Exciting times as big name resorts like Courchevel, Verbier, Hemsedal, Dolomiti Superski and Alpe d’Huez are opening early this weekend, or already have done.
It’s largely thanks to some huge snowfalls in the Alps that have been going on all week with some ski areas now heading towards a metre of fresh snow.
Across the Atlantic more resorts have opened too.
Austria
It has been a snowy week in Austria, with resorts like St Anton reporting snow down to resort level. The country’s eight open glacier ski areas, plus Kitzbuhel, are reporting excellent conditions after up to two feet of fresh snow has fallen.
France
A week ago November was looking a bit ‘limited’ in France in terms of ski areas open, but after a week of near non-stop snowfall it’s a different picture with Alpe d’huez and Courchevel announcing they’re opening early, this weekend, joining already-open Tignes, with Courchevel running its lifts free yesterday. Val Thorens also say they’ll open a week early next weekend.
Italy
Italy is getting its share of the snow too, with Cervinia and Zermatt combined to offer 40km of runs this weekend. Val Senales is also open and several small areas in the Dolomites have opened thanks to all the fresh snow there. The picture above is from the Dolomiti Superski region.
Switzerland
Swiss slopes are also in great shape thanks to all the snow. Engelberg and Verbier are both opening this weekend, joining half-a-dozen already open Swiss centres including ArosaLenzerheide (pictured above), Gstaad (Glacier 3000), St Moritz (Diavolezza), Saas Fee and Zermatt.
Scandinavia
More ski areas in Scandinavia have been opening and there’s been plenty of fresh snow there too. Hafjell and Norway’s largest Hemsedal are on the list and Levi in Norway is staging FIS World Cup races this weekend.
Pyrenees
Another fortnight until the first ski areas in the Pyrenees are due to open but the good news is there’s been plenty of snow here too. Pictured is sierra Nevada down in southern Spain getting a much snowier November so far than 2015.
Scotland
Scottish centres, particularly in the East, have had a snowy week, but not quite enough to open. Things aren’t looking so good in the week ahead though with temperatures in the valleys set to go back in to double figures.
Canada
Heavy snow is forecast across Western Canada at present but so far only Sunshine near Banff is open with Nakiska and Lake Louise which had been due to open this weekend deciding to delay doing so by a week.
(Whistler pic credit: Mitch Winton – Coast Mountain Photography)
USA
Mammoth ion California and Loveland in Colorado have just opened joining Arapahoe Basin and Killington. There’s been some fresh snow in the US this week but with Thanksgiving a fortnight away they’re hoping for cold weather. Breckenridge, Copper and others have delayed opening as its been too warm.
