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J2Ski Snow Report February 23rd 2023

Eaglecrest, Alaska, has had 22 straight days of snow! Nice...

Colder in the Alps? Yet more snow in the US

The Snow Headlines - 23rd February
- Riksgransen opening for the 2023 season on Friday.
- Light snowfall and temperatures dropping in the Alps, Dolomites & Pyrenees.
- Colorado ski area extends the season by a week.
- Alaskan ski area posts 2.4m (96") of new snow over 22 straight days of snowfall.
- Half-a-metre snowfalls in Norway.
- Summer snow in New Zealand!
- A possible 'retour d'est' may bring decent snow to a few lucky areas next week!


European Alps (a small part of them anyway) back in the game?

Re-publication :- our Snow Report Summary, being the text above this line, is free to re-publish, but must be clearly credited to www.J2ski.com with text including "J2Ski Snow Report" linked to this page - thank you.

World Overview
It's not a spectacular return to winter but with mother nature's usual capriciousness, after a fairly spring-like final few weeks of meteorological winter, it looks like the start of spring in Western Europe will feel more like winter! Clouds have started moving in, in the past 24 hours, temperatures are dropping back down to what they should be, and snowfall, albeit light, has begun refreshing slopes – some of which haven't seen any for a month.

Elsewhere in Europe, it has been a snowy week in Scandinavia and the Tatra Mountains of northern mainland Europe also did well when the snow clouds from the north didn't really deliver to Austria, a little further south, as hoped.

For serious snowfall though it's Japan or North America. The latter has been posting big snow accumulations in the west over the last week (some areas have had more than a metre/40"). But there's much more coming over the next few days with the possibility of a blizzard in Los Angeles exciting mainstream media. Skiers are more fired up about the several feet of snow expected on the mountains above by Monday.

Europe
Austria
Forecast snowfall for Austria last week unfortunately didn't come to much, and in the end, there was a bit of cloud and a few light dustings hardly worth measuring. For the week ahead the model is again for some snowfall, but how much is open to debate and perhaps a bit of guesswork, it looks like anything between 10 and 50cm.

Perhaps more importantly temperatures are dropping so the thaw of the last few weeks should slow. It hasn't really had a severe impact on the terrain that's open – which continues to be almost everything at the big resorts, but bases have been getting very thin down low.

France
French ski areas, particularly in the northern alps, have now gone up to five weeks with no measurable snowfall. The first three weeks of that time were very cold and sunny, the past fortnight warm and sunny and base depths have been gradually dropping.

Despite that, remnants of pre-Christmas and mid-January snowfalls, plus snowmaking in the cold spell, has allowed most areas to have most of their runs open.

The good news now is a return of colder weather with clouds arriving from the southwest and light snowfall expected over the next few days.

Tignes and Val d'Isere are still posting Europe's deepest snow bases up on their glaciers at 2.7 metres.

Italy
A similar story in Italy, although most ski areas here did see at least a light snowfall in mid-February.

The country's slopes are now seeing fronts moving in from the southwest on one side and northeast on the other, bringing cloud, lower temperatures and hopefully a few centimetres more snowfall.

In the meantime most of the big ski areas have nearly all of their terrain open, with the very biggest, Dolomiti Superski, posting more than 95% of its 1200km runs as currently skiable.

Switzerland
Switzerland is also seeing temperatures starting to drop and some light snowfall after another predominantly warm and sunny week.

Here too bases have been thinning through February but despite Swiss media reports of low lying little known small ski centres being forced to close in the warm temperatures, the bigger destination centres mostly remain fully open, or thereabouts.

The 4 Valleys (including Verbier) reports 370km – about 90% of its runs open, for example, with most other Swiss areas posting similar numbers.

Here too, colder, cloudier and hopefully snowier conditions are arriving from both the southwest and the northeast.

Scandinavia
Scandinavia continues to be the place to be in Europe if you like your snow fresh and your powder deep.

