Messages posted by : admin
|
Over 20 ski areas now open in Europe and Scandinavia, with more starting their seasons in the coming weeks AND A-Basin and Keystone, Colorado in the USA joining already-open Wolf Creek tomorrow!
Keystone (pictured) and Arapahoe Basin will both open tomorrow! Where to Ski in November 2024 November can make or break a ski season depending on which way mother nature plays its. Ideally snowy but most importantly a cold month is what we're hoping for. Although there have yet to be any really significant, lasting, snowfalls for the northern hemisphere (outside Scandinavia) this autumn, about 20 centres are already open in six countries in the Alps and Scandinavia, thanks to their glaciers or snow farming efforts. So far this autumn, Europe has seen cold temperatures and snowfall at times above 2500m but now we really need colder temperatures to lower elevations. Currently the forecast is warm and dry to start November, but it's early days. In north America it has been cold in Canada but warmer than average in the US, but is now very cold and forecast to remain so to start November, so looking more promising at this stage, although only one centre has opened so far (with at least 2 more opening tomorrow). Most of the big names hope to open by the end of November. Europe Austria Although it may be overtaken by Switzerland and perhaps the USA within the first 10 days of the month, Austria starts November with more ski options than any other nation – seven glacier areas. It also has the largest ski areas open so far 25-35km of slopes at Hintertux and Solden. Kitzbuhel is scheduled to open a few kilometres of runs thanks to snow farming on the second weekend of the month then the high-altitude resorts of Obergurghl and Obertaurn will open just after mid-November, the first non-glacier areas that don't use snow farming. As elsewhere in the northern hemisphere the final weekend of the month will mark that start of mass resort opening with Ischgl usually offering one of the largest areas available anywhere, often more than 100km of slopes, upon opening. France French ski areas have given up on opening in September, October or even early November (Les 2 Alpes and Tignes would have been open by now until a few years ago) so, barring a huge snowfall and resorts opening early (which can and has happened at least once in the last decade so we live in hope!), its Grand Montets in the Chamonix Valley, Tignes and Val Thorens set to open first in the country for the final week of November. Italy Italy has a few small glacier areas open as we start November, one of them, Passo Stelvio, a summer ski area which started its 2024 season back in May, plans to close until next spring on Sunday 3rd. Other than access to Zermatt's glacier ski area from Cervinia, options are likely to be limited in Italy until late in the month when bigger resorts with high altitude skiing liker Bormio and Livigno tend to open. Before that, smaller centres like Sulden and the Pragelato glacier above Passo Tonale should join already-open Val Senales. Switzerland Switzerland starts November with five ski areas open and unlike other nations these are big names – Adelboden, Engelberg, St Moritz (Diavolezza Glacier), Saas-Fee and Zermatt – and all have glacier skiing except Adelboden which has used snow farming, the same technique Murren will use to open on the 2nd. Other big name Swiss resorts aiming to open in the first few weeks of November include Davos, Gstaad (Glacier 3000) and Verbier, snow permitting. Then most Swiss areas begin opening from the 23rd or 30th towards the end of the month, or in early December. The Zermatt / Cervinia area often has one of the largest amounts of terrain open anywhere in November and early December, thanks in part to having Europe's highest lift-served slopes. Scandinavia Scandinavian centres have an advantage with their northerly latitude typically bringing colder, snowier weather earlier than further south and many of the region's centres will open in the latter half of the month. As we start November a handful of ski areas are already open in Finland, Norway and Sweden, most using snow stockpiled through summer and spread back out on the slopes in October to create new runs. This year they've suffered unseasonably warm weather making maintaining them tricky, but its now colder and fresh snowmaking on the old snow is underway. One of these centres, Finland's largest Levi, will host World Cup alpine ski races this month. Pyrenees Most Pyrenean ski centres in Andorra, France and Spain will open in the final week of November or the first week of December, all being well. On the Spanish side there's a particular wish to be open by the start of December ahead of a week of public holidays that come in the build up to Christmas. The signs are fairly promising at this stage with some good October snowfalls reported. Baqueira Beret currently plans to open on the 23rd November as does France's Porte Puymorens with the region's largest area, Androrra's Grandvalira, among those targeting November 30th. Rest of Europe Most ski areas elsewhere in Europe don't aim to open until early December but if we have a spectacular