Ski, resort and weather news from around the world

Latest Ski resort and weather news from around the world 

Thursday 2nd September 2010

Heavy snow falls in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres

www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that there have been huge snowfalls of 60cm/two feet plus in Australia at the end of last week and in the Austrian, German and Italian Alps in the past 48 hours.
Up to 70cm (2 feet, 4 inches) of snow has fallen in the past 36 hours on northern Alpine glaciers, so it’s slightly ironic that the number of ski areas open has dropped to seven, after the two French centres of Tignes and Les 2 Alpes ended the country’s summer ski season last weekend.  Cervinia in Italy is due to follow suit this weekend.  In Tignes case the closure is only for three weeks and  It will be one of the first resorts in the world to open for ‘winter’ 2010-11 later this month. However all is not lost as Solden is currently hoping to start their winter 2010-11 season a month earlier than planned, this weekend September 4th, following the heavy snow fall there – they’ve currently got a 61cm (two foot) base.  The Pitztal Glacier, which was due to be the first to open in September for 2010-11 on September 15th has not announced any plans to open early, but has announced 50cm (20 inches) of fresh snow. 
The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier above Kaprun which closed unexpectedly in August due to the snow on the glacier all but melting away, has still not re-opened as yet however, even though it too has had several feet of new snow and now boasts 55 – 65cm over a 500m vertical. It’s the same at present on the Dachstein glacier, although it reports a foot of new snow. The Molltal glacier has had 50cm (20 inches) of new snow and now has a 1.3m (4.3 feet) base, the falls have been less spectacular on the Tux glacier but it still has the most terrain open, with 20km of runs to enjoy and a 95cm (three foot) base.
In Germany the Zugspitz glacier has reported 70cm (28 inches) of new snow but is not yet open.  It Italy Val Senales reports 30cm (a foot) of new snow taking its total base to a metre, but Cervinia has only had an inch or so of new snow, as has its Swiss neighbours Zermatt and Saas Fee, reporting 120cm (four foot) base and ‘Spring like’ conditions.
There’s no skiing today in North America as the only ski area due to be open, Timberline on Mt Oregon, is closed due to rain and wind.  It’s due to close soon shortly anyway for its annual maintainance shut down for a few weeks in late September.  On the upide Loveland in Colorado, one of the world’s highest resorts and typically one of the first to open in North America each year, usually in early October, has announced it has wheeled out its portable snowmaking guns on to the piste ready for temps to drop low enough for snowmaking to begin, which they think is imminent.
In the southern hemisphere the big news was Australia’s leading ski areas being dumped on big time at the end of last week (and still a little bit now) and in some cases reporting the best August snowfalls for more than two decades.  “We smashed the record books with some of the best snow the mountain has seen in years! The resort received 34cms of snow, rendering it as the best August snowfall recorded since 1985!” said an excited spokesperson for Mt Buller.  It’s a similar story at the country’s largest resort, Perisher, which thinks this August could still end up their snowiest ever as the snow is still falling. There has been no other August since 1984 where more snow has fallen.  Perisher has had more than 30cm of fresh snow settle across the resort, that makes it 2.6m of accumulated snowfalls since 1st August with wind-drifts over 1.5m deep in places.  For Mt Hotham it’s 102cm in the past week with 47cm of fresh snow overnight on Wednesday - the biggest single dump on record since 2003. 82cm fell in 48 hours last weekend making it the resort’s snowiest August since 1992. All 13 lifts are operating with plenty of powder stashes to be found. 
In New Zealand there’s been less fresh snow but more world class competitions, with the FIS Junior World Championships at Cardrona and SnowParkNZ declared a success as they drew to a close.
Mt Hutt continues to have some of the best snow in the country receiving yet another 14cm (six inches) yesterday taking base depts. Up to 205cm (nearly seven feet).  There’s been fresh snow, if less of it, at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables which are both looking good though they have around half the snow depth. But Treble Cone went one better than Mt Hutt with 30cm (a foot) of snow falling in 30 hours last Friday, just in time for the weekend.  The snow is still falling there with another 5cm in the past 12 hours and base depths past 180cm (six feet) so conditions are spectacular.  Snow depths are also still good on Mt Ruapehu where Turoa has more than 1.6m (five feet) of snow and Whakapapa 112cm (nearly four feet).  Cardrona has a 105cm base but rainbow unfortunately remains closed for nearly two weeks now while waiting more snow.
Across the pacific in South America there’s been fresh snow with Chapelco’s base depth on upper slopes hitting 225cm (7.5 feet).  Conditions are fairly amazing at cathedral too, with base depth’s at the continent’s biggest ski resort up to an incredible 3.3m (11 feet) on upper slopes, 80cm (nearly three feet) at the base.  Although it’s as cold as -10C at Las Lenas the snow is not so great 60cm (two feet) at the top but only 20cm (eight inches) at the base. 
It’s snowing in parts of Chile too, Valle Nevado, another of the continent’s big areas, has had 9cm (four inches) in the past 24 hours, taking its season-long snowfall to 381cm – nearly 13 feet.  At Portillo it’s still not a memorable season, but they’ve had 5cm (two inches) of new snow today, a small boost to the 80cm (32 inch) upper slope base depths, but the powder skiing for which the resort is most famous remains sadly limited

Wednesday 11th August 2010

Still snowing in Northern and Southern Hemisphere Ski Areas

www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that there has been fresh snow once again in the Alps and in many areas in the southern hemisphere, however temperatures are also still warm in the Alps, and one glacier in Austria has had to close temporarily as a result, taking the number of open centres down to 10.  The biggest falls of the past week have been in New Zealand with resorts receiving up to a metre of snow in 48 hours, with one reporting 68cm on Sunday alone.
Val Senales in Italy has reported the biggest snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere, at an open ski area at least, in the past seven days with a 25cm (10 inch) fall last Thursday, 5th August, it has a one metre base.  At Cervinia it’s 70cm nut a rather warm +5C on the Plateau Rosa glacier, Passo Stelvio is also open for snow sports.

Despite problems on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier the Hintertux glacier is still maintaining one of the largest snow areas in the Alps with 20km of trails open served by nine lifts, it reported fresh snow on Saturday.  It’s warm to on the Dachstein glacier where cross country trails and the Horsefeathers Superpark are both open. The third glacier still open in Austria is the Molltal which is continuing to report 9.5km of slopes open with up to 1.5m (five feet) of snow depth just as it has for the past month or so.  It intends to remain open now until mid-May next year.

We’re in to the last few weeks of the summer ski season in France where the glaciers at Tignes and Val d’isere will close later this month.  However the closure will be only temporary in the case of Tignes which re-opens in late September and remains the only open French ski area for most of the autumn.
Both have glacier snow bases of 60-100cm and both received a little snowfall late last week, greatly improving conditions over the very hot days of July.
In Switzerland Saas Fee and Zermatt are both open, receiving up to 4cm of new snow at the weekend.  Saas Fee reports a 117cm (nearly four foot) base.  It has ten lifts, four runs, its terrain park and half pipe open.

In South America there’s been little new snow in Chile, Portillo has reported 9cm (four inches) in the past week, and the base remains between 40cm and a metre, still waiting for the first huge fall of the season.  Chapa Verde has a 50cm (20 inch) base.  Valle Nevado’s large ski area remains almost entirely open, with a 70cm (2.3 feet) with no new snow in recent days.  It has received 3.7m (over 12 feet) of snow so far this season.
It’s a similar picture in Argentina where Las Lenas reports snow depths of 40-110cm (1.3 – 3.6 feet), but some of the continent’s deepest snow at present is on the upper slopes of Catedral to the north, which has the biggest uplift capacity in South America and 1.4m (nearly five feet) snow depth on  its upper runs.

Over in Australia and New Zealand there’s been more snow through the past seven days.  Australian resorts have been cheering their ongoing falls after the big falls a week ago, but this time it’s New Zealand’s slopes that have seen huge falls, with one, Mt Hutt, receiving over a metre in 24 hours, 68cm (2.3 feet) of it on Sunday the 8th alone.  The centre is currently digging out its terrain park and other facilities as fast as it can, but is open to anyone who can get there and if self driving chains or a four-by-four are required.    The current snowbase of 2.4 metres (eight feet) is among the deepest in the world at present.
Other ski areas in New Zealand have reported big, if not quite such meteoric accumulations in the past few days.  Coronet Peak added 45cm (18 inches) to their base and now has a 110cm accumulation.  Treble Cone has a 157cm (over five foot) base wioth 15cm (six inches) falling in the past 48 hours.
Over on Mt Ruapehu , Whakapapa has a 90cm (three foot) base, Turoa 150cm (five feet).
Conditions are largely good in Australia with most resorts now having at least a 60cm (two foot) base, temperatures hovering around freezing, and snow flurries.  More of the same is expected for most through the rest of the week and hopefully some bigger snowfalls too.
Falls Creek has almost all of its lifts and runs open, snow depth is averaging around 60ccm but in snowmaking areas it’s up on 99.5cm (3.3feet)
 Mt Hotham has had 5cm (two inches) of new snow in the past 24 hours and has an average snow depth of 70cm (2.3 feet), but the depth in snow making areas is above 1.1m – nearly four feet.
It’s looking good in Thredbo too, with an 83cm base (just under three feet) with 3cm of new snow while Mt Buller has 60-90cm (2-3 feet), 5cm of it fresh in the past 24 hours.
In Africa conditions are little changed. Afriski in Lesotho reports lovely sunny days – too sunny by the afternoon when the snow becomes too sticky, but still dropping low enough overnight to continue snowmaking and top up any snow that’s melted during the day.  So the centre is managing to maintain a 600m long slope with a 70cm base, as well as an additional beginners slope and its terrain park.

Monday 9th August 2010

Monster Ski Charity Challenge Seeks Participants

A charity that supports people living with multiple sclerosis is looking for skiers and snowboarders to sign up for its upcoming Monster Ski event in France next February.

Monster Ski is an endurance challenge to ski 90,000 vertical feet over the three days and is organized exclusively for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust for skiers of intermediate standard and above. Participants will be skiing the vertical of Mount Everest every day for the three days in Tignes from 3rd to 7th February 2011.

“It might sound daunting, but if you are a confident and capable skier or snowboarder, with a good level of fitness, it should be within your grasp. This charity event offers you a unique way to experience the expansive Espace Killy ski area, whilst being part of something really special to benefit people living with a difficult life-long condition.” said an MS Trust spokesperson.

It costs £150 to register for Monster Ski and each participant will be required to raise a minimum of £1,700 in sponsorship for the MS Trust. Included in this price are flights and transfers, accommodation (half board), a three day lift pass and ski guides.

Previous Monster Ski events in Colorado, Engelberg and Whistler have raised over £250,000 to support the MS Trust’s vital work.

“This is your chance to put your passion to a good cause and help people living with MS today. The Monster Ski experience will leave you with a real sense of achievement and fantastic memories that will stay with you forever.” Say the MS Trust.

For more information contact Laura Percival at the MS Trust on 01462 476707 or download a registration pack from: www.mstrust.org.uk/monsterski

The event will be the fourth following previous Monster Ski events in Colorado; Engelberg and last season in Whistler.

Wednesday 4th August

It may be sun here but it's snow in Australia, Chile and Argentina

ww.skiinfo reprots: Although there has been some snow fall in the European Alps, It’s Australian ski areas that have been reporting the world’s best snow conditions over the past few days with more than 60cm (two feet) falling in 48 hours at one centre, truly epic by Aussie standards and by far the biggest snowfalls of winter so far – which had been mostly cold to date, allowing for lots of snowmaking, but with limited natural stuff until now. 

Perisher in New South Wales, Australia’s largest resort, has also reported the biggest snowfall of 64 centimetres (Two feet, two inches) of fresh snow in 48 hours from Sunday though Monday.  Prior to the new snowfall, Perisher had achieved a new Australian record in snowmaking, producing over 800,000 cubic metres of snow with depths of up to three meters (10 feet) in some areas. 
With further falls of up to 20 centimetres forecast later this week by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the resort's greater natural snow reliability, Perisher can now provide skiers and snowboarders access to almost 1245 hectares of snow covered terrain.

Other Australian resorts have reported healthy snowfall too, if not on quite the same scale.  Mt Buller reports 24cms (nine inches) of snow and Mt Hotham has had 51cm (21 inches) of fresh snow over the past week.  Natural snowdepth now averages 66cm, with 98+cms in snowmaking areas.  Seven lifts are in operation at Hotham with more lifts currently being assessed for opening in time for the weekend.
In New Zealand there’s been mixed weather but some fresh snow and conditions overall are good.  Mt Hutt got 5cm (two inches) of new snow on Monday (Aug 2) and now has a 155cm (5.1 foot) base, at Coronet Peaks there’s a 90cm (three foot) base but there hasn’t been any new snow for over a week. The centre staged an FIS standard international race this morning (Aug 4) dominated by the Canfian squad who are currently training there and took the top four places.  Racers from teams including the US, Great Britain, Spain and Korea also took part.
Over at Mt Ruapehu, Turoa was closed today due to strong winds, but snow is expected over the next few days, the base depth is 135cm (4.5 feet). The lower mountain at sister resort Whakapapa was open however.  It has a 90cm base and is also expecting fresh snow at the weekend.
In South America conditions remain good, but cold, at Catedral in Argentina, the continent’s biggest resort in terms of uplift.  Here’s there’s 1.6 metres (over five feet) of snow lying on upper slopes but it has been cold, below -15C at times.  It’s not quite as cold or quite as deep at another Argentinian resort, Chapelco, which has a 1.3m base and temperatures around -9C.  The country’s other big resort, Las Lenas in the south, has 40cm (16 inches) at the base and 1.1m (3.7 feet) at the top of the lifts.
In Chile virtually all lifts and runs are operational at Valle Nevado which reports another 5cm of fresh snow, taking its season tally to 3.6m (12 feet), although the compacted base at present is rather less than that, if healthy enough at 70cm (2.3 feet).  Chapa Verde reports an 80cm (2.6 feet) base and Portillo to the north is still not quite at the top of its game with an 80cm natural snow depth, low temperatures but not much of the off piste powder for which it’s most famous, although there has been 30cm (a foot) of new snow in the past week.
Over in Africa  it has warmed up a little at Afriski in Lesotho and the snow guns are no longer able to operate after their long spate of snowmaking for most of the winter.  However the accumulated base isn’t thawing too quickly and the snow surface is good in the morning after an overnight freeze, though it gets a bit sticky after lunchtime – much like an alpine glacier.  There’s still a 600m main slope, 200m beginner slope and a terrain park open to enjoy with best snow depth 70cm (2.3 feet) on the main run.

The changeable weather in the Alps has led to a mix of rain and fresh snow on the 11 glacier ski areas that are currently open.  Fortunately temperatures have dropped a lot from a fortnight ago when they were up in double figures at some areas, but they are still above freezing at some – which means thaw of course. 

In Austria only the upper slopes on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier are open with the snow cover still thin and temperature at 3 degrees Celcius, sleety snow is expected over the next few days.  The Dachstein glacier has limited skiing and describes its 60cm base as ‘wet.’  On the Molltal glacier it’s not been great either, with runs closed on Tuesday as rain fell, but this should turn to snow when temperatures drop below the current 4 degrees on the glacier and the 9.5km of summer runs should re-open and much of the 1.5m (five foot) base should remain intact.  Hintertux too has seen a mixture of fresh snow (5cm) ad rain.  It’s base depth stands at 125cm (just over four feet) with nearly 700m of vertical still skiable at the year-round snow sports resort.
In France, Tignes and Les 2 Alpes are still open with similar conditions to Austria, if a little less precipitation.  Snow depths are 60-100cm (2-3.3 feet).  It’s likely to be warm today (Wednesday), but cooler tomorrow down to -5 on the glacier with precipitation forecast that will hopefully fall as snow for the last few weeks of the summer ski season.
In Italy, Val Senales received 5cm of fresh snow last week and has a one metre base and 8km of piste open.   It’s a similar picture at Passo Stelvio and Cervinia, the other two Italian areas currently open.
The other two open glaciers are in Switzerland, neighbouring Saas Fee and Zermatt.  Saas Fee has some of the best conditions in Europe right now with temperatures on the glacier around freezing, 8cm of fresh snow last Friday, four runs, the glacier half pipe and the terrain park open and a 126cm (over four foot) base.
No other outdoor ski areas are currently open in Europe, and in the USA only Timberline on Mt Hood in Oregon continues to offer snow sports, so for the best conditions you’ll need to head south of the equator.
Saturday 31st July

Snow fall in Alps

Fresh Snow On Both Sides Of The World
* Up to 10cm of fresh snow in the Alps.
* Record Snowmaking In Australia.
* Heavy Snow In Chile and Argentina.
* Fresh snow in New Zealand
* Summer ski season ends on Canada. 
www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that temperatures have finally dropped in the Alps and fresh snow has fallen on the glacier ski areas that remain open.  In the southern hemisphere there’s been heavy snow in Chile.
In Europe the situation on the 11 still-open glacier ski areas in terms of snow depth remains little changed but conditions are much improved with temperatures dropping from near double-figures to around zero, the melt largely topped and the fresh snow making surfaces much more ski and boardable.
In Austria cover continues to be mixed, on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier the fresh snow means that cover at the Alpincentre (2450m up) is back to 5cm (two inches), but on the top it still remains rather thin at 18cm (seven inches).  On the Molltal glacier the reported snow depth continues at  1.5m (five feet) with 9km of run open.  At Hintertux 20km of run are open and the snow depth is 125cm (just over four feet).  Snow depth on the Dachstein Glacier is at 70cm.
In France Les 2 Alpes and Tignes have both reported fresh snow.  Les 2 Alpes has a metre of snow (3.3 feet) and Tignes 80cm (just under three feet).
In Italy, the Plateau Rosa above Cervinia has a metre of snow and you can also continue to board at Passo Stelvio and Val Senales.  The latter reports some of the deepest sow in the Alps at 2.4m (eight feet) and that it received 5cm (two inches) of fresh snow in the past few days.
In Switzerland the choice remains between Saas Fee and Zermatt.  Saas Fee reports that it received 10cm (four inches) of fresh snow and currently has for ski slopes including its park and pipe open, served by 10 lifts.
In North America the end of the summer ski season in Whistler has left just timberline in Oregon open, although temperatures are quite warm.  The Magic Mile and Palmer ski lifts and runs are open as well as the Mile Canyon Terrain Park.
South America is looking snowy with 15cm (six inches) of new snow so far today at Catedral in Argentina, which operates the continent’ largest lift network.   It now has a base depth of 1.5m (five feet).  Las Lenas to the south has had fresh snow too and now has more than a metre (1.1m) on upper slopes.
In Chile conditions have improved dramatically at Portillo with more than two feet (60cm) of snow falling in the past week, taking base depths to 40 inches (a metre) on upper slopes and allowing the resort to finally remove their, “low snow warning” from their website.
Across the Pacific in New Zealand conditions are looking good at most ski areas and fresh snow is currently falling.  Mt Hutt has passed the 1.5m (five foot) base depth with 1.55m lying on upper slopes after an 8cm (three inch) snowfall in the past 24 hours. Other resorts are reporting new snow too.  Treble Cone has 5cm (two inches) of fresh powder on a 77cm base.
Whakapapa has a 92cm (three foot) base after v10cm of new snow fell, its fellow Mt Ruapehu resort of Turoa has 1.35m (4.5 feet) after receiving 15cm (six inches) of new snow.
Over 70 competitors came out in full force on Saturday to take part in the first event of the Mother Freestyle Series, the Nitro Elan Jib Nats with prizes from Nitro, Elan and 3CS. There was over $10,000 in cash and prizes and lots of spectators turned out. Next up are the Smith Sessions Slopestyle at Turoa on 14th August.
Although it has unfortunately warmed up in recent day, consistently low temperatures for the first few months of the winter in Australia, coupled with ever improving snowmaking systems and technology, has allowed the country’s resorts to report new snowmaking records reached during the past week.
Last winter Perisher produced 624,769 cubic metres of snow, in what was heralded as an amazing achievement for Australian alpine resorts.  Already this season, which still has two months left to run, the resort has smashed that record with over 700,000 cubic metres produced to date..
The resort's three-year $19 million investment in automated snowmaking infrastructure has really been a bonus for guests this winter, with snowmaking commencing on May 11th, four weeks before the start of the season, and continuing almost non-stop ever since.
The snowmaking expansion has enabled the beginner and intermediate Happy Valley area and top to bottom on the iconic Towers Run on Mt Perisher, for more advanced skiers and boarders, to open earlier than usual this season, although natural snowfalls have only registered just over 30cm. This weekend the popular Excelerator run in Blue Cow also openeds due to the efforts of the snowmakers.
Sixty-eight new energy efficient, fully automated fan guns and lances were commissioned in 2009, making a total of 271 snow guns now installed across Perisher Valley, Blue Cow and Smiggin Holes resort areas.
A second Australian ski area, Mt Hotham, has also reported new snowmaking records set there.

