The Austrian glacier resort of Solden has announced it will open a run on its glacier tomorrow (Saturday September 9th) marking the start of its 2017-18 ski season.
The announcement comes as forecasters are predicting a second wave of late summer snow to sweep across the Alps this weekend, with up to 35cm forecast a week after a similar wave of snow showers brought up to 40cm of snow to high glacier slopes in Europe – and powder conditions to the few areas that are open.
Currently only four areas are open for snow sports in the northern hemisphere – Saas Fee and Zermatt in Switzerland, Hintertux in Austria and Passo Stelvio and Cervinia in Italy, although Cervinia is due to close on Sunday at the end of its summer ski season.
Austria has eight glacier ski areas and usually all eight will be open by mid-October, more than the number open in the rest of the northern hemisphere combined in early autumn.
The resorts stage large 'Ski opening' weekends which typically combine new season gear testing and beer festival tents with on snow sport.
Solden also plays host to the first wold cup races of the northern hemisphere's ski calendar, this year staging men's and women's competitions on the 28th and 29th October.
The resort also recently took delivery of a SnowFactory snow making machine from TechnoAlpin allowing it to make snow in plus temperatures.