early snowfall most Scottish centres could open at short notice and have done in the past. The same is true for Eastern European resorts, a few of which may open on the final weekend of November if conditions are good. North America Canada Canada has had a snowy September and October in Alberta and eastern BC and the three Banff ski areas are expected to get the country's 24-25 season underway soon (which is due to be better than average in the west thanks to the La Nina impact). Mount Norquay had hoped to open on the 2nd but has delayed and will now open the weekend of the 9th, the same as the other two Banff areas Lake Louise and Sunshine as well as Marmot Basin to the north near Jasper. Sun Peaks should be the first in BC mid-month with the country and continent's biggest ski area Whistler Blackcomb opening for the final week of the month; it reported 80cm of snowfall in the final week of October. Others will join from then on, into December. Snowmaking was underway in the east late October too so centres could start opening there early in November too. USA November is a big month in the US with most of the country's leading ski areas wanting and planning to open by the end of the month when there's the key Thanksgiving holiday long weekend. Unfortunately, October hasn't really been one to remember with much of the month delivering above average temperatures although there have been some snowfalls, the heaviest about a week before the end of the month that allowed the first ski area to open, Colorado's Wolf Creek. It then warmed up again so Wolf Creek has remained the sole open area, but the last few days of the month (and forecast for early November) has seen a big temperature drop, allowing snowmaking systems to fire up and in some cases operate 24 hours a day on both east and west coasts. That should mean more centres will be opening early in the month. Usually the US has more ski centres open by far than any other country by the end of November. Asia Several small Japanese centres have already opened thanks to all-weather snowmaking machines and at least one centre in northern China also opened late last month crediting early natural snowfall. But as in Europe most of the big-name Japanese ski areas don't aim to open until the very end of the month, or early December, depending on conditions. So far, they're autumnal and not very cold although Hokkaido's mountains have had at least one light dusting of snow already. The La Nina forecast should mean above average precipitation and below average temperatures for Japan, hopefully meaning abundant powder. |
|
Making snow at Arapahoe Basin, USA, opening soon... Snow in the forecast for Scandinavia and parts of North America, as the number of northern hemisphere ski areas open reaches 25. The Snow Headlines - October 31st - Snowfall for Europe's southernmost resort, and for Portugal's only ski centre. - Temperatures drop and snowmaking systems run across North America. - Alpine Skiing World Cup 24-25 tour underway. - Canada's ski season due to start this weekend. - The last European summer ski area still open for 2024 to close this weekend. - Southern hemisphere's 2024 season over. We're up to about 25 ski areas now open in Asia, Europe and North America (by this weekend) with the southern hemisphere's 2024 season finally over. 
Snow forecast for Scandinavia and North America.
World Overview We're up to about 25 ski areas now open in Asia, Europe and North America this weekend with the southern hemisphere's 2024 season finally over. Operations are mostly thanks to glaciers, all weather snow-making machines or snow farming techniques with last winter's snow reused. At this point, only one centre is solely reliant on freshly fallen natural snow. In terms of weather, North America and Scandinavia are currently looking the most wintery with the Alps seeing warm, sunny weather this week. Elsewhere in Europe there was a good snowfall across the Iberian peninsular at the weekend, with snow reported at Europe's most southerly ski area, Spain's Sierra Nevada, as well as the most westerly on the mainland, Portugal's Serra de Estrella. It's also been colder with some snowfall in Scotland and Scandinavia. In North America there's been some snowfall but perhaps more importantly temperatures have dropped, and snow-making systems fired up from coast to coast. So far, nowhere has joined first-to-open Colorado's Wolf Creek, but more may do so this weekend. The only area officially hoping to is Banff's Mount Norquay which tentatively plans to start Canada's 24-25 season on Saturday. The southern hemisphere's season ended a few days earlier than expected last week the last two areas still operating, Turoa and Whakapapa ski areas on New Zealand's North Island abandoned plans to offer skiing at the weekend with rain and warm weather thawing the snow cover on Mount Ruapehu, where they're both located. Europe Austria Austria continues to have the most ski centres open in the world at present and also the centres which, individually, have the most terrain available. Sölden successfully hosted the opening of the 24-25 Alpine skiing World Cup tour with GS races at the weekend attracting