(Pic Copyright: NUTS Agency)
The healthy November snowfalls in the Alps, the Rockies and many other areas has led to some of the world's leading resorts announcing they'll be opening for their 2013-14 ski seasons up to three weeks early – this weekend.
In North America Aspen Mountain and Whistler Blackcomb, two of the continent's most famous resorts, will both be opening 12 days earlier than planned on Saturday, both saying it's due to excellent pre-season snowfalls. In Aspen's case top-to-bottom skiing over 1,000 vertical metres is promised.
Alpe d'Huez in France will be open for the next three weekends before opening full time as planned on 6th December. It's very unusual for and French resort other than Tignes to be open in mid-November, with Val Thorens usually the second to open towards the end of the month. The move follows Alpe d'Huez's decision to open for summer skiing last summer for the first time in many years. Most resorts in France received up to 50cm of fresh snow at higher altitude at the weekend.
The early-openings this weekend follow Cairngorm's opening last weekend, the earliest Scottish area opening in five years. A decision will be made on Friday morning as to whether to open again there this weekend. Nevis Range is also close to opening, especially if heavy snow predicted for north of the UK next week materialises.
Obergurgl has opened in Austria, the first resort in the Alps to open without requiring glacier skiing, it has a base of up to 60cm after 30cm of snow overnight on the 14/15th November. Kitzbuhel has also announced it has opened early.