The Myrkdalen centre in western Norway, close to Voss, posted 50cm of fresh snowfall to start the week and has the second-deepest base in Europe behind Tignes/Val d'Isere, and its 2.4m snowpack has much fresher snow cover.

Snow was reported right across Scandinavia, including up in Lapland. Riksgransen opens for the season on Saturday.

Pyrenees
The Pyrenees have had a warm and sunny week once again, like the Alps, and resorts here too have thin bases for February, but also still have most of their runs open.

The past 24 hours or so have seen an improvement though with a temperature drop and snow falling from Wednesday evening, the first fresh for a fortnight in most areas.

Scotland
Alas, the amount of terrain open in Scotland has continued to diminish and at the time of writing there's nothing open at Glencoe or Nevis range in the West and just a handful of beginner runs at Glenshee and The Lecht with Cairngorm the only centre with a small amount of natural snow terrain available to advanced skiers up high.

It does keep snowing and conditions are a little cooler now than they've been, the problem being daytime highs of +10C making it a losing battle at the moment.

Eastern Europe
Fairly good conditions in Eastern Europe, particularly in the north, but down in Bulgaria, where it has been a little warm and sunny after the cold and snowy start to the month, most slopes remain open including the long run back from the slopes to the village at Bansko.

Ski slopes in the Czech and Slovak Republics and Poland have actually had some of the snowiest weather in Europe over the past week with plenty of fresh snowfall. Jasna is 100% open and one of the few resorts posting a 2-metre base depth up top, but operations were limited earlier this week by strong winds.

North America
Canada
If you like plenty of powder it's been a great week across Canada with some big falls in Alberta and BC and 20-30cm or so on the slopes of Quebec in the East too.

Big winners include resorts like Big White, Silver Star and many others reporting 50 – 100cm of new snowfall in the last few days. The avalanche danger is very high though.

Temperatures have been in the freezing to -20C range and are set to get colder still in the East this weekend and there's more snow forecast across the country.

USA
The US weather forecast is making mainstream news headlines again with heavy snow expected in places that don't usually get it and there's the likelihood of a 100F difference between the hottest and coldest parts of the country this weekend.

For ski resorts, it's almost entirely good news with big dumps expected, on top of what have been big dumps over the last week, particularly in the Rockies and Pacific Northwest. As a result, Steamboat says its season will last at least one extra week to the 16th of April and Alaska's Eaglecrest Ski Area has now reported 22 straight days of recorded snowfall and 96 inches (2.4 metres) of new snow.

The East Coast hasn't had such a great week, with warm temperatures here, but the forecast is promising, at least in the north, with a foot of snowfall forecast.

daved wrote:varialble prices ...try France ...anything from €2.5 to €5.2 for a coffee

True!

I'm considering launching an "Apfelstrudel Index" for Austria; on-mountain ranged from a reasonable €4 to a less reasonable €7.70 - even if the "artisan" vanilla custard was rather nice... :lol:

Coffees were similar to French price ranges but more variable quality, sadly! Dislike generalisations but Italy is the place for well-priced and good coffee.

Last week we spent a few days around Zell-am-See and skied various resorts around there.

We spent the first day (Monday 13th February), on the Kitzsteinhorn, having taken the dedicated Gletscherjet gondolas up from the valley about 5km up the road from Kaprun.

Although lift-linked to the Kaprun ski area, the Kitzsteinhorn is very much a separate area with a completely different character to the slopes local to Kaprun. Driving (or taking the ski bus) up to the Gletscherjet avoids the long ride up the Maiskogel from Kaprun and the (very impressive) connecting lift from there across to the Kitzsteinhorn.

There are two main bases, one above the other at around 2,000 metres and 2,400 metres respectively - so quite high already, where successive sections of the Gletscherjet connect. Once up to the second level, the ski area expands dramatically around the bowl / valley and lifts go up as high as 3,029 metres.