record crowds of nearly 20,000. They saw some fresh snowfall up on the glacier but with the freezing point moving between 3000 and 4000m there was rain too. Sölden has the most terrain open anywhere in the world at present at over 30km. Since last weekend though it has been dry, sunny and rather warm and that remains the forecast into next week. The six other glacier areas open are Hintertux, the Kaunertal, Kitzsteinhorn, Molltal, Pitzal and Stubai. France The French Alps have currently got the same warm, dry, sunny conditions as the rest of the Alps and that's expected to continue through into next week. No French ski areas are currently open with the first three planning to open in three weeks time; on the 22nd or 23rd November. They are Chamonix, Tignes and Val Thorens. Italy There's little change on the situation in Italy a week ago with just two centres currently open. Unless there's a season extension, Passo Stelvio is expected to close on Sunday to end their 2024 summer ski season which began back in May. The main change is that access to Zermatt's glacier, which now has an expanded 24km of slopes open, has reopened. There are also a few kilometres of slopes available on the glacier at Val Senales. Italy has seen the same dry, warm and sunny weather this week as others in the Alps. Switzerland Switzerland saw two more ski areas open last weekend taking their tally to five, second only to Austria. Engelberg is one of the latest to open, with its Titlis glacier skiable once more, and Adelboden has opened a small area, using snow farming to build a run from snow saved from last winter. They join already-open Saas-Fee, St Moritz (Diavolezza Glacier) and Zermatt. Like the rest of the Alps it's been a warm and sunny week here after a little weekend snowfall. A sixth Swiss centre, Murren, says they'll open this Saturday thanks to snow farming. Scandinavia Temperatures in Sweden and Finland have finally dipped below freezing and snowmaking has started at resorts like Levi and Ruka. The only centre open in Norway, the Galdhopiggen summer ski centre - with Scandinavia's highest slopes - has had more wintery weather for longer, but is due to end its six-month 2024 run this weekend. North America Canada Canada has had cold weather and more snowfall since the weekend, and snow-making machines have begun operations from coast-to-coast, with Cypress Mountain and Whistler on the Pacific Coast making snow just as Tremblant and other Quebec resorts closer to the Atlantic have snow production underway too. Around Banff though its more natural snow that's relied on. Local ski hill Mount Norquay had aimed to be the first in the country to open this weekend, getting its Cascade Chair spinning, but it announced on Wednesday that's now been delayed a week to when others including Lake Louise and Sunshine as well as Jasper's Marmot Basin were planning to open anyway too (although at the time of writing their website still says "tentatively" opening 2nd November... so who knows? So far the cold and snowy weather, with more forecast, is playing ball. USA The US saw some snowfall in the west at the start of this week with excitement in the Rockies and at West Coast ski areas from California to Washington state. It has since turned drier and sunnier again but crucially temperatures have dropped to well below freezing in the mountains and so snow-making systems have fired up and in some areas are working around the clock. That's not just in the West either, as East Coast resorts like Sunday River in Maine have also got snow-making underway and did even open for a special pass holders day on Halloween, although has now closed again. As we publish this week's report it remains only Wolf Creek open but it seems likely other Colorado resorts, particularly the likes or Arapahoe Basin and Keystone, may well be joining them in the next few days, as temperatures are forecast to stay very cold with more snowfall on the way. |
|
Gulmarg Snow Reports - October 2024
Started by Himalayan ski guides in Snow Reports from Ski Resorts, 3 Replies, discussing Gulmarg |
|
Possibly... ;) Too far ahead to have any certainty. Please note that our current forecast for Gulmarg is wrong and showing stupid temperatures; we've identified a bug and this will be fixed within the next hour... :oops: |
|
It's white but not (yet) deep; a cold covering for Vail, Colorado, USA. First US ski area opens, with several additions in The Alps from last week. Snow has fallen on yet-to-open resorts in The Rockies and The Pyrenees. The southern hemisphere season finally ends this weekend. The Snow Headlines - October 24th - The US and North America's 24-25 ski season is underway. - 7th Austrian glacier opens for 24-25 season. - Japan and Sweden latest countries to see 24-25 get underway. - Access to Zermatt's glacier ski area due to resume for those based in Cervinia. - Heavy snowfall reported in the Pyrenees, although nowhere open there yet. - Alpine Skiing World Cup 24-25 tour set to start at Solden this coming weekend. - Last area open in the Andes, Chile's Valle Nevado, ends extended 2024 season. - Southern Hemisphere's 2024 season ends this weekend. 
See where the snow is forecast.
