J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

After the bad news of the "up to 20 days" lockdown in Austria from Monday, two of the countries that had been among the other major ski nations not top open for the season last winter, have got their 21-22 seasons underway.

Tignes had already opened in France last month but the 'winter season proper' has begun this weekend with Val Thorens opening for their season as planned, along with Montgenevre (pictured above earlier this week) and, first in the Pyrenees, Porte Puymorens, due to good early snow conditions.

In Germany, where infection rates have now climbed as high as the UK, the highest lifts in the country on the Zugspitze glacier have opened.

Both countries kept all lifts closed from November to April last season.

Elsewhere more ski centres have opened in Italy, the other major Alpine nation where all lifts were closed from November to April last season. There are now nine resorts open there with the latest to open, Madonna di Campiglio, reporting tickets sold out for this opening weekend.

UPDATE: In the two hours since this report was written Austria has announced a full national 20 day lockdown.

BBC report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59343650

This report was written as two provinces initially announced plans to lockdown:

Austria's Salzburgerland region appears to be going into full lockdown in an attempt to stem the rapid rise in COVID 19 infections in the region.

The lockdown is supposed to be for "several weeks", so if it is successful in its aims, would allow ski areas to open for the main season in mid-December.

But the details are being worked out and are due to be confirmed later today.

Last season autumn lockdowns were announced in late October to run to early December but were extended through the winter. Although last season, the vaccination program did not really get started until the end of winter.

A second Austrian province, Upper Austria, is planning a lockdown too. Between them they have 40% of the country's COVID cases. There's pressure on the national government to extend the decision to the whole country.

Austria's coronavirus cases at more than 900 people pre 100,000 as of 18th November are currently far higher than other major alpine ski nations, although unfortunately cases are rising almost everywhere.

After a two-month full lockdown in November and December 2020, Last January ski areas were allowed to open in Austria, but only to local skiers, with hotels and tourism closed.

About a dozen ski areas are already open in the country, including the Kitzsteinhorn glacier in Salzburgerland.

Austria had already brought in a rule to only allow vaccinated or recovered skiers on their slopes, not unvaccinated people with a negative test result, then less than a week ago put unvaccinated people in lockdown.

It has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe at around 65%, although the Netherlands, with nearly 85% of the population vaccinated, is also in a partial lockdown as cases rose after it removed restrictions like social distancing.

Germany, which is in a similar position to neighbouring Austria, sees its highest ski area, the Zugspitze Glacier, open to start its 21-22 ski season today, the first time in two years after last winter was cancelled. There is talk of a new lockdown here to however.

The UK's two biggest ski holiday companies, Crystal and Inghams, have each now got detailed information online about what skiers need to do when travelling from the UK to each of their destination countries.

The hubs are both very detailed, but offer concise guidance and endeavour to answer the "So do I or don't I?" type questions which are sometimes left in the air in government information sites.

You do not need to have booked a holiday with either company to look at their hubs.

Crystals site is called 'Travel With Confidence' https://www.crystalski.co.uk/travel-with-confidence/ and along with a very detailed long country-by-country PDF detailing requirements for adults and 'with children' there's other sections including 'COVID-19 FAQs" and a section on that other issue we're trying to forget about whilst we focus on the pandemic, 'Holidays after Brexit' The main issues there include checking your insurance in valid and that you've got a decent period left on your passport.

Inghams has simply called theirs the 'Inghams COVID-19 Hub' https://www.inghams.co.uk/travel-advice/coronavirus This takes a slightly different approach and opens with the latest changes including the recent tightening up of rules for people aiming to ski in Austria and Canada. It then lists what's required resort by resort rather than country by country.

"Travelling is a bit different now and there are some things our customers need to think about that they wouldn't usually have to," said Chris Logan, Managing Director of Crystal Ski Holidays, who continued, "We want to make it as easy as possible and will make sure they are equipped with all the information they need. Our new comprehensive travel hub will be constantly updated, and customers will get detailed emails with information specific to their destination. We'll also use our App to let them know about any testing requirements in resorts and how and where to get tested. The way we travel now may be different but with the right information and some pre-planning it doesn't have to be terribly difficult. And whilst many things have changed, the essential exhilaration of a ski holiday remains as thrilling as ever."

Val Gardena has announced that two new ski runs will open there this winter, a black run that is just over a kilometre long, and a red run of more than 4km.

The new 'La Ria' black drops 310 vertical metres along the line of the former Dantercepies gondola, it's 1,110 metres long and has an average gradient of 52%

In St Ulrich (Ortesei) the major new red christened 'Pilat' is a valley run starting at the top of to St Ulrich/Alpe di Siusi Gondola. It descends for 4.3km (nearly three miles) at an average gradient of 34% and drops a total of 780 vertical metres back to St Ulrich (Ortesei).

Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi's season is due to run from December 4th 2021 to April 11th 2022.

Ski areas in Australia have had up to 20cm (8") of snowfall in a 48 hour snowstorm just two weeks before the start of summertime in the southern hemisphere.

The ski season ended in the country around six weeks ago in early October as resorts gave up the battle to stay open against a background of diminishing snow cover and local lockdowns.



Lifts are not currently operating and it is not clear if anyone has hiked up to ski the late spring snow. However restrictions have eased on movement as cases have dropped in the country.

The Trans-Tasman bubble allowing travel for fully vaccinated passengers between Australia and New Zealand resumed at the start of this month. Around 80% of Australians are vaccinated and with its strict lockdown policy the country has had far fewer cases than most countries of comparable size.

Mt Hotham and Falls Creek are pictured today.

New for this winter in the huge Portes du Soleil region. The village of Saint-Jean D'aulps is offering adrenaline junkies the chance to whizz down a 4km (2.5 mile) long snowy slope, in a mountain kart, at night.

The run, which takes in 800 metres of vertical descent in the low-slung three-wheel kart, allows dare devils to descend the Roc d'Enfer ski area at high velocity in the gravity powered vehicle.

Suitable for those 1.35m and taller, the white-knuckle ride starts and ends at the cable car station and is led by an expert guide. The €32 price includes return trip on cable car and a full safety briefing. Helmets should be worn and goggles or other face protection are recommended.

The largest ski area in the USA, Park City in Utah, won't be opening this Friday 19th November as it had planned.

Despite a series of snowfalls in the Rockies and across western North America over the past month, warm spells have melted much of the fresh fallen snow away and made it difficult to run snowmaking machines long enough to build bases.

Park City's parent company, Vail Resorts, has already opened three of the six ski areas open in Colorado, which make up 75% of all the ski areas currently open in the US, including Breckenridge and Vail which opened yesterday (pictured above). They have not yet issued a revised date for Park City opening.

Warm weather is a problem across North America at present. Last year the first ski area to open was in the Midwest, in mid-October, but nowhere has been able to open there yet. Similarly on the East Coast only Killington in Vermont has opened so far with one run from machine made snow.

One of the biggest October snowstorms on record led tom Mammoth, Palisades Tahoe and Boreal opening for Halloween weekend, but two of these have subsequently closed with the snow melting away again and only Mammoth staying open.

Most US destination resorts try to open before the last week of November to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday market but this year it's looking like it might be a challenge for some. Dozens are currently scheduled to open next weekend.