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It's white but not (yet) deep; a cold covering for Vail, Colorado, USA. First US ski area opens, with several additions in The Alps from last week. Snow has fallen on yet-to-open resorts in The Rockies and The Pyrenees. The southern hemisphere season finally ends this weekend. The Snow Headlines - October 24th - The US and North America's 24-25 ski season is underway. - 7th Austrian glacier opens for 24-25 season. - Japan and Sweden latest countries to see 24-25 get underway. - Access to Zermatt's glacier ski area due to resume for those based in Cervinia. - Heavy snowfall reported in the Pyrenees, although nowhere open there yet. - Alpine Skiing World Cup 24-25 tour set to start at Solden this coming weekend. - Last area open in the Andes, Chile's Valle Nevado, ends extended 2024 season. - Southern Hemisphere's 2024 season ends this weekend. 
See where the snow is forecast.
World Overview There's lots happening in the ski world as the 24-25 season starts to build momentum. Perhaps the biggest news of the last seven days is the start of North America's 24-25 season following colder, snowier weather there. In Europe, more centres have opened and we should hit the 20 mark, for ski areas already operating, at the weekend. Sweden is the latest European country to see a resort open. In Asia, the first centre to open, as usual, is expected to be Japan's Yeti centre, which uses an all-weather snowmaking system to create its run. In the southern hemisphere, the 2024 season is just about over. The last centre still open in South America, Chile's Valle Nevado, closed on Sunday. Two centres on New Zealand's Mount Ruapehu were open, with just a few kilometres of slopes left each, and had hoped to last for one final weekend. However Whakapapa announced that Thursday (today) had to be its final day due to fast thawing so the season is over there now. Turoa still hoped to open this Friday-to-Sunday as we publish this week's report. Europe Austria Austria has the most centres open in the world at present, more than half of all centres open in the Alps and over a third of the global total – low as it currently is with less than 20 areas open in the northern hemisphere ahead of the main season start and only two left in the southern hemisphere with the 2024 season almost over there. It also has the only area posting more than 30km of slopes currently open, Solden, which hosts the opening races of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup this weekend. Conditions look fairly promising with mostly dry, cold conditions expected, although with some light snowfall quite likely. The Hintertux and Stubai glaciers have about 20km of slopes open each and you can also ski at the Kitzsteinhorn, Kaunertal and Pitztal glaciers with Carinthia's Molltal the latest to join them, last weekend. France There remains nowhere open in the French Alps with Les 2 Alpes and Tignes, both having given up on glacier skiing at this time of year after several years of inadequate early snowfall. Ironically Les 2 Alpes has been posting images of a snowy-looking glacier though! The French season should kick off on 23rd November in Tignes and Val Thorens unless there are any early openers. Italy Italy should be up to four or five centres open this weekend (depending on how you measure it) with the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale and the high slopes of Sulden expected to open, whilst access from Cervinia to Zermatt's glacier ski slopes is also expected to recommence after a few months closed. They'll join already-open Passo Stelvio and Val Senales, which have been reporting excellent conditions, despite little fresh snow this past week, but thanks to earlier October falls and cold conditions up high. Switzerland Switzerland plans to have a fourth, and also a fifth centre open this weekend. Adelboden has used snow-farming to create a run for race training which opened on Thursday for teams and will open to all from this Saturday. Engelberg's Titlis glacier hopes to start its season this weekend, all being well, and will join already open Saas Fee, Zermatt and St Moritz's Diavolezza glacier which has a kilometre of runs open. Saas Fee and Zermatt both have 12-15km of slopes open but are hinting at opening much more over the next few weekends as they officially switch to winter mode. Conditions have been fairly benign this last week in the Swiss Alps with milder, drier weather and just the occasional light snowfall above 2,000m; colder and more unsettled for the week ahead. Scandinavia Sweden has joined the Scandinavian nations that have started their 