World Overview There's lots happening in the ski world as the 24-25 season starts to build momentum. Perhaps the biggest news of the last seven days is the start of North America's 24-25 season following colder, snowier weather there. In Europe, more centres have opened and we should hit the 20 mark, for ski areas already operating, at the weekend. Sweden is the latest European country to see a resort open. In Asia, the first centre to open, as usual, is expected to be Japan's Yeti centre, which uses an all-weather snowmaking system to create its run. In the southern hemisphere, the 2024 season is just about over. The last centre still open in South America, Chile's Valle Nevado, closed on Sunday. Two centres on New Zealand's Mount Ruapehu were open, with just a few kilometres of slopes left each, and had hoped to last for one final weekend. However Whakapapa announced that Thursday (today) had to be its final day due to fast thawing so the season is over there now. Turoa still hoped to open this Friday-to-Sunday as we publish this week's report. Europe Austria Austria has the most centres open in the world at present, more than half of all centres open in the Alps and over a third of the global total – low as it currently is with less than 20 areas open in the northern hemisphere ahead of the main season start and only two left in the southern hemisphere with the 2024 season almost over there. It also has the only area posting more than 30km of slopes currently open, Solden, which hosts the opening races of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup this weekend. Conditions look fairly promising with mostly dry, cold conditions expected, although with some light snowfall quite likely. The Hintertux and Stubai glaciers have about 20km of slopes open each and you can also ski at the Kitzsteinhorn, Kaunertal and Pitztal glaciers with Carinthia's Molltal the latest to join them, last weekend. France There remains nowhere open in the French Alps with Les 2 Alpes and Tignes, both having given up on glacier skiing at this time of year after several years of inadequate early snowfall. Ironically Les 2 Alpes has been posting images of a snowy-looking glacier though! The French season should kick off on 23rd November in Tignes and Val Thorens unless there are any early openers. Italy Italy should be up to four or five centres open this weekend (depending on how you measure it) with the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale and the high slopes of Sulden expected to open, whilst access from Cervinia to Zermatt's glacier ski slopes is also expected to recommence after a few months closed. They'll join already-open Passo Stelvio and Val Senales, which have been reporting excellent conditions, despite little fresh snow this past week, but thanks to earlier October falls and cold conditions up high. Switzerland Switzerland plans to have a fourth, and also a fifth centre open this weekend. Adelboden has used snow-farming to create a run for race training which opened on Thursday for teams and will open to all from this Saturday. Engelberg's Titlis glacier hopes to start its season this weekend, all being well, and will join already open Saas Fee, Zermatt and St Moritz's Diavolezza glacier which has a kilometre of runs open. Saas Fee and Zermatt both have 12-15km of slopes open but are hinting at opening much more over the next few weekends as they officially switch to winter mode. Conditions have been fairly benign this last week in the Swiss Alps with milder, drier weather and just the occasional light snowfall above 2,000m; colder and more unsettled for the week ahead. Scandinavia Sweden has joined the Scandinavian nations that have started their 24-25 season. The northerly centre of Kåbdalis opened with a run created from snow stockpiled from last season through the summer and spread back out on the slopes last weekend. A second Swedish centre, Tarnaby, is expected to open this weekend, but temperatures have been a little mild. Finland's Levi and Yllas are both in the third weeks of their 24-25 seasons now and hoping for colder temperatures after getting rain earlier this week. It is indeed getting colder now, thankfully, as Ruka said they were struggling to maintain their snow due to a lack of overnight freezing there. In Norway, they are still going with their 2024 summer ski season with Galdhøpiggen still open for a few more weeks. They have been enjoying fairly good conditions there with temperatures a few degrees on either side of freezing and regular light snow showers reported. North America Canada We're only a week away now, all being well, from the start of Canada's 24-25 season - with Banff's Mount Norquay ski area expected to open on November 2nd. The weather continues to look promising with snowfall reported on slopes from coast-to-coast including about 8 inches (20cm) up high at Whistler Blackcomb at the weekend. With more wintry conditions expected things are looking promising at present. USA The Western US enjoyed a wintery weekend with some centres posting more than 20 inches of snowfall on Friday and Monday last. As a result, Colorado's Wolf Creek ski area became the first in the country, and indeed the entire North American continent, to open for the 24-25 season, at 9 am on Tuesday. It reported a 21" snowfall and about s third of its terrain open initially. Other Colorado ski areas like Arapahoe Basin, Copper, Keystone and Loveland have all got snowmaking underway and benefitted from snowfalls too, if not getting so much as Wolf Creek. Silverton also has ski tourers on its slopes, with a reported 7" of fresh snowfall, at the weekend. Since the snow things have warmed up a little and turned sunny again throughout this week and that's expected to continue into next week. |
|
Pitztaler Glacier, Austria, last weekend (one of 7 Austrian ski areas now open)... Eleven ski areas now open in the Alps, including 7 in Austria, whilst just 3 resorts remain open in the southern hemisphere. The Snow Headlines - October 17th - Seven Austrian glacier centres now open. - Just three ski areas still open for 2024 in the southern hemisphere. - First measurable snow falls in New York State, US. Snow forecast in the Rockies. - More snowfall on Scottish hills. - Snowfall in the Pyrenees. - Snowboarder spotted on the slopes of Vermont. 
Snow forecast for parts of North America, and a little in Europe and Japan.
