(Vail – pictured this week – gets a second coating of fresh snow!)
This Week’s Snowfall Headlines from the j2ski.com Snow Report
Fresh snow in the Alps – 10cm reported in past 48 hours on glaciers.
Tignes has opened for the 2012-13 ski season.
Trysil in Norway opened a fun snow run on Saturday, September 29th, using snow saved from the previous year.
Timberline at Mt Hood in Oregon expects to be first North American ski area to open, on October 5th
Last weekend of 2012 ski season in Australia (should have been last weekend but three resorts extended seasons).
Snow reported in New Hampshire – snowman built on top of Mount Washington.
Loveland in Colorado has begun snowmaking on October 4th.
Already Open – 12 Glacier Ski Areas
Austria
Year round Tux has the most piste (22km) open and some of the deepest snow (65cm) of anywhere right now.
At Solden 3.1km of slopes remain open served by three lifts, snow depth not published and Stubai reports three runs open but only 5cm snow depth.
Pitztal closed again but plans to re-open on Friday 5th October, it currently has a 22cm snow depth.
The Molltal glacier has been closed during the week with ‘marginal’ conditions and a 20cm base but aims to be open daily.
The Kaunertal glacier reports 10cm fresh snow but is yet to open, the Dachstein and Kitzsteinhorn glaciers are also waiting for more new snow before opening .
France
Tignes re-opened on Saturday, 29th September, after a few weeks’ closure since the end of its summer ski season. There was reported to be 20km of slopes open with snow depth of 20cm and temperatures around -1C . It will be open until May 2013 and apart from Les 2 Alpes opening for 10 days in late October, the only French resort open until late November.
Italy
Passo Stelvio and Val Senales are both reporting they’re open for autumn glacier skiing. At Val Senales 8km of slopes are open with snow depths of 30cm and at Passo Stelvio, one of several claimants to being “Europe’s biggest glacier” 20km of runs are open.
Norway
The Galdhøpiggen summer ski area on Norway’s highest mountain says it will stay open to October 14th but may be open longer subject to demand. There’s a 1.5km long trail served y a T bar lift. Trysil opened a fun snow run on Saturday, September 29th, using snow saved under a layer of bark chippings from the previous year. There’s a conveyor lift to access the snow. It says it will keep it open and free to use for as long as it lasts.
Switzerland
Saas Fee and Zermatt both have their glaciers open for snow sports, although there have been closures due to bad weather (rain) on some days. Saas Fee has a 122cm base of what it describes as ‘hard snow’ with five runs open along with its terrain park and half pipe.
Southern Hemisphere – Still Open
Most ski areas have now closed for the 2012 season, including all major centres in South America, season but some are still open in Australia and New Zealand and have reported fresh snow in the past few days…
Australia
Mt Buller, Perisher and Thredbo will stay open to this Sunday, October 7th (extended season). Mt Buller reported 15cm of fresh snow last Sunday, September 30th and said it would offer free skiing to skiers and boarders arriving in soccer team colours on Monday, 1st October.
New Zealand
Mt Hutt open to October 14th (extended season)
Mt Ruapehu has announced it will stay open in to 4th November for ‘Snovember.’
Opening Soon (subject to conditions)
Both the Kaunertal and Kitzsteinhorn glaciers in Austria expect to open any day. Kauntertal is waiting more snow, currently 20cm, Kitzsteinhorn has 30cm. The Dachstein glacier also says they need more snow to open downhill runs.
Loveland, Colorado, USA expects to begin snowmaking around soon and hopes to open early October.
Cervinia will open the weekends of 13th-14th and 20th-21st October then every day from 27th October to 5th May 2013.
Ski slopes at Engelberg are expected to open on October 13th but will close for maintenance work from 5 – 16 November.
Ruka, Finland is expected to open on Thursday, 18th October and remain open until 9th of June 2013 – the first non-glacier ski area in Europe to open.
The Diavolezza Glacier near St Moritz expects to open on 20th October.
Les Deux Alpes glacier will also be open for 9 days from the 27th October to 4th November 2012.
Killington in Vermont and Sunday River in Maine both aim to open 29th October.
Copper Mountain, Colorado, plans to open Friday, November 2nd, 2012.
Glacier 3000 above les Diablerets and Gstaad in Switzerland expects to open on 3rd November.
Ends
