J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

La Plagne has announced that visitors will be able to travel above its highest terrain standing in a gondola that is open to the elements - with no glass walls.

Instead passengers will be roped into the cabin on the ride up from Roche de Mio at 2,739m to the top station at 3,080m



Marketed under the name 'AÉROLIVE' sand as 'unique in the world', the activity will be offered on one day only this summer with two cabins on the lift, named "L'ACROBATE" (Acrobat) and "LA FUNAMBULE," (Tightrope walker) created without glass to provide, "an exceptional unobstructed panoramic view."

Particpants are advised to ensure phones and cameras are tied to them with straps too.

The activity will be offered on July 8, 2024 only, will be subject to favourable conditions and cost €49 per person with a minimum height requirement of 1.4m.

Each trip will take 30 minutes including briefing and cabin ride with a maximum of six people per cabin.

A growing number of ski resorts are also offering the chance to ride up their mountains on open air 'balconies' created on the roofs of cable cars in summer. These include Dachstein, Tignes and Snowbird with Zermatt joining them this summer.

The 2024 ski season has got underway in the southern hemisphere three weeks earlier than expected, following big autumn snowfalls in South america.

Catedral ski area near Bariloche in Argentina (pictured above this weekend) has had over 2 metres of snowfall on higher slopes and have opened early for the season after weeks of cold weather and heavy snowfall. Initially there's just limited terrain open.

At least two more centres, Nevados de Chillan and Corralco in Chile, say they'll be opening early too, but from next weekend.

Ski areas in Australia and New Zealand, which are due to begin opening about a week into June, have also had pre-season snowfalls, but not yet so much.

Until Catedral opened early Lesotho's Afriski was expected to be the first south of the equator to open for 2024, on June 1st.

About 30 ski areas are still going with their 23-24 in the Northern Hemisphere in Europe and North America.

Niseko's main ski sector, Grand Hirafu, is to get a new gondola next winter.

The new Hirafu gondola will replace the famous Japanese resort's Ace Quad Lift #2 Center 4 quad chairlift, which is the resort's oldest and would have turned 40 in 2025.

The gondola serves an increasingly busy area of the slopes above a growing area of ski-in/out accommodation so should cut down queuing in the sector at busy times.

The new gondola, Grand Hirafu's third, will seat 10, and with a faster uplift speed than the quad as well, it will increase hourly capacity on the route from 1800 to 2800 people per hour.

A closing down ceremony was held near the end of the 23-24 season last weekend for the old chairlift with individual chairs also auctioned off, some fetching in excess of £750.

Image credit: Grand Hirafu

After several seasons of mass race cancellations due to the changing climate as well as athlete concern about cutting unnecessary travel to try to minimise climate impact, the FIS has agreed tweaks to the 24-25 World Cup calendar which should make race cancellations a little less likely and mean a little less travel.

The traditional season start with GS races on the glacier at Sölden remains as before but starts a week later than previously, on the last weekend in October.

The troubled start to the speed skiing season, with usually snow-sure Lake Louise no longer able to host races in late-November and attempts to launch a new cross-border race from Zermatt to Cervinia in early November abandoned, will now not happen until November.

More races are planned for usually snow-sure Scandinavia with Finland's Levi, which opens in early October each year, hosting both Men's and women's slalom racers in November, as will normally snow sure Obergurgl in Austria.

There's also be seven racers at, again usually snowsure, Lillehammer Winter Olympic venues of Hafjell and Kvitfjell in Norway.

The traditional classics in the Alpine circus are retained, but with some adjustments in date. In February, the highlight of the 24-25 season will be the World Championships in Saalbach.

"This is a step in the right direction, and we must be satisfied with the changes we have achieved in a short time. Going forward, we will work for even more changes in terms of climate, possible damage and future cancellations," said the Norwegian Ski Association's Alpine Sports Manager, Claus Johan Ryste.

Still-open ski centres in the western US have seen record snow accumulations for May in the last few days.

The Palisades reported over two-feet (60cm) of snowfall in 24 hours on Saturday/Sunday and the high Sierra Nevada region in California posted its heaviest May snowfalls on record.