World Overview Conditions continue to look good on high slopes in the Alps where 11 centres are now open, more than half of them in Austria. There's been more snowfall above 2,000m and additional ski areas have opened over the past week. There are also several resorts now open in Scandinavia. There's also been more snowfall in northerly parts of the US and in Canada this past week too, although there remains nowhere open yet and not enough snowfall or consistent cold temperatures for much snowmaking yet. That said the weekend's forecast is looking increasingly promising. The southern hemisphere's 2024 season is virtually over, with just three centres, in Chile and New Zealand still open and at least one of them closing this coming weekend. Europe It continues to be a decent early autumn in the Alps, on the whole, up high. The snow has kept falling and more centres have been opening, whilst those already open have been adding more terrain. Austria really dominates the small numbers open to date, with 7 of the 11 centres open in the Alps; which is half of all those open in the northern hemisphere too. Carinthia's Molltal glacier was the latest to open, with a couple of miles of slopes available initially, last weekend. Solden, the Stubai glacier and Hintertux are posting the most open terrain so far, more than 20km each; with the Kitzsteinhorn, Kaunertal and Pitztal glaciers as well as Switzerland's Saas Fee and Zermatt reporting closer to 10km. You can also ski at Italy's Passo Stelvio and Val Senales already with access from Cervinia up to Zermatt's glacier area due to reopen at the end of next week. After the snowfall at the weekend and at the end of last week, it has been a mostly sunny week for most, with temperatures at about 2,500m in the -5 to +5C range, still reaching +15 to +20C in Alpine valleys in the afternoons. Thursday saw snowfall in the Pyrenees, for many areas the second of the autumn, but a heavier covering this time than September's dusting. In Scandinavia, we continue to have three centres open, with Levi and Ruka in Finland and Scandinavia's highest slopes at the Galdhopiggen Summerski area in Norway into their final month of their 2024 run. The two Finnish centres continue to rely on their 2km or so of snow saved from last winter to create fresh pistes this autumn, but it has been cold enough for fresh snowmaking too and Ruka also reported a natural snowfall at the end of last week. North America There continue to be teasing signs of winter in North America, but no significant cold weather or snowfall as yet; so far there remains nowhere open. Things can change quickly though. There was weekend snowfall on high slopes in Vermont and New York State in the northeast, whilst the Pacific Northwest has also had cold and snowy weather. There's also been colder weather in the Midwest, with more forecast for Minnesota and Wisconsin. The snow in the Northeast has kept coming through this week with some resorts in New York State and Vermont claiming snowfall totals of over a foot and images of a snowboarder riding the fresh cover at Jay Peak appeared on Thursday, having hiked up. In the Rockies, the warm, dry conditions that have dominated October so far have begun to break down a little with snow arriving in the north. Lower temperatures on high slopes in Colorado overnight may help snowmakers to be more productive than they've been able to be to date. The most optimistic interpretation of the forecast suggests more than a foot of snowfall in parts of Colorado and Utah by the end of the weekend, with more snow still further north in Montana and Wyoming but it could fall more as rain than snow if you go for the less optimistic forecast. The first scheduled openings are in Banff, Canada, in a fortnight's time, if they hit that target date and nowhere else gets there sooner. As ski area openings come thick and fast in North America in November, ski areas are hoping for consistent cold temperatures to arrive as soon as possible now. Southern Hemisphere Three more centres have now closed in the southern hemisphere, leaving just three planning to open this coming weekend. Chile's Valle Nevado is still operating at the end of its two-week season extension to Sunday. In New Zealand, all of the remaining South Island centres closed last Sunday but on the North Island Whakapapa and Turoa on Mt Ruapehu have kept going, with limited terrain open, and Turoa plans to go at least one more long weekend, Friday to Sunday, after this coming one. As to the weather it has been and will continue to be largely warm and dry in Chile. In New Zealand, it's been a more mixed week, as usual, with some snow showers and windy days with temperatures in the -4 to +8C range. It's been more consistently sunny over the last few days. |
|
|
Portes du Soleil Celebrates 60 Years of Skiing Without Borders
