Is the Traditional Ski Week Dead? | The Whiteout Ski Podcast LIVE from Manchester
Recorded live at The Snow Centre Manchester during the Northern Snow Show on 3 October 2026.
We're doing things a little differently for this episode of The Whiteout Ski Podcast!
Join Dom Killinger from InTheSnow and Rob Stewart from Ski Press as we take the podcast on the road, recording in front of a live audience at the Northern Snow Show in Manchester.
Please excuse the slightly different sound quality, occasional interruptions and general chaos of a live recording! There's plenty of audience participation, a few unexpected questions and, as always, plenty of friendly disagreement between Dom and Rob.
Our big question this week: Is the traditional seven night ski holiday becoming a thing of the past?
With more skiers choosing shorter, more flexible trips, we explore whether the classic Saturday to Saturday ski week is losing its appeal, and whether three or four days in the mountains might actually be the better option.
But that's not all. We also look ahead to the 2026/27 winter season, discussing everything from snow predictions and British ski racing to new ski gear, rising resort prices and the destinations we're most excited about.
WHAT'S IN THIS EPISODE?
• Will El Niño deliver a bumper winter? We discuss the early season snow outlook, glacier conditions and why autumn snowfall doesn't necessarily tell us much about the winter ahead.
• The biggest stories of 2026/27: The Alpine World Championships in Crans-Montana, the end of Ski Sunday and the exciting future of British ski racing with the Carrick-Smith brothers.
• Is the traditional ski week dead? Why shorter ski breaks are becoming increasingly popular, the advantages of flexible travel and whether a long weekend can really replace a full week.
• What really matters when choosing a ski resort? Huge ski areas, snow reliability, lift infrastructure or simply the price of a beer?
• The evolution of après-ski: Why live music and afternoon parties are becoming an increasingly important part of the ski holiday experience.
• What's new in ski gear? BOA ski boots, easier entry boot designs, avalanche transceivers and our ongoing obsession with ski goggles.
• Where should you ski this winter? From Baqueira and Serre Chevalier to Norway, Andorra and the Alps, we discuss destinations offering something different.
• Live audience questions: Low light goggles, ski technology, favourite resorts, stag dos and a few unexpected holiday plans!
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 – Welcome to The Whiteout LIVE in Manchester
01:00 – Is the traditional ski week dead?
01:30 – El Niño and predictions for winter 2026/27
04:00 – Glacier openings and the early season snow outlook
05:00 – Crans-Montana World Championships and Ski Sunday
06:15 – The Carrick-Smith brothers and British ski racing
08:30 – New ski lifts: do they really matter?
11:30 – What makes skiers choose a resort?
13:00 – The rise of shorter ski holidays
16:00 – Are ski weekends better value?
17:15 – The changing world of après-ski
19:00 – BOA ski boots and new gear technology
22:00 – Our most anticipated ski trips and events
24:00 – Serre Chevalier, Baqueira and value destinations
26:00 – Ski holiday prices and our biggest pet hates
28:00 – Where is everyone skiing this winter?
31:00 – The best resorts for a group ski holiday
33:00 – Live audience Q&A: low light goggles
34:00 – Has ski technology really improved?
36:00 – Wrapping up from the Northern Snow Show
To contact us with your suggestions for further episodes at dom@InTheSnow.com / robert@ski-press.com