In southern Africa, Afriski in Lesotho has seen warmer temperatures recently but the machine made snow continues to hold up well.  It’s up to 70cm (2.3 feet) deep covering a 700m long run with a beginner’s slope and terrain park also in operation.

Friday 16th July 2010

Temperatures Rising in the ALPs as Snow falls in Australia

*  Heavy snow in Australia.

*  A dozen ski areas open in the Alps battle high temperatures on their glaciers.

*  Deep powder in Chile.

www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that it’s hot in the Alps and the Dachstein glacier’s report of snow conditions as ‘wet’ is one of the more accurate.

It’s one of the dozen glacier ski areas currently open in the Alps, although most are battling to keep their slopes skiable with the snow cover becoming slushy earlier in the morning than usual because of the heat, it’s important to get out there early.

 Austria has the most summer skiing open.  Along with the Dachstein that has two slopes and three lifts open and a 90cm (three foot) base, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun, the Tux glacier in the Ziller Valley and the Molltal glacier are all open.

At the Kitzsteinhorn runs are open to open to top station of Gratbahn and snow cover is down to 39cm (13 inches) as glacier temperatures touch double figures.  The Mölltaler glaciers reports deeper snow of 1.9m (more than six feet) and 9km of runs open although temperatures are equally high.  Tux reports similar snow depths, similar temperatures and 20km of runs open.

In Switzerland the choice is Saas Fee or Zermatt.  Saas Fee again reports high temperatures (+7 at 3500m) but has a 2.1m (7 foot) base and is managing to keep its terrain park and half pipe operational.  In Zermatt six blue and red runs are being served by five glacier drag lifts, including Europe’s highest reaching 3899m, which are usually only open in the summer, the lift connection to Cervinia is also now open.  It’s currently reporting 1.4m (just under five feet) of snow lying on its summer slopes at Plateau Rosa and despite no fresh falls for weeks and temperatures of +8C on the glacier it describes conditions as “powder snow” – surely some technical error on the snow report there?

It’s very hot elsewhere in Italy too.  At Val Senales its20C at 2000m and 10C at the top of the glacier at 3200m, but there is still a 2.4m (8 foot) snow base which should survive the current thaw.  Passo Stelvio is also still open.

Over in France the choice of glacier ski areas open for summer snow sports remains Les 2 Alpes, Tignes and Val d’Isere. 

It’s been rather warm on Norway’s three glaciers ski areas too.  Strynn decided to finish its season last week after a ‘short but spectacular’ season.  Folgefonn reports temperatures up to 14 degrees and rain and it’s looking distinctly soggy at Galdhøpiggen as well. 

Across the Atlantic in the US only Timberline on Mt Hood in Oregon remains open as Mammoth Mountain in California finally stopped operating their ski lifts after the Independence Day holiday weekend, ending an opening period in nine consecutive months.

Another Californian resort, Boreal, did open for last weekend only, on the 10th/11th July.  Lifts were open from 10am - 2pm so locals and visitors could enjoy the abundance of snow left from the snowy spring. A full terrain park was built, accessed via the Castle Peak Quad.

North of the border Whistler's summer skiing and boarding area on the Blackcomb glacier remains open and the resort is also offering summer snowshoeing and tubing.

In the southern hemisphere resorts across Australia have been reporting heavy snowfall over the past few days.

In New South Wales the biggest resort, Perisher, has had more than fourteen inches (35cm) of fresh snow so far, with more falling.

“It's really chucking it down in Perisher right now! We've had 35cm of fresh snowfalls today, with heavy falls this afternoon and it is still coming down!” said a resort spokesperson.

The resort has a natural snow depth of 44cm (18 inches) but deeper snow in areas covered by snowmaking; temperatures are around -2C.

24 lifts are planned for operation tomorrow, with Club Penguin Tube Town, the PlayStation Slopestyle Park, a mini park at Blue Cow and a Rider X course at Yabby Flat all open.

Other ski resorts in the region are also reporting good snow falls, Mt Buller had had 25cm (10 inches) of new snow over the past 36 hours and much more (as yet unmeasured – everyone was out skiing) during the day.

In New Zealand conditions continue to be relatively good at most resorts with base depths typically between 60cm and 1.8m (2-6 feet) on upper slopes acrosthe country and good cover down to resort bases in most cases.  Many areas had some snowfall last weekend and in most cases more is forecast in the next 72 hours, with temperatures hovering down around zero or just below.  Of the larger centres Turoa on Mt Ruapehu has a 98cm (3.3 feet) base, Mt hutt 125cm (4.2 feet).

In South America, several resorts in Chile are reporting the deepest snow in the southern hemisphere at the moment with up to 2.7m (nine feet) of snow lying in the Three Valleys area of Valle Nevado and la Parva and further south in Termas de Chillan.  Most of this is due to heavy falls earlier this month with have eased now leaving great powder conditions on the slopes.  The figures are less impressive further north hoever where Chapa Verde as well as the top resort of Portillo have much less snow than usual – only 30 – 80cm (1-2.6 feet), they’e expecting heavy falls imminently however and temperatures are low – down to -16C!  Portillo is limiting ticket sales to hotel guests only at present to minimise use of what snow there is.

Conditions are relatively good in Argentina too, the continent’s best lift-served resort of Catedral has 1.5m (five feet) of snow on higher slopes and another top resort, Las Lenas to the south, has 90cm (three feet) on upper runs.  Chapelco also has 90cm (three feet) deep snow on upper runs and all three centres describe snow conditions as ‘powder.’

Finally, Africa, Lesotho’s Afriski ski area is still lacking natural snowfall but consistently low temperatures have allowed for lots of snowmaking and it curretly has a 500m slope open, plus a beginners run and its terrain park with 60cm (two foot) deep snow.  In South Africa Tifindell’ official operational status is uncertain but the slopes are still snow covered 

Thursday 15th July 2010

British Snow Tour Announces New Dates and New Sponsors for 2010

The annual British Snow Tour is back for its ninth year with a line-up of 14 British Championship events kicking off from September at four of the UK’s top indoor snow and outdoor dry slope venues - Norwich, Glasgow, Milton Keynes and Castleford.

The British Snow Tour provides riders with a path from grass roots participation through to the highest level of snowboard and freeski competition in the UK, offering snowboard competitors prestigious TTR points and TTR World Ranking.  New for 2010 are two new sponsors, a three for two offer and a £20,000 combined prize purse.

“We’re stoked that a host of the industry’s biggest brands continue to appreciate the impact of the British Snow Tour, as protection heavyweight Giro and European boardwear specialist Protest join in the action to complement our long-serving friendships with Trespass, SNO!zone, Snow + Rock and Cushe Footwear... Here’s to the continued invasion of new participants and the developments of UK rippers... bring it on!” said Spencer Claridge, Director of Soulsports and the British Snow Tour.

Besides the competition, 500 free introductory lessons are offered to first timers on the slopes, there’s free product testing for all, live music and MC, plus 3 for 2 offers on competition entry - the aim is to encourage everyone to get involved. The events are open to all ability levels from novice to pro and served up across five age categories: Kids, Youth, Junior, Senior and Masters.

Besides the competition, 500 free introductory lessons are offered to first timers on the slopes, there’s free product testing for all, live music and MC, plus 3 for 2 offers on competition entry - the aim is to encourage everyone to get involved. The events are open to all ability levels from novice to pro and served up across five age categories: Kids, Youth, Junior, Senior and Masters.

The tour kicks off with the British Artificial Championships on the 11th and 12th of September at  Norfolk Snowsports Centre featuring the Giro Big Air, Protest Slopestyle & Trespass Ski/Snowboardcross Championships.

The tour moves north of the border to stage the British Indoor Championships a week later on the 18th September, with the event including the Trespass Ski/Snowboardcross Championships and Rail Jam, at the Glasgow SNO!zone indoor snow slope.

On the 25th September the Giro Big Air Championships take place at Milton Keynes SNO!zone and on the 9th October the Protest Slopestyle Championships at Castleford SNO!zone.

The final event is the British Invitational Championships on the 22nd October at the London Ski & Snowboard Show.

The new British Snow Tour website, which will include event news and gossip, course layouts and online registration, will be live from 1st August

www.britishsnowtour.com

courtesy: snow24.com

Wednesday 14th July 2010

New Hollywood Blockbuster Filmed At Old Canadian Ski Resort

The new Hollywood movie Inception was shot at the currently closed Canadian resort of Fortress Mountain last autumn, raising hopes among locals that the popular ski centre might be able to reopen for snowsports on the back of a presumed cash injection from the film company.

Fortress, located in the Kananaskis valley about an hour west of Calgary in Alberta was formerly operated by the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies group which also runs Fernie, Kimberley, Mont Ste Anne and the nearby resort of Nakiska, but was sold to the Banff Rail Company in 2005. However it has not operated for the past few seasons due to financial problems associated with unpaid fees and taxes.

Parts of the $200m Inception film, starring Leonardo di Caprio and made by Christopher Nolan, who made the last Batman film, were shot at Fortress which local reports say involved the construction of a large set, the employment of a small army of extras and the shooting of on-snow scenes using snowmobiles.

There is no news as yet as to whether Fortress may be able to re-open in 2010-11 as a result of the film company’s presence at the area. The locals may be hoping for a repeat of events 40 years ago when a then incomplete revolving-restaurant, the world’s first at altitude, built above Murren in the Swiss Jungfrau, which had run out of development cash, was used in the James Bond movie ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.’ Money from the film company was used to complete construction of the Piz Gloria restaurant (the name taken from Ian Fleming’s original 1963 novel) after filming was completed, and it is still operational today.

courtesy snow24.com

Monday 5th July 2010

Four New Lifts And New Snowmaking At Les Arcs

Les Arcs has announced it is spending around 9.1 million Euros this summer on upgrading its slopes and improving safety ahead of next winter.

Four new lifts are being installed including a short new chairlift “du Parchey” in Plan Peisey, Peisey-Vallandry.  This will link a new building expected for completion in winter 2011/2012 and form an easier connection between the lifts and a new children’s playground.  It will be 302m long, rise 107 vertical metres and have a capacity of 1500 people per hour.

Between Arcs 1600 and 1800 a new ski lift will serve the resort’s famous Apocalypse Snow Park with the old Clair Blanc chairlift removed.  The new lift will improve access to the park making it faster to do laps.  It will be 730m long, rise 147 vertical metres and have a capacity of 1,200 people per hour

Other new lifts include l’Eterlou rope tow at Arc 2000 which will make it easier to get back to the resort from the Arcabulle chair and a covered moving walkway conveyor lift at the top of the “Olympic Games” hill  which will be an easier lift for beginners to use.

Les Arcs will also add 5.2km more snow making cover to guarantee snow cover on the ridge between Arc 2000 and Arc 1600/Arc 1800 and doubling capacity for better production.

The resort has also published lift ticket prices for 2010-11.  A six day adult Les Arcs pass will be 209 Euros, with the equivalent full Paradiski pass, including La Plagne’s lifts and the Vanoise Express cable car between the two, available at 249 Euros.

courtesy: snow24.com

Wednesday 30th June 2010

Saas Fee Re-Opens for the summer as New Zealand & Australia get fresh snow

*  More ski areas open in Austria, Italy, Argentina, Chile and New Zealand.
*  Fresh snow in South America, Australia and New Zealand.
*  Extreme skier makes some turns on Pakistan snow before heading up K2.

photo: Fredrik Ericsson Laila Peak 2010

*  Les 2 Alpes staging major international freestyle ski and board event this weekend.

*  Saas Fee opening this weekend, Mammoth Mountain closing.

* Temperatures still low at Norway’s summer ski areas which report world’s deepest snow bases.

www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that more ski areas opened in Europe last weekend and more are scheduled to next weekend but temperatures are warming up and are in double figures over 3000m, making conditions ‘sticky.’
In France Les 2 Alpes is planning a big event this weekend.  The Kumi Yama contest is a Japanese themed slopestyle and superpipe contest from July 2nd to 4th which will feature X Games and Winter Olympic champions.  The glacier ski areas at Tignes and Val d’Isere remain open too.
In Switzerland Saas Fee is due to open this Saturday, joining its neighbour Zermatt which is open year round.  Saas Fee has a three metre (ten foot) base waiting for those hitting its slopes this weekend.
In Italy Cervinia has opened for summer skiing with a two metre (near seven foot) base, but the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale has closed, keeping the total number of Italian ski areas open at three.  The other two being Passo Stelvio and Val Senales.
Austria has four ski areas open again, more than any other northern hemisphere country, following the  Molltal glacier re-opening at the weekend and has 9km of runs open, served by three lifts with 250cm (eight feet) of snow.
On the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun the snow is a metre thick at the top of the glacier but only 5cm is left at the Alpincentre which you can currently ski down to, but perhaps not for much longer.
The Dachstein Glacier has 180cm of snow on the glacier and two lifts, two runs and a terrain park open.  Their ice palace under the glacier has also seen the arrivals of giant frozen ice sculptures of The Simpsons.
The Tux glacier, which is open virtually year round, has one of the biggest ski areas open at present with 20km of runs served by nine lifts and a 550m vertical.
It’s colder and the snow is in better shape In Norway where three glacier areas remain open.  Folgefonn has a two metre base, Galdhøpiggen four metres lying and Stryn 4.5 metres – the deepest any open ski area is currently reporting anywhere.
In North America Mammoth Mountain’s long season appears to be nearing its end this weekend, with the last day of their nine month season on Monday July 5th following Independence Day weekend.  The Californian resort is currently offering its guests the chance to ski or board, play a round on the local nine hole golf course and do some mountain biking all in one day for $99.
At Timberline in Oregon lifts and runs are open, including the Otto Lang terrain park, but the resort’s half pipe is currently closed for construction.
North of the border Whistler’s Blackcomb glacier remains open with its many summercamps.  Whistler's Momentum Ski Camps will stage “Momentum Splashdown,” an event for professional skiers and campers, on Tuesday, July 6 from 4-6pm. Olympic gold medallist Alex Bilodeau will judge the aerial offerings of some of the North America's best skiers at the water ramps located adjacent to Blackcomb Mountain's Base II area.
Meanwhile in Pakistan a new expedition aiming to ski K2 has reached base camp. The attempt is being made by ski mountaineer Fredrik Ericsson as part of his attempt to ski all of the world’s highest mountains. Fredrik Ericsson and Trey Cook were told on arrival in Pakistan that there were unusually deep snow conditions on the Baltoro glacier. The team changed their plan and decided to approach the peak via the Gondoro-la with an attempt on Laila Peak which would enable them to acclimatize and allow the deep snow to consolidate. The team found the deepest snow in the Gondogoro valley in at least 15 years. The team attempted a ski descent of Laila Peak but were turned back 300 meters from the summit by deep, unstable snow. However, Ericsson did enjoy a 1000 vertical meter descent on Laila’s pristine, 45-degree northwest face.
In the southern hemisphere there has been some fresh snow in Australia and low temperatures have allowed the resorts to do a lot of snowmaking.  More snow is forecast throughout the rest of the week.   Mt Buller is typical of all the leading Australian ski areas in that temperatures there reached a low of -6.3 last night and heading to a top of -2 today, these are spot on conditions to blast some quality man made snow around the clock across the whole resort.  Four lifts are operating there with a coverage of 46cm in all open areas. But with forecast snow showers throughout this week and heavy snowmaking underway since Saturday morning, they are anticipating more intermediate terrain will be open later this week.
In New Zealand almost all ski areas are now open and there’s been mlore fresh snow. Whakapapa on Mt Ruapehu reports 22cm of new snow and an average base depth of 60cm.  Most other ski areas have a similar amount of snow with Mt Hutt having some of the deepest snow with 125cm.
The 2010 winter season is officially underway in Lake Wanaka with all four fields now open for business and reporting excellent snow conditions.  Good snowfalls in May and optimum snow making conditions throughout June have provided the mountains across the region with a good base and quality snow coverage for the start of the season.
Snow Farm, New Zealand’s only Nordic ski area was the first to open in early June then at Treble Cone’s opening last week, skiers and boarders enjoyed outstanding conditions with all lifts operating. Skiers in The Saddle were treated to great powder with fresh tracks well into the morning.
The ideal weather conditions and excellent snow base produced plenty of smiles at Cardrona Alpine Resort’s opening. A new 40 metre tunnel, providing a unique access route across the ski area proved popular with skiers and boarders. Cardrona now boasts the largest number of chair lifts in the South Island with the installation of the Valley View Quad, opening up even more terrain.
The roll-out of Lake Wanaka’s ski areas continued as the freestyle action got undweray at Snow Park NZ on Saturday. New for the terrain park is a learner tow rope and designated area for beginners as well as a new transport service to take passengers to and from the mountain every day with extra frequency for night riding sessions Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights. This season Snow Park NZ will launch its 22ft halpipe and quarter pipe as well as many new rails and boxes.
Lake Wanaka’s resorts will again take centre stage for many national and international events this winter. The FIS Snowboard and Freestyle Junior World Championships (19-31 August), Burton New Zealand Open (10-14 August) and The World Heli Challenge (30 July-9 August) will attract world class athletes and provide stunning action for spectators.
There’s been no new natural snowfall on Southern Africa’s ski slopes but Afriski in lesotho has been able to keep snowmaking as temperatures fluctuastes between highs of +4C in the daytime and a low of -5C at night.  It has about 65cm of snow lying on its 400m long main raun, and the beginner run is also open.
Over in South America there has been quite a lot of fresh snow in both Chile and Argentina enabling more resorts to open. 
In Chile Portillo opened at the weekend, a week later than planned, and has about two feet of snow.  Valle Nevado reports it has had more than 2 metres of snow so far this season and currently has 50cm lying on the slopes. The connection to La Parva is open, but not the one to El Colorado.
Argentina’s largest ski resort Catedral is also now partially open although reports only 50cm of snow on upper slopes and nothing at the base, with only limited terrain open as a result.  Las Lenas is looking a little better with 40cm at the base and 85cm on upper slopes, but temperatures have been peaking at a too-warm 12C.

