J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

Companies that are reporting 2016-7 ski holiday sales so far are largely reporting business up, despite the 'possible Brexit uncertainty.'

"Sales for next winter are more advanced than ever before in our 34 year history. Over 35% of our holidays are now full…amazing!" said Nick Morgan, boss of chalet operator http://www.LeSki.com

There have been a series of ski holiday themed pieces in the media over recent weeks (see below for a selection) in which tour operators and others have, on the whole, warned that they think Brexit would mean higher prices for British skiers.

However Nick Edwards of ski holiday specialists http://www.SnowFinders.co.uk says it's exactly the type of holiday that Le Ski offers that are doing especially well because of possible Brexit fears.

"With the uncertainty over the value of the pound caused by the potential Brexit – more skiers are opting for the security of the all -inclusive ski package," said Mr Edwards.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/news/ski-holidays-will-cost-more-if-we-vote-brexit/
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wengen-regulars_brexit--views-from-a-british-alpine-foothold/42169286
http://www.mountainheaven.co.uk/blog/brexit-and-the-ski-industry/

With Cervinia and Engelberg closing for the season at the weekend and no ski areas open at all in France you can now count the number of ski areas open in Europe on the fingers of two hands, but whether the lifts are running or not winter is continuing in the mountains and May has proven a much snowier month than December was in the Alps.

However 1,300m of lift served vertical on a deep base with a foot of fresh powder is still available in the Alps to skiers and boarders looking for a late spring snowsports fix.

The year-round Hintertux glacier in the Austrian Tirol (Pictured above in the past few days) is having one of its best spring skiing seasons in memory and, along with other glacier areas in the Alps, is expecting another foot of snow in the next 24 hours.

It currently has a 3.3m (11 foot) base at the top of its slopes and is able to have 1,300 vertical metres of lift serviced terrain open from its lower mid-station below the glacier at 1950m right up to the top of the mountain at 3250m. In its daily snow report today it describes snow conditions as "powder."

Other still open ski centres include Zermatt, which reports a 2.5m base, fresh snow falling and powder conditions too, as does the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz. In Austria the Kitzsteinhorn glacier is also open with a 3m base. In Scandinavia Riksgransen in Sweden's arctic circle is open and offering skiing under the midnight sun and Norway's Folgefonn glacier is open too.

Italy's Passo Stelvio and Norway's Stryn glacier are scheduled to open next weekend although Austria's Kaunertal and Stubai glaciers, which are currently still open, are scheduled to close for the season then too.

The southern hemisphere's 2016 ski season is due to start next week in southern Africa with Tiffendell in South Africa and Afriski in Lesotho scheduled to open on the 1st and 2nd of June respectively, followed by resorts in Australia a week later than the first areas in New Zealand and south America. Most have reported good pre-season snowfalls.

There seems to be no end in sight to the wintry conditions in the Alps and Western North America and social media is full of pictures and images from ski resorts showing mid-winter conditions.

In most cases the ski areas have been closed for at least a month and in some it is beginning to cause issues with opening summer sports operations.

The irony of the abundant mid-late May snow is not lost on the ski centres after the poor start to winter 2015-16 in the alps with little snow until just after New Year. La Plagne posted a video yesterday suggesting Christmas be moved to May 19th in future.

Engelberg closes for the season at the end of the weekend but posted a powder alarm for 20cm of fresh snow in the last 24 hours, so it should be a good final weekend.

About a dozen glacier ski areas are currently open in Austria, Italy and Switzerland and most have reported significant fresh snow over the past few weeks.

In the past week heavy snow has been reported ibn the Pyrenees and even at Portugal's only ski area which posted a 40cm snowfall.

Across the Atlantic there was heavy snow and mid-winter conditions at whistler Blackcomb which is open until the ends of May before re-opening 10 days later on 10th June for five weeks of summer glacier skiing.

In the southern hemisphere there's been regular snowfalls in the past few days in South America and new Zealand and snow last week in Australia. The first ski centres are due to open for the2016 season south of the equator in just under a fortnight's time.

Snow has been reported across New Zealand's mountains overnight with resorts on north and South islands posting pictures of fresh snow cover.

Equally important for most, temperatures have dropped well below zero allowing the snowmaking guns to fire up.

Mt Hutt is aiming to be one of the first in the country to open in three-and-a-half weeks' time on Friday, May 10th and a drop in temperature there down to as low as minus 8 degrees at the top of the mountain allowed ski area staff to crank up the mountain's extensive snowmaking system.

The snow and copld temperatures have come as a relief after a 'mild May' so far in the country.

