J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

Although it is difficult or impossible for most people ion most countries to get to ski areas at present, except perhaps those who live in or very close to resorts, weather does continue to happen in the mountains and the final days of 2020 look like they're going to be the snowiest since early December.

Some skiers react badly to being told what the weather is like when they can't get to the snow, but others find some pleasure in imaging what conditions are like if they were able to get to the slopes, or even take in to account the fact that snow now hopefully means a deeper base later in the season whenever it is possible to reach the slopes again.

Todays snowfall, and accompanying gale force winds at times, has caused problems for the World Cup racing schedule. Bormio in Italy was due to host a Men's World Cup downhill race today. That was initially switched around with the Super G race originally due tomorrow due to the forecast, but now the Super G too has been postponed with reports of "up to a metre" of snowfall in the area.

A Women's GS race at Semmering in Austria meanwhile saw the first run go ahead this morning but then the second run and thus the race cancelled as 'hurricane force' winds arrived.

Nassfeld - which reported 390cm of snowfall so far today - is pictured above.

Snowfall is now expected through to New Years' Day for much of the Alps, and there's snowfall too for the Dolomites, Pyrenees, Scandinavia, Scotland and eastern Europe.

27th - reports this morning that the Molltal Glacier is temporarilly closing due to lack of business/income to cover costs.

Austria's 20-21 main ski season has got underway at around 200 of the country's ski centres today.
Initially resorts are only open to people living locally with travel to the country difficult from outside Austria and hotels closed.

The tourist season is due to begin on January 7th, when French and Italian resorts are also due to open, although doubts have been expressed as to whether that will happen on that date in those countries as skiers and resorts hope.

It's also unclear how much international travel will be possible in January with the virus surging in several countries.

Austrian resorts had been closed for nearly two months after initially closing for a limited November lockdown which was later extended and Austria came under pressure from its neighbour, Germany, to close its ski areas through Christmas and New year.

The compromise of only opening to locals was eventually agreed earlier this month.

Most resorts have opened for the season today but some have chosen to open on Christmas Day. The Arlberg Region, including the lifts at Lech and St Anton, will open from the 26th.

For about 10 Austrian ski areas, mostly glacier centres, it will be a case of re-opening as they had already been open in the autumn prior to the lockdown.

Among opening restrictions, beyond the normal social distancing, is a 50% limit on lift capacity and the requirement to wear medical grade face masks in enclosed spaces (lift cabins) and queues. A number of resorts including Ischgl had earlier said they'd issue free buffs for face cloverings with lift passes, but the medical-grade masks are a more stringent requirement.

Snow conditions vary a good deal across the country. There was heavy snowfall at the start of the month and the snow is now lying up to 3.5 metres (nearly 12 feet) deep up high. However there has been thawing at lower elevations and some resorts have only 10 or 20cm of snow on valley runs.

Although travel to most of the world's ski areas is at best difficult, if not impossible, for most skiers, including now even those living quite locally, some will still be interested in early-season snow conditions, perhaps in the hope that they might yet reach the resorts that look good now before the end of winter 20-21.

So the news that Kicking Horse in British Columbia has passed the 4 metre base depth mark, posting 418cm (an inch under 14 feet) of snow lying on its upper runs today after more than 60cm (two feet) more snowfall in the past 72 hours may interest some. There's 1.8 metres (six feet) at the base and its nearly 20 below freezing.
Alberta and BC have been posting some of the best snowfalls of the start of the season anywhere in the world so far.

Unfortunately the region has also seen some coronavirus spikes in staff accommodation at resorts. BC's big White has the worst with more than 70 cases identified. Nakiska in Alberta has a smaller cluster with 15 now self-isolating cases. Non-essential travel in the region is banned and skiers travelling to the slopes from cities have been fined and turned around by police.