Monday 28th June 2010

Have fun and raise money for a great cause - 150km Charity Endurance Ski Race Launched

Snow-Camp, a registered charity supporting over 600 disadvantaged young people in inner-London by providing a combination of snow sport and life- skills training, has launched a fund-raiser it has called the Everest Challenge.

Participants in the 150km endurance event gives snow sport enthusiasts the opportunity to fundraise for Snow-Camp by skiing or snowboarding over a set 150km course over two days. Participants - which Snow-Camp hopes will exceed 60 people - will be guided through a range of peaks and valleys. The course includes a night ski/board stage and a night mountain hike, flights, accommodation and food

The event hopes to build on the success of the organisation’ first Everest Challenge which raised £35,000 in January 2010. Next winter’s event will be held from the 27th to 30th January in the Portes du Soleil ski area, which straddles the French=Swiss border,

A launch event earlier this month hosted by Graham Bell, Olympic skier and BBC co-presenter of Ski Sunday raised £8000.

“It’s going to be an incredible event, with skiing and boarding from dawn until dusk! We’ll finish the challenge no matter what the weather or the conditions. We hope it’s going to be even more demanding and fun than the first Everest Challenge.” said Snow-Camp Director, Dan Charlish.

The Everest Challenge is open to all competent “red slope” skiers and snowboarders. It costs £185 to book a place on the event (including flights, accommodation, transfers and ski passes). All participants must commit to raise a minimum of £1,500 for Snow-Camp’s work.

www.snow-camp.co.uk/everestchallenge

Wednesday 23rd June 2010

Heavy Snow For Europe As More Southern Hemisphere Ski Areas Open

*  Up to 30cm (a foot) of new snow so far today around Queenstown’s ski areas.
*  Up to 50cm (20 inches) of fresh snow in the Alps.
*  Second Californian ski area to open in July.
*  Cairngorm in Scotland wraps up seven month season.
*  Argentina’s resort start to open and more snow in Chile and South Africa.

www.skiinfo.co.uk report that more of Europe’s glacier ski areas are opening and that they, along with the centres already open, are benefitting from heavy snowfalls in recent days.
More ski areas have also been opening in the southern hemisphere, where resorts in New Zealand are reporting up to 25cm of new snow so far today.  In addition a third US area has announced plans to open its slopes in July.
There have been low temperatures and heavy snow on glaciers in the Alps in the past few days.  With all three summer ski areas now open in France, this means 10 areas are offering powder snow conditions on their slopes at the moment!
In Austria the Hintertux glacier has reported 45cm (18 inches) of new snow it has a 590m vertical with 20km of pistes open, and a 195.cm (6.5 foot) base.
The Dachstein glacier has a210cm (7 foot) base and is reporting powder conditions. It’s beginner park and super park are both open.
The Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun has also reopened, reporting another 5cm (two inches) of fresh snow on Tuesday, on top of weekend falls and a full 750 metres of skiable vertical.
The Mölltal glacier will re-open this Sunday, 27 June at 8am with about 9 km of groomed slopes open daily to 4pm through to the end of August. The centre currently reports up to 3.6m (12 foot) snow depths on the glacier.
Italy will also be up to four summer ski areas open by the weekend when Cervinia re-opens with fresh snow.  It will join the still-open Presena glacier above Passo Tonale where just two advanced to expert runs are open, as well as Passo Stelvio and Val Senales, which has reported 20cm of new snow in two falls over the past few days.
In Switzerland it’s still only Zermatt, Europe’s highest ski area, which has 8km of runs open.
In France the ski lifts began running again at the weekend at Tignes on the Grande Motte glacier and in neighbouring Val d’Isere which joined Les 2 Alpes which re-opened a week ago.  In Tignes there’s 20km of piste and a giant terrain park open, the snow base is 120cm (four feet) and there’s been another 5cm of fresh snow. The slopes are open from 7:15am to 1pm, and located at an altitude ranging from 3,000 to 3,456 metres. The glacier features 12 ski lifts and can be accessed in seven minutes by the underground funicular.  Les 2 Alpes has 80cm (2.6 feet) of snow at 2600m and 2.8m (over 9 feet) up at 3200m with 12 slopes and the terrain park open at one of Europe’s largest summer ski areas.
The only other places to ski in Europe are in Norway, where three glacier ski areas are open at Folgefonn with up to four metres of snow lying, Galdhoppigen with up to five metres of snow lying and Stryn with up to 4.5 metres of snow lying.
In Scotland more than 60 skiers took to the slopes at CairnGorm Mountain on the summer solstice on Monday 21st June 2010 to enjoy some midsummer skiing on the snow still lying there in the Ptarmigan bowl.
They were able to take advantage of the two rope tows which had been set up there by the resort’s operators CairnGorm Mountain Ltd. Skiers had travelled from as far away as the Isle of Mull in order to be able to say that they had skied at midsummer at CairnGorm.
The 21st was the 147th day of skiing at CairnGorm since the season started on 28 November 2009 and brings to 145,007 the total number of skier days at the resort in what by any account has been an extraordinary season. There were 23 days when skiing was not possible due to high winds or access blocked by snow.
 Last year 65,000 skiers visited the resort and only three years ago they had their worst season ever with only 38,000 skiers.
In North America the ski season ended a weekend later than expected in  Utah when Snowbird decided to open last weekend after all, extending their 2009/10 season to 189 total days. Customers were limited to one ride up the Aerial Tram per day, allowing access to Little Cloud lift and skiing on Regulator Johnson. All additional terrain was closed and classified as “backcountry terrain.” However Timberline on Mt Hood in Oregon and Mammoth Mountain in California are still operating their ski lifts and snow slopes.
Mammoth, which currently has 2-6 feet (60-180cm) of snow has previously said they’ll stay open for two more weekends to July 4. However another California resort, Boreal, has now said they’ll open for one weekend only, on the 10th/11th July.  Lifts will be open from 10am - 2pm, to enjoy the abundance of snow left from the snowy spring.  A full terrain park will be built, accessed via the Castle Peak Quad and lift tickets will cost 20 dollars.
North of the border Whistler’s summer skiing and boarding area on the Blackcomb glacier is now open and the resort is also offering summer snowshoeing and tubing.
In South America Las Lenas is the first resort to open in Argentina has opened with a metre of snow on upper slopes, but the country’s other leading resort, Catedral, says it needs more snow before opening, there’s currently about a foot (30cm) on upper slopes.
Conditions at most ski areas in Chile are looking good after the centres there reported receiving up to two feet (60cm) of snow in the past week, most of it just before the weekend. Chapa Verde has a 60cm (two foot) base  and Chapelco 50cm (20 inches).
However Valle Nevado and the South American ‘ three Valleys’ that surround it have some of the best conditions on the continent with more than 1.6m (over five feet) of accumulated snowfall to date.  Portillo, which delayed its opening by a week, is now on schedule to open this weekend.
In southern Africa there’s snow sports as well as World Cup football.  Africa’s Tiffindell is open for skiing  and Afriski in Lesotho has had more new snow taking its base depth to 65cm (2.2 feet) with a 400m long slope open.
In Australia there’s been no new natural snowfall for over a week now but temperatures are continuing to stay quite low so most resorts with snowmaking are making more, and resorts like Falls Creek, Mt Hotham and Perisher have 40 or 50cm (16-20 inches) of snow on snowmaking areas, Thredbo has a little less.
More ski areas have been opening in New Zealand.  Treble Cone, which has received excellent pre-season snow, will open tomorrow (Thursday 24 June) with the first lift running at 8.30am. There’ll be Amisfield bubbles for the first 150 skiers on the lifts.  Whakapapa is scheduled to open on Saturday 26th June.
Of the already-open areas, Turoa has 80cm (nearly three feet) of snow on upper slopes.  The Remarkables has 85cm (nearly three feet) and has reported 10cm (four inches) of new snow earlier today.  Coronet Peak has the same amount lying and 15cm (six inches) of new snow so far today.  But Mt Hutt has trumped both with 25cm (10 inches) of new snow today and a metre (3.3 foot) base.
After getting their first turns of the season on Treble Cone’s feeride terrain, skiers and snowboarders can spend the afternoon testing their aerial skills on The AirBag. The AirBag is a supersized, air-filled stunt cushion that provides a soft landing for skiers and snowboarders. The first time it has been seen in on-snow in New Zealand, The Airbag is used throughout Europe to develop the training techniques of Olympic and national aerial teams.
The giant 10mx15m cushion will be in full view of the Treble Cone deck and high-speed six seater chairlift for onlookers to check out all the aerial action as some of the region’s top pro freeskiers and snowboarders put it through its paces.

Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Another Summer glacier ski area in the Alps not to open

Another glacier ski area in the Alps has decided not to run its lifts for snow sports in summer anymore.  The number of summer snow centres has now more than halved over the past decade from a peak of nearly 40 northern hemisphere choices in the 1990s.  

Solden is the latest ski area to announce it will no longer offer snow sports in summer.  The resort was formerly open 365 days a year with at least one of its two glaciers open right through the late spring, summer and autumn months.

The end of summer snow sports further diminishes the number of snow centres open in the Alps each summer.

France has lost the most summer ski destinations with La Plagne, Val Thorens and alpe d’Huex not longer offering summer snow sports.  Les 2 Alpes, Tignes and val d’Isere are now open from mid-June to late-August but while Tignes used to be open 365-days a year there’s currently no ski areas open in France from mid-May to late June and from late August to mid-September, when Tignes re-opens.

In Switzerland Crans Montana, Engelberg, Les Diablerets, St Moritz and Verbier have all ended summer skiing in recent years leaving year-round Zermatt, which has Europe’s highest lifts operational only in summer to 3899m, and a bigger lift-served  summer vertical than any southern hemisphere ski area, and nearby Saas Fee which is open from early July through to early May the following year.

In Italy the Marmolada and Monte Rosa glaciers have closed to summer skiers but you can still ski at Passo Stelvio, Val Senales and Cervinia (with cross-border summer-skiing to Zermatt).  The Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale tends to stay open to June.

Austria has the most glacier ski areas still operating in to late Spring and from early Autumn, but fewer are now open through the summer.  The Hintertux glacier is the only centre that tries to open year round, with the Dachstein, Molltal and Kitzsteinhorn glaciers also open in the summer.  Four other glaciers – Pitztal (The country’s highest), Stubai and now Solden are open from September or October each year. 

Three small glacier areas are open in Norway at Folgefonn, Galdhoppigen and Stryn.  Each has one or two lifts and Stryn was rescued from bankruptcy last month.

In North America the Timberline ski area on Mont Hood endreavours to open year round except for a few weeks maintainance closure each September.  It has been forced to close in summer occasionally in recent years however due to thin snow cover.

Whistler Blackcomb opens for summer skiing although this year it too was closed for a month from mid-May to mid-June before re-opening the Blackcomb glacier for a short summer ski season. 

Courchevel has announced that it will stage its first World Cup competition for more than 30 years

Courchevel is currently building up its credentials as a host of competitive events and breeding ground for French champions, and has announced that it will stage its first World Cup competition for more than 30 years this December.

On 21st December the resort will be the setting for a slalom stage in the Women’s Alpine Skiing World Cup.

Courchevel has high hopes for their own Taïna Barioz who will be 22 and therefore wasn’t born the last time the World Cup came to Courchevel.

Taïna was ranked 13th in the 2009 Giant Slalom World Cup thanks in particular to a 4th and 5th place in giant slalom (Are and Cortina d’Ampezzo).

Courchevel launched a new ‘Club de Sports’ to encouraging sporting talent at the resort just over a decade ago and has more than 800 members at present including 220 young competitors from the age of six up, training in snow disciplines right across the boarding including Alpine skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, cross country, freestyle, freeride, and snowboard. It is one of the few clubs in France to cover almost all ski disciplines.

The Courchevel ‘Club des Sports’ has a budget of €2 million and slalom stadiums at Courchevel 1550, 1650 and 1850 to train in as well as jumping hills, Olympic standard cross country ski runs and big air bag for freestyle.  The Club has 11 members in the French national team.

Dozens Of Ski Areas Opening In Northern And Southern Hemispheres

*  World’s Snowiest resort of 2009-10 unexpectedly re-opens for summer skiing.

*  Les2Alpes opens for summer skiing today with a 2.4m base.

*  2010 ski starts in Australia, summer snow season starts in Canada and France.

*  Season finally ends in Finland and Scotland.

*  Ski season begins in Southern Africa in Lesotho.    

www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that Les 2 Alpes is the first of France’s three ski areas that still offer summer glacier skiing and boarding to open for the season, today Wednesday, June 16th. The lists open from 7.15am daily until the 28th August, the resorts there is 2.4m (eight feet) of snow lying on the glacier. The resort’s summer ski area, one of Europe’s largest, covers 200 hectares and has eight runs and a large snow park complete with two half pipes and a superpipe located  between 2900 and 3600m of altitude. The other two glacier summer ski areas still operating since Alpe d’Huez, La Plagne and Val Thorens all stopped offering summer snow sports in recent years, are neighbours Tignes and Val d’Isere which will both open within days of Les 2 Alpes for their summer seasons.  So France is open for skiing again after six weeks when it was the only one of the big four Alpine ski nations to not offer snow sports. 

Glacier ski resorts in Austria, Italy and Switzerland remain open. The Dachstein glacier in southern Austria has re-opened for summer skiing this weekend, two weeks later than planned.  A technical issue following the replacement of the steel cable, for the first time since the lift was installed in 1969, on the Dachstein access cable car led to the postponed opening. As a gesture of good will operators the Planai-Hochwurzen-Railways decided to lower season-ticket prices.The area’s popular Horsefeathers Superpark has now opened however, with a new design for summer 2010b and is reported by the operators to be in perfect shape.  New features include a row of four rails and a line of new boxes designed for beginners and intermediates.Following Stubai’s closure at the weekend, all other Austrian glaciers are now closed except Tux which has 25km of runs to enjoy on a 295cm (10 foot) deep snow pack with nine lifts operating. The Kitsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun and the Molltal glacier will both re-open in the next few weeks.

Three glacier ski areas are now open in Italy following the re-opening of Val Senales at the weekend.  It joins Passo Stelvio and the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale, which had one red and one black run open at the weekend but it likely to close in the near future.  However Cervinia will re-open a week on Saturday for summer skiing and boarding keeping the Italian choices up at three.Val Senales, in Italy’s South Tyrol, opened its Nitro Snowpark for the summer season on Saturday with a special opening party including barbecue BBQ, beer and “Tirolerpfeif”. Events coming up during the six-week summer snow season includes  Girls Weekend on the 25th-26th June , a Rookie Camp for children from July 23rd to 10th and a ‘Koolt Action Weekend’ with Skate/Snow/BMX and soccer and beach volleyball tournaments.In Switzerland only Zermatt is open still, with Europe’s highest lifts in operation touching 3,900m. 

In Northern Europe Scotland’s Cairngorm and Finland’s Ruka finally ended their long seasons last week leaving only Norway with ski slopes open on its three glaciers of Folgefonn, Galdhoppigen and Stryn.

In surprise news a second Canadian resort will be joining Whistler for snow sports next weekend.  The Blackcomb glacier re-opens for summer snow sports from June 19th through to July 25th, but over on Vancouver Island, Mount Washington has also announced it will re-open its snow slopes, at least for the weekend of June19th/20th, at the start of its summer season. Mount Washington was top of the world snowfall table for most of last winter with over 6 metres (20 feet) lying and the resort, which was the main pre-Olympics training base for international teams immediately before the Winter games in February, had over 15m (approximately 50 feet) of snow through the season.   It is now trying to clear snow that’s still lying deep on the higher mountain bike tracks ready for the summer season, but has decided to offer summer skiing for the first time in its 32 year history. Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located 30 minutes above The Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.  WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ).

In the USA Snowbird decided to end their season after last weekend due to a rapidly melting snowpack, leaving only Mammoth in California and the year-round Timberline ski area in Oregon open. 

In the southern hemisphere fresh snow in Australia, Lesotho and New Zealand has led to more resorts opening. Fresh snow across Australia’s ski areas helped get the season off to a positive start at the weekend when the country’s resorts began opening for winter 2010.  Temperatures have been low for the best part of a month allowing for plenty of pre-season snowfall and with 10-15cm (4-6 inches) of natural snowfall just before the resorts were scheduled to open, it’s been a verey good start to the seadon.Perisher in New South Wales was the first to open, on Friday, reporting 10cm of new snow on a base the resort had been building for over a month with their snowmaking equipment.  Mt Buller has four lifts open with the resort’s Bourke Street run is in good shape. Mt Hotham has three lifts operating and Thredbo six lifts, four runs and a basic terrain park.  Falls Creek has 10cm (four inches) of snow lying too, and three lifts running.

In New Zealand conditions are some of the best in the southern hemisphere with Mt Hutt the second resort to open last weekend, a week after Coronet Peak and most of the country’s other skiu areas opening over the next two weekends.  Most have at least a metre (3.3 feet) of snow lying ready for a good start to the season.In South America more resorts are opening too, one of the claimant’s to the continent’s largest ski areas, the ‘Three Valleys of South America’ including the linked ski areas of El Colorado and Valle Nevado is now open with more snow expected in the next few days.   Portillo has delayed plan to open on Saturday (19th) by a week to the 26th as the 40cm of snow lying at present is not enough apparently.  Resorts in Argentina are yet to open but expect to start doiing so shortly.In Southern Africa it’s all white at Tiffindell in South Africa and at Afriski in Lesotho.  200m of the main slope is open at the latter where there’s 50cm (20 inch) deep snow lying and snowmaking is on-going thanks to low temperatures.  

Wednesday 16th June 2010

Canadian Resort Offers Summer Skiing For The First Time

Mount Washington was top of the world snowfall table for most of last winter with over 6 metres (20 feet) lying and the resort, which was the main pre-Olympics training base for international teams immediately before the Winter games in February, had over 15m (approximately 50 feet) of snow through the season.

It is now trying to clear snow that’s still lying deep on the higher mountain bike tracks ready for the summer season, but has decided to offer summer skiing for the first time in its 32 year history too.

“The running joke at the end of the winter season at Mount Washington was that the snow would last until June and you would be able to ski and snowboard the opening day of summer operations. Joking aside, Mount Washington is announcing it will indeed open for skiing on the first weekend of summer.” Said resort spokesperson Brent Curtain.“We will be loading skiers and boarders onto the Eagle Express from 11am to 4pm on opening weekend,” says Don Sharpe, Director of Business Operations at the resort. “Anybody wanting to head up for summer turns can do it for a special $25 lift ticket. As an added bonus, dads can ski or board for $10 on Father’s Day when they head up the lift with their child.”

Linton’s Loop will be the chosen run for the summer skiing weekend. “Imagine telling your friends and family across the country that you skied on Vancouver Island on the first day of summer,” adds Curtain. “It really is unbelievable.”

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located 30 minutes above The Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ).

Tuesday 15th June 2010

Australia's Ski Season underway

Fresh snow across Australia’s ski areas helped get the season off to a positive start at the weekend when the country’s resorts began opening for winter 2010.  Temperatures have been low for the best part of a month allowing for plenty of pre-season snowfall and with 10-15cm (4-6 inches) of natural snowfall just before the resorts were scheduled to open, it’s been a very good start to the season.

Perisher in New South Wales was the first to open, on Friday, reporting 110cm of new snow on a base the resort had been building for over a month with their snowmaking equipment. 