24-25 season. The northerly centre of Kåbdalis opened with a run created from snow stockpiled from last season through the summer and spread back out on the slopes last weekend. A second Swedish centre, Tarnaby, is expected to open this weekend, but temperatures have been a little mild. Finland's Levi and Yllas are both in the third weeks of their 24-25 seasons now and hoping for colder temperatures after getting rain earlier this week. It is indeed getting colder now, thankfully, as Ruka said they were struggling to maintain their snow due to a lack of overnight freezing there. In Norway, they are still going with their 2024 summer ski season with Galdhøpiggen still open for a few more weeks. They have been enjoying fairly good conditions there with temperatures a few degrees on either side of freezing and regular light snow showers reported. North America Canada We're only a week away now, all being well, from the start of Canada's 24-25 season - with Banff's Mount Norquay ski area expected to open on November 2nd. The weather continues to look promising with snowfall reported on slopes from coast-to-coast including about 8 inches (20cm) up high at Whistler Blackcomb at the weekend. With more wintry conditions expected things are looking promising at present. USA The Western US enjoyed a wintery weekend with some centres posting more than 20 inches of snowfall on Friday and Monday last. As a result, Colorado's Wolf Creek ski area became the first in the country, and indeed the entire North American continent, to open for the 24-25 season, at 9 am on Tuesday. It reported a 21" snowfall and about s third of its terrain open initially. Other Colorado ski areas like Arapahoe Basin, Copper, Keystone and Loveland have all got snowmaking underway and benefitted from snowfalls too, if not getting so much as Wolf Creek. Silverton also has ski tourers on its slopes, with a reported 7" of fresh snowfall, at the weekend. Since the snow things have warmed up a little and turned sunny again throughout this week and that's expected to continue into next week. |
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Pitztaler Glacier, Austria, last weekend (one of 7 Austrian ski areas now open)... Eleven ski areas now open in the Alps, including 7 in Austria, whilst just 3 resorts remain open in the southern hemisphere. The Snow Headlines - October 17th - Seven Austrian glacier centres now open. - Just three ski areas still open for 2024 in the southern hemisphere. - First measurable snow falls in New York State, US. Snow forecast in the Rockies. - More snowfall on Scottish hills. - Snowfall in the Pyrenees. - Snowboarder spotted on the slopes of Vermont. 
Snow forecast for parts of North America, and a little in Europe and Japan.
World Overview Conditions continue to look good on high slopes in the Alps where 11 centres are now open, more than half of them in Austria. There's been more snowfall above 2,000m and additional ski areas have opened over the past week. There are also several resorts now open in Scandinavia. There's also been more snowfall in northerly parts of the US and in Canada this past week too, although there remains nowhere open yet and not enough snowfall or consistent cold temperatures for much snowmaking yet. That said the weekend's forecast is looking increasingly promising. The southern hemisphere's 2024 season is virtually over, with just three centres, in Chile and New Zealand still open and at least one of them closing this coming weekend. Europe It continues to be a decent early autumn in the Alps, on the whole, up high. The snow has kept falling and more centres have been opening, whilst those already open have been adding more terrain. Austria really dominates the small numbers open to date, with 7 of the 11 centres open in the Alps; which is half of all those open in the northern hemisphere too. Carinthia's Molltal glacier was the latest to open, with a couple of miles of slopes available initially, last weekend. Solden, the Stubai glacier and Hintertux are posting the most open terrain so far, more than 20km each; with the Kitzsteinhorn, Kaunertal and Pitztal glaciers as well as Switzerland's Saas Fee and Zermatt reporting closer to 10km. You can also ski at Italy's Passo Stelvio and Val Senales already with access from Cervinia up to Zermatt's glacier area due to reopen at the end of next week. After the snowfall at the weekend and at the end of last week, it has been a mostly sunny week for most, with temperatures at about 2,500m in the -5 to +5C range, still reaching +15 to +20C in Alpine valleys in the afternoons. Thursday saw snowfall in the Pyrenees, for many areas