What's New for Winter 2024/2025 From the Press Office and Heaven Publicity This winter marks a monumental milestone for the Portes du Soleil as it celebrates its 60th anniversary! The Portes du Soleil ski area is nestled between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc, just an hour from Geneva, and remains one of the largest and most celebrated ski areas in the world. Spanning the Franco-Swiss border, the ski paradise boasts 12 resorts, including Avoriaz, Morzine, Champéry, and Les Gets, offering skiers and snowboarders the unique opportunity to glide seamlessly between France and Switzerland. Celebrating 60 years of Portes du Soleil - A brief history The vision for Portes du Soleil was born in 1964 when a three-metre by three-metre scale model of a cross-border ski area was unveiled at the Lausanne World Fair. Initially called the Haute Route des Familles, referencing the Chamonix-Zermatt crossing, the project sought a name that would resonate more broadly. Jean Vuarnet, Olympic ski champion and native of Morzine Avoriaz, was a key advocate of a linked ski domain. In 1965, during a meeting at Carnotzet du Grand Paradis, the name "Portes du Soleil" was proposed and unanimously adopted, inspired by the pass at Les Crosets. The development of cross-border ski links soon followed, beginning with the first lift connecting Châtel and Morgins in 1956. By 1968, further links like the Champéry-Avoriaz connection and the famed Swiss Wall run solidified the area's status as a pioneering ski destination. Events for the 2024 / 2025 Ski Season The Alps' largest music festival, Rock The Pistes, returns for 2025 
Photo (c) of Rock The Pistes Rock The Pistes is back for its 12th edition, promising an unforgettable fusion of music and mountains! From 16-22 March 2025, over 20,000 music lovers will gather at altitudes ranging from 1,600m to 1,950m for this iconic festival, featuring five major performances on the pistes and more than 30 après-concerts spread across the Portes du Soleil in both France and Switzerland. With free entry for lift pass holders, festivalgoers can ski from one concert to the next, enjoying the freedom to dance and sing along amidst the stunning alpine backdrop. While the headliner is yet to be revealed, Rock The Pistes promises to deliver an electric atmosphere that celebrates the perfect blend of live music and skiing adventure. For more information, visit: www.rockthepistes.com Gear up for the winter season in Avoriaz with Rock On Snow 
The winter season in Avoriaz kicks off with Rock On Snow, running from 13-15 December 2024. This exciting event brings together over 65 brands, offering a unique chance to test the latest snow sports equipment—skis, snowboards, bindings, boots, helmets, masks, and more—before it hits the market. Visitors can explore the test village, where hands-on trials of all the gear are completely free! Simply register in November to secure your test card. Over three days, participants will be able to ride the slopes, meet industry professionals, and test gear in real conditions. Plus, don't miss out on celebrating the start of the winter season with the first raclette of the year. Attendees can also take advantage of special lift pass rates, with an Avoriaz pass priced at £20 / €24 for one day, £38 / €45 for two days, and £54 / €65 for three days. For more information, visit: www.avoriaz.com | rockonsnow.com A week of laughter in the Alps at Les Gets Comedy Festival The Les Gets Comedy Festival is set to return to the picturesque slopes of Les Gets from 25-31 January 2025. This week-long event will infuse the serene mountains with waves of laughter. Showcasing the finest talents from both the French and British stand-up comedy scenes, comedians will take turns passing the torch. From the delightfully absurd to the daringly cheeky, from French to English humour, hilarity is guaranteed. This festival offers a unique opportunity to discover the up-and-coming generation of comedians seeking to carve their names among the comedy greats. Tickets are priced from £8 / €10 to £34 / €40 pp for individual sessions. For more information, please visit: www.lesgets.com/en/les-gets-comedie/ Les P'tits Flambeaux: Charity Torchlight Descent in Châtel The beloved tradition of the torchlight descent returns to Châtel with a special charity event, Les P'tits Flambeaux, on Thursday, 20 February 2025. This national initiative aims to unite ski resorts across France in raising funds to help children who are unable to go on holiday experience the joys of the mountains. Proceeds will benefit three associations: Enfance & Montagne, Génération Montagne, and Petits Princes. Torches will be available for purchase at the ESF office and Châtel Tourisme, priced at £8.35 / €10 each. The evening begins with participants taking the Pierre-Longue chairlift. As dusk falls skiers will descend the "La Belette" green run, accompanied by instructors from Châtel ESF (a good level of skiing is recommended). Throughout the event, attendees can enjoy musical entertainment and refreshments served in front of the Plaine Dranse hors-sac, with voluntary donations supporting the associated charities. For more information, visit: www.chatel.com/torchlight-descent J2Ski visited Chatel and Les Get last winter, and you can read our Portes du Soleil Trip Report here. |
|
The Kitzsteinhorn, Salzburg, Austria had cracking skiing under blue skies last Sunday... More ski areas are now open in the northern hemisphere than the southern, with ten (mostly glacier-based) options available in the European Alps. Cooler weather and snow at altitude in the forecasts. The Snow Headlines - October 10th - Finland's 24-25 season underway with Levi and Ruka opening. - More heavy snowfall in the Alps on high slopes, up to 50cm reported. - Austria moves to top spot for country with most centres open: 6. - More snowfall in Canada. A warm October continues in US. - First snowfall in Gulmarg, India. - Northern hemisphere back into double figures for areas open for first time since May. - Number of centres open in southern hemisphere drops to single figures. - Argentina's 2024 season is over with last centre closing. 
More snow forecast for the peaks in Europe and light snow for North America.