Mt Buller has four lifts open with the resort’s Bourke Street run is in good shape. Mt Hotham has three lifts operating and Thredbo six lifts, four runs and a basic terrain park.  Falls Creek has 10cm (four inches) of snow lying too, and three lifts running.

Third Italian Summer Ski Option Opens For Season

Three glacier ski areas are now open in Italy following the re-opening of Val Senales at the weekend.  It joins Passo Stelvio and the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale, which had one red and one black run open at the weekend but it likely to close in the near future.  However Cervinia will re-open a week on Saturday for summer skiing and boarding keeping the Italian choices up at three.

Val Senales, in Italy’s South Tyrol, opened its Nitro Snowpark for the summer season on Saturday with a special opening party including barbecue BBQ, beer and “Tirolerpfeif”.

Events coming up during the six-week summer snow season includes  Girls Weekend on the 25^th-26^th June , a Rookie Camp for children from July 23^rd to 10^th and a ‘Koolt Action Weekend’ with Skate/Snow/BMX and soccer and beach volleyball tournaments.

French Glacier Ski Areas Opening This Week

Les 2 Alpes will be the first of France’s three ski areas that still offer summer glacier skiing and boarding to open, this Wednesday, June 16^th.

The lists open from 7.15am daily until the 28^th August, the resorts there is 2.4m (eight feet) of snow lying on the glacier.

The resort’s summer ski area, one of Europe’s largest, covers 200 hectares and has eight runs and a large snow park complete with two half pipes and a superpipe located  between 2900 and 3600m of altitude.

The other two glacier summer ski areas still operating since Alpe d’Huez, La Plagne and Val Thorens all stopped offering summer snow sports in recent years, are neighbours Tignes and Val d’Isere which will both open within days of Les 2 Alpes for their summer seasons.

www.les2alpes.com

Wednesday 9th June 2010

Southern Hemisphere Ski Season Underway

* Up to 1.3m base in New Zealand

* Three ski areas still open in the US.

*  Last weekend of the ski season in Finland coming up.

*  French and Canadian glaciers re-opening next week.

*  Australian ski season starts Saturday

*  Scotland still offering skiing indoors and out.Monday 7th June 2010

www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that the number of ski areas open worldwide continues to rise despite more areas closing for the season in Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and the US.  That’s because more the southern hemisphere’s ski season has kicked off at resorts in Chile and New Zealand and next week Australia, Canada and France will be opening ski areas too.
There are currently just six glaciers open for snow sports in the Alps however.  In Austria the Dachstein glacier, which was due to have opened for summer skiing a fortnight ago, hopes to finally do so this weekend.  The delay has been caused by problems on lift infrastructure upgrading work which has taken longer tha expected, partly die to bad weather (snow). The ski area has reduced season ticket prices to compensate disappointed skiers and boarders.
The Kitsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun is also briefly closed for a few week annual maintenance and the Molltral glacier will not re-open until the 27th of June.  However several other Austrian glaciers are still open, if, in the case of Kaunertal and Stubai, not for long.  The ski area at Kaunertal which has received 13cm (5 inches) of new snow in the past week closes for the season on Sunday, with a re-opening party already announced for October 15th-17th, book now!  The Stubai glacier also closes this Sunday, June 13, it has a 170cm base and 5 runs open, served by four lifts.
So only the Tux glacier is staying open for good at the moment.  It has 25km of runs to enjoy on a 295cm (10 foot) deep snow pack with nine lifts operating.
Elsewhere in the Alps Passo Stelvio is open in Italy as is the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale, but one of the two red runs that was open has now closed leaving just one red and one black run to enjoy. Val senaes opens this Saturday and Cervinia a fortnight later on the 26th.
In Switzerland Europe’s highest lifts on Zermatt are operational at the famous resport’s large summer ski area.  It appears to be the only summer ski area currently open in the country as the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz has now closed.
In the French Alps the glaciers at Les Deux Alpes, Tignes and Val d’Isere are scheduled to begin their summer ski season from the middle of next week.
Les Deux Alpes will open first next Wednesday 16th of June and stay open to Saturday 28th August 2010. The glacier slopes are ope from 7.15am to 1.30pm daily and from resort level at 1500 m, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Europe's largest skiable glacier (3200m-3600m).  There are 200 skiable hectares on the glacier served by 11 ski lifts. On the snow you’ll find  11 runs compriing a red run, eight blue runs, two green runs and a large snowpark with two half-pipes, hips quarters, boarder-cross, grind bars and jump modules plus music and barbecue.
 In Tignes the glacier will open from Sasturday 19th June to Sunday 29th August 2010 from 7.15am to 1pm daily.  The Tignes Glacier rises from 2700m to 3600m and boasts 20km of ski runs served by 12 lifts and 750m of vertical. There’s a snow park and an ice grotto not to mention having breathtaking views. Access to the glacier by funicular only takes seven minutes.
In Northern Europe Scotland’s Cairngorm Mountain remains open at weekends although snow cover is finally reported to be getting patchy.
In Scandinavia Sweden’s Arctic-circle ski area of Riksgransen has now closed and so Norway’s three open glacier areas of Folgefonn, Galdhoppigen and Stryn are the best bets.
Finland’s Ruka still has its Saarua summer ski slope open until this weekend however, June 13th is the last day of the Finnish ski season.
In North America two ski areas are currently open full time in the US, and one at weekends.  There are no lift-served ski slopes open in Canada, but that will change next week when Whistler’s Blackcomb glacier re-opens for a summer ski season on Saturday 19th June.
The last ski area still open for the 2009-10 season in Colorado, Arapahoe Basin, closed at the weekend. 
Snowbird in Utah however is open for at least one more weekend and possibly longer.  It hasn’t had any fresh snow recently but has  2.3m (90 inches) of snow lying at mid mountain and recently passed the 600 inches (15 metres) of snow accumulated this season in total.  The total is 603 inches.
In California Mammoth Mountain still has the best part of a month of its long season left, it’s open daily and plans to remain so until at least the US Independence day, July 4th.  It most recently received five inches (13cm) of new snow on May 27th and currently has a 4 – 7 foot (1.2 – 2.1m) of snow.
America’s near year-round ski centre of Timberline on Mt Hood in Oregon is the other open ski area in North America.  Its lifts. Terrain park and pipe are all open.  There’s a 131inch (3.25m) base at present.
The southern hemisphere’s 2010 ski season is under way with Coronet Peak in New Zealand opening on Saturday, June 5th with a 50cm (20 inch) base including 15cm (six inches) of new snow that fell on Tuesday.
Conditions are actually looking good across the country and most of New Zealand’s resorts will open in the next three weeks. First Tracks were reported at Treble Cone last week, for those prepared to hike up, with 30cm of new snow, and a further 25cm (10 inches) was reported there yesterday (Tuesday 8th June). 
The Remarkables currently has a 60cm (2 foot) base although no plans to open for another two weeks. Mt Hutt, with a full one metre (3.3 foot) base, will open next Saturday June 12th. Cardrona and Mt Ruapehu will open later this month.
Ski Dobson possibly has the deepest base in the southern hemisphere at preset with 1.3m, (4.3 feet) but it will not open until the weekend on June 20/21 and full-time from the following weekend.
In Australia most resorts had some natural snow last month and currently have low temperatures and are able to commence snowmaking. Falls Creek, Mt Hotham, Thredbo and Perisher are all snowmaking at the moment ahead of opening in the next few weeks.
In South Africa the country’s only ski area of Tiffindell has a snow covering and with low temperatures continuing should be able to open quite soon. The same is true of Afriski in neighbouring Lesotho which had hoped to open on June 1st.
In South America many ski areas are reporting cold temperatures and snow but none are so far saying they have opened.
Chile’s Valle Nevado will be opening shortly, neighbouring El Colorado (Farrellones) on June 11 and Portillo in two weeks on the 19th.
In Argentina Las Lenas reports 4cm of snow remains on the tops of the mountains following a big 30cm (12 inch) fall last month.

Scotland Posts Best Season For 14 Years

Although Scotland’s ski season is not yet officially over, with CairnGorm Mountain expecting to operate at weekends in June, ski-scotland is already evaluating the benefit of what has been a phenomenal season.

Since the season started in late November, Scotland’s five mountain ski areas have had 373,782 skier days), the best result since winter 1995-96. The previous best over the last 15 years was season 2000-01 with over 366,000 skier days, and it is only recently that ski-scotland has realised this figure has been beaten.

“All winter, we realised we were heading for a great season,” said Chair of ski-scotland Heather Negus. “We had hoped to match the figure for 2001, but didn’t realise we had beaten it until recently, when everything was added up – and of course, CairnGorm Mountain is still operating, so we’re still counting!”

The ski season is estimated to have generated at least £37.5M for the Scottish economy, at a time of year when tourism businesses are generally quiet. This great result is not only good news for the ski companies; research shows that for each £1 spent “on the hill” at a ski area, a further

£3 is spent off the hill. Therefore over £28M has been spent this winter by skiers in local accommodation, cafés, bars, restaurants, shops and filling stations.

“All the ski areas have been delighted to see other local businesses thriving this winter,” continued Heather. “Everything really came together for us – we had lots and lots of superb snow, which kept on coming, some truly amazing overhead weather giving ‘bluebird’ conditions, and, because there was also snow elsewhere in the UK, people realised that the Scottish Highlands did have skiing and snowboarding to rival the best and they came here to enjoy it.”

The figures for the five individual ski areas are:

The Lecht operated on 110 days, was closed for 5 days, due to road closure, and had 52,147 skier days.

Glencoe operated on 113 days, was closed on 13 days, due to storm conditions, and had 26,135 skier days.

Nevis Range operated on 117 days, was closed on 11 days, due to storm conditions, and had 34,886 skier days.

Glenshee operated on 110 days, was closed on 6 days, due to road closure, and had 116,614 skier days. They narrowly missed beating their 15-year previous best by around 1,500!

CairnGorm Mountain had operated on 143 days (and still counting), was closed on 19 days, due to clearing road, train track and lifts of excess snow, and has so far had over 144,000 skier days – and counting.

Sunday 6th June 2010

Gap Year Ski Instructor Courses Offered By The International Academy 

The International Academy is offering professional ski and snowboard instructor training courses which lead to worldwide recognised qualifications and may be of particular interest to young people taking a gap year between school and college – although they are open to anyone aged 18 or over.

Courses can be taken in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, meaning you can train in either the UK’s winter or summer months. The courses cater for all standards of skiers and snowboarders, so trainees can still become an instructor even starting from an intermediate level themselves.

New for 2010 are two ski and snowboard instructor training programmes in Europe, giving gap year students the opportunity to spend 10–11 weeks in Verbier, Switzerland, or 11 weeks in Tignes/Val d’Isère, France, in order to gain BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) Level 1 and 2 qualifications.

Additionally, the new early season courses in Europe or Whistler in Canada can lead to a paid ski instructor position in the resort after the course during the busy February half term and Easter holiday.

Complementing the instruction, The International Academy’s programmes also include video analysis and feedback, theory sessions, freestyle, snow park and race modules, ski/snowboard tuning clinics and optional first aid and recreational avalanche courses.

Prices are from £4550 for a five weeks Level 1 ski or snowboard instructor course in Banff/Lake Louise in Canada and from £8250 for a 10 weeks Level 1 & 2 course in Whistler including return flights, transfers, half board on weekdays, season lift pass, services of a representative, training course and exam fee, manuals, theory sessions, freestyle and race modules, ski jacket, job search assistance and optional winter employment at Verbier or some other resorts in Switzerland.

www.international-academy.com

Southern Hemisphere’s 2010 Ski Season Underway

The southern hemisphere’s 2010 ski season is under way with Coronet peak in New Zealand opening Saturday, June 5^th with a 50cm (20 inch) base including 15cm (six inches) of new snow that fell on Tuesday. Thousands of Queenslanders hit the piste to celebrate.

Conditions are actually looking good across the country and most of New Zealand’s resorts will open in the next three weeks. First Tracks were reported at Treble Cone earlier in the week, for those prepared to hike up, with 30cm of new snow and The Remarkables currently has a 60cm (2 foot) base although no plans to open for another two weeks. Mt Hutt, with a full one metre (3.3 foot) base, will open next Saturday June 12^th. Cardrona and Mt Ruapehu will open later this month.

Ski Dobson possibly has the deepest base in the southern hemisphere at preset with 1.3m, (4.3 feet) but it will not open until the weekend on June 20/21 and full-time from the following weekend.

In Australia most resorts had some natural snow last month and currently have low temperatures and are able to commence snowmaking. Falls Creek, Mt Hotham, Thredbo and Perisher are all snowmaking at the moment ahead of opening in the next few weeks.

In South Africa the country’s only ski area of Tiffindell has a snow covering and with low temperatures continuing should be able to open quite soon. The same is true of Afriski in neighbouring Lesotho which had hoped to open on June 1^st.

In South America many ski areas are reporting cold temperatures and are starting to open in Chile. Chile’s Valle Nevado will be opening shortly and Portillo on the 19^th.

In Argentina Las Lenas reports 4cm of snow remains on the tops of the mountains following a big 30cm (12 inch) fall last month.

www.nzski.com

courtesy Snow24.com

Wednesday 2nd June

Ski Areas In Eight More Countries Ready To Open In June

* 35cm fresh powder and first turns In New Zealand

* Up to 40cm/16 inches new snow on glacier ski areas in the Alps.

* Three more European glacier ski areas open for summer 2010 snow sports.

* Scotland’s Cairngorm Plans To Stay Open At Weekends Through June.

* Three US ski areas re-opened for Memorial Day weekend.

 www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that June will sees ski areas open in the southern hemisphere countries of Argentina, Australia, Chile, Lesotho, New Zealand and South Africa while glacier ski resorts will re-open for the summer in Canada and France where currently no ski areas are known to be open.These hundred odd ski areas in eight countries will join the 20 or so still going in 11 countries in the northern hemisphere since 2009 – located in Austria, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and the US.

In the southern hemisphere snow is already falling and resorts are making snow. In New Zealand, Treble cone reported 35cm (14 inches) of new snow this morning and those prepared to hike up ahead of the resort’s official opening later this month were able to enjoy the powder.

The trend in open resorts is already up with three glacier areas in Austria, Italy and Norway opening at the weekend.In the northern hemisphere Austrian seems to be the place the ski this week with glacier ski areas reporting up to 40cm (16 inches) of new snow and the Dachstein Glacier in southern Austriare-opening for snow sports at the weekend,  unveiling its improved Horsefeathers Superpark for the summer snow season.The Kaunertal, Stubai and Tux glaciers are also open and have reported substantial new snow too.Dachstein’s improved park offers a new three-boxes-line and freestylers can now slide down up to four rails in a line. On top of the two existing rails, an 11-meter down rail and a 14 metre double kinked rail are being added.Instead of the two Corners, a brand-new medium boxes line has been added and the rails are constructed as double piped rails. “We’ll position the rails a bit lower so that also beginners can try their first tricks on real metal” “lord of the parks”, Bernd Mandlberger.  Elsewhere in the Alps a third ski area – Passo Stelvio, has joined the Presena Glacier and Val Senales, open in Italy.In Switzerland Europe’s highest slopes above Zermatt, remain open and there are mixed signals coming from the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz with part of the official site showing the centre as open but clicking on it leading to a more detailed page which seems to indicate it has closed. There are no ski areas currently open in France although there’s plenty of high altitude ski touring going on above resorts like Chamonix. The country’s three remaining summer ski areas - Les 2 Alpes, Tignes and Val d’Isere begin opening in three week’s time.

In Northern Europe they’re still skiing at Riksgransen in the Swedish Arctic Circle where there’s now 24 hour daylight, at Ruke in Finland and on Norway’s three glacier areas of Folgefonn, Galdhoppigen and Stryn – the latter recently opened. Meanwhile Cairngorm Mountain above Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands has announced plans to open for the first weekend of June, next Saturday 5th/6th and on weekends through June, conditions permitting .On June 21st Northern Scotland celebrates the start of summer with near-24 hour daylight, thanks to the region’s northerly latitude.The ski area is enjoying a record breaking year approaching eight months of near continual operation (all closures due to too much snow, extreme weather or more recently too few visitors, rather than any lack of snow).There was more fresh snow last week with temperatures hovering around zero at the top of the slopes.The centre has been open at weekends through May and was open on English Bank Holiday May 31st.  The Ptarmigan lift is running and the train makes mid-station stops if it is possible to ski to the middle using the gunbarrel. The terrain park and the sledge park are open. Opening hours are from 10am - 4pm and snowsports tickets will be available for the whole day or for 3 hour sessions.

In North America the season continues as last week at five US ski areas – Mammoth Mountain in California, Arapahoe Basin in Colorado (now in its last week),Snowbird in Utah and Timberline in Oregon.However three areas opened at the weekend to celebrate the Memorial Day holiday in the US. On the West Coast Donner Summit and Squaw Valley ski areas re-opened due primarily to fresh snow falling last week.  On the East Coast, Stowe in Vermont took a different approach and unveiled a huge pile of snow it had stockpiled through the winter to use for one off ‘Last Trick’ Rail Jam over Memorial Day weekend.  The giant pile of snow, formerly the resort’s halfpipe, provided the venue for Stowe’s park crew to set up the rails, boxes and jumps for one more jam session. The event was open to all skiers, snowboarders and spectators with music provided and prizes and giveaways for participants to add to the mood. Mammoth Mountain announced five inches (12cm) of new snow fell during a storm just before last weekend.

There are no ski areas known to be open in Canada at present although Whistler Blackcomb is due to reopen shortly for its summer glacier ski and board season. 

In the southern hemisphere there’s been natural snowfall in New Zealand where the 2010 ski season is only weeks away. Resorts have begun snowmaking too.  The team at Turoa on Mt Ruapehu spent much of Monday morning blowing snow down on the meadow with the snow making crews both there and at the mountain’s other ski area, Whakapapa, primed and ready to get more snow on the ground whenever conditions will allow it. There has been snow throughout the day and more in the forecast so mother nature is doing her bit to help out too.Things are currently on track for the projected opening dates of the 19th of June for Turoa and Whakapapa following one week later on the 26th of June.There’s been less fresh snow in Australia but temperatures have been low enough for snowmaking to begin at Perisher ski resort, the country’s largest.

 Tuesday 1st June 2010

Swiss Descend on Welsh Ski Slopes

Switzerland Tourism, Emmi UK limited and the resorts of Champery and Les Crosets, Switzerland will be descending onto the slopes of Pontypool, South Wales on Saturday 12th June to watch some Welsh ski racing and to promote snowsports in Switzerland.

With over 100 ski racers from across the UK participating in the Swiss sponsored Celtic Cup ski race, the competition will be of the highest standard. Top UK seeded skiers will be speeding down the slopes switching from turn to turn every 0.9 seconds in an effort to take the titles. The Celtic Cup Slalom series of ski races runs through the summer months on artificial ski slopes and includes two days of slalom racing at the 250m Pontypool ski slope.

Spectators are very welcome to watch some of the excitement, sample a bit of Swiss raclette and atmosphere as well as having a chance to ask the experts all about holidaying in Switzerland and on the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil skiing area with its 650km of ski slopes and many other winter activities.

Welsh skiing already has a very successful link with Champery and Les Crosets in Switzerland, having run its national alpine championships there for the past four years. Each year international skiers from across the globe travel to the slopes of Champery and Les Crosets for four days of exciting alpine competition, the Welsh Alpine Championships. The rising profile of the championships has been significantly assisted by the support of the sponsorship of the Canton of Valais, the resorts of Champery and Les Crosets, the Banque Cantonale du Valais and Alpine Lifestyle Partners.