As soon as you hit the second level you're struck by incredible views in all directions and making the effort to go right to the restaurant at 'The Top of Salzburg' is well worthwhile.




Despite there having been no snow for the previous 10 days or so, the high altitude and cold weather (of the week before) had kept the snow in good condition and on-piste was excellent skiing.

Off-piste cover was thin and hard, however, and - despite the great looking terrain opportunities - we didn't bother after a couple of initial forays to check it out.

There's an entertaining but small skier cross course, a reasonable terrain park ... and an absolutely huge half-pipe for the freestylers...


What We Liked
- Stunning Views
- Well-groomed pistes
- Efficient Lifts
- Great-looking freeride terrain (although old snow stopped play for our trip)

What We Didn't Like
- Bottlenecks! Needing to get everyone off the mountain via, essentially, 2 routes, means the upper lifts close earlier than you might expect which funnels everyone down pistes that are not really wide enough (for half-term levels of skiers at least).
- Variable pricing of on-mountain food; from ok-ish to expensive.
- Being asked for tips! Seriously? Who does that? We would have tipped in any case, but being asked sucks.

Goggles by Panda, Helmet from Europ Sport, Kaprun and modelled by my young apprentice - with thanks to all

The very lovely folk at Panda recently sent us some of their "new for this season" (see below!) RS1 goggles to try out, and we were able to use them while on snow last week in Austria.

Thanks to wall-to-wall sunshine, we only experienced the mirrored lens but were impressed with the clarity and effectiveness of the polarizing. We didn't experience any misting, at all, even when getting sweaty on the last run into town (it was 10C in the village by late afternoon).

They were comfortable, a good fit for a common helmet profile (moderately rounded corners to the face opening), and changing lenses is a snap.

We liked the subtle logo on the lens above the nose, and also like that Panda rely on their logo incorporated into the design rather than shouty text!

Current full retail price is £131, which we think is great value.



What's in the box?

You get both strong light (mirrored) and low light lenses, a cleaning cloth and a pouch, all packed in a robust box that will keep them safe between winters.

Here's what Panda themselves have to say about the RS1...

New Snow Goggle Concept From Visionary UK Based Panda Optics
The new 'RS1' Snowsport Visual Solution from UK based sports eyewear brand Panda Optics has been developed with the help of GB athletes, including 4x Olympic downhill skier Chemmy Alcott, to provide the ultimate in goggle vision, comfort and performance.

New 'Eyeline' technology developed for the RS1 offers a large field of vision vertically and horizontally by reducing the inner frame size and using a larger lens. The UV400+ cylindrical polarised lens is ideal for those magic sunny days in the mountains, held in place by an 8-point magnetic system, so it can easily be changed to the included low light HD lens for low visibility ski days.

Oliver Heath, Managing Director of Panda Optics wrote:"The RS1 provides our trademark visual quality in a brand-new cylindrical bold mirrored UV400+ protective polarised lens. Featuring our 8 point magnetic lens changing technology the RS1 is the strongest, quickest and most robust lens/frame structure on the market. "Pull off, snap on" change to your free HD low light lens in under 5 seconds."

"The lenses feature a built-in top and bottom bumper to help prevent scratches. Packed full of technology, all our goggles and glasses feature a wide range of the latest advances in the industry."

Developed with the help of 4x Olympian Chemmy Alcott and a team of British Alpine racers the RS1 provides the best vision under competitive conditions and ultimate comfort for recreational skiing.

Chemmy Alcott, Olympic skier and Great Britain's most successful female downhill racer, said, "Vision is such an integral sense whilst carving up the slopes. I rely heavily on the quality, fit and fashion of my Pandas. The versatility of the magnetic lens means I can effortlessly change the lenses to allow optimum eye performance, which of course translates into my best skiing!"

The flexible TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) RS1 frame with triple density foam provides a comfortable fit combined with a durable structure. Available in two colours, 'Red' with Chrome mirrored lens, and 'Black' with Ocean Blue mirrored lens. Detachable mid-mounted straps offer better helmet compatibility. In addition to the main google frame, mirrored lens, low light HD lens the RS1 includes a storage box, cleaning cloth and microfibre bag.

