J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

SwingBeep wrote:I think you could also use a paper version of your QR code, I am going to print mine out, laminate it and attach it to my jacket with a retractable ski pass holder so that I don't have to take my phone out.

That's genius! I have had a load of those retractable pass holders sat in a draw for years, this gives them a new lease of life and ticks the box for sustainability. Probably a business opportunity there for someone too - bespoke custom-made printed vac cert QR code holders.

The latest news is that citizens of non-EU countries on the French amber list ...step forward the UK, will need to provide evidence of a negative test result taken in the 48 hours prior to arrival - when entering France from this Saturday 4th December on. It has not yet been clarified if this must be a PCR test or can be a lateral flow one.

Although restrictions have been tightened to now include mask-wearing on all lifts and to have your digital COVID passport (Vaccinated, recovered or negative test) ready to flash as required, ski resorts are (touch wood) continuing to open in France, which of course wasn't happening this time last year.

Permission has also been granted for Brits to travel through Switzerland via Geneva Airport and out again to access French skis lopes without them needing to comply with the 10-day self-isolation rule and take tests.

It has also been snowing, quite a lot in fact, with snowy scenes down to the valley floor across the French Alps. Although half-a-dozen French resorts were open at the weekend, that dropped to three at the start of this week with several only open weekends.

But this coming weekend is due to see a big jump to around 30 resorts open in both the French Alps and Pyrenees , including several deciding to open for a 'preview weekend' because of the snow.

Val Thorens currently has the most terrain open – 25km of runs or about or 4% of the 3 Valley's full size!
Among the ski areas opening are La Clusaz and several in the Portes du Soleil with Facebook's auto-translate coming up with an interesting translation of ski run Crôt (below), one of those opening at Avoriaz .

It's a very good start to the winter in the Pyrenees with the region's largest ski area, Andorra's Grandvalira, opening for the season a few days earlier than expected on Tuesday and one of Spain's leading ski areas posting the most terrain open anywhere in Europe at present.

Baqueira Beret says it has over 70km (43 miles) of runs open already, believed to be the most on the continent and second in the world this week, behind Canada's Lake Louise. Prior to Austria's lockdown last week Solden was posting the most terrain open at 71km. A number of other ski areas in the region are also open including Masella and down on the Mediterranean Coast, Europe's most southerly resort, Sierra Nevada.

Although Grandvalira has 240km (150 miles) of piste, it just opened 7km initially for its first few days, but much more will open at the weekend.

Most other ski areas in the region are expected to open this coming weekend, including Andorra's other ski area Vallnord and another of Spain's biggest areas, Formigal. The weather in the final weeks of November has been cold and snowy with some centres reporting up to 60cm (two feet) of snowfall on higher slopes.

Lake Louise in Canada is believed to have the most terrain open of any ski area in the world as we near the start of December/winter.

It has posted 90km of terrain open, the most anywhere since last May. The Alberta resort near Banff has had more than 45cm (20 inches) of snowfall since Friday although unfortunately that impacted three World Cup races staged there over the weekend, the first in North America for two years due to the pandemic, with two races cancelled. The Men's downhill that happened on Saturday was on a shortened course.

The recent snowfall probably also means it has the world's deepest powder at present as well.

It's feast or famine in North America at present though with warm and sunny weather badly impacting ski areas further south in US states like California and Colorado with no immediate respite in the forecasts unfortunately.

In Europe the linked Cervinia/Zermatt ski area across the Italian-Swiss border reached 69km of slopes open in recent weeks and looked set to published a bigger number with the Gornergrat sector opening at the weekend, but stormy weather in the Alps, also bringing more snow, has so far reduced the amount open there. Some years it has well over 100km of runs open at the start of December.

Spain's Baqueira Beret, which opened for the season at the weekend, possibly has the most terrain open on the continent at present with 66km of runs open there.

Prior to Austria's lockdown last week Solden was posting the most terrain open at 71km.

As has been widely reported, in response to the new coronavirus variant, The UK government has announced that all arrivals must self-isolate on arrival back in the UK, take a PCR test on day 2 and continue to self-isolate until they obtain a negative result.

In addition though there are signs of increased restrictions in destination ski nations as they try to slow the spread of the new strain following the identification of several cases in the UK.

The UK Government's travel advice to Switzerland says they now require UK arrivals to self-isolate for 10 days regardless of any test results.

"Updated entry requirements for arrivals from the UK. From 8pm on 27 November 2021, you must have proof of vaccination and proof of a negative COVID-19 test result to enter Switzerland. On entry, you must also self-quarantine for 10 days. This is an emerging issue and more detail will be provided as the Swiss Government make further announcements."

Currently other major ski nations do not appear to have re-introduced quarantine for Brits but it is a fast-evolving situation.

The 2+ day quarantine requirement in the UK is due to be reviewed a week before Christmas.

The highly-anticipated Lake Louise Audi FIS Ski World Cup had to be cancelled due to overnight snowfall yesterday.

The race was also due to mark the return of the World Cup tour to North America after a two year break due to the pandemic.

While fans and racers were disappointed by today's cancellation, resort guests and powder hounds were, "ecstatic at the incredible early season conditions, getting to ski and ride some of the best snow in the world this time of year," a spokesperson for Banff Tourism commented.

New snow totalled 27cm (11") at Lake Louise Ski Resort, 13cm (5.5") at Banff Sunshine, and untouched terrain opening at Mt. Norquay's Mystic Chair over in the past 24 hours.

The Lake Louise Audi FIS Ski World Cup are now working hard to get the racing course ready if possible for the second day of Men's Downhill races on Saturday and Men's super-G event on Sunday.

However another weather system is due to move in on Saturday night bringing more snow, up to 25cm, through Sunday morning, which may not bode well.

Meanwhile the women are due to race in Killington, Vermont, which has also seen snowfall recently after a largely warm and dry Autumn.

After a very tough Fall for snowmakers, most of the leading ski areas in New England and the US Northeast have managed to open at least some terrain for the current Thanksgiving weekend.

As an added bonus, it has finally started snowing too.

When, in good years, many ski areas in the region open by mid-November, some even in October, this autumn has just seen a handful of ski centres opening very limited terrain over the past few weeks.

Although there have been snowfalls, the dominant conditions have been warm and dry – too warm for all but high-altitude snowmaking in the middle of the night.

But things have improved in the past few days and Whiteface in New York State opened for its season today report three inches (7.5cm) of snowfall overnight and more on the way. It was a similar story from Jay Peak in northern Vermont (below), which also opened today.



The most any area has open so far is about five miles of runs.

Killington, the centre that opened first and with the most terrain open, hosts the first World Cup ski racing in the US for two years this weekend.

The resort has converted 17 million gallons of water in to snow through 160 snow guns and have had three snowcats grooming the World Cup run just about 24/7.

Around 10,000 people, half the usual amount, are expected to attend the event but must have a recent negative COVID test result to gain entry.