Robin Kellen, Chief Executive of the Governing Body for skiing in Wales stated “It’s great to see the Swiss coming to Wales to see and support our event. Following the success of our Welsh Championships in Champery, hosting the Swiss on the slopes in Wales will be very interesting”

www.snowsportwales.net

Monday 31st May 2010

Scottish Skiing In June, Hopefully.

Cairngorm Mountain above Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands has announced plans to open for the first weekend of June, next Saturday 5th/6th.

A fortnight later on June 21st Northern Scotland celebrates the start of summer with near-24 hour daylight, thanks to the region’s northerly latitude.

The ski area is enjoying a record breaking year approaching eight months of near continual operation (all closures due to too much snow, extreme weather or more recently too few visitors, rather than any lack of snow).

There was more fresh snow last week with temperatures hovering around zero at the top of the slopes.

The centre has been open at weekends through May and on English Bank Holiday May 31st.  The Ptarmigan lift is running and the train makes mid-station stops if it is possible to ski to the middle using the gunbarrel. The terrain park and the sledge park are open.

Opening hours are from 10am - 4pm and snowsports tickets will be available for the whole day or for 3 hour sessions. 

www.cairngormmountain.org

courtesy: sno24.com

Wednesday 26th May

More Slopes Open for Europe’s glacier ski season as Southern Hemisphere Winter 2010 Only Days Away.

* Still skiing at +20C in Scotland.

* Season ends in Canada.

* More summer glacier ski areas begin to open for summer 2010 this weekend.

* Lesotho ski area hopes to open next Tuesday, weather looking good.

* National teams from 9 countries training on Austrian glacier. 

www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that May, the ‘quietest month’ of the world’s ski year, is nearing its end with Canada joining the list of major skiing nations that currently have no ski areas officially open and the southern hemisphere’s winter, or the northern hemisphere’s summer glacier ski seasons  yet to kick off.    However it’s still possible to ski at around 25 ski areas in at least ten countries – the US, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Iceland, Japan, Scotland, Sweden, Norway and Finland. 

In the Alps you have seven glacier ski areas to choose from, with a two more opening this Saturday – marking a turning point!  In Switzerland Europe’s highest lifts are operational for the summer (The two T Bars up to 3899m in Zermatt don’t usually run in winter) and there’s still skiing and boarding at the top of the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz.  In Italy the summit res and black run on the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale are still open, and they’ll be joined by a second Italian glacier ski choice, Passo Stelvio which opens for its annual summer ski season on the 29th. But Austria continues to have the most choice of glacier ski slopes open and will add another option with the re-opening of the Dachstein Glacier on Saturday, taking the current tally to five.  It is reporting a 2.9m (near 10 foot) base and has revamped the Horsefeathers Superpark for the occasion with the addition to a new 3-boxes-line so users will be able to slide down as many as four rails in a line, which should make all the down rail and double kinked – lovers happy. On top of the two renowned rails, an 11-meter down rail and a 14 meter double kinked rail, two new additions are already under construction at the park. Dachstein joins the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun, the near-year-round open Tux glacier at the Stubai glacier near Innsbruck which all remain open.  The Kaunertal glacier is also open and has up to 1.45m (five feet) of snow on it. National teams from Austria, Germany, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Lichtenstein and even Brazil have been training there in recent weeks. 

Up in the north of Europe it was the hottest weekend of the year so far and at CairnGorm Mountain in the Scottish Highlands, where temperatures at the top reached 20C on Saturday, snow sports enthusiasts were flocking to the high tops in their shorts , t – shirts and kilts to enjoy the unseasonal  temperatures out on  the ski slopes.Over two hundred skiers and five hundred ski spectators headed up the mountain where the sledge park, snow cross terrain park and Ptarmigan Ski Tow is still providing winter fun in what is set to become one of the longest skiing seasons on record.  Skiing is still possible right down to mid mountain level and Colin Matthew (Operations Manager) said:“CairnGorm has had a real carnival atmosphere with the public out it shorts, shades , t shirts and even the occasional kilt. The sledge park and the fun park have both been really popular today. Snow conditions are soft and a bit like summer skiing on a European glacier with the temperature on the top slopes  well  into the lower 20’s – the only difference is that we’re short a few thousand feet on altitude here at CairnGorm”.This week has seen a dramatic drop in temperature however, back down to single figures once again and more Easterly/Northerly airflows. Colin Matthew continued:“ The beginning of the week sees a return to cooler temperatures which will help keep the snowpack in a reasonable condition, with careful management we hope that we can keep skiing going for at least the English Holiday weekend at the end of May”.

Elsewhere in northern Europe there’s still skiing at Riksgransen in the Swedish Arctic where it’s currently the brief ski-under-the-midnight-sun period; also at the glacier areas of Folgefonn and Galdhoppigen in Norway and on the slopes of Ruka in Finland, maintained since last Autumn.

In the USA Snowbird ski resort in Utah has announced it aims to stay open for skiing and riding on weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) for another month through to June 20, conditions and weather permitting. The extension would mark 199 days of skiing and riding for the 2009/10 season, two days short of Snowbird’s record 2004/05 season when the resort stayed open for 201 days until July 4. As of May 20, Snowbird’s mid-mountain base stands at 117 inches with forecasts calling for flurries throughout the weekend. It’s the third year in a row that Snowbird has surpassed its annual average in snowfall.Other US resorts still open include Mammoth Mountain in California which has announced it will aim to stay open to July 4, and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, which reported a few inches iof fresh snow this week and plans to stay open in to June. Timberline Mountain in Oregon is open year round except for a few weeks maintenance closure each September.

North of the border the ski season has ended in Canada with Sunshine ski area near Banff the last to close on Monday, following Whistler Blackcomb’s season ending on Sunday.  The famous British Columbian resort celebrated its second snowiest winter ever and will re-open for glacier skiing in a few weeks time.In the southern hemisphere there are increasingly good signs for the coming winter. One of the first hoping to open is Afriski in Lesotho where temperatures are forecast to be in the range of -7 to +2C over the week up to its official opening date, next Tuesday, June 1st, a promising sign for the start of the 2010 season.

Monday 24th May

Still Skiing In Scotland, In T Shirts And Kilts, On One of Hottest May Days Ever.

It was the hottest weekend of the year so far and at CairnGorm Mountain in the Scottish Highlands, where temperatures at the top reached 20C on Saturday, snow sports enthusiasts were flocking to the high tops in their shorts , t – shirts and kilts to enjoy the unseasonal  temperatures out on  the ski slopes.

Over two hundred skiers and five hundred ski spectators headed up the mountain where the sledge park, snow cross terrain park and Ptarmigan Ski Tow is still providing winter fun in what is set to become one of the longest skiing seasons on record.  Skiing is still possible right down to mid mountain level and Colin Matthew (Operations Manager) said:

“CairnGorm today has had a real carnival atmosphere with the public out it shorts, shades , t shirts and even the occasional kilt. The sledge park and the fun park have both been really popular today. Snow conditions are soft and a bit like summer skiing on a European glacier with the temperature on the top slopes  well  into the lower 20’s – the only difference is that we’re short a few thousand feet on altitude here at CairnGorm”.

This week will see a dramatic drop in temperature however, back down to single figures once again and more Easterly/Northerly airflows. Colin Matthew continued:

“ The beginning of the week sees a return to cooler temperatures which will help keep the snowpack in a reasonable condition, with careful management we hope that we can keep skiing going for at least the English Holiday weekend at the end of May”.

Wednesday 19th May

Fresh Snow on the Still Open Glacier Ski Areas of the Alps

 * Low temperatures and fresh snow for Alpine glaciers

* Northern Europe’s highest ski area opens for summer ski season.

* Six ski areas still operating in North America, some reporting fresh snow

* Skiing under midnight sun begins at Riksgransen

Skiinfo.co.uk reports that it’s currently snowing in the Alps, up on the glaciers at least, eight of which remain open for snow sports in three countries.

In Northern Europe more area are opening for summer skiing in Norway, while ski areas in Finland and Scotland remain open, and in Sweden they’re skiing and boarding under the midnight sun now 24 hour daylight has returned. Half a dozen ski areas remain open in North America too since last Autumn.  It’s cold on Austria’s glaciers, four of which are currently open for snow sports, following the closure of the Molltal glacier ski area for the season last weekend. Temperatures have been dropping as low as -10 (and a max of -5) with fresh snow forecast on the Kaunertal glacier, which has a 90-140cm (3-5 foot) base and all lifts and slopes open.  There are similar conditions on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun where nine lifts are serving the glacier ski slopes and the accumulated base is 193cm (6.5 feet).  It’s -10C for the Stubai glacier near Innsbruck too, which reports 5cm (2 inches) of new snow and a 180cm (six foot) base.  However the Tux glacier probably has the biggest ski area open in the Alps at present with 43.5km of runs, 13 lifts running, a 295cm (10 foot) base and an 1150m skiable vertical.

In Switzerland you can choose between Engelberg, St Moritz and Zermatt if you want to get on the snow this weekend.  Zermatt continues to operate Europe’s highest ski lifts, touching 3,900m and opening up the world’s biggest lift-served summer vertical.  Engelberg is in its last few weeks of operation for the season but still has its Ice Flyer six-pack chairlift operating on the glacier, though it does not open for snow sports until 11am.  The Diavolezza glacier in the Engadin near St Moritz is still open and reported fresh snow on the mountain last Friday, although the base remains at 50cm (20 inches) and there’s nothing left at the bottom of the slopes.

There are no ski areas open in France at present and only terrain suited to intermediate and advanced skiers in Italy were one resort remains open for snow sports, Passo Tonale.  The Presena Glacier is open there with two reds and one black run over on a vertical of nearly 500m between 2600 and 3100m. The snow remains deep here year round and is still over four metres (13 feet). A second glacier ski area, Passo Stelvio, is due to re-open the weekend after next.In Northern Europe the region’s highest ski slopes on Galdhoppigen in Norway (1850m) opened for the season at the weekend, they’ll stay open until October.   They join already open Norwegian ski areas Folgefonn and Stryn putting Norway in third place behind Austria and the US for ski areas currently open.

Over the border in Sweden Riksgransen is starting it’s brief period of offering skiing under the midnight sun and further East, Ruka in Finland still has slopes open.

In Scotland there was more fresh snow last weekend, and cairngorm is continuing to open for weekend snow sports. The centre is using the Ptarmigan and Ciste tows as well as the funicular railway. The slopes are open from 10am - 4pm and tickets are available for the whole day or for three hour sessions. 

There are four areas still open in the US, all on the Western side of the country.  Mammoth Mountain in California has a 7.5 – 12 foot (2.3 – 3.6m) base and reports a fresh dusting of snow in the past few days. The near-year-round Timberline ski area on Mt Hood in Oregon has a 148 inch (4.5m) base.  Arapahoe Basin in Colorado is looking good with about half of its lifts and terrain open with a 45 inch (112cm) base and yet another three inches (7cm) of new snow in the past few days.  Snowbird in Utah is reporting a 117 inch (just under 3m) base but no fresh snow, it is currently open at weekends.In Canada the 2009-10 ski season has finally entered its last week at Sunshine Village near Banff in Alberta. It will close next Monday, May 24th leaving only Whistler Blackcomb’s glacier skiing remaining open in Canada. Currently 9 lifts and 60 runs are operational at sunshine with a 135cm (4.5 foot) base.

courtesy:skiinfo.com

Tuesday 18th May

Consolidation of Leading British Ski Tour Operators

The consolidation of leading British ski tour operators that has been on-going for several years is continuing with Hotelplan, the owners of the UK’s second largest ski tour operator, Inghams, purchasing the Enigma Travel Group, operators of two of the country’s leading ‘mid-sized’ ski brands, Esprit Holidays and Ski Total.

Mr Hans Lerch, Vice Chairman and CEO of Swiss parent, Hotelplan Group, and Chairman of Hotelplan UK, said:  “We are delighted with this acquisition, which is a perfect strategic fit with Inghams.  This deal positions the enlarged Hotelplan UK group for significant growth across all key sectors, by reinforcing and building on the Group’s long-standing position as a formidable force in the ski sector and in specialist travel generally.  We will now be able to move forward on ski with Enigma’s strength in the family and chalet sectors perfectly complementing Inghams’ strength in hotels and apartments.  We will of course continue to operate under all these three well respected and highly differentiated brand names.”

Inghams current CEO, Litsa Constantinou, has decided to leave the business at this time and seek new challenges.  Andy Perrin, Enigma Travel Group’s Managing Director, becomes Group CEO of Hotelplan UK, bringing 29 years experience in specialist travel and the ski sector, including with the UK’s number one ski tour operator, Crystal Holidays, TUI’s Specialist Holidays Group, and at Enigma since 2002.  Enigma Chairman and founder, Peter Dyer, will continue to lead the team at Esprit and Ski Total from their offices in Fleet, Hampshire, and becomes Vice Chairman of Hotelplan UK. 

Perrin commented: “I have admired Inghams as a competitor throughout my entire career, and it’s a dream come true to be involved here.  ...I look forward to the tremendous opportunities ahead to develop and grow all aspects of this fantastic group of companies.”

Both family ski specialist Esprit and adult catered chalet and chalet hotel operator Ski Total were established 28 years ago in 1982.  Inghams is celebrating its 75th year of operations.

courtesy: Snow24

Wednesday 12th May

Still snowing, but more indoor than outdoor slopes open

* No ski resorts open in France.

* Cairngorm in Scotland Open At Weekends.

* 10 ski area still open in the Alps.

* Six inches of new snow at Mammoth, A Foot In Past 48 Hours At Snowbird.

* Number of ski areas open in North America down to single figures.  

Skiinfo.co.uk reports that despite on-going cold weather in parts of Europe and ski areas still boasting a ski pack of many metres at most top resorts, less than 30 ski centres are currently open worldwide as most northern hemisphere ski areas have now closed and southern hemisphere resorts are now open. There are in fact more places to ski snow indoors than outdoors open at present, with some 60 indoor snow centres operational in 25 countries.

The latter half of May is traditionally the quietest period of the entire year for world skiing as the northern hemisphere’s season ends while the southern hemisphere’s is yet to begin, and several dozen northern ski areas that will open for summer skiing from June take a few week’s break for low season maintenance. 

It is still snowing in different areas around the world however.  Mammoth Mountain, the only ski area still open in California, has reported 5.5 inches (14cm) of new snow in the past 24 hours to add to its 8-12 foot base and there’s been new snow at Arapahoe basin in California and in the southern hemisphere in Australia.

The ski season has now ended in France and no outdoor snow slopes are open in the country.  Tignes, Val d’Isere and les 2 Alpes will re-open in June for summer skiing. There’s plenty of snow still lying however and the ski touring season is still going strong for those prepared to hike up however. In St Foy the Tarentaise mountain Guides (http://www.guide-montagne-tarentaise.com) have some places for a collective ski touring group from tomorrow 13th May to Sunday the 16th of May. There’s not much open in Italy either as Cervinia closed last weekend until it re-opens for summer skiing in late June.  Two other ski centres will also be open for summer skiing – Passo Stelvio which re-opens for the last weekend of May, and Val Senales, which opens on 12th June. In the interim however the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale will remain open until late June.  It currently has around four metres (13 feet) of snow on the glacier and two red and two black runs to enjoy.

In Switzerland the weather has warmed up after last week’s snow showers and three resorts are still open.   Engelberg’s Titlis glacier as well as the slopes of Zermatt remain open, as does the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz which has a 1000m+ vertical to enjoy still, with 50cm (1.6 feet) of snow at the top.

Austria has the lion’s share of Spring skiing in Europe now with glacier skiing available at five areas. At the Kaunertal glacier where all lifts are running and all pistes open, heavy snow showers are expected for the rest of the week topping up the 85-135cm (3-4.5 foot) base.  It’s a similar story on the Pitztal glacier, Austria’s highest ski area, which is approaching its last weekend of its eight month ski season, which commenced last September.  The Stubai has one of the largest ski areas open anywhere at the moment with 18 runs served by 16 lifts to choose from on an 1.8m (six foot) base.  You can also ski or board this weekend on the Kitzsteinhorn or Huntertux glaciers. 

In Northern Europe several ski areas remain open in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Scotland.  There’s a heavy frost this morning in the Scottish Highlands where the mountains have been repeated small falls of fresh snow over the past few days.  The ski area is open weekends only through May.  In Sweden Riksgransen ski area in the Swedish Arctic is stil, in full swing and will begin its midnight sun skiing in the next few weeks.  In Finland Riuka still has ski slopes open and in Norway Galdhøpiggen summer ski area is due to join already open Folgefonn, which has a four metre (13.3 foot base) when it  opens tomorrow, May 13th.

In North America more ski areas closed after last weekend and resorts still known to be operating are down to Mammoth Mountain in California, Snowbird in Utah, Arapahoe Basin in Colorado and Timberline in Oregon. Mt Hood Meadows, also in Oregon, is reported to be opening this weekend and next.Arapahoe Basin has reported another inch of snow in the past three days, topping up its 44 inch (110cm) base.  Six of its seven lifts are running and about 75% of the total terrain open.

North of the border in Canada Whistler’s Olympic ski season continues and Banff’s Sunshine ski area is in to the last fortnight of its long winter.  The lifts are no longer running at Silver Star Mountain in British Columbia but Canada’s National Team and development team cross country skiers are enjoying beautiful spring conditions.  Mike Cavaliere, Head Coach of the National Development Team states “The ski conditions are ideal, great grooming and sunny skies.”  The athletes stay at Silver Star Mountain Resort and use the National Altitude Training Center weight room in the afternoon.This year cross country skiers were able to ski eight months of the year on Silver Star Mountain. (October-May)  The National Cross Country Ski Team starts their winter season at Silver Star (November) and starts their spring training for the new training year at Silver Star (May).98 Olympic medals were won by athletes in cross country skiing and biathlon who trained at Silver Star Mountain leading into the 2010 Olympic Games.With a month to go to the start of the new season in Australia, Mt Hotham is expecting nowfalls through the next 48 hours. This comes hot on the heels of some earlier snowfalls in the previous week when the heavens opened over Hotham and Dinner Plain with snowfalls down to 1300m at Hotham Airport.At this time of the year, early light snowfalls work well to cool the ground and prepare it for snowfalls closer to the season opening. This also helps the resort to prepare for the commencement of snowmaking as the ground will be ready to hold snow on it.

Monday 10th May

Les 2 Alpes Announces Expanded Summer Terrain Park

Les 2 Alpes has announced it will operate its biggest snowpark yet when it re-opens for summer skiing and boarding on June 16th.

The resort’s internationally renowned summer snowpark was originally launched 16 years ago in 1994 and continues to expand thanks to the help of dedicated professionals and huge investment by the resort.

The park, located between 3300 and 3400 metres now covers some 18 hectares and is open from 7.30am to 1pm. It is open for all ability level from beginners to experts, with or without an instructor.

Complete with two dedicated drag lifts to reach the park and a snow tow to reach the two pipes, the park has three different zones: a ski fun zone (on the northern section of the Dôme sud area with a boardercross, whoops, 2 beginner’s tables and a line of boxes), a pro zone (big air, tables, hips and many other modules: rails, containers, drums etc…) and an advanced zone.

There’s also a relaxation area, known as the Coolzone located above the pipe and this will be redesigned this year. There’ll also be a shred area that will cover the length of the Snowpark and an Olympic size super pipe (6.5 metres high and 140 metres long).