the second of the autumn, but a heavier covering this time than September's dusting. In Scandinavia, we continue to have three centres open, with Levi and Ruka in Finland and Scandinavia's highest slopes at the Galdhopiggen Summerski area in Norway into their final month of their 2024 run. The two Finnish centres continue to rely on their 2km or so of snow saved from last winter to create fresh pistes this autumn, but it has been cold enough for fresh snowmaking too and Ruka also reported a natural snowfall at the end of last week. North America There continue to be teasing signs of winter in North America, but no significant cold weather or snowfall as yet; so far there remains nowhere open. Things can change quickly though. There was weekend snowfall on high slopes in Vermont and New York State in the northeast, whilst the Pacific Northwest has also had cold and snowy weather. There's also been colder weather in the Midwest, with more forecast for Minnesota and Wisconsin. The snow in the Northeast has kept coming through this week with some resorts in New York State and Vermont claiming snowfall totals of over a foot and images of a snowboarder riding the fresh cover at Jay Peak appeared on Thursday, having hiked up. In the Rockies, the warm, dry conditions that have dominated October so far have begun to break down a little with snow arriving in the north. Lower temperatures on high slopes in Colorado overnight may help snowmakers to be more productive than they've been able to be to date. The most optimistic interpretation of the forecast suggests more than a foot of snowfall in parts of Colorado and Utah by the end of the weekend, with more snow still further north in Montana and Wyoming but it could fall more as rain than snow if you go for the less optimistic forecast. The first scheduled openings are in Banff, Canada, in a fortnight's time, if they hit that target date and nowhere else gets there sooner. As ski area openings come thick and fast in North America in November, ski areas are hoping for consistent cold temperatures to arrive as soon as possible now. Southern Hemisphere Three more centres have now closed in the southern hemisphere, leaving just three planning to open this coming weekend. Chile's Valle Nevado is still operating at the end of its two-week season extension to Sunday. In New Zealand, all of the remaining South Island centres closed last Sunday but on the North Island Whakapapa and Turoa on Mt Ruapehu have kept going, with limited terrain open, and Turoa plans to go at least one more long weekend, Friday to Sunday, after this coming one. As to the weather it has been and will continue to be largely warm and dry in Chile. In New Zealand, it's been a more mixed week, as usual, with some snow showers and windy days with temperatures in the -4 to +8C range. It's been more consistently sunny over the last few days. |
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Portes du Soleil Celebrates 60 Years of Skiing Without Borders
What's New for Winter 2024/2025 From the Press Office and Heaven Publicity This winter marks a monumental milestone for the Portes du Soleil as it celebrates its 60th anniversary! The Portes du Soleil ski area is nestled between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc, just an hour from Geneva, and remains one of the largest and most celebrated ski areas in the world. Spanning the Franco-Swiss border, the ski paradise boasts 12 resorts, including Avoriaz, Morzine, Champéry, and Les Gets, offering skiers and snowboarders the unique opportunity to glide seamlessly between France and Switzerland. Celebrating 60 years of Portes du Soleil - A brief history The vision for Portes du Soleil was born in 1964 when a three-metre by three-metre scale model of a cross-border ski area was unveiled at the Lausanne World Fair. Initially called the Haute Route des Familles, referencing the Chamonix-Zermatt crossing, the project sought a name that would resonate more broadly. Jean Vuarnet, Olympic ski champion and native of Morzine Avoriaz, was a key advocate of a linked ski domain. In 1965, during a meeting at Carnotzet du Grand Paradis, the name "Portes du Soleil" was proposed and unanimously adopted, inspired by the pass at Les Crosets. The development of cross-border ski links soon followed, beginning with the first lift connecting Châtel and Morgins in 1956. By 1968, further links like the Champéry-Avoriaz connection and the famed Swiss Wall run solidified the area's status as a pioneering ski destination. Events for the 2024 / 2025 Ski Season The Alps' largest music festival, Rock The Pistes, returns for 2025 
