A marketing battle is underway between ski areas in the Alps to see which can claim the most open terrain at the start of the season.
Recently opened Ischgl-Samnaun on the Austrian-Swiss border is the first to post over 100km of slopes open this winter, overtaking Solden, which had held the top spot for weeks, now up to 80km of runs. Ischgl/Samnaun is currently at 110km.
Zermatt-Cervinia on the Swiss-Italian has also leap—frogged Solden to reach 90km of slopes, about a quarter of its full domain.
Solden's neighbouring Obergurgl is in fourth place at present with 7-0kn of slopes giving the Austrian Otztal region 150km in total.
The only other areas posting around 50km of slopes open or more so far are italy's Kronplatz and the Swiss 4 Valleys region around Verbier.
In terms of snow depths, Zermatt is posting the most with 150cm, a few centimetres more than its neighbour Saas fee, with Solden again in third place on