Other features will include a big air bag for freestyle training on a huge air mattress to avoid accidents.

The park has nine employees and 30 voluntary shapers on site every day.   It will be open through to August 28th and it’s one of 80 summer activities offered by the resort, which also include water sports, 200 kilometres of hiking trails, nature and mountain lakes, mountain bike descents,  paragliding flights and bungy jumps.

www.les2alpes.com

New May Snow On Scotland’s Still Open Ski Slopes

A fresh spell of cool weather brought new snow to Scotland for the mayday holiday period and continuing cold weather means more snow is expected as we approach mid-May.

Cairngorm Mountain above Aviemore is now the only Scottish ski centre still open for snow sports and it reported 2.5cm (an inch) of new snow. The centre has received 141,000 skier visits to date (more than double the 65,000 skier visits in 2009, recovering from worst season on record in 2007).  So far the centre has been open 133 days open since the end of November 2009.

Several hundred skiers enjoyed the fresh powder as Cairngorm entered its seventh calendar month of continuous operation in one of its busiest and most successful seasons in memory.

CairnGorm Mountain will keep its winter sports facilities open for weekends in May if demand remained high – at least 300 skiers a day are needed.

The best season for over 15 years has continued over the May Bank holiday weekend with over 700 skiers taking to the slopes at CairnGorm Mountain and over 1000 non-skiers enjoying the action. Fresh snow overnight on Saturday and Sunday has delighted skiing and non-skiing visitors alike as winter conditions continue to provide snowsports above the mid-mountain level.

Skiing is still possible on runs including the White Lady, M1, Coire Cas and the nursery slope area at the top of the Mountain in the Ptarmigan Bowl.

“The Bank holiday weekend has seen a return to wintry conditions and CairnGorm Mountain has welcomed both skiing visitors and non-skiers  many of whom took the opportunity for some fun in the sledge park outside the top station. On Saturday 2nd May we also hosted our first wedding ceremony of the season with 75 guests celebrating the wedding of Jenny and James Purse (Ayrshire).” said CairnGorm’s Marketing Manager Tania Alliod.

From Tuesday 4th May, CairnGorm Mountain plan to continue to offer snowsports and sledging at weekends  only throughout May. The mountain railway operates every day for non-skiing visitors.  A visual celebration of the 2010 CairnGorm winter has just opened with an exhibition of staff photographs entitled “The Big Freeze”. Over 50 photographs and a selection of video footage taken during the winter is on display in the Day Lodge depicting highlights and challenges of the 2010 winter season.

Tania Alliod commented:

“ This winter has been a season of superlatives for the ski area with vast snowfall combined with relatively stable weather conditions. Many members of the public have followed the season enthusiastically on CairnGorm’s own web site and  on Youtube and Flickr sites.  The public have been fascinated by the amount of snowfall and the Big Freeze exhibition is a response to this interest displaying pictures taken by staff as they have gone about their daily business. Some of the pictures from the engineering and ski patrol team are taken during night shift and early morning and offer a unique insight into the work that has taken place to get the ski area open and operational for the public.”

Over 1 million tons of snow shifted from roads and car parks and train track during the season – the funicular train track has been shovelled manually.   Twice as many operational staff hours have been worked as last season and Loch Morlich below has been frozen for 96 consecutive days this winter .

courtesy: snow24                   

Wednesday 5th May

More Fresh Snow as Ski Season Wind Down Continues

*More Snow Forecast For France as four remaining resorts open prepare for final weekend of 09-10.

*Fresh snow in Scotland where one resort plans to open at weekends through May.
*New pre-season snowfalls and lower temps in Australia and New Zealand.
*Heavy snowfall on glacier ski areas in Austria and Switzerland, continuing to the weekend.

 
www.Skiinfo.co.uk reports that the northern hemisphere’s ski season is continuing to wind down, with more areas closing last or next weekend. However mother nature hasn’t got the message that Spring is half-gone already as it’s still snowing on some of the still-open ski areas. Meanwhile in the southern hemisphere there are increasing signs that winter is not far away.
It may be May but temperatures are falling again in France and heavy snowfalls are expected in the Pyrenees over the next three days. It' a pity therefore that all the ski areas in that part of the country have now closed for snow sports.
However four leading resorts in the departments of Savoie and Haute Savoie are open for a final weekend – closing on Monday, May 9th. Here the French resorts still open until 9/05:
Chamonix Mont-Blanc is still open with 305cm (10.1 feet) of snow, while Orelle and Val Thorens at the top of the Three Valleys has  145cm (nearly five feet) and Tignes – which has been open for eight month since last September - 140cm (4.6 feet).
All French ski areas will be closed from next Monday onwards but three - Val d'Isere, Tignes and Les 2 Alpes - will re-open for a couple of months in the latter half of June for summer skiing and boarding.
Three ski resorts are still open in Italy.  Cervinia and Gressoney are open until this Sunday, 9th May, while the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale is open to the 26th of June.  It currently has a four metre (13.3 feet) snow base so looks in good shape for the next few months. Monterosa where Gressoney is located saw 20cm (8 inches) of new snow in the past week.
In Switzerland the temperatures are well below freezing and it’s snowing heavily at still open Engelberg, where the snow is forecast to continue at least until the weekend.  Saas Fee is also receiving new snow and has reported 20cm (8 inches) overnight but no lifts are operating. Zermatt remains open and the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz has a 1000m+ vertical to enjoy still, with a metre (3.3 feet) of snow at the top and 20cm (8 inches) at the bottom. 
It’s cold too in Austria where several glacier ski areas remain open and are receiving fresh snow showers. The Kaunertal glacier has highs of zero and has six lifts operating, it’s open all month and currently has up to 134cm (4.5 feet) of snow on upper slopes.  It’s a similar picture at Austria’s highest ski area, Pitztal, at 3440, although it will end its long season which began last September in mid-May on the 16th.
There are nine lifts and 1.2m (four feet) of snow on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun, which will stage its annual ski and gold tournament next week.  The Molltal glacier is alo open although it closes on Monday until the summer ski season begins in late June.  Currently 30km of runs are open though and the snow i up to 3.6m (12 feet) deep still.
A fifth Austrian option is the Stubai glacier near Innsbruck with 18 pistes open and 180cm (6 feet) of snow lying. You can also still ski on the Tux glacier in the Ziller valley.
The ski season ended at the weekend in Spain, with Europe’s most southerly resort wrapping up it winter despite still having several metres of snow lying on upper slopes. There are also no ski areas reported open in Andorra or on the Eastern side of Europe.
However in the north of the continent the lifts are still running in Scandinavia, Iceland and the UK.
A fresh spell of cool weather has brought new snow to Scotland for the mayday holiday period.
CairnGorm mountain above Aviemore is the only Scottish ski centre still open for snow sports and it reported 2.5cm (an inch) of new snow. The centre has received 141,000 skier visits to date (more than double the 65,000 skier visits in 2009, recovering from worst season on record in 2007). So far the centre has been open 133 days open since the end of November 2009.
Several hundred skiers enjoyed the fresh powder as Cairngorm entered its seventh calendar month of continuous operation in one of its busiest and most successful seasons in memory.
CairnGorm Mountain will keep its winter sports facilities open for weekends in May if demand remained high - at least 300 skiers a day are needed.
The best season for over 15 years has continued over the May Bank holiday weekend with over 700 skiers taking to the slopes at CairnGorm Mountain and over 1000 non-skiers enjoying the action. Fresh snow overnight on Saturday and Sunday has delighted skiing and non-skiing visitors alike as winter conditions continue to provide snowsports above the mid-mountain level.
Skiing is still possible on runs including the White Lady, M1, Coire Cas and the nursery slope area at the top of the Mountain in the Ptarmigan Bowl.
"The Bank holiday weekend has seen a return to wintry conditions and CairnGorm Mountain has welcomed both skiing visitors and non-skiers many of whom took the opportunity for some fun in the sledge park outside the top station.
The area plans to continue to offer snow sports and sledging at weekends only throughout May.
In Scandinavia several top resorts are still open. Finland’s Ruka has 14 runs open served by five lifts, and up ion the Swedish Arctic, Riksgransen is nearing 24 hour daylight ahead of it midnight-un-ski-season beginning in the next few weeks.
Norway’s Folgenfonn ski centre opened on 1st May and immediately reported the deepest snow pretty well anywhere with 4m (13.3 feet) lying and 15cm (six inches) of fresh snow for opening day.  It will be joined by a second Norwegian summer ski glacier area, Galdhoppigen, on May 13.
In North America more ski areas closed at the weekend including Loveland in Colorado and Mountain High in California. In the US however Squaw Valley in California is open for one more weekend, with lift tickets down to 45 dollars on the final day of the season – this Sunday.  Snowbird in Utah plans to stay open at least through May and back in California, Mammoth is aiming to keep the slopes open until the 4th of July. In Colorado Arapahoe Basin is still open and in Oregon Mt Bachelor has reported eight inches (20cm) of new snow since the weekend. There’s still more than 10 feet (3 metres) of snow at village level and even more on the mountain. Another Oregon resort, Timberline, which normally remains open through spring and summer, is also looking good.
In Canada only Sunshine near Banff in Alberta and Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia remain open.
South of the equator in New Zealand a cold front at the weekend reminded the country’s North Island skiers and riders that the southern hemisphere’s winter is just around the corner. Mt Ruapehu looked postcard perfect with a fresh layer of gleaming white snow.
In Australia’s mountains the warm, summery, weather has hibernated too, as it should in autumn. There's a distinctive nip in the air and the prospect of snow at Falls Creek ski resort has emerged in tandem with a forecasted first big cold front of season.  There's only 40 days to go until the official opening date of another winter season at the resort in the province of Victoria. 
In southern Africa, Afriski in Lesotho has announced its 2010 season will begin on May 25th.

Sunday 2nd May 2010

Huge Expansion of Avoriaz Gets Underway

A massive expansion of Avoriaz ski resort in France gets underway this month that will create two totally new resort districts, each with several new accommodation complexes.

Perhaps more exciting for guests staying in the existing resort, Avoriaz is also building a large new water park and a spectacular new lift to replace the cable car link between the resort and Morzine in the valley below. Much of the new development will be completed in time for the winter after next, in December 2011.

The two new resort districts are Crozats and Amara.  Between them they will add nine new Maeva and Pierre and Vacances residences containing more than 40 new apartments.

Amara, which will open in two stages in December 2011 and December 2012, will also bring a new spa centre with swimming pool, Turkish bath and Jacuzzi, a day nursery and more restaurants, bars and shops.

Work is also due to begin in the next few days on a major new gondola which will replace the existing cable car link between Morzine and Avoriaz.

Finally, at the end of the summer season in September work is due to begin on ‘Aquariaz’ which the resort describes as, “the most innovative mountain water park facility with an atmosphere of natural tropical vegetation.”  The new complex will cover 2000 square metres and will feature a wide river meandering through the centre of the building, a pool, indoor climbing wall, a ‘water playhouse’ and a sidewinder – a water filled superpipe.  The facility which is being developed in partnership with Center Parcs will be very eco friendly and is scheduled to open in July 2012. 

Wednesday 28th April 2010

2009-10 Season, For Some Resorts Their Longest Ever, Continues to Wind Down

* Europe’s highest and most southerly resorts still open.

* Several US resorts report winter 2009-10 was longest season ever.

* 8 ski areas still open in France.

* Last weekend of the season coming up in Spain.

* Fresh snow in Scandinavia, Switzerland and the US – more forecast.

www.Skiinfo.co.uk reports that hundreds more ski areas around the world closed their lifts for the final time for winter 2009-10 last weekend.  However more than 100 resorts remain open in over a dozen European, North American and Asian countries and many have plans for big celebrations this weekend  to mark the start of May .  

Eight ski areas are still open in France.   Bonneval sur Arc, La Grave la Meije and Val d'Isère will close after this weekend, but Argentière, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Orelle, Tignes and Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, will stay open another week to the 9^th.

Te snow remains very good for this time of year. Marinoël Turc, manager of the Tourist office of  Val Thorens, commented on the snow this season thus,

 "Skiers could fully enjoy the pleasures of skiing early in the season because the snow fell in mid-November, in both a good quantity and of a good quality, so we opened the ski resort a week ahread of schedule, on November 14th.  Today, we still have winter-like conditions and  you can still enjoy the snow.  Then at the end of the season the snow is still present in Val Thorens. "

Chamonix Mont-Blanc still has the greatest snow depth in France on its upper slopes with 355cm (12 feet) lying.  The other areas have between 1.6 and 2 metres (5.3 and 6.6 feet).

There’ll be no ski areas open in France for about five weeks after May 9^th, after which Tignes, Les 2 Alpes and Val d’Isere will offer summer skiing and boarding from mid-June.

In Italy five ski resorts are still open.  Livigno and Abetone will close after this weekend on 2nd May, Cervinia and Gressoney will stay open until 9th May. 

The Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale plans to stay open until 26th June however and has some of the deepest snow in the country with a 4.2m (14 foot) base.

Skiing in Austria is now largely concentrated on the glaciers. There’s 210cm (7 feet) of snow  reported on the upper slopes at the Pitztal glacier which is open to mid-May, while the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun has 136cm (4.5 feet) left.

A spokesperson from the tourism association of Tiroler Oberland comments, “There’s still good snow conditions on the Kaunertal glacier while spring has come to the valley.”

The Mölltal Glacier will stay open to May 16^th, at the moment there are six lifts in operation there and 45km of slopes skiable. The glacier reports a snow depth of 370cm (12.3 feet), the biggest in Austria.

 St. Anton and Lech Zürs am Arlberg have closed last weekend. Ischgl, Austria’s capital of event tourism in the Alps, will celebrate its season finale together with the Swiss resort of Samnaun on Saturday when Alicia Keys will perform at the famous “Top of the Mountain Concert” with 20,000 fans expected to attend.

In Germany the Nebelhorn ski area is open until Sunday with 5km (three miles) of slopes still skiable with up to 170cm (6 feet) of snow. The local mountain railways reports that... “On the higher slopes that are open skiing conditions are still very good”.  On the Zugspitze glacier with 275cm (8 feet) of snow lying on the glacier, the ski resort near Garmisch will celebrate the end of its winter season on Saturday and Sunday with live music.

In Switzerland Zermatt and Saas Fee both reported 5 cm (two inches) of fresh snow yesterday. Saas Fee has 261cm (8.6 feet) of snow on the glacier with 10 lifts still in operation. Just as Gstaad and Andermatt, the ski resort will remain open until this Sunday, May 2nd. The glacier near Zermatt  offers skiing all year round and Engelberg – with 290cm (9.7 feet) of snow on the mountain – won’t end its winter season before May 24th.

In Northern Europe there are still slopes open in Scotland, Sweden, Norway, Finland and easy-to-reach Iceland.

Norway still has 12 ski resorts open, but seven of them will be closing up this weekend. Snow is expected in many parts of Norway this weekend, so there are good prospects for a memorable season-ending.

 Aksel Lund Svindal and the rest of the Norwegian World Cup team are currently skiing in Hemsedal after participating in the last World Cup race of the season.  Hemsedal is throwing their somewhat legendary "end of season" party on Saturday 1st May and over 6,000 ski enthusiasts are expected, as that many took part in last year's celebration.  It has the most slopes open with 42 runs.

Voss received a foot of new snow in the past week and has the country’s greatest snow depth with a two metre (6.7 foot) base.

Sweden has 12 ski resorts open through to the 2nd of May and Björkliden will be open another week until 9th May and Riksgränsen right through to 27th June with its famous midnight-sun skiing coming up in May.

The snow coverage is generally still good with Spring skiing at most resorts (except for Riksgränsen and Björkliden) which added another 5cm (two inches) of fresh snow yesterday.

The season ending is celebrated with a Hot Dog Challenge in Scandinavia’s most popular resort, Åre.  Here there will be live music at the top station in Ramundberget and a lot of other events/competitions on the resorts. In Åre, the summer season kicks in as Åre Bike Park opens some trails this weekend.

At Cairngorm in Scotland you can still ski top to bottom although lower runs are getting narrow and thin in places. The centre is currently operating the Ptarmigan, Ciste, Cas, M1, and West Wall lifts along with the train.   The slopes will be open daily to 3rd May and then every  weekend in May, conditions permitting .

The season is over in most of the rest of Europe but the continent’s most southerly resort, Sierra Nevada in Spain remains open this weekend with 20-400cm (.7-13.3 feet) off snow and 32km of slopes open. In the Pyrenees Masella is also open for a last weekend blast with 30-80 cm (1-3 feet) of snow and 22 km of runs to enjoy.

Several dozen ski areas remain open across North America and some have announced that 2010-11 will be their longest winter season ever.

In Colorado Echo Mountain will close for the season after this weekend, as will Loveland, one of the world’s highest resorts.  Echo reported 17cm (7 inches) of new snow last weekend.

In Utah, Snowbird has passed its 1250cm (500 inches) of snowfall target for the third consecutive year. A recent storm brought another 15cm (6 inches) to the slopes.  Snowbird is now the only ski area in Utah still open for skiing and snowboarding and plans to remain open to late May.

In California Squaw Valley and Mammoth remain open, as does Mountain High in the south of the state which now plans to remain open through to May 2nd making this the longest season in its history. 

The resort will have been open a total of 186 days beating out the winter of 2004/05 by five days.  “Yup, it’s been a long winter.  Once we hit May, we’ll have operated in eight different months.  Not many resorts in the world can say that.” said John McColly, Director of Marketing.

The majority of Mountain High’s West Resort is still open with good coverage, and there is a chance for even more snow next Tuesday and Wednesday.  Up to four lifts are currently in operation accessing 28 trails with terrain for all levels and abilities

In Canada Lake Louise and Sunshine in Alberta and Whistler in British Columbia are still open.

Across the Pacific, Niseko remains open until May 5^th and reports an amazing season with January and February providing the waist deep powder the resort is renowned for but surprisingly December and March provided some of the best skiing conditions of the season. Statistics show the famous Japanese resort had the snowiest March since 2005 and the coldest March since 1999 with a total accumulation of over 16 metres of snowfall for the season. There’s still three metres (10 feet) of snow at the top of the resort and a metre at the base of the lifts making for some great spring skiing conditions.

Saturday 24th April 2010

UK’s Largest Ski Tour Operator Praised For Getting Customers Home Under Ash Cloud

TUI Ski – the company which runs three of the UK’s leading ski tour operators including the country’s number one, Crystal Ski, has been praised by its customers for getting them home from Europe following the eruption of the volcano in Iceland on Wednesday 14th April.

The company, which also runs Thomson Ski, First Choice Ski and Flexiski had over 2,500 skiers and boarders in Europe for the last week of the season.  Working closely with all airlines with whom those customers had been due to fly back on Saturday 17th April it decided that it was better to transport all of our customers back to their UK airport of origin by coach. All were reported to be back in the UK by 10am on Monday 19th April.

“TUI Ski still have 180 ski customers in North America and we can assure that everything is being done to get them home as soon as possible. All our customers overseas are being accommodated in hotels and resort teams are working hard to keep them informed with the latest information.” Said a company spokesperson.

 TUI ski said the ground-transportation of its clients back to the UK  would not have been possible without the help of SeaFrance, King’s Ferry coaches as well as Austrian and French coach companies.

 Comments posted on TWITTER or received by the company via email included:

”Back safely from French Alps yesterday PM via coach thanks to Crystal Ski - they were really brilliant.”