World Overview Europe, particularly the Alps, has been the main focus this week as we build up to the start of the main 24-25 season. Two more glacier ski areas are open taking us to 10 choices now in the Alps - and there was the added bonus of another pre-season heavy snowfall at the end of last week with up to 50cm of fresh snow reported down to about 1500m altitudes. In Scandinavia, Finland's 2024-25 season got started under sunny skies with Ruka and Levi opening a mile or so of runs each as well as cross country tracks. Across in North America though the main excitement for skiers has been up in Canada where there's been fresh snowfall on mountains in Alberta and BC. There was also a dusting of snow in New England midweek to raise excitement levels. Some high centres in Colorado also took advantage of a brief weather window to make a little snow overnight but otherwise the US remains unseasonably warm so there's no clear sign yet of which will be the first area to open. In the wider Northern Hemisphere there's been the first snow in the Indian Himalayas with the leading Indian resort of Gulmarg posting images of its mountaintops turned white. In the southern hemisphere the season is about over with Argentina closed now, joining Australia and Lesotho and leaving fewer than 10 resorts still open; with most of those planning to close this weekend. That means that there are now more centres open in the northern hemisphere than the southern for the first time since May, with Austria leading the way with six centres open so far. Europe It has been quite the week in the Alps with higher slopes again seeing a fairly decent early-autumn dump, with up to half-a-metre of fresh snowfall reported and two more glaciers opening for their 24-25 seasons, taking the total to 10. More than half the open ski areas, including the two new openers, are in Austria. Solden, as well as the Stubai and Hintertux glaciers each have around 20km of slopes open plus terrain parks already. You can also ski now at the Kitzsteinhorn and Kaunertal glaciers which joined the highest area Pitztal, and the other three, at the weekend. A seventh Austrian glacier, the Molltal, plans to open from Saturday. There's also skiing available at Italy's Passo Stelvio summer ski area, which reported 40cm of fresh snowfall on Friday and at Val Senales. Switzerland's Saas Fee and Zermatt are also open, although access to Zermatt from Cervinia remains closed until near the end of the month. After last weekend's snowfall conditions have generally been drier, brighter and sunnier but it does look like colder, snowier weather will be here again to end the week and some centres have been posting pics of more fresh snow up high since Thursday. In Scandinavia the season got started last weekend at Finland's Levi and Ruka, using snow they recycled from last winter to create about 2km of slopes each. However, there's now been fresh natural snowfall turning everything white. Norway's Galdhopiggen glacier ski area is also open and reporting fresh snow. North America There remains nowhere open yet in North America and the unseasonably warm temperatures in the western US mean that snowmaking systems have not been able to fire up yet. It's looking more promising north of the border with cooler temperatures and more coverings of fresh snowfall on the mountains of Alberta and BC with Banff, Big White and Whistler amongst centres reporting snow. There have been snowfalls on ski slopes on the US side of the border too, in northerly states like Montana and Wyoming, and a dusting was reported up high in New England in the east on Wednesday, with Stowe and Whiteface amongst those benefitting. Some high centres (Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain) in Colorado reported a little snow-making overnight early in the week but it felt a little like a token gesture/system test at this point rather than a serious start to base building. If all goes to plan, Banff's Mount Norquay should be the first centre to open there (and possibly all of North America) on 1st November. But US ski centres will open earlier if they can. So far it remains stubbornly sunny and too warm for snowmaking on high slopes in Colorado with no obvious change in the immediate forecast. Southern Hemisphere The southern hemisphere's 2024 season is nearing its conclusion with just two ski areas still open in Chile and half-a-dozen in New Zealand, with some only now opening at weekends. Most are expected to close this coming Sunday unless there are any last-minute changes. As you'd expect for mid-spring, temperatures have been climbing in most areas, although centres in Chile and New Zealand have continued to post overnight lows well below freezing and reported some late snowfalls. Everywhere would usually be closed in South America by now, except Chile's Valle Nevado has announced a two-week season extension as the snow is still lying deep. Southerly Antillanca also plans to re-open this weekend for a final hurrah. All centres in Argentina are believed now closed for 2024 though. So most of what's still open in the southern hemisphere is in New Zealand. That includes a number of centres where they're into the final few days of the season like Cardrona, Mount Hutt and The Remarkables as well as North Island ski areas Turoa and Whakapapa on Mount Ruapehu which are hoping to keep going to later in the month, although Turoa is now only open Fridays to Mondays. |
|
Kaunertal Glacier, one of six Austrian glacier ski areas that will be open by the weekend! Six glacier options now open in Austria, and the third Swiss and first Finnish ski areas to open for the coming winter will do so this weekend. The Snow Headlines - October 3rd - More snowfall on high slopes in the Alps, six Austrian glaciers now open. - North American forecast is for warm October. - Finland's season due to get underway this weekend thanks to snowfarming. - Northern hemisphere ski areas open back into double figures from Saturday. - Engelberg to be third centre open in Switzerland. - Australia's 2024 Season is over. - Only one centre still open in Argentina (until Sunday). 
