J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

The ascent to the top of the slopes at Alpe d'Huez at 3,330m has become ever more popular. The Pic Blanc is the starting point of a number of classic ski runs, including the world's longest black, the famous Sarenne.

Although you can get lucky and arrive at the base of the fast Pic Blanc cable-car to the top and find no queues, more often it will be a wait to board the cable car, which has led Alpe d'Huez to introduce the chance to book your ascent on the lift in advance with a service they've called 'Direct To The Peak'.

The service is completely free, but subject to availability and needs to be booked in advance, online, via the Alpe d'Huez website. You'll also need to know the serial number of your lift pass in order to make your reservation. You can book a maximum of two ascents a day.

Late arrivals for a reserved time slot will have their reservation automatically cancelled so you're advised to arrive a few minutes early. Bookings will also be cancelled automatically if there are issues with the lift's operation due to extreme weather or technical problems.

Japanese ski areas have leapfrogged North American and European ski resorts to move to the top of the world snow depth tables.

North American ski areas had been the first to post 2m+ depths a month ago after heavy snowfall in the Pacific Northwest corner of the continent credited to the La Nina weather system in the Pacific.

However huge snowfalls in the Western Alps, with up to 2 metres falling in the week up to Christmas on high slopes in the French Alps saw European centres briefly top the tables, with Flaine taking top spot on 2.7m.

But Japan's snowiest December in a decade has now seen several centres there post 4m+ snow depths up top in time for the start of the New Year.

The famous Japanese resort of Niseko is posting a 2.5m base and its slopes 100% open already.

This season the new "Ace Gondola" has become the main lift of Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, the main sector at the four that make up the ski area. Replacing the old Center Four lift, which ended its service at the end of last season, the new gondola increase transportation capacity on the route by 1.5 times and has eased congestion.

Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu has also announced that despite the good conditions it will be closing early for the season on 31 March 2025 (it usually stays open to the start of May), due to the renewal of more facilities on the slopes.

America's largest ski area, Utah's Park City Mountain, is not having the best start to its 24-25 season.

With limited snowfall in the autumn it currently has less than 15% of its terrain open, reporting 51 of its 350 trails available yesterday, although it did also get a foot of snowfall. But now in a move relatively unprecedented in the USA, its ski patrol has begun an indefinite strike.

The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association, which represents around 200 patrollers and safety workers say it has tried to make progress on its renegotiations with Park City mountain's owners, the world's largest resort operator Vail Resorts, for nine months and that it was forced to take action following a unanimous vote by its members to strike.

The union wants patrollers' base wages raised from $21 to $23 per hour across all Vail Resorts to adjust for nationwide inflation.

Reaction to the strike was mixed with one second home owner in Park City telling local media he thought striking patrollers were "extremely selfish" whilst others said they thought patrollers deserved a fair wage for all the hard work they do.

Vail Resorts have responded to the strike by bringing in patrollers from their other resorts and advertising full-time, part-time and temporary patrol and mountain safety jobs on the day the strike began.

Huge snowfalls in the Alps over the last 24 hours have delivered up a metre of fresh snow since Sunday.

Ski areas in the Western Alps have seen the biggest falls, but the snow has been widespread with big accumulations further East in Austria too.

Coming after big snowfalls on Thursday-Friday last week which saw 50-60cm accumulations, it means some centres have seen over 1.5 metres (5 feet) of snowfall in five days, more than the more optimistic forecasts a week ago.

All the snowfall has though cause logistical issues as resorts struggle to open roads, dig out lifts and make slopes avalanche safe. However the weather is forecast to clear for the rest of the week, so conditions over Christmas should be incredible.

Among claimed snowfall totals, France's Megeve reports 1.2m (four feet) of snowfall today and 1.5m (five feet) in the last 72 hours. Switzerland's Crans Montana claimed 1m (40") today and also 1.5m (five feet) in the last 72 hours.

Other areas posting more than a metre of snowfall included Courchevel, Val Thorens, Val d'Isère and Flaine.