“I would be grateful if you would convey my thanks to all at your company for the excellent service you provided yesterday in repatriating us, in difficult circumstances,  back to Gatwick.  Your reps Paul and in particular our rep Jason, kept us informed on an hourly basis before we left and remained helpful and cheerful throughout. A very professional service from all concerned.”

“Please pass this to whoever has the ‘plan B’ to get customers back when plane can’t fly. Your arrangements were superb!!!  We are so pleased we booked again with your company & expect to do so again in future. Brilliant coach and good driver.”

courtesy;sno24

Les 2 Alpes Recommends Summer Skiing For First Time Skiers

Les 2 Alpes in France is promoting its summer glacier slopes as the perfect place for first timers to learn to ski and board.

While summer skiing and boarding is generally seen as the preserve of hardcore skiers and boarders and national team training, Les 2 Alpes sees advantages for first timers,

“Summer skiing is open to everyone. Beginners can discover the sport on the glacier with its gentle descents and wide open slopes; perfect for learning to ski or snowboard.” said a resort spokesperson.

The resort’s sports shops provide ski and snowboard equipment rentals, just as they do in winter and around 50 ski instructors from 10 different ski schools are on hand to offer ski or snowboarding lessons.

Les 2 Alpes opens for the summer from Wednesday June 16 to Saturday August 28^th during which time the ski lifts are open seven days a week,  from 7.15 am to 12.30pm for skiers and until 4.30pm for walkers and mountain bikers.

There are 90 hectares of ski runs including two green nursery slopes and four more easy blues to progress on to. For the more advanced there are two red runs as a freestyle zone and off-piste area.

16 ski lifts operate in summer (51 in winter) comprising two gondola lifts, a cable car, four chairlifts, seven drag lifts, a snow tow, a funicular and an inclined lift.

From the top of the glacier skiers and boarders also enjoy a breathtaking 360 degree panorama, views over Mont Blanc and the Ecrins National Park and the chance to visit a glacier ice cave.

Summer lift tickets cost 33.50 Euros for an adult day pass, tuition and equipment are extra. Holiday passes which give unlimited access to summer ski and walker’s lifts plus additional services (swimming pool, ice rink, tennis courts, archery, golf driving range, water sports and summer toboggan) and preferential rates on many other activities cost 167.50 Euros for six days for adults, 134 Euros for children aged up to and including 12, or seniors over 65.

Wednesday 21st April 2010

Fresh Snow In 10 Countries As 2009-10 Season Continues to Wind Down

* 70cm in 7 Days at Norwegian Resorts More Than 50 resorts still open in France.

* First snow of season for Australian ski resort.

* 50 ski areas still open in France.

www.Skiinfo.co.uk reports that It has been another big weekend of end-of-season parties across the northern hemisphere, although several hundred ski areas remain open in the Alps and North America for a few days more, with a few dozen still planning to open in to May.

Sölden had 18cm (7 inches) of new snow (the most in Austria) during the past week. There are still two and a half metres (eight feet) of snow on the glacier which will remain open for until the 2nd of May.

10cm (4 inches) of fresh snow also fell in Lech Zürs and Ischgl last weekend. Lech will close on Sunday (April 25th), Ischgl will celebrate the end of their season with a concert of Alicia Keys on May 1st. The Mölltal glacier also had some new snow on Sunday and will be open until May 16th. Currently, they have up to 390cm (13 feet) of snow on the glacier, more than anywhere else in Austria.

Some other Austrian ski resorts will still be running their lifts for skiers and boarders next week.  Kitzsteinhorn will remain open until May 2nd and currently has 171cm (just under six feet) of snow on top and 154cm (five feet) on lower slopes. Obergurgl celebrates its “ski finish” from this Saturday 24^th April through the week to May 1st. The resort has 105cm (3.5 feet) of snow left on upper slopes but only 14cm (6 inches) on lower ones.

The Pitztal glacier remains open until May 16^th, as does the Kaunertal glacier which has already begun its four week celebration of the end-of-season. The so-called “Spring Classics” include freeski contests, parties, professional snowboard coaching and a film and foto week. On the Stubai glacier there is still lying 180cm (six feet) of snow lying with a winter season lasting until June 13th.

50 ski areas are still open in France this week and there’s still some fresh snow.  Chamonix, where the snowpack has diminished a little to 3.6m (12 feet) but remains the deepest in the country has reported another 10cm (four inches) of snow in the past week.  Many French areas close this weekend but Chamonix is one of nine French ski areas remaining open in to the first week of May.

In Switzerland, Davos issued a powder alarm on Saturday because of 20cm (eight inches) of new snow. They still have a snow depth of 184cm (six feet) on upper slopes, but the official end of season is announced for April 25th. Samnaun even reported 25cm (10 inches) of new snow on Monday. 35 of its 40 lifts are still open with 160 cm of snow on the mountain. Samnaun’s season will end on May 2nd.

In St. Moritz the ski lifts are still running, too. ”Several mountain railways and lifts will be open through to May”, the local tourism association informs. “With a snow depth of 80 to 120 cm skiing conditions are still great on the mountains around St. Moritz.”

Gstaad as well as Saas Fee will allow skiing until a week on Sunday (May 2nd), but Engelberg with three metres of snow on upper slopes won’t close before May 24th. Zermatt offers 365 days of skiing and snowboarding, with its year long season officially ending on May 31st and officially recommencing on June 1st. 

In Germany, the Nebelhorn near Oberstdorf will remain open for another week (until May 2nd). So will the Zugspitze that even reported 21cm (eight inches) of new snow in the past seven days and still has a snow depth of 305cm (10 feet) on the glacier.

In Italy Arabba has a 5.2m (17.3 feet) and Madonna di Campiglio has had the most snow of the past week with 22cm (seven inches) of new snow.

There’s been fresh snow in Scandinavia with Norwegian resorts reporting some of the greatest new snow accumulations of the past week, the most at Røldal which has had 70cm (2.3 feet) in seven days.

Spring skiing is at its best right now in Sweden.  18 resorts are open throughout this week which for many is the last week of the season.

Riksgränsen up in the Arctic Circle have the deepest snow depth in the country with 158cm (5.3 feet) and also got 5cm (two inches) of fresh snow today.

A big event takes place in Åre this  week with this weekend on the 24th it's the world’s largest downhill competition "Skutskjutet".  The racing course is 3.5km long and everyone aged from three years up can participate and all competitors have a chance of winning an all new Audi A3 convertible.

In Scotland there’s been yet more fresh snow, although three of the country’s five ski areas (Glenshee, Nevis Range and the Lecht) have now closed – in most cases due more to lack of skiers and boarders than a lack of snow.  Glencoe is open at weekends and Cairngorm, which has received about a foot (30cm) more snow since the weekend, every day until the end of April. It then intends to open at weekends in May.

Virtually all resorts in the Pyrenees including those in Andorra and in Eastern Europe have now closed. However Sierra Nevada in Spain, Europe’s most southerly resort, still has a deep snow base and will remain open to May.  In addition Poland’s leading resort of Zakopane is reported to be still open with 5cm (two inches) of new snow in the past week on its 150cm (five foot) base.

In North America there’s been fresh snow on the East Coast after several sunny weeks but only two leading ski areas remain open and both plan to close after the coming weekend.  Killington in Vermont has one lift running serving nine trails and a 20 inch (50cm) base.  It has reported a few inches more snow since Monday. To the north Mont Sainte Anne in the Canadian province of Quebec  is also open up to this weekend.

There’s a wider choice and deeper snow on the continent’s West Coast.  In Canada Banff (sunshine), Lake Louise and Whistler are open in to May, Alberta’s Marmot basin closes this weekend. 

In the US the heavy snowfall on the West has eased but still-open Arapahoe Basin in Colorado has had 10cm (four inches) more snow in the past week.  Loveland in Colorado as well as Squaw Valley and Mammoth in California are among those still open.

With temperatures dropping south of the equator and heralding the start of the southern hemisphere’s winter, Hotham and Dinner Plain welcomed the first snowfalls of 2010 on Sunday 11 April.

Both villages turned white for a few hours on Sunday and Monday with light dustings of new snowflakes throughout the day. With only 53 sleeps to go to the official start of the 2010 winter season, it is certainly time to start getting excited and plan your holiday.

It's Still Snowing In Austria

Courtesy of skiinfo.com - It has been another big weekend of end-of-season parties across the northern hemisphere, although several hundred ski areas remain open in the Alps and North America for a few days more, with a few dozen still planning to open in to May.

Wednesday 14th April 2010

Two Thirds of Ski Resorts Close for Season But Snow Still Falling!

* More Than 50 resorts still open in France.

* Heavy snow in Alberta, British Columbia, California, Utah.

* Fresh snow in the Alps.

www.Skiinfo.co.uk reports that most of the world’s northern hemisphere ski areas have now closed for the winter, but that resorts in Western North America and the Alps have continued to report some low temperatures and heavy snowfall over the past week.  Dozens of ski areas expect to remain open through in to May.

In the USA it’s still snowing in California with Sierra and Mammoth both reporting another 45cm (18 inches) in the past few days. Mammoth says it'll keep skiing to the 4th of July. After receiving seven feet (210cm) of fresh snow in seven days, Squaw Valley USA is once again offering the longest and most complete ski season in Lake Tahoe region with plans to stay pen to at least May 9^th.  Resorts in Colorado, Utah and Oregon have also reported big snowfalls, although many have now closed.  Aspen Mountain is currently closed midweek but opening at weekends.

To the north Whistler Blackcomb is now declaring 2009-10 its second snowiest-ever season, with over 14.3m (47 feet) of snow fallen.  Almost all of the ski area is currently open with the chance to ski the Olympic downhill runs.  Whistler Blackcomb is open for skiing and riding through to May 24 – Whistler Mountain through April 25 and Blackcomb Mountain to May 24.

Back in Europe, in France 35 more ski resorts are scheduled to close in France this weekend but others will be open for two or three weeks more. Bonneval sur Arc will close on the 1st of May, Val d'Isère on the 2nd and Chamonix Mont-Blanc, where the upper slope snow depth is currently the deepest in France at 3.8m (12.6 feet), as well as  Tignes, Val Thorens and La Grave la Meije are open another week to May 9th.

Next Monday there will still be fifty ski resorts open. The snow remains very good for the season and it is below freezing in many resorts still, so the snow is good quality snow. It snowed yesterday in the Alps where there were three powder alarms for up to 40cm (16 inches) of new snow in the southern resorts of Devoluy /La Joue du Loup which has France’s second greatest snow depth at 3.3m (11 feet).  It has re4ceived 60cm (two feet) in total in the past week, the most in the country, however they reported that the avalanche risk is high.

Although most Italian ski resorts closed at the weekend, there has been fresh snow reported for many of those that have remained open.

In the Monterosa ski region resorts including Champoluc and Gressoney received up to 35cm (14 inches) of new snow.  Some lifts will continue to operate there to early May.

 In the Aosta Valley, Pila will close this weekend on 18th of April with an event called “Desarpa bianca”, a giant slalom to celebrate the end of season.

In Lombardia, Santa Caterina and Madesimo (with almost two metres/seven feet of snow) will also close on 18th of April thanks to heavy snowfall of this winter.  Bormio and Livigno will keep their lifts open until the 2nd of May however.  Livigno is currently offering free skiing to those booking an accommodation package with participating hotels and apartments while Bormio has some of the deepest snow in Italy with a three metre base.  It has been open since October so will celebrate a seven month season this winter!

In Trentino, the official closing of Madonna di Campiglio is on the 20th of April, with special ski pass prices as only the 50% of the slopes are currently open.   In Alto Adige, thanks to its glacier Val Senales will close on 2nd of May.

In Austria there has been some fresh snow this morning in Sölden and Zauchensee (10cm/4 inches each). These ski resorts have also reported the biggest snowfalls of the last seven days (20cm/8 inches). Sölden consequently has one of the biggest snow accumulations in Austria with 252cm (8.4 feet).

The Mölltaler Gletscher had 15cm (six inches) of new snow in a week and Ischgl reported 10cm (4 inches), having a total snow depth of 90cm (3 feet) on upper slopes now. Many Austrian ski resorts still have more than a metre of snow lying on their slopes and 10 of them have a snow depth of at least two metres, including St. Anton and Bad Gastein.

In Switzerland where the avalanche danger had been high at the beginning of spring this has lowered to a level of 1 (low) in most areas.  Saas Fee had the most new snow in the past week with  32cm (13 inches). Of the 22 lifts they have there 20 are still open. The total snow depth in the ski resort adds up to 294cm (10 feet). Zermatt also got some fresh snow last week (10cm/4 inches) and has about one and a half metres (five feet) on its slopes. The biggest snow depth of the country is still claimed by the ski resort Andermatt-Gotthard with 350cm (12 feet).

In Germany Oberstdorf and the Zugspitze have the most snow left. The upper slopes of the latter are reported to have a snow depth of 295cm (10 feet). Some fresh snow just fell there today.

In Andorra the season is coming to a close with a few final snowfalls, ski areas there will close for the winter this weekend.

In Spain only Astun, Candanchu, Masella and Sierra Nevada remains open. Sierra Nevada is still offering the best conditions for the next few weeks until May 2^nd as well as cheap ski passes, four metres of spring snow and 84 kilometres of pistes.

The ski season is also now largely over in Eastern Europe, Borovets in Bulgaria will be one of the last ski areas in the region to close, tomorrow Thursday 13th.

In Northern Europe, Scotland saw very warm weather over the weekend with temperatures reaching 18C in the cities. This had had an effect on the snow base at the country’s five ski areas and Glenshee has decided to close for the season, while Glencoe, The Lecht and Nevis Range are all still open with patchy cover on lower slopes. Cairngorm still has nearly three metres of snow on upper slopes and is sticking to its plan to stay open for the rest of the month and at weekends through May.

In Scandinavia it has been warmer but more snow is forecast and most of the leading resorts, including Are in Sweden, will be open in to May.

In Finland, Ruka, which endeavours to keep at least one run open to June, is currently nearly 100% operational with a 62cm (2.1 foot) base.

Wednesday 7th April 2010

Ski Season Begins To Wind Down But More Big Snowfalls Reported

www.Skiinfo.co.uk reports that new snow over the Easter holidays has given a great powder base for many of the resorts still open in the Alps, while across the Atlantic the latest round of huge snowfalls on the west of the North American continent has left more resorts extending their seasons with waist-deep April powder. Conditions remain good in Scotland and Scandinavia too.

There were heavy snowfalls in the German speaking areas of the Alps over Easter with Andermatt seeing over a foot (35cm) of new snow.  This was part of a total one metre (40 inch) fall in the past seven days, the largest in Switzerland.  The Andermatt-Gotthard region also reports the biggest snow depth in the country at present with 3.5m (nearly 12 feet) on upper slopes.

St. Moritz also reported 15cm (six inches) of fresh snow on Sunday. Martin Berthod, the resort's sports and events manager, said, "The snow conditions are still excellent all over the Engadin."

The 4 Valleys has also reported good snowfall in the past week, with 75cm (2.5 feet) of new snow and Laax has had yet another 60cm (two feet) taking its snow depth to 220cm (7.3 feet).

Glacier ski areas currently have some of Switerland’s deepest snow with Engelberg reporting three metres (ten feet) and Saas Fee a few centimetres/inches less with 289cm.         

The snow depth in the French Alps is very good for the end of season with 183.6cm (6.2 feet)  average on the top of the slopes in the Northern Alps and 229.6cm (7.6 feet) average for the Southern Alps

It has snowed a lot the last week in the French Alps with Skiinfo posting 24 Powderalarms for snowfalls in excess of 20cm (8 inches) in 24 hours in Sunday.

Serre Chevalier reported 65cm (2.2 feet) of fresh snow and Puy St Vincent 40cm (16 inches) just on the one day.

In Austria sunny weather is forecast for the next few days and on many Austrian slopes there is still lots of snow - so conditions for spring skiing are fine.

Sölden, for example, got fresh snow again and issued a powder alarm for more than 20cm (8 inches) of new snow on Monday.  31 of the ski resort's lifts are still running and the sky there is cloudless.

It received 40cm (16 inches) in total through the last week and currently has a snow depth of 251cm (8.3 feet). Lech Zürs am Arlberg has had 35cm (14 vinches) of new snow in the past week.

There are a dozen Austrian resorts with two metres or more of snow on their slopes.  The Mölltal glacier has the biggest snow depth of 390cm (13 feet), Hintertux has more than three metres (10 feet), too.

In Germany to the north the Zugspitze got lots of fresh snow again with 20cm (8 inches) more on Monday and 35cm (14 inches) on Good Friday.  Feldberg in the Black Forest also received another 20cm (eight inch) fall in the past week.

Many French ski resorts are still open during April and six will remain open into May.   Bonneval sur Arc will close on the 1^st of May, Val d'Isère on the 2^nd and Chamonix Mont-Blanc, where the upper slope snow depth went back above 4 metres (13.3 feet) this week, as well as  Tignes, Val Thorens and La Grave la Meije are open another week to May 9^th.

Over the past week Pelvoux-Vallouise and Puy St Vincent have both reported a metre (3.3 feet) of new snow, Le Grand Bornand  82cm (2.6 feet) and Serre Chevalier  80cm (2.6 feet).

Chamonix currently has the top snow depth with 405cm (13.5 feet), La Clusaz has 310cm (10.3 feet) and Alpe d'Huez  and La Grave 300cm (10 feet).   Serre Chevalier is just behind on 290cm (9.6 feet).

Italy has topped the table in Europe for the most snow in the past seven days with Madesimo reporting 1.2m (four feet) of new Spring powder. Arabba and the Marmolada Glacier was second on the continent withy another metre (3.3) feet and there was about 60cm (two feet) more in Val Gardena in the Dolomites and Monterosa in the alps. 

Marmolada currently has the deepest snow in Europe too, with 5.2m (17.3 feet). Passo Tanale’s Presena glacier is second with 4.2m (14 feet).

In Northern Europe, despite warmer weather during the Easter holidays, skiing conditions remain good at most open resorts in Scandinavia. In Sweden there's also been some small amounts of new snow in Tandådalen - 8cm (three inches) in the last seven days.

This week and next there's a lot of attention at Åre since Jon Olsson Super Sessions started on Monday and will continue until the 17th of April. One of the highlights during the week will be the Big Air competition, as well as the Jon Olsson Invitational on the 15th with some of the world’s best jibbers in resort. The ten days are full of activities including parties, various competitions, a rail park in Åre town square  and of course apres-ski.

In Scotland CairnGorm's best season for decades continues with 40cm of fresh snow in the past week, one of the world's biggest accumulations.

The Scottish ski area saw over 2000 skiers take to the slopes on Good Friday to check out the recent fall of snow, which was perfectly timed to provide excellent snow cover across the mountain for Easter skiing and boarding.

It is expected that skiing will continue to be available throughout not only the Easter holidays but right through April and into May. The resort will be open daily for snowsports until 3rd May (the bank holiday weekend) and thereafter every weekend in May, conditions permitting.

"Coming on top of the 117,000 skiers we have already had this season, Friday's figures set us on course for a grand finale to double last year's total of 65,000 skiers for the season by the end of April." said spokesman for CairnGorm Mountain Colin Kirkwood.

A number of special Easter events are taking place. The resort has arranged to open for evening skiing on Thursday 8th April when a number of lifts will remain open from 4pm until 7.30pm. Rides on the resort's piste-bashing machine and skidoos will be available for non-skiers.

Also for non-skiers on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th April Physics will be coming to the Mountain when a team from the Institute of Physics in Scotland will invite visitors to skewer balloons, make rockets with alka-seltzers and make water defy gravity as they highlight the relevance of physics to their lives.