It's still autumn in Asia (mostly) but there's snow forecast for the peaks in Europe and North America.
World Overview There's a positive buzz in the Alps at present with snow continuing to fall and temperatures staying low, mostly, above 3,000m. We're about to go back into double figures for the number of northern hemisphere centres open - for the first time since May, with three more glaciers opening this weekend, and more than half will be in Austria. Further north the season is also due to start in Finland, thanks to snow farming there. Across in North America, they're battling hurricanes and forest fires in the US rather than seeing much new snow yet. Up in Alberta, resorts around Banff where the season should start in 4 weeks time, have had more snow. The season continues to wind down in the southern hemisphere with most centres either now closed for 2024 or closing this Sunday. About half a dozen areas, almost all in Chile and New Zealand, will operate a week or two longer yet though, battling inevitably ever-warmer temperatures. Europe Alps Everything is looking positive for the start of the season at this very early stage in the Alps. We'll have the fifth and sixth Austrian glacier areas - Kaunertal and Kaprun's Kitzsteinhorn - getting their seasons underway by this weekend and there are light to moderate snowfalls on glaciers and high slopes. There's not been anything as exciting as the mid-September falls to low levels as yet. There will be 11 glaciers open this weekend in total, more than half in Austria. A third Swiss option, the Titlis Glacier above Engelberg, will open earlier than originally announced, and join Saas Fee and Zermatt. In Italy, you can ski at Passo Stelvio and there's (very) limited terrain at Val Senales mostly reserved for race training. The link from Cervinia to Zermatt's glacier slopes is currently closed. Besides the two new openers in Austria, you can also ski today at the already open Hintertux, Solden, Pitztal and Stubai glaciers. There's some competition to offer the most terrain with Hintertux currently winning with 22km plus a big terrain park. There remains nowhere open in France or expected to be until late November. The weather moving forward is remaining cold (around -10C to +3C at 3,000m altitudes) with plenty of sunshine but the occasional snow shower up high through the weekend. Scandinavia It's a big weekend coming up with both Levi and Ruka ski areas opening in Finland, starting the seven-month-long 24-25 ski season there. Both use large volumes of snow stockpiled through the summer which they've been spreading back out on their slopes this week as temperatures have cooled. Both will have a few kilometres of runs open starting Friday. They join the re-opened Galdhopiggen glacier summer ski area in Norway which has reported some fresh snowfall with temperatures hovering around freezing this week and more forecast in the coming days. Southern Hemisphere New Zealand Changeable weather in New Zealand this past week with some decent dumps followed by blue sky days giving beautiful conditions but also periods of rain as spring temperatures climb higher, so a mixed picture. Ski centres have started ending their seasons with Coronet Peak and Treble Cone closing on Sunday although most of the rest remain open, some keen to offer skiing for the latest school holidays in the country. Most of the big names plan to stay open at least another week with Mount Hutt, The Remarkables and Cardrona aiming to make the 13th, a week on Sunday. Turoa and Whakapapa on the North Island are also both still open but have thin cover and only a small amount of runs open each, although they're actually in better shape now than they have been all winter. It's looking like a cold and snowy end to the week for most, drier next week with temperatures remaining fairly cool, in the -5 to +6C range. Argentina Argentina's ski season is almost over with most of the country's remaining ski areas, including the southern hemisphere's largest, Catedral, closing for the season last weekend. One does remain open though, at least until this coming weekend, with Chapelco posting the deepest base in the world still at 3.3 metres (11 feet). The weather has been and will continue to be mostly dry. Temperatures ranging from -5C overnight to +15C in the afternoons. Chile Unlike Argentina, more than half of Chile's ski centres are still open this week, although the majority of those do plan to end their seasons this coming Sunday or Monday. Big players Nevados de Chillan and Portillo have already closed. Valle Nevado is the stand-out for skiing later into October though, having extended its season to at least the 21st and still reporting over 100km of slopes available thanks to its connections to neighbouring areas La Parva and Del Colorado. As in Argentina temperatures have been getting very warm in the afternoons and it's been mostly dry this past week. Precipitation forecast next week will most likely be rain and sleet with the higher temperatures. North America Unfortunately, North America doesn't seem to be being favoured by the weather gods at the moment. On the West Coast, they continue to battle forest fires impacting ski resorts, in the Midwest resort infrastructure was damaged by the latest hurricane and in the Rockies, where everyone is hoping snowmaking can get underway soon on high slopes with the aim of somewhere opening the start the continent's season at some point in October, it has instead been dry and not that cold. In an added blow the NOAA government forecasting agencies say they expect this month to be warmer and drier than usual, so it's not looking promising just yet. The only real bright light is that the longer term, December to February, forecast is for a colder and snowier winter than usual, at least in the north of the continent. |
|