The snowfall has now moved east into the Rockies region where accumulations of over a metre (3.5 feet) are forecast by Wednesday morning. Snowbird in Utah posted 16 inches (40cm) in the first 24 hours of the storm. The snowfall has also taken it through a 600" (over 15 metres) seasonal snowfall to date mark.

The snowfall is arriving with gale force winds at times bringing blizzard conditions, US government agencies have issued winter storm warning and some roads have been temporarily closed.

There are currently still nearly 20 ski areas open in the USA, more than any other country, located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon and Utah as well as in Vermont on the East Coast.

Levi and Ruka ski resorts in Finland have completed seven-month winter seasons, the longest in Europe for resorts that don't have glaciers.

In total the two areas were each open for 212 days during their 23-24 ski seasons, closing at the end of the ski day yesterday.

"Winter was snowy and cold, beautiful and colourful. We had visitors from all over the world …to experience the magic of Lapland," a Levi spokesperson said.

The two resorts both use snow-farming, saving snow from the previous season then spreading it back out on the slopes to create several kilometres of slopes in late September as temperatures drop. Last October they did that then received fresh snowfall within days of the ribbons of white appearing.

This spring both have already stockpiled around 100,000 cubic metres of snow, most of which will survive the warmer summer months and be ready to use again in the early autumn.

The 2024-25 season is less than five months away, with the resorts aiming to open on October 4th, 2024.

Vail Resorts have announced that they've completed the purchase of Crans Montana, their second Swiss resort, joining Andermatt on their Epic Pass, global season ticket. The company now own about 50 ski areas in North America, Switzerland and Australia.

In a deal first announced last autumn, Vail Resorts acquired an 84-percent ownership stake in Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA, which controls and operates all the resort's lifts and supporting mountain operations, including four retail and rental locations, for CHF 118.5 million.

The deal also include's Vail's acquisition of SportLife AG, which operates one of the ski schools located at the resort and taken full ownership of 11 restaurants located on and around the mountain.

Vail Resorts plans to invest approximately CHF 30 million over the next five years in capital improvements.

In a media staterment the company says these will be intended, "…to elevate the guest experience, subject to the timing of capital project approvals and completion. The investments will focus on maximizing gastronomy efficiencies and improving and expanding snowmaking capabilities."

"Crans-Montana is a breathtaking Alpine destination, renowned for its stunning panoramic views, pristine slopes, and vibrant community. We are committed to investing in the resort to support its growth and the vitality of the region. We are also looking forward to including Crans-Montana Mountain Resort on the Epic Pass and welcome skiers and snowboarders from around the globe," said Kirsten Lynch, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts.

It's believed that the ski lifts and other mountain infrastructure at both Andermatt and Crans Montana ski areas were previously owned by different billionaires. Andermatt by Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris and Crans Montana by Czech billionaire Radovan Vítek. On their Epic Pass Vail resorts also partner with Verbier and the 4 Valleys providing limited access to their slopes to pass holders.

Rivals the Alterra Mountain Company have Zermatt and newly added St Moritz partnering with them on their Ikon Pass. Zermatt recently revealed it received about 50,000 skier day Ikon Pass visits per season, saying these had a much wider benefit to the resort.

Pic Credit: Patrick Guller / Crans Montana

Skiers or boarders turning up to ride the slopes of a number of still-open Canadian ski resorts can get a discounted lift pass if they arrive in full Star Wars costume.

'May The Forth' is widely regarded as 'Star Wars Day' and at Marmot Basin ski area near Jasper and Sunshine near Banff, both in Alberta, Canada and among the five areas still open in the country for the 24-25 season, dressing up as a Star Wars character on the snow translates into a lift pass discount.

At Sunshine they encourage everyone to "embrace your inner Star Wars fanatic" with a day pass discounted to $99 if you "ski or ride the slopes of Banff Sunshine dressed as your favourite Star Wars character from the franchise."

The resort warns though that there can be no half measures to qualify and that simply waving a light sabre around won't cut it, warning,

"You must be in full costume (head to boots) to qualify for a discounted full-day lift ticket."

Marmot Basin is going further with a Star Wars party as well as lift pass discounts.
"Make sure you're luke-ing good, and assemble your rebels so you don't Han-g solo at our Star Wars party on Saturday!" a resort spokesperson advised.

Here there's 30% ($40) off an adult ticket for those in a Star Wars costume today.