Photo (c) of Rock The Pistes Rock The Pistes is back for its 12th edition, promising an unforgettable fusion of music and mountains! From 16-22 March 2025, over 20,000 music lovers will gather at altitudes ranging from 1,600m to 1,950m for this iconic festival, featuring five major performances on the pistes and more than 30 après-concerts spread across the Portes du Soleil in both France and Switzerland. With free entry for lift pass holders, festivalgoers can ski from one concert to the next, enjoying the freedom to dance and sing along amidst the stunning alpine backdrop. While the headliner is yet to be revealed, Rock The Pistes promises to deliver an electric atmosphere that celebrates the perfect blend of live music and skiing adventure. For more information, visit: www.rockthepistes.com Gear up for the winter season in Avoriaz with Rock On Snow 
The winter season in Avoriaz kicks off with Rock On Snow, running from 13-15 December 2024. This exciting event brings together over 65 brands, offering a unique chance to test the latest snow sports equipment—skis, snowboards, bindings, boots, helmets, masks, and more—before it hits the market. Visitors can explore the test village, where hands-on trials of all the gear are completely free! Simply register in November to secure your test card. Over three days, participants will be able to ride the slopes, meet industry professionals, and test gear in real conditions. Plus, don't miss out on celebrating the start of the winter season with the first raclette of the year. Attendees can also take advantage of special lift pass rates, with an Avoriaz pass priced at £20 / €24 for one day, £38 / €45 for two days, and £54 / €65 for three days. For more information, visit: www.avoriaz.com | rockonsnow.com A week of laughter in the Alps at Les Gets Comedy Festival The Les Gets Comedy Festival is set to return to the picturesque slopes of Les Gets from 25-31 January 2025. This week-long event will infuse the serene mountains with waves of laughter. Showcasing the finest talents from both the French and British stand-up comedy scenes, comedians will take turns passing the torch. From the delightfully absurd to the daringly cheeky, from French to English humour, hilarity is guaranteed. This festival offers a unique opportunity to discover the up-and-coming generation of comedians seeking to carve their names among the comedy greats. Tickets are priced from £8 / €10 to £34 / €40 pp for individual sessions. For more information, please visit: www.lesgets.com/en/les-gets-comedie/ Les P'tits Flambeaux: Charity Torchlight Descent in Châtel The beloved tradition of the torchlight descent returns to Châtel with a special charity event, Les P'tits Flambeaux, on Thursday, 20 February 2025. This national initiative aims to unite ski resorts across France in raising funds to help children who are unable to go on holiday experience the joys of the mountains. Proceeds will benefit three associations: Enfance & Montagne, Génération Montagne, and Petits Princes. Torches will be available for purchase at the ESF office and Châtel Tourisme, priced at £8.35 / €10 each. The evening begins with participants taking the Pierre-Longue chairlift. As dusk falls skiers will descend the "La Belette" green run, accompanied by instructors from Châtel ESF (a good level of skiing is recommended). Throughout the event, attendees can enjoy musical entertainment and refreshments served in front of the Plaine Dranse hors-sac, with voluntary donations supporting the associated charities. For more information, visit: www.chatel.com/torchlight-descent J2Ski visited Chatel and Les Get last winter, and you can read our Portes du Soleil Trip Report here. |
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The Kitzsteinhorn, Salzburg, Austria had cracking skiing under blue skies last Sunday... More ski areas are now open in the northern hemisphere than the southern, with ten (mostly glacier-based) options available in the European Alps. Cooler weather and snow at altitude in the forecasts. The Snow Headlines - October 10th - Finland's 24-25 season underway with Levi and Ruka opening. - More heavy snowfall in the Alps on high slopes, up to 50cm reported. - Austria moves to top spot for country with most centres open: 6. - More snowfall in Canada. A warm October continues in US. - First snowfall in Gulmarg, India. - Northern hemisphere back into double figures for areas open for first time since May. - Number of centres open in southern hemisphere drops to single figures. - Argentina's 2024 season is over with last centre closing. 
More snow forecast for the peaks in Europe and light snow for North America.
