J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

More amazing numbers for past 24 hour snowfall now coming in... Val d'Isere 120cm, Tignes 105cm, Les Menuires 100cm.

A massive storm is currently hitting the Alps, the largest of the 24-25 ski season by some way.

Snow reporters are largely hunkered down at this point rather than measuring snow depths, but those that have managed to get 24 hour totals so far have included Verbier (75cm), Grindelwald and Val Cenis (65cm), La Thuile (60cm) and Andermatt (40cm).

The fast falling snow, coupled with torrential rain on low slopes has ratcheted up avalanche danger levels to their highest of the season, including a rare maximum level 5 on the scale top 5 in parts of the French Alps, widely "very high" level 4 everywhere else.

Skiers, hikers and anyone else heading outdoors are strongly advised to stay only on open slopes with authorities warning of the danger of strong avalanches down to valley floors. Skiing off piste is not advised in any circumstances.

Most ski areas that aren't amongst the 75%+ that have already ended their seasons, are fully or partially closed today anyway whilst the worst of the storm blows through. The 3 Valleys reports limited terrain open but hopes connections between valleys may open around lunchtime. Verbier says no runs will open until at least 10.30am

Many roads are closed at present too including roads up to ski areas from Bourg St Maurice and the Tarentaise Valley.

However as skies clear and conditions improve over the last few days of the week this could all mean good powder up high for the Easter Weekend.

Tignes and Val d'Isère have both announced their summer ski plans for 2025, each with a short four-week opening plan.

Val d'Isère will open from Saturday June 8th to Sunday July 7th, Tignes from 21 June to 20 July 2025, although it's all dependent on the snow and weather conditions of course.

The two area join Les 2 Alpes which plans to remain open through May and June, closing in July on the same weekend as Val d'Isère.

Tignes offers up to 20km of skiing on the Grande Motte glacier between 3,456 m and 2,724 m.

al d'Isère has seven runs open on its Pisaillas glacier between 3,300 m and 2,725m of altitude until mid-July, however four of the pistes are generally reserved for race teams training.

The ski season is still going strong at many of Europe and North America's top ski areas, but most British ski holiday companies send out their final guests to the Alps this weekend and all eyes are already turning to next winter!

More ski holiday companies already have their holidays for next winter on sale earlier than ever before, with the biggest already launching their sales at the end of last year before the current season even began.

In their enthusiasm to sign up early 25-26 season bookers there are already some deals on offer, with the usual carrot and stick approach of warning that peak dates in the February half-term holiday and at New Year could sell out early.

Several ski holiday tour operators and travel agencies are also pointing to the last full week of March, commencing around the 21st, as likely to be the 'sweet spot' week next season, when prices are at their lowest, most slopes open and snow depths are at the maximum. Plus pistes should be fairly quiet.

The thinking is that this is the week before most schools will be out across Europe for the east holidays. Easter Sunday moves forward a fortnight to April 6th next year, with most schools placing it in the middle of their easter fortnight, rather than at the end as the late Easter weekend is this year. Tour operators are reporting a lot of early interest in booking for the week from the 28th, the first week of the holidays, but low demand and low prices the week before.

The news mirrors what happened this year when tour operators said the corresponding week last month offered the best prices of the season, overtaking the previous best value weeks which for decades came after New Year week at the start of January. Those weeks have become much more popular in recent years though, leaving them busier and more expensive in most cases, than late March.

Europe's most southerly ski area, Spain's Sierra Nevada, has announced it plans to stay open into May.

The resort, located above the ancient city of Grenada and close to the Mediterranean coast, had had a rather lacklustre first two-thirds of the season with limited snowfall, but since March has had some of the biggest accumulations in Europe, leading it to ending March posting the continent's deepest snow at 3 metres (10 feet).

Since then, it has dropped back to 2.5m but still reports 85% of its slopes open.

So far ski areas in 10 countries have announced they'll be staying open to the first weekend in May.

Centres also due to close on Sunday 4th include Austria's Ischgl, Pitztal and Solden; Canada's Lake Louise and Marmot Basin; Finland's Pyha, Ruka, Saariselkä and Yllas; France's Tignes and Val d'Isere; the Zugspitze glacier in Germany; Italy's Cortina and Val Senales; Norway's Narvik (which has been reporting heavy snowfall over the past few weeks); Switzerland's Adelboden, Diavolezza, Engelberg and Samnaun as well as Brian Head in Utah, USA. Dozens more ski areas will stay open later into May.

Ski areas across North America (and of course the entire northern hemisphere) are winding down their 24-25 seasons, many throwing spring fun festivities to end on a high.

Lots of these involve music, pond skimming and similar, but Buttermilk, the first of the four Aspen Snowmass ski areas in Colorado to end their seasons, today, 6 April, has always done things a little differently with their annual Bacon Appreciation Day.

Skiers and riders can start the day in just a few hours' time with bacon doughnuts from the plaza before exploring the mountain in search of more 'bacon samplers' available for the day from lodges, bars and restaurants.

During the last day of the season visitors should make sure to stop by the Cliffhouse, Buttermilk Mountain Lodge and its après spot, The Backyard, for bacon specials, DJ sets and drinks to celebrate.

Switzerland's Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis ski area has received planning approval from the Swiss Federal Office of Transport to upgrade its Val Val – Cuolm Val and Val Val – Calmut quad chairlifts to six-seaters.

The new installations will not only double transport capacity but also serve as a key element in connecting the ski areas between the Oberalp Pass and Milez/Cuolm Val.

Construction will begin immediately after the 2024/25 winter season and the new lifts will increase capacity on the routes from 1,200 to 2,400 people per hour and significantly reduce travel times thanks to a higher speed of 5 m/s, more than double that of the old lifts. The new lift to Cuolm Val will take just 3.18 minutes, while the one to Calmut will take 3.40 minutes.

The construction schedule is ambitious: Between the last day of operations of the quad chairs, which have been running for 35 years, this Sunday, April 6, 2025, and the planned opening in early December 2025, dismantling, assembly, commissioning of the new lifts, and construction of avalanche protection must all be completed. Thanks to special permits from the Canton of Graubünden and the municipality of Tujetsch, preparatory work such as snow clearing and access road construction can begin immediately after the 2024/25 winter season.

Austria has seen one of its biggest snowfalls of the season over the past 48 hours, with accumulations of up to 60cm (two feet) reported.

The biggest falls were recorded on slopes at the Skiwelt, one of the country's largest areas, however it had ended its 24-25 season on Sunday.

The snowfall in the Eastern Alps ended a period through March which saw most fronts arriving from the south and west and depositing the most snow on France and the Western Alps.

As it has been a below-average season for snowfall across the Alps, it's ironic that one of the best falls of the winter has arrived after the season has ended at more than half of Austria's ski areas.

However most of Austria's bigger, higher resorts are still open. St Anton reported fresh snowfall down to the valley floor and of the still-open areas, the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier above Kaprun in Salzburgerland reported the most, a 55cm accumulation.

The Gastein region posted 45cm and a number of resorts open into May including the Molltal, Pitztal and Stubai (pictured above) glaciers, as well as Obertauern, posted 40cm.