"It's been a great first night and our snowmaking team's delighted to see the arrival of cold temperatures and blow 'mild May' into touch. Everyone's really excited to see snow on the ground and it's looking really positive for continued cold temperatures and more snow as we track into the weekend," said ski area manager James McKenzie, who added,

"We can definitely draw a line under warm May temperatures and say that winter has finally arrived with a vengeance. We had up to 3cm of natural snowfall then it was 'all guns blazing' including our new snowguns hot out of the container that arrived from Italy on Friday,"

"Our snowmaking team battled strong winds to get the new guns in place over the last few days, complementing our existing arsenal. By 3am this morning the system was at full bore, producing three tonnes of snow every minute spread across our main trails.

(Pictured above: Coronet Peak snow making team members Jake Reilly (L) and Lucy Ruck (R) CREDIT Ross Copland)

The High Court has ruled in favour of a parent who argued that he was not breaking any law in taking his six year old daughter out of school.

Their decision appears to set a legal precedent over turning the then LibDem/Conservative party coalition introduction of fines three years ago for parents who took children out of school in England and Wales except in 'Exceptional Circumstances.' However it is not yet clear if the government will appeal.

Mr Jon Platt had twice been fined £60 by the Isle of Wight council for taking his daughter out of school on holiday. When he refused to pay the first fine, the courts in the Isle of Wight asked for a ruling in the high court.

Here Mr Platt argued, helped with a £25,000 budget raised through crowds funding, that taking a child out of school for a week would not damage their education. He argued that 100% school attendance is not required in any law and the only rule is that if a child's attendance rate drops below 90% - missing around four weeks of school in a school year without a reason such as illness, it may begin to begin considered truancy. The high court agreed.

More than 60,000 people have been given a criminal record and fined for taking their children out of school without it being considered 'exceptional circumstances' since the rules were brought in in 2013. The law only applies in England and Wales, not in Scotland.

Whilst not wanting to be criminalised, many skiing families decided to take their children out of school Christmas, Easter and half term holidays for economic reasons – with ski holidays being unaffordable in holiday periods for many families, but often less than half the price in term time, dwarfing the financial impact of any fine.

The court's decision has been welcomed across the ski travel industry this afternoon.

A British tour operator is claiming to be the first to offer ski holidays to Iran following the end of the UN embargo.
Iran has a long history as a skiing destination and saw modern ski resorts developed in the 1960s and '70s prior to the 1979 revolution, the sport's popularity driven by the former Shah who was a keen skier.

In recent decades winter sports have regained their popularity and there's been investment in some modern lifts and new hotels at the leading resorts, most of which are within a few hours of capital Tehran. They include some of the highest ski areas on the planet, which also boast a reputation for great powder snow.

Tour operator Mountain Heaven, which has built a reputation over the past decade or so as one of the leading chalet and apartment companies in the French Alps is organising one and (subject to demand) two trips for up to 20 guests each to ski Iran's leading resorts and do a bit of city sight- seeing too. The eight-day trips will run in late February and early March next year.



Mountain Heaven boss Nick Williams went on a fact finding trip to ski Iran in March and returned declaring, "It was one of the best skiing experiences I have ever had."

The Mountain Heaven package includes airport transfers, guiding throughout the tour and entry to sightseeing attractions in the cities as well as all accommodation, most breakfasts and dinners, but does not include flights to Iran, lunches or lift passes. Holiday cost starts from £1100 based on two sharing with a £150 supplement for a single room.

Whilst Nick reports the Iranians are some of the friendlist and most hospitable people in the world, there are a few issues to be aware of when booking a ski holiday to Iran, despite the normalisation of relations.



Firstly a visa will be required- Mountain Heaven will help with the application process. However anyone who has been to Israel will most likely be denied entry and similarly once you've been to Iran the US will require you to have a full visa when you travel there afterwards – not a major issue Nick reports but something to be aware of. On a practical level women are expected to keep their head covered in public (not a big issue on the slopes…) and special diets including vegetarians are not really catered for. There is of course, no alcohol served either. But on the plus side, prices are much lower than in the Alps one you're in Iran!

Full details are on the company website: http://www.mountainheaven.co.uk/resorts/Iran/iranian-ski-experience

From the ticket office: "Hi, I can confirm that a magazine subscription is included within the ticket price! We haven't set this up yet but will hang on to your details when you buy a ticket."

PS If anyone is nostalgic for daily mail sponsored shows at Olympia the Daily Mail (sponsored) Family Travel Show, (With a bit of Skiing) at Olympia is on October 1-2 with a few ski exhibitors so far listed including Esprit Ski. Not sure if any connection between that happening and telegraph show' ramping up the child/family side this year? http://familytravelshow.com/exhibitors-sponsors/