World Overview Europe, particularly the Alps, has been the main focus this week as we build up to the start of the main 24-25 season. Two more glacier ski areas are open taking us to 10 choices now in the Alps - and there was the added bonus of another pre-season heavy snowfall at the end of last week with up to 50cm of fresh snow reported down to about 1500m altitudes. In Scandinavia, Finland's 2024-25 season got started under sunny skies with Ruka and Levi opening a mile or so of runs each as well as cross country tracks. Across in North America though the main excitement for skiers has been up in Canada where there's been fresh snowfall on mountains in Alberta and BC. There was also a dusting of snow in New England midweek to raise excitement levels. Some high centres in Colorado also took advantage of a brief weather window to make a little snow overnight but otherwise the US remains unseasonably warm so there's no clear sign yet of which will be the first area to open. In the wider Northern Hemisphere there's been the first snow in the Indian Himalayas with the leading Indian resort of Gulmarg posting images of its mountaintops turned white. In the southern hemisphere the season is about over with Argentina closed now, joining Australia and Lesotho and leaving fewer than 10 resorts still open; with most of those planning to close this weekend. That means that there are now more centres open in the northern hemisphere than the southern for the first time since May, with Austria leading the way with six centres open so far. Europe It has been quite the week in the Alps with higher slopes again seeing a fairly decent early-autumn dump, with up to half-a-metre of fresh snowfall reported and two more glaciers opening for their 24-25 seasons, taking the total to 10. More than half the open ski areas, including the two new openers, are in Austria. Solden, as well as the Stubai and Hintertux glaciers each have around 20km of slopes open plus terrain parks already. You can also ski now at the Kitzsteinhorn and Kaunertal glaciers which joined the highest area Pitztal, and the other three, at the weekend. A seventh Austrian glacier, the Molltal, plans to open from Saturday. There's also skiing available at Italy's Passo Stelvio summer ski area, which reported 40cm of fresh snowfall on Friday and at Val Senales. Switzerland's Saas Fee and Zermatt are also open, although access to Zermatt from Cervinia remains closed until near the end of the month. After last weekend's snowfall conditions have generally been drier, brighter and sunnier but it does look like colder, snowier weather will be here again to end the week and some centres have been posting pics of more fresh snow up high since Thursday. In Scandinavia the season got started last weekend at Finland's Levi and Ruka, using snow they recycled from last winter to create about 2km of slopes each. However, there's now been fresh natural snowfall turning everything white. Norway's Galdhopiggen glacier ski area is also open and reporting fresh snow. North America There remains nowhere open yet in North America and the unseasonably warm temperatures in the western US mean that snowmaking systems have not been able to fire up yet. It's looking more promising north of the border with cooler temperatures and more coverings of fresh snowfall on the mountains of Alberta and BC with Banff, Big White and Whistler amongst centres reporting snow. There have been snowfalls on ski slopes on the US side of the border too, in northerly states like Montana and Wyoming, and a dusting was reported up high in New England in the east on Wednesday, with Stowe and Whiteface amongst those benefitting. Some high centres (Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain) in Colorado reported a little snow-making overnight early in the week but it felt a little like a token gesture/system test at this point rather than a serious start to base building. If all goes to plan, Banff's Mount Norquay should be the first centre to open there (and possibly all of North America) on 1st November. But US ski centres will open earlier if they can. So far it remains stubbornly sunny and too warm for snowmaking on high slopes in Colorado with no obvious change in the immediate forecast. Southern Hemisphere The southern hemisphere's 2024 season is nearing its conclusion with just two ski areas still open in Chile and half-a-dozen in New Zealand, with some only now opening at weekends. Most are expected to close this coming Sunday unless there are any last-minute changes. As you'd expect for mid-spring, temperatures have been climbing in most areas, although centres in Chile and New Zealand have continued to post overnight lows well below freezing and reported some late snowfalls. Everywhere would usually be closed in South America by now, except Chile's Valle Nevado has announced a two-week season extension as the snow is still lying deep. Southerly Antillanca also plans to re-open this weekend for a final hurrah. All centres in Argentina are believed now closed for 2024 though. So most of what's still open in the southern hemisphere is in New Zealand. That includes a number of centres where they're into the final few days of the season like Cardrona, Mount Hutt and The Remarkables as well as North Island ski areas Turoa and Whakapapa on Mount Ruapehu which are hoping to keep going to later in the month, although Turoa is now only open Fridays to Mondays. |
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Kaunertal Glacier, one of six Austrian glacier ski areas that will be open by the weekend! Six glacier options now open in Austria, and the third Swiss and first Finnish ski areas to open for the coming winter will do so this weekend. The Snow Headlines - October 3rd - More snowfall on high slopes in the Alps, six Austrian glaciers now open. - North American forecast is for warm October. - Finland's season due to get underway this weekend thanks to snowfarming. - Northern hemisphere ski areas open back into double figures from Saturday. - Engelberg to be third centre open in Switzerland. - Australia's 2024 Season is over. - Only one centre still open in Argentina (until Sunday). 
It's still autumn in Asia (mostly) but there's snow forecast for the peaks in Europe and North America.