The ski season is winding down in the Pyrenees with warmer temperatures bringing classic Spring freeze/thaw conditions and a relaxed vibe on the slopes.

One of the region’s largest resorts, Baqueira Beret in Spain, has already closed, but Formigal, the largest in the area still has 1221km (76 miles) to enjoy and snow depths of 220cm (7.3 feet).  Andorra’s ski areas are also still open.

Europe’s most southerly major ski area, Sierra Nevada, still has five metres of snow on upper slopes and plans to stay open in to May.

In Eastern Europe it is generally ‘melt down’ with the snow gone, or mostly gone, from lower areas but on the other hand Poland’s leading centre of Zakopane reported 40cm (16 inches) of new snow on Tuesday.

North America and particularly California and Utah in Western USA have seen the biggest snowfalls of the past week, with particularly huge accumulations reported at Brighton in Utah with 228cm (7.6 feet) in seven days.  Snowbird, Alta and Solitude have also reported more than two metre (6.7 feet) accumulations.

It’s almost as good in California where almost all resorts have reported between 1 and 1.5m (3.3-5 feet) of new snow over the Easter weekend.  It’s a shame the majority of ski areas in the region have closed already or close in the next seven days. 

There’s been new snow elsewhere in Western North America too, with Colorado resorts benefitting and Grand Targhee in Wyoming the latest to announce an extended season.  1.6m (63 inches) of snow have fallen there this past week, and another 35cm (14 inches) has arrived yesterday morning.

Grand Targhee will run Dreamcatcher chairlift for an extra week, through to Sunday April 18.  The chair will run from 10 am to 3 pm, and offer limited facilities.

It’s a different story on the East Coast alas where extremely warm weather has caused a rapid thaw at most areas.

To the north Whistler Blackcomb has announced the decision to extend skiing and riding on Whistler Mountain by one week. Whistler Mountain’s last day of operations will be Sunday, April 25 while Blackcomb Mountain’s last day of operations will be Monday, May 24.

“With over 1,353 centimetres (533 inches) of snow so far this season and a current snow base of 363 centimetres (143 inches), this incredible season is far from over,” says Dave Brownlie, president and chief operating officer at Whistler Blackcomb. “The great snow was a key factor in deciding to keep Whistler Mountain open an additional week, but guest feedback about Whistler Mountain closing during the second week of the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival played a big role in the decision as well. We listened to the feedback, then reviewed and revised the required lift maintenance schedule, allowing us to extend Whistler Mountain’s winter operations by one week.”

courtesy: www.skiinfo.cpm

Tuesday 6th April 2010

CairnGorm Open Daily Until May,Then Weekends Towards June

CairnGorm’s best season for decades continues with 40cm of fresh snow in the past week, one of the world’s biggest accumulations.

The Scottish ski area saw over 2000 skiers take to the slopes on Good Friday to check out the recent fall of snow, which was perfectly timed to provide excellent snow cover across the mountain for Easter skiing and boarding.

It is expected that skiing will continue to be available throughout not only the Easter holidays but right through April and into May. The resort will be open daily for snowsports until 3^rd May (the bank holiday weekend) and thereafter every weekend in May, conditions permitting.

“Coming on top of the 117,000 skiers we have already had this season, Friday’s figures set us on course for a grand finale to double last year’s total of 65,000 skiers for the season by the end of April.” said spokesman for CairnGorm Mountain Colin Kirkwood.

A number of special Easter events are taking place. The resort has arranged to open for evening skiing on Thursday 8th April when a number of lifts will remain open from 4pm until 7.30pm. Rides on the resort’s piste-bashing machine and skidoos will be available for non-skiers.

Also for non-skiers on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th April Physics will be coming to the Mountain when a team from the Institute of Physics in Scotland will invite visitors to skewer balloons, make rockets with alka-seltzers and make water defy gravity as they highlight the relevance of physics to their lives.

www.cairngormmountain.org - courtesy: Snow24.com

Wednesday 31st March 2010

Big Pre-Easter Snowfalls For France

Skiinfo.com reports - France has seen increasingly large snow accumulations over the past four days. Over the weekend there were more than 30 powder alarms across the country with resorts receiving at least 20cm (8 inches) of new powder. Among these, six resorts (Les Menuires, Morillon, Saint Martin de Belleville, Sainte Foy Tarentaise, Samöens, and Valfrejus) received 40cm (16 inches) of snow, while another six (Orelle ,Val Thorens, La Clusaz, Val d'Isère , Le Grand Bornand , Manigod and Alpe d'Huez ) got 30cm (a foot) on Sunday alone.

 

Monday 29th March 2010

National Skiathon 2010

Disability Snowsport UK is challenging teams to ski or snowboard 666 runs at one of six indoor slopes around the UK on 18 May

The National Skiathon 2010 involves teams of six members attempting to ski 666 runs between them in under six hours at one of six UK ski centres – the Chill Factore in Manchester, the Tamworth Snow Dome, the Snow Centre at Hemel Hempstead or the Castleford, Braehead or Milton Keynes SNO!zone.

Teams are asked to raise a minimum of £666 for Disability Snowsport UK during the thigh-burning challenge, which will see participants ski an average of 111 runs each. The entry fee per team is £66 which includes entry to the team’s chosen slope, fundraising support as well as an event goody bag and t-shirt.

If you are interested in getting involved you can find out which slope is nearest you by looking at our UK slopes map. Then, once you have a team of six together you can register online at or email sophiewood@disabilitysnowsport.org.uk. All entries must be received by Friday 16 April.

Disability Snowsport UK will award prizes to the team that raises the most money as well as the team that puts in the most runs in six hours. They are also pitching the north against the south so teams doing their challenge at Braehead, Castleford, Manchester will be taking on Tamworth, Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes.

www.disabilitysnowsport.org.uk/skiathon

SNO!storm Back For 2010 At SNO!zone

April sees the first SNO!storm events of the year at SNO!zone indoor snow centres within Xscape at Milton Keynes (April 6) and Castleford (April 9). 

SNO!zone’s park crew have been honing their skills all season in preparation for this one. Expect bigger and better hits, a slope jam packed with booters, rails and jibs to get you shred on.

At Castleford the park crew have even been let onto the previous restricted ground of the nursery slope to squeeze in more rails.

“This is no ordinary Park night, this is our premier event of the season. To make sure it sticks in the mind and memory we’ve gone and got a bit lairy with the plans and are going all retro neon to fit with the new colour scheme that’s sweeping our beloved snowsports industry.” said the company’s marketing and events manager Emma Darvill.

Expect luminous rails, glowing Poma lifts and a DJ booth that will light up the slope on its own. There are guest DJ’s on the slope all night too to turn up the tunes and get everyone pumped to ride.

For those just getting into freestyle there’ll be a full rookie park on the nursery slope with academy coaches there to give some tips and tricks.

SNO!storm will also feature a T-Shirt give-a-ways on the slope for those who impress, dress the best and sweet talk MC Monkey.

www.snozoneuk.com - courtesy Snow24

Sunday 28th March 2010

Kaprun Ready For Summer Snow Sports In 2010

The 3,029m high Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Zell am See-Kaprun is now enjoying its snow sure spring skiing season, but is already planning ahead for its summer season.

All those who are looking for a freestyle challenge have to drop in at Mellow Park. The snow park boasts three different areas which are all located at an altitude of above 2,500 metres which is a guarantee for natural snow.

The resort will stage its ‘Winter final’ weekend from April 30 to May 2^nd to also kick off the glacier snow season.

The three day event brings free tests of the new 2010/11 season ski and boards, a pipe session,  glacier disco, live music and more.

Other activities to try include a helmet cam-test, free waxing of your gear, appearances with autograph sessions from ski world cup stars and live bands.

There will be apres ski parties with Dj each day at the valley station and an evening party at Kaprun Castle on the Saturday night, May 1.

In July the area’s Ice Arena opens its gates on 3rd July giving more summer sliding options to young and old guests alike, including snow slides, an ice bar and even an ice beach to literally ‘chill out’ on.

courtesy: Sno24

First 2010 Snow In Southern Hemisphere

Mt Ruapehu in New Zealand has reported first snow on the slopes, three months before its ski areas are due to open.

"Yesterday's southerly front painted an icing sugar like coating on Ruapehu's upper slopes. A sure sign that winter is not far away." said Mike Smith, Marketing Manager of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts.

Turoa is scheduled to open on June 19th and work is progressing well at Whakapapa rebuilding the Knoll Ridge Chalet and Cat Shed. Whakapapa is scheduled to open June 26th.

www.mtruapehu.com

courtesy: Snow24

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Warmer And Drier In The Alps But Getting Colder And Snowier Again

www.Skiinfo.co.uk reports that it’s been milder in the Alps since the weekend with little new snowfall, however a new cold front is due to move in from tomorrow with 15-30cm (6-12 inches) forecast  to fall.

In France it has generally been a good winter to date with three major snowfall periods to date in mid-December right in time for the start of the season, then in early January and during the school holidays in mid-February with frequent snowfalls across the country.

“Winter 2009-2010 is positioning itself as one of snowiest in the last thirty years. The snowfalls have been substantial and regular during this winter.” said Virginie Bernat of SkiInfo France. ”Most French resorts are still open, the ski season is not over!”

During the past week La Plagne and Chamonix reported the most new snow with 15-16cm (6 inches) each, La Clusaz had  8cm (3.5 inches).

Chamonix Mont-Blanc  has the most snow lying with 400cm (13.3 feet), La Grave la Meije  is second with 300cm (10 feet), La Rosière 1850 has 285cm (9.5 feet), Alpe d'Huez  275cm (9.2 feet) and Montgenèvre 240cm (8 feet).

It’s been a dry week in Italy where the snowfall forecast for last weekend in the North of Italy failed to arrive. Arabba and the Marmolada  glacier has the country’s deepest snow still with 540cm (18 feet) on upper slopes – they must be using a very long stick to measure it.  The Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale, which will most likely stay open for several more months, has four metres (13.3 feet) and Sella Nevea on the Slovenian border 320cm (10.6 feet).

In Switzerland it may be warmer now but it’s been a cold winter with temperatures one degree below a long-term average in the Central Plateau and biggest snowfalls in the Southern Alps.  Top snow depths this week are Engelberg with 270cm (nine feet), Lötschental with 256cm (8.5 feet) and Saas Fee with 222 cm (7.3 feet).  There were some small snowfalls in Switzerland in the last seven days with Gstaad reporting 10cm (four inches) of new snow in a week.

The biggest snowfalls in Austria were reported from the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser. Ski resorts there – like Brixen or Going – typically received 30cm (a foot) in seven days. Brixental has a metre of snow on upper slopes and half a metre in the valley.  The ski resorts with the top snow depths are still the glaciers: Mölltaler Gletscher 380cm (12.7 feet), Hintertuxer Gletscher 305cm (10.2 feet), Dachstein-Gletscher 290cm (9.7 feet).

In Germany a blanket of snow had covered some parts of the country for a period of more than two months this winter. For the ski resorts it has been a good season, though and it’s not over yet. The Zugspitze still reports up to 250cm (8.3 feet) of snow on its slopes and 110cm (3.7 feet) in Garmisch. The resort got 21cm (8.5 inches) of new snow in the last seven days. Another leading ski area, Oberstdorf - Nebelhorn has a snow depth of 180cm (6 feet).

In the Pyrenees the temperatures have been cooler than in the Alps with more snow and cold temperatures  forecast for the weekend. With Easter Holidays just round the corner Spanish ski resorts are preparing themselves for the last big days of the season. Most of them are going to close after Easter, only a few will remain open after April 18th (probably Sierra Nevada and Masella).

Baqueira Beret has up to 175cm (six feet) of snow and 110km of piste open while Formigal has 240cm (8 feet) and 111 km of piste to enjoy.

It’s been much warmer in northern Europe.  In Scotland this has meant some rain and there have also been gale force winds which closed Cairngorm and Glencoe earlier this week.  Snow has thawed but all five centres are still open with two-three feet (60-90cm) of snow on upper slopes at most.  The Scottish school Easter holidays start this weekend.

Despite warm weather across virtually all of Sweden there has been some new snow in both Ramundberget (15cm/6 inches) and Åre 12cm (4 inches) during the last week.

Skiing conditions are looking great for the upcoming Easter holidays with 18 Swedish ski resorts reporting a snow depth of 85cm (three feet) or more.  Riksgränsen has the moist at the moment with 148cm (five feet).

Norway has seen more snow with three powder alarms issued in the past few days for snowfalls of 20cm (eight inches) or more in 24 hours. Malselv reported 25cm (10 inches) on Monday, Voss had 20cm on Saturday.

 After the return to cold weather a week ago in Eastern Europe, the temperatures have yoyo-ed back to ‘very mild’ and the snow has melted away to reveal bare patches on lower slopes at Bulgaria’s resorts and even higher slopes are getting slushy too. 

Across the Atlantic cities on the East Coast of North America saw snowfall once again at the start of the week but warmer weather meant not much of this translated in to snow on the slopes.  However conditions are supposed to be turning colder this weekend and larger resorts like Sunday River in Maine have around 120 slopes still open.

In the West there’s been fresh snow in Wyoming overnight with Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole both reporting 125-18cm (6-7 inches) of fresh powder. 

Vancouver’s Olympic training venue of Mt Washington in Western Canada reports the deepest snow in the world at the moment with 584cm (19.5 feet).

courtesy of www.skiinfo.com

 

 

Hit The Spring Snow With Skiinfo!  - Check out the lastest news courtesy of www.skiinfo.com

With Spring here, it’s easy to forget that the ski season still has three months left to run at plenty of resorts around the world.  2010 has been a bumper year with record snowfalls in many resorts so, with Spring sunshine on the way and low prices and empty slopes the norm, here’s Skiinfo’s suggestions for 20 possible ski destinations in 10 countries right through to June!

Austria

Pitztal (http://www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/PitztalerGletscher-EATXPITZTALE-103-en.jhtml )

The highest slopes in Austria are open until May 16 this year. The snow depth is currently more than 2m deep and supported by a new all-weather snowmaking system.

Stubai (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Stubaital-StubaierGletscher-EATXSTUBAIER-103-en.jhtml

Usually open to mid-June with slopes reaching above 3,200m, this is one of the easiest resorts to reach from Innsbruck airport.

Tux (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/HintertuxerGletscher-EATXHINTERTU-103-en.jhtml )

One of the world’s two ski areas open 365 days a year and one of Europe’s largest Spring skiing destinations located in the beautiful Ziller Valley.

Canada

Banff (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/SunshineVillage-ECASUNSH-103-en.jhtml )

Banff’s seven month long ski season nears its end with the 82nd annual Slush Cup which takes place at Sunshine Village on May 24. Anyone brave or mad enough can attempt to ski or ride across a pool of icy melt water. The event signifies the closure of the ski hill for another year – or for about five months anyway until the 2010-11 season starts in the autumn. 

Whistler (http://www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Whistler/Blackcomb-ECAWHIST-103-en.jhtml )

The star of the 2010 Olympics always has deep snow on the top and this winter has been a banner year. Expect to find the slopes delightfully quiet after the Olympic crowds depart and open until July 25th. 

Finland

Ruka (http://www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Ruka-EFIRUKA-103-en.jhtml)

Ruka opens in mid-October each year and aims to stay open for 250 days each winter – more than 8 months in total. Usually at least the main slope number 2 stays open in to June.

France

Chamonix (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/ChamonixMont-Blanc-EFRCHAMONIXM-103-en.jhtml

With 90% of the ski area located above 2000m, Chamonix enjoys excellent Spring snow conditions and the current base of four metres should last well in to spring. The Grands Montets offers skiing up to 3300m and is the last resort in France to close on the 9th May this year.

Les 2 Alpes (http://www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Les2Alpes-EFR2ALPES-103-en.jhtm )

Europe's largest skiable glacier is one of the last to close in France and then re-opens its 11 runs on 200 hectares from June 16th to August 28th.

Tignes (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Tignes-EFRTIGNES-103-en.jhtml )

Offering some of the highest slopes in France at more than 3400m, Tignes, formerly open 365 days a year is open in to May and re-opens in June.

Italy

Passo Tonale (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/PassoTonale-AdamelloSki-EITPASSOTON-103-en.jhtml )

The Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale has had Europe’s deepest snow all this winter, with an average 5m (17 foot) base.  It’s usually open in to June, with red and black graded runs for good skiers open to enjoy.

Val Senales (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/ValSenales/Schnals-EITVALSENAL-103-en.jhtml )

Open to early May, Val Senales then has a six week closure before re-opening in mid-June to offer snow sports right through the summer.

Norway

Stryn  (http://www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Strynsommerski-ENOSTRYNEFJ-103-en.jhtml )

With several of Norway’s larger ski areas open in to May, Stryn Summerski Centre doesn’t actually open until Friday, May 30th, one of three summer ski destinations in the country. The resort has a snow park, off piste and alpine skiing opportunities and was once named the best pre-season training resort by legendary Italian slalom ski racer Alberto Tomba.

Scotland

Cairngorm (www.ski.visitscotland.com )

Scotland is coming out of its coldest winter since 1962 and the snow is lying several metres deep. In years gone by there’s been skiing on midsummer night, June 21st, and that’s looking good in 2010 too. The  slopes have remained open in to May in recent years with less snow than this and have eventually closed due to lack of adequate skier numbers rather than lack of snow.

Sweden

Riksgransen (http://www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Riksgransen-ESERIKSGRAN-103-en.jhtml)

Up in the Swedish Arctic Circle it’s so cold and dark that Riksgransen doesn’t open until February and last week the resort was cut off by heavy snow.  Come mid-May however there’s 24 hour daylight and the attraction of skiing under the midnight sun draws skiers from all over the world.

Switzerland

Engelberg (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Engelberg-ECHENGEL-103-en.jhtml )

One of the longest ski seasons in Switzerland, Engelberg stays open to mid-May with a special Spring Ski season pass now available and access to the Titlis gondola via the Rotair revolving cable car and the Ice Flyer Express six-seater chairlift.

St Moritz (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Engadin/St.Moritz-ECHENGAD-103-en.jhtml )

The Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz offers a wonderful long decent each spring, often open right through to June.

Zermatt (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Zermatt-ECHZERMA-103-en.jhtml )

Europe’s highest ski runs, touching 3,900m in summer, one of the world’s biggest Spring ski areas and one of the two resorts that tries to remain open 365 days a year.

USA

Arapahoe Basin (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/ArapahoeBasin-EUSARAPA-103-en.jhtml )

A fun Colorado ski area with some of the world’s highest ski lifts, a great laid back vibe and often open in to June.

Mammoth Mountain (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/Mammoth-EUSMAMMO-103-en.jhtml)

One of half-a-dozen US ski areas that get so much snow they usually stay open well in to May or June, 2010 is looking like a great year for Mammoth which recently passed the ‘400 inches of snow this season’ mark (that’s over 13 feet/10 metres). The area has stayed opened to Independence Day, July 4th, on occasion. 

Squaw Valley USA (www.skiinfo.co.uk/Ski-Resort-Info/SquawValleyUSA-EUSSQUAW-103-en.jhtml )

This year Squaw Valley celebrates 50 years since staging the Winter Olympics itself, an amazing achievement back in 1960 as the resort had only been created a few years previously.  It’s  made an art form out of its Spring Season with cool California sunshine culture up at High Camp well in to May, sometimes June.  2010 is looking good as the snow depth is currently over four metres.