A number of leading resorts will be opening for the ski season today (Friday 21st November) and tomorrow, in some cases earlier than planned and also reporting some of the best early season conditions in years.
Among resorts opening early is Whistler in BC, Canada, which is opening five days ahead of schedule thanks to some natural snowfall and what the resort says has been good snowmaking weather. Inland Sun Peaks is also opening early this weekend. On the eastern side of Canada in Quebec Mont Tremblant will also be open, and reports 'exceptional' early season cover after snowfall linked to the snowstorms in North Eastern North America.
South of the border the most successful resort in America, Vail, will be opening today, and the first resorts in Utah, including Snowbird (pictured above) which says it is opening early because of good pre-season conditions, will also open. Many other areas are opening across the country too thanks to good snowfall and snowmaking conditions in many areas and the fact that the key Thanksgiving holiday long weekend is coming up. Conditions in Colorado are particularly good this early in the season with bases typically around the two feet/60cm mark after up to a metre of snow fell around last weekend.
Resorts opening in the Alps this weekend include Adelboden and the Jungfrau in Switzerland and La Clusaz and Val Thorens in France.
La Clusaz is opening several weeks ahead of its scheduled opening date and at weekends only. The ski patrol director there is reported to have said that snow conditions at higher elevations are the best they have been in at least 15 years or 'this century.'