World Overview There's a positive buzz in the Alps at present with snow continuing to fall and temperatures staying low, mostly, above 3,000m. We're about to go back into double figures for the number of northern hemisphere centres open - for the first time since May, with three more glaciers opening this weekend, and more than half will be in Austria. Further north the season is also due to start in Finland, thanks to snow farming there. Across in North America, they're battling hurricanes and forest fires in the US rather than seeing much new snow yet. Up in Alberta, resorts around Banff where the season should start in 4 weeks time, have had more snow. The season continues to wind down in the southern hemisphere with most centres either now closed for 2024 or closing this Sunday. About half a dozen areas, almost all in Chile and New Zealand, will operate a week or two longer yet though, battling inevitably ever-warmer temperatures. Europe Alps Everything is looking positive for the start of the season at this very early stage in the Alps. We'll have the fifth and sixth Austrian glacier areas - Kaunertal and Kaprun's Kitzsteinhorn - getting their seasons underway by this weekend and there are light to moderate snowfalls on glaciers and high slopes. There's not been anything as exciting as the mid-September falls to low levels as yet. There will be 11 glaciers open this weekend in total, more than half in Austria. A third Swiss option, the Titlis Glacier above Engelberg, will open earlier than originally announced, and join Saas Fee and Zermatt. In Italy, you can ski at Passo Stelvio and there's (very) limited terrain at Val Senales mostly reserved for race training. The link from Cervinia to Zermatt's glacier slopes is currently closed. Besides the two new openers in Austria, you can also ski today at the already open Hintertux, Solden, Pitztal and Stubai glaciers. There's some competition to offer the most terrain with Hintertux currently winning with 22km plus a big terrain park. There remains nowhere open in France or expected to be until late November. The weather moving forward is remaining cold (around -10C to +3C at 3,000m altitudes) with plenty of sunshine but the occasional snow shower up high through the weekend. Scandinavia It's a big weekend coming up with both Levi and Ruka ski areas opening in Finland, starting the seven-month-long 24-25 ski season there. Both use large volumes of snow stockpiled through the summer which they've been spreading back out on their slopes this week as temperatures have cooled. Both will have a few kilometres of runs open starting Friday. They join the re-opened Galdhopiggen glacier summer ski area in Norway which has reported some fresh snowfall with temperatures hovering around freezing this week and more forecast in the coming days. Southern Hemisphere New Zealand Changeable weather in New Zealand this past week with some decent dumps followed by blue sky days giving beautiful conditions but also periods of rain as spring temperatures climb higher, so a mixed picture. Ski centres have started ending their seasons with Coronet Peak and Treble Cone closing on Sunday although most of the rest remain open, some keen to offer skiing for the latest school holidays in the country. Most of the big names plan to stay open at least another week with Mount Hutt, The Remarkables and Cardrona aiming to make the 13th, a week on Sunday. Turoa and Whakapapa on the North Island are also both still open but have thin cover and only a small amount of runs open each, although they're actually in better shape now than they have been all winter. It's looking like a cold and snowy end to the week for most, drier next week with temperatures remaining fairly cool, in the -5 to +6C range. Argentina Argentina's ski season is almost over with most of the country's remaining ski areas, including the southern hemisphere's largest, Catedral, closing for the season last weekend. One does remain open though, at least until this coming weekend, with Chapelco posting the deepest base in the world still at 3.3 metres (11 feet). The weather has been and will continue to be mostly dry. Temperatures ranging from -5C overnight to +15C in the afternoons. Chile Unlike Argentina, more than half of Chile's ski centres are still open this week, although the majority of those do plan to end their seasons this coming Sunday or Monday. Big players Nevados de Chillan and Portillo have already closed. Valle Nevado is the stand-out for skiing later into October though, having extended its season to at least the 21st and still reporting over 100km of slopes available thanks to its connections to neighbouring areas La Parva and Del Colorado. As in Argentina temperatures have been getting very warm in the afternoons and it's been mostly dry this past week. Precipitation forecast next week will most likely be rain and sleet with the higher temperatures. North America Unfortunately, North America doesn't seem to be being