J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

A new ski area is due to open in Colorado tomorrow (Saturday 15th February) with the unusual selling point that it will have no ski lifts, nor any other form of uplift, except human powered.

Whiteley Peak ski area, run by Bluebird Backcountry, is being marketed as the world's first defined ski area without any form of motorised transport.

Bluebird Backcountry recently raised more than $100,000 (from a $25,000 target) gaining more than 1,000 backers to start the area,

"Our vision is to blend the best of the backcountry with the best of resorts. We will have almost everything you'd expect at a small ski area—a lodge and warming hut, on-site rentals, lessons, and ski patrol to evaluate avalanche terrain and respond to emergencies—but we won't have any chairlifts. Guests will use backcountry touring equipment to hike and skin uphill before transitioning to ski or snowboard back down. We imagine a welcoming place to explore, learn and practice backcountry skills, ski great lines, and cozy up in a hut with a hot chocolate and new friends," the Kickstarter statement reads.

Located one hour drive north of Silverthorne, the centre offers uphill access to around 1,200 acres of backcountry terrain. Skiers will be able to enjoy wide open meadows as well as more challenging areas thick with Aspen trees.

All backcountry experience levels are welcome and the resort will offer lessons for first-timers in addition to backcountry-specific safety clinics.

To keep the experience remote and serene, Bluebird Backcountry will only allow 300 skiers through the resort each day.

The centre plans to initially run for a month-long test season until 15th March.

French president Emmanuelle Macron was in Chamonix today to visit the rapidly retreating Mer de Glace glacier, upon which the (sometimes) world's longest lift-accessed ski run, the famous Vallée Blanche, descends.

Unfortunately the full 20km descent, with a potential vertical descent of around 2,700m down from the Aiguille du Midi lift station at 3,842m all the way back down to Chamonix at 1,100m altitude is rarely skiable in full. It has not been possible to ski down to Chamonix this winter to date, the warmest so far in French history.

"What we see with this glacier melting is irrefutable proof of global warming," Mr Macron said in Chamonix after visiting the Mer de Glace.

Most of the reported 80,000 skiers and boarders who make the descent each winter instead end their descent at Montenvers, at 1,800m, the point visited by President Macron.

It is a good spot to witness climate change first hand as 30 years ago there were just a couple of steps down to the glacier but since 1990 the glacier has lost over 100 metres of depth at this point and there now more than 430 steps to climb out.

For many skiers, this ascent, after several hours off-piste skiing, wearing ski boots and carrying gear, is now the toughest part of the Vallée Blanche.

President Macron announced that France will create a protected nature reserve around Mont Blanc by the end of the year, with rules about the number of people who can visit the mountain.

This follows a French government announcement yesterday, reported by the BBC, of a host of measures including an annual bonus of €200 for sharing a car or cycling on their commute. The French government will also stop buying single-use plastics and misters will use trains for non-emergency trips, and all ministerial cars will switch to electric or hybrid power - including an armoured hybrid vehicle for Mr Macron.

"Chamonix is becoming an Alpine laboratory for climate change due to the proximity and easy access to the glaciers. But 90% of the skiing in the Chamonix Valley is about 2000m, so we are a comparatively snow sure destination and more fortunate in this sense than a lot of the lower resorts. This January has been the warmest ever recorded so all things considered, snow cover here is actually very good – between 125cm on mid-slopes and 270cm on higher slopes with almost everywhere open," said a Chamonix spokesperson adding that there is a plan to create a new gondola down to the glacier about 2km further up as Montenvers becomes less viable, but that the details of this project are yet to be confirmed.

Rossignol proudly posted the image of Mr Macron today noting that he was dressed in their gear.

Storm Ciara (in French and English speaking countries) and Sabina in German-speaking ones has final started to 'moved on' and ski areas in the Alps that were partially or fully closed for several days this week whilst the gales blew in and the snow dumped are now re-opening.

The snow totals are still coming in buts so far it's Austrian areas that are posting the biggest accumulations with the Zillertal Arena (particularly the village of Gerlos) and the Arlberg region (here particularly Stuben), posting 95cm (over three feet) of fresh snow in the last 48 hours, most of that falling yesterday (Tuesday).

Snowfalls in the French and Swiss Alps did not quite measure up to the volumes expected in forecasts at the weekend with the biggest reported around 30cm (a foot) on Monday/Tuesday. The country's ski centres did get the strong winds though and many had higher runs closed at the start of this week because of them, with several, including Avoriaz, closing completely for a time.

The snowfall has pushed the deepest base in the country through the three metre/ten feet mark with La Plagne up to 310cm up top with about half that snow depth on lower runs.

The snowfall has not really stopped though, there was a lull on Wednesday but the northern Alps expect more on Thursday/Friday, then a clear weekend before the snow returns at the start of next week.

Anticipation levels are rising in Scotland after days of mountain snowfall thanks to Storm Ciara.