Most resorts have had at least 50cm (20") of snowfall with falls right down to low valley floors thanks to very low temperatures too.

A storm, which unusually has not been given a name, has closed a special Christmas attraction in the English town of Hereford.

The town's 'Alpine Ski-lift experience' gave visitors the chance to sit on a chairlift with skis propped next to you and in some cases be sprayed with artificial snow with images available for social media posts,

"We are very sorry to announce that we have had to cancel the last two days of the Alpine Ski-lift experience in High Town on Sat 21st and Sun 22nd Dec. Due to high winds and rain the event equipment poses a risk to shoppers and the events team. We hope everyone that made it to the earlier events enjoyed themselves and took home some great pictures. We will be back next year," a statement for organisers Hereford City Life explained.

The town's indoor Elf on a Shop Shelf trail was unaffected and is still running until 4th Jan.

"We have had some good news though from the North Pole. Santa has better weather and will be able to deliver all the presents across Hereford this year. Merry Christmas Hereford," the Hereford City Life spokesperson added.

The famous Colorado ski town of Breckenridge has taken back the world record for the most people simultaneously drinking from a line of shot skis only two months after Utah's Park City took the record from them.

The two famous ski towns have been breaking each other's records for almost a decade now.

Breckenridge set a new record of 1401 people drinking shots of Breckenridge Distillery's Broncos Blend and Candy Cane vodka. 503 linked shot skis were used, which together totalled 2,477 feet in length.

As usual its staged its shot ski world record attempt as part of its annual Ullr Fest which also includes a ceremonial old skis sacrifice in a bonfire to appease the famous snow god at the main season start.

Park City had taken Breckenridge's previous record of 1,377 people back on 13 October when 1,400 people took part. Breckenridge has now reclaimed the title with one more person. Back in 2013 the record was only 192 people using 60 skis.

A big snowfall is underway in the Alps with up to 40cm (16") of snowfall reported since last night after a day of rain up as high as 2,000m altitudes on Thursday.

Temperatures started to plummet by as much as 15C to well below freezing late yesterday and the rain turned to blizzard conditions in many areas last night.

Early stats today indicated over a foot of snow has fallen above 2,500m with Val Thorens and Val d'Isere both posting 35cm (14") accumulations since last night.

A little lower in the 3 Valleys, Les Menuires has had 27cm overnight, the same as reported by Verbier and the 4 Valleys.

There have though been violent winds and the avalanche danger, which had dropped to 2 on the scale to 5 is back up to 3 ("considerable") thanks to the conditions.

Elsewhere, Austria's Nassfeld has posted the greatest 24 hour total of 40cm so far. Crans Montana, which had been reporting a thin base and little open, has so far had 37cm which should hopefully improve things a lot there.

Lower lying Austrian regions including 2025 Alpine Skiing World Championships hosts Saalbach and the Skiwelt area report 30cm of snow, as does Italy's Val Gardena, which hosts the first of its Saslong World Cup races this morning, currently still on despite the snow.

Snowfall is expected to continue in most areas through today with some centres seeing over 50cm in 24 hours by this evening. The snow showers will ease tomorrow in most areas before another front brings a multi-day snow storm running up to Christmas eve which looks set to bring 5 day totals to 1.2m (4 feet) for some higher slopes and it currently appears, plenty for low elevations too.

After a few days which have seen temperatures hit +10C in parts of the Alps, the mercury is plummeting again and heavy snowfall has arrived or is expected over the next 24-36 hours. Then after a dry Saturday for many, a second front will bring a multi-day snow-storm which will last up to Christmas Eve for some resorts.

Altogether 5-day totals could top a metre or more above 2,000m in the Central and Western Alps, at least half-a-metre down in the valleys where it is most needed.

French ski areas should be particularly well with the 3 Valleys expecting 20-50cm by tomorrow evening, then a further 60cm (two feet) or so from Sunday to Christmas Eve.

The snowline will drop to sea level with temperatures constantly below freezing and overnight lows down as far as -22C at 3,000m.