The Panda Optics Range also includes the 'Diablo' and 'Cobalt' goggles, and for youngsters there are the 'Cub' goggles.

Panda Optics sunglasses range offer wraparound and aviator styles. The wraparound 'Conquer' styling and design is based on Panda Optics best-selling 'Cobalt' ski goggle and has a semi-rimless frame, and includes three cylindrical lenses.

Customers can buy with the confidence that Panda Optics provides with a Lifetime Warranty, a 20 day return policy, and free UK delivery for orders over £50. The website offers the option to pay in instalments with PayPal. The full eyewear range and shop are at www.pandaoptics.co.uk.




RS1 Features

- Mirrored Chrome Cylindrical UV400+ polarised lens
- Maize yellow low light HD lens included
- 8 point magnetic lens change system
- Integrated Guma® anti fog technology
- TPU grade 4 rigidity Frame
- 3-layer dual density foam with fleece finish
- Frameless design
- Fully helmet compatible frame
- Easy adjustable strap
- Twin silicone grip bands on inner strap
- OTG (over the glasses compatible) max frame width 128
- Moulded storage/packaging box
- Micro Fibre cleaning cloth and bag

Included:

- 1 Goggle set
- 2 Lenses
- Microfibre bag
- Microfibre cleaning cloth
- Hard box for safe storage

J2Ski Snow Report February 17th 2023

Snow and sunshine on the Kitzsteinhorn, Austria this week

Winter coming back to The Alps? Yet more snow in the US

The Snow Headlines - 17th February
- Sunshine dominates across the Alps and temperatures rise too.
- Snow still falling in the Rockies – up to 22" (55cm) in 48 hours reported.
- Avalanche danger mostly down to low (1) or (2) but still at 3 in the Arlberg region.
- World's deepest snowpack, at Mammoth, dips back below 6 metres/20 feet.
- Snow in the forecast (at last) for The Alps.


Snow coming, all over the northern hemisphere!

Re-publication :- our Snow Report Summary, being the text above this line, is free to re-publish, but must be clearly credited to www.J2ski.com with text including "J2Ski Snow Report" linked to this page - thank you.

World Overview
The Alps have seen a week of sunny skies almost everywhere and since the weekend temperatures have risen to double figures in the afternoons at low-lying resorts below 1000m, as the freezing point has climbed to 3,000m at the warmest part of the day, before dropping back down to valley floors overnight.

The upside of this weather is that you can enjoy sitting out on the terrace, and the avalanche danger has typically dropped to a low 2 or very low 1 on the scale in most parts, but then there's not much off-piste powder left to be found. The snowpack is slowly thinning but so far not at a rate alarming enough to lead to many slope closures with most resorts posting 80-90% of slopes open still, with little change on a week ago. That's particularly important given the half-term crowds.

Not much fresh snowfall to report over the last seven days anywhere else in Europe either. The Pyrenees have been predominantly sunny, it's been warmer in the Balkans and even Scandinavia has had less snow in the last week, although it continues to have the most fresh lying. Scottish centres are engaged in their usual battle to open much terrain against the elements.

Over in North America, there's been plenty more snowfall in the Rockies and Pacific Northwest but we're back to warm temperature spikes with some rain reported in the East and Midwest.

But snow may be back on the menu for Europe by the middle of next week... with forecast models now strongly hinting at a dip in temperature - and snow!

Europe
Austria
Conditions are probably the best in the Alps in Austria at present after ski areas there posted up to a metre of fresh snowfall during the first week of the month when most other areas further west stayed dry.

Most centres are (more or less) fully open and it is here that more fresh snowfall is expected over the weekend, albeit not in huge quantities. Otherwise, it has been the same predominantly non-stop sunshine picture enjoyed across the alps this past week, with temperatures rising to double-digits at lower elevations as the freezing point climbs to 2500-3000om – above the top at most Austrian ski areas – during the afternoons.

