village of Obergurgl. Not only would we show them the slopes, we’d ensure they held their own apres-skiing – dancing on tables at the jolly Nederhuette, snowshoeing and floodlit night skiing.

Indeed that winter we did take a handful of happy Brits there. But only a handful, and one season was enough to prove the travel business wasn’t for us. Teresa married, had two lovely kids and is now a fitness instructor; I became a journalist, specialising in polo, skiing and sub-editing.

My skis in 1988, from Le Bate chair, Anzere, Switzerland

Since then I’ve spent three years on the news desk at Horse & Hound, three years as a casual and contract sub-editor at the Telegraph and two years as editor of Polo Times. In the past four years I’ve written ski pieces for the Sunday Telegraph, Country Life, Fall-Line and Ski and Board.

Now that I’ve gone freelance and will be in the mountains more often I’ve revived More Than Skiing with a fresh purpose. Not to bring you snow reports, forecasts or resort assessments; instead, you’ll find fun stuff away from the mainstream that I hope will inspire you to get more out of your own winter adventures.

You can discover, for example, what it’s like to join the Continentals in their crazy amateur races, learn what to do if you find yourself sharing a slope with a moose, and read about setting off, armed with rucksack, head-torch and Compeed, on a hut-to-hut ski tour. In addition I’ll link to some of my own articles – as well as to other ski-related pieces I think are worthwhile.

In 2011, during Inferno Week in Muerren (jumper circa 1989)

The easiest way to follow the blog is to register for email alerts, which means you’ll receive an email whenever I post a new blog. Just follow the ‘Sign me up’ link in the right-hand column. Happy reading!

Yolanda Carslaw, December 2010