However the gale force winds Ciara has brought with it have largely prevented the centres opening since the end of last week, so whilst enticing pictures and video of fairly deep snow are appearing on social media, skiers and boarders have not yet been able to reach it. Glenshee is pictured above.

All five Highland centres are reporting some good snow cover but they're asking skiers to check their opening status before travelling, as currently they're not sure how much they will be able to open on how soon.

Winds are due to ease tomorrow after more overnight snow, but along with waiting to see how soon the wind actually eases, some centres including Glenshee, are warning that it may take time for access roads to be cleared.

There have been some good snowfalls on Scottish slopes over the past few months but in most cases temperatures have risen significantly within days of the snow falling, thawing the snow cover and preventing resorts building bases. This time however temperatures are expected to stay low into the weekend and the start of the main February half-term school holiday week.

All five centres have been open most of the season anyway, apart from for bad weather closures, as all now have special 'all-weather' snowmaking systems that can provide small areas of snow cover for beginner runs and snow fun activities even when it is too warm for natural snowfall or for conventional snowmaking systems to work.

With the main music festivals on the slopes spring snow season nearly upon us, ABTA - The Travel Association, has teamed up with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to run a new digital campaign providing advice for young adults (18-24) to help them have a safer winter festival experience.

The advice covers different areas, including the importance of preventing slips, trips and falls and looking out for friends in a group.

The campaign will run via social media and through ABTA's website, where winter music festivals safety tips are featured in the Winter Sports safety page.

"Most winter music festivals take place between February and April on the slopes of France, Austria and Switzerland, with popular bands attracting a young audience," said Susan Deer, ABTA's Director of Industry Relations, adding, "Whilst some may be seasoned festivalgoers, for others this could be the first time they travel with friends, and it is important to remind them of simple actions that will make their time safer."

ABTA's campaign aligns with the FCO's Stick With Your Mates campaign on youth safety, created after research showed that being alone or being separated from your friends is a factor in some serious, or even fatal, incidents overseas.

"The winter travel season provides an opportunity to enjoy the sounds, the sights and the slopes in a range of exciting destinations. Most British people venturing to mountain resorts have a great time. But each year we are asked to provide support to people who have got into difficulty either through accident or injury or financially," said Jennifer Anderson, Director of Consular services, who added, "Simple actions like sticking with your friends when skiing, out socialising or at festivals, making sure you have winter sports insurance, and reading our Ski-Safe guide ahead of your trip, can make all the difference when it comes to avoiding trouble."

Looks like you've picked a good time to visit, this season, as most reports are saying its the closest to a normal winter in Japan this past week, at last, and 60cm+ for Niseko and nice and cold temps at last. I'm being told that it will warm up again though so not sure if that will impact and how badly, but yes please, feel free to post on the ground report, they're almost always the best (...as long as they're written be an impartial realist and not by someone with business interests in the resort who'll say its great whatever, or someone who will only accept a foot of fresh powder overnight every night, then blue sky days in between, who'll usually say it's terrible whatever. Not that I'm implying you'd be either of those, just that it's quite a minefield getting to the truth of snow conditions sometimes, whatever that is ;) )

At least one leading French ski resort and one Austrian area have closed their lifts and runs this morning as Storm Ciara passes by.

"Exceptional weather conditions require a total closure of the ski area of Avoriaz 1800 this morning. The lit company will decide in the middle of the day what will happen next," a statement from the resort issued at 9am read.

In Austria the Stubai glacier was closed today over the same issue, although here the strong winds are being blamed on a Storm Sabine.

Resorts have been fully or partially closed ski areas across the Alps on several days over the past few weeks multiple storms have blown through, often bringing with them very strong winds, as well as fresh snowfall.

The latest storm is expected to bring 20-40cm of snow, as well as gale force winds, over the next 48 hours

Four weeks of school holidays from successive regions around France are just getting underway this week, with the British February half term holidays due to take place next week for most schools.

Storm Ciara is tracking north off the West Costs of France and the UK. Scottish ski hills have had some snow from it but most are also currently closed due to the accompanying string winds.

February is continuing to be a much more changeable, and much snowier month than January was in the Alps.

Snowfall is due to start arriving across the region from Monday and currently it looks like rather than the 48-72 hour periods of snowfall in the middle of the past two weeks, this coming week should see snowfall on and off through to next weekend.

Some resorts may see as much as 90cm ( three feet) of snowfall by the weekend and temperatures should stay between around freezing and -10C in most areas right down to the valley through the week.

For most areas accumulations are more likely to be in the 30-60cm (1-2 feet) bracket with the snow falling mostly on the northern side of the Alps again, with little or nothing further south.

Heavy snowfall days are likely to be Monday/Tuesday and Friday with lighter snowfall on other days and some sunny periods.

The snowfall will brings to an end a three-five day period of sunshine for many resorts, although this time temperatures have stayed fairly low for most areas and not risen well above freezing, with rain falling, as happened a week ago.

(Val Thorens pictured above in the last snowstorm last Tuesday)