France
French ski areas have seen a warm and sunny week and for some resorts in the northern Alps, we're coming up to a full month since the last recorded snowfall. For Morzine that anniversary arrives on Friday; for Meribel on Sunday ...with not much chance of any change before then or indeed until next week.

But everywhere remains open, the FIS Alpine Skiing world championships look like they'll get every race staged without any weather problems (very rare even for a weekend of competition, let alone a fortnight) and the big ski regions like the 3 Valleys and Portes du Soleil remain 85-95% open with Tignes/Val d'Isere still posting Europe's deepest snowpack up top (2.7m / 9 feet).

Italy
A very similar picture for Italy to the rest of central Europe – warmer temperatures and lots of sunshine. But here too the warm afternoons are not yet causing much thawing so centres remain largely fully open, or nearly so.

Some snowfall is expected in the eastern Italian Alps and Dolomites around Sunday/Monday and temperatures should dip a little too, but it isn't expected to be significant falls, hopefully, a good refresh though.

Switzerland
Swiss ski centres have seen plenty of sunshine and warmer temperatures as well, like the rest of the Alps.

Some resorts with a sunny orientation like Crans Montana, St Moritz and Wengen have seen their bases, at resort level at least, thaw away, but snow cover on ski runs has been maintained and most still have 80-95% of their terrain open. Glacier 3000 near Gstaad even reports it still has some powder up high, for those venturing onto its freeride terrain.

Scandinavia
The snow has kept falling in parts of western Norway and up in Finnish Lapland, but there have not been the big dumps of recent weeks and base depths have not overtaken those of the Alps quite yet, as would have been the case had the snow kept falling at its previous rate. Nonetheless, centres are fully open, the snow among the deepest and freshest in Europe at present, and the daylight hours getting ever longer.

Pyrenees
Similar conditions to the Alps further north with warmer daytime temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Bases in the Pyrenees are quite thin so we've seen a small drop in the amount of terrain open at big areas like Andorra Grandvalira (Pas de la Casa, Soldeu and others) compared to a week ago, although they still have most of their runs open.

Scotland
The usual Scottish weather rollercoaster continues with some +10C afternoons then some sub-zero, snowy weather. But for the Scottish and Northern English half-term week coming up, there's not much open – a mix of high terrain not suited to beginners and short nursery slopes using all-weather snow machine snow for learners by centre bases.

Eastern Europe
After some of the big jumps in snow depth stats from Bulgaria to Poland the week before last, it has been a largely sunny picture across the region here too. In the Balkans, the gains have allowed most centres to now almost fully open their slopes, up in countries like Slovakia, likely to see fresh snowfall this weekend, centres like Jasna had already been 100% open.

North America
Canada
Generally, good conditions in Western Canada continue. Whistler remains 100% open and reports another 30cm or so of snowfall in the past week – its upper slope cover is now more than two metres deep.

Further inland, temperatures are in the freezing to -20C range and there's been plenty of fresh snowfall here too.

In Quebec, temperatures have been getting a little warmer as they were occasionally before the big freeze earlier this month, but the overall picture is good with everything open and mostly sub-zero temps.

USA
There have been some big snowfalls – 12" (30cm) in 24 hours, 18" (45cm) in 48 hours - reported at ski areas in the Rockies and Pacific Northwest regions of the USA; Jackson Hole, Taos and Telluride are among the resorts posting big fresh snowfall totals.

A bit drier further south on the Pacific coast though and Mammoth Mountain which hit a 6.6m (22 foot) base a month ago and remains the only resort to post a 6m+ base this winter, is now down to 599cm.

Conditions are generally good in the East with most areas fully open after the recent cold and snowy spell, but warmer temperatures have returned bringing the same problem of December and early January – rain showers rather than snowfall – at times.