DESPITE an abundance of rugged, snow-capped mountains, Scotland is unlikely to be at the top of many people’s lists when planning a skiing or snowboarding holiday. Jamie Kunka, founder of Perthshire-based Lonely Mountain Skis, a micro ski manufacturer with a distinct Scottish flavour, is on a mission to change that.
Since 2013, Kunka has been creating hand-crafted, Scotland-centric skis, working predominantly with Scottish materials to craft products that are not only for Scots, but are perfectly suited to helping outdoor enthusiasts navigate the country’s tough, often unforgiving snowy terrain.
Kunka was initially inspired to give ski-making a go after watching a TV show fronted by acclaimed woodsman and survivalist Ray Mears. In the noteworthy episode, Mears met with a Swedish ski-maker who made a ski from dead standing pine. Kunka, upon seeing that something sleek, beautiful and altogether practical could emerge from a fallen, rotting tree, found that he wanted to do something similar.