Elsewhere in the skiing world glaciers in Austria are believed to have more than 3 metres of snow lying – they reopen on Thursday and the Gemsstock ski area by Andermatt also went through the 3m ((10 feet) depth mark but closed at the weekend due to a lockdown in its canton. Ski areas in Japan have also reported up to 3 metres (10 feet) of snowfall in the past week. However Kicking Horse is believed to be the first to pass the 4 metre based depth mark.

munich_johnny wrote:p.s. Lifts are still opening on 24th December but you must wear an FFP2 Mask in the lifts - regular cotton stuff not good enough.

Thanks for update but that re masks is a bit ironic after Ischgl, Kitzbuhel, Obertauern et al made a big thing of the fact they were handing out a free buff with their lift passes for face/nose covering this winter. Wonder if they'll offer the FFP2 upgrade now too?

Deer Valley Ski Resort in Utah has sold out of lift tickets from December 21 - 23 and then for the full New Year's Week from December 27 - January 2.

During the coronavirus pandemic ski resorts in north America have been limiting the number of tickets available each day to ensure social distancing remains realistic, however Deer Valley is in any case a resort that tends to sell out of lift tickets around Christmas and new year due to its popularity over that period even in normal times and full lift ticket allocations available. That's despite raising its lift ticket prices at Christmas and New Year.

During the pandemic the large multi-resort owning groups Alterra and vail, have been encouraging skiers to buy their season passes valid at all their resorts and partner resorts, to ensure slope access on any day of the season despite capacity limits. Deer Valley is now part of the Alterra Group and is covered by their Ikon Pass.

"Deer Valley Season, Hospitality, and Ikon Pass holders are guaranteed access to the resort during the holiday," the resort notes in its 'sold out' statement.

For the rest of the season Deer Valley warns that from January 16 to 18, February 13 to 21 and at peak spring break periods in March, the resort typically reaches capacity.

"We strongly recommend our guests pre-purchase tickets online to guarantee access," a resort statement says.

Currently a one day pass in January bought online in advance costs between $189 and $229 with 6 day passes
costing between $1,002 and $1,050 for those aged 13 to 64.

Deer Valley is one of the few remaining ski resorts that only allows skiers on its slopes, not snowboarders.

Of the 41 European countries that have ski areas operating outdoors relying on real snow 27 of them expect to have at least one centre open over Christmas Day.

But it is a very complicated picture.

Austria, for example, will allow its ski areas to open, without tourists, from Christmas Eve.

Scotland on the other hand, allows skiers to visit from a very limited part of the UK at present, but will close its slopes completely for at least three weeks from 26th December as part of a national lockdown.

France has opened its ski areas and has most outdoor sports on offer including ski touring, but won't open its ski lifts for uplift until at least January 7th.

Germany and Italy are in full national lockdowns and Iceland appears to be allowing children to ski on its slopes in certain circumstances, but not adults at present.

In Spain and Switzerland most ski areas are open but some are not.

Of the 14 countries that will not have any ski areas open (or at least ski lifts to operate) at Christmas it appears eight of these are preventing ski areas opening due to virus-operating restrictions.

These include the major ski nations of Andorra, France, Germany and Italy as well as less well-known ski destinations Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Montenegro. But the plan for a pan-EU Christmas closure appears to have failed with about 20 EU nations opening their ski slopes.

The remaining five countries do not appear to have enough snow to open so far, but look like they could open if they did.

Although ski slopes may be open, the businesses in ski resorts that are open vary with some countries closing hotels and/or shops and/or restaurants, or allowing them to open for limited hours, apres ski is widely banned.

Travel between countries is also very difficult / not advised or not allowed depending on where you live so most ski areas are open for local skiers only.

Sadly, skiing in Switzerland is not going to be possible for most British skiers after 31.12. 2020 as UK passport holding tourists won't be allowed to enter Switzerland.

Thanks for the details update - I would do the little 'Like' icon but with all the bad news, especially the above, it doesn't seem right! Although good to be informed. It seems to be getting super complicated in Switzerland and many other countries. I saw Andermatt post last night you can't enter their ski area from the Uri side and Gemsstock closed but you can from Sedrun (in another canton?) and 2/3 of total area still open!