favoured by the weather gods at the moment. On the West Coast, they continue to battle forest fires impacting ski resorts, in the Midwest resort infrastructure was damaged by the latest hurricane and in the Rockies, where everyone is hoping snowmaking can get underway soon on high slopes with the aim of somewhere opening the start the continent's season at some point in October, it has instead been dry and not that cold. In an added blow the NOAA government forecasting agencies say they expect this month to be warmer and drier than usual, so it's not looking promising just yet. The only real bright light is that the longer term, December to February, forecast is for a colder and snowier winter than usual, at least in the north of the continent. |
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FIS Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance 2025 Calendar Announced: The Tour Returns to France with a New Stop in Val Thorens, First FIS Freeride World Championships to Take Place in Andorra in 2026
Six epic stops await in 2025, including the debut of Val Thorens Pro, as Andorra prepares to host the inaugural FIS Freeride World Championships in 2026 ∙Six stops on the FWT 2025, kicking off in Baqueira Beret, Spain ∙Baqueira Beret renews its partnership with the Freeride World Tour until 2027 ∙Val Thorens makes its debut as the Tour returns to France for the first time since 2017 ∙Andorra to host the first-ever FIS Freeride World Championships in February 2026 to be formally awarded by FIS Council on October 23, 2024 VERBIER, Switzerland – October 3, 2024: The FIS Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance returns for an adrenaline-charged 2025 season featuring six premier stops across Europe and North America, kicking off in Baqueira Beret, Spain, which has renewed its partnership with the FWT until 2027. The season also includes the highly anticipated return to France with a brand-new stop in Val Thorens. Additionally, looking ahead to 2026, the FWT is thrilled to announce the first-ever FIS Freeride World Championships, taking place in Andorra from February 1-6, 2026. These Championships will be a historic milestone for the sport, showcasing freeride on the world stage. As the FWT embarks on its 18th season, athletes will compete across six epic events, with their top four results out of five counting toward qualification for the YETI Xtreme Verbier by Honda Grand Finale. The anticipation is building for this intense competition, as the world's best freeriders prepare to test their mettle on some of the most challenging terrain in the world. What's in store for the FWT 2025: Stop 1: Baqueira Beret Pro – January 18-23, 2025 The 2025 season kicks off at Baqueira Beret, nestled in the heart of the Spanish Pyrenees. Recently extending its partnership with the FWT until 2027, Baqueira Beret has cemented itself as a fan-favorite stop, known for its lively atmosphere and passionate local crowd. The competition takes place on the renowned Tuc de Baciver face, offering steep pitches, technical rock drops, and dynamic freeride terrain that will challenge riders' creativity and skill. As one of Europe's premier freeride destinations, Baqueira Beret consistently delivers exhilarating performances, setting an intense tone for the season. 
Baqueira Beret, FWT 2023, photo © Freeride World Tour / Jeremy Bernard Stop 2: Val Thorens Pro – January 27 – February 1, 2025 (New Stop) For the first time since 2017, the FWT returns to France with the debut of Val Thorens. Nestled in the world-famous Les Trois Vallées ski area, Val Thorens offers an exciting new challenge to the riders, with the iconic Cime Caron towering over the resort. Known for its steep and technical terrain, Val Thorens promises dramatic action as riders tackle the couloirs, ridgelines, and wide-open freeride terrain that the area is famous for. This first-time stop on the Tour will provide plenty of excitement as athletes battle for early-season points.
Stop 3: Kicking Horse Golden BC Pro – February 7-13, 2025 The FWT then crosses the Atlantic to Kicking Horse, located in the rugged Purcell Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Renowned for its deep snowpack, steep terrain, and the legendary Ozone face, Kicking Horse is one of the most technically demanding stops on the tour. Riders will need to navigate cliff drops, tight lines, and vast powder fields, making this stop a true freeride battleground. With its mix of challenging terrain and massive features, Kicking Horse consistently pushes athletes to the limit. Stop 4: Georgia Pro – February 23 – March 1, 2025 The Tour then returns to the untamed beauty of Tetnuldi in Georgia's Caucasus Mountains. This stop has rapidly gained recognition as one of the most exhilarating venues on the circuit. The competition takes place on the Khakhiani face, featuring 350 meters of vertical descent, steep pitches, and natural obstacles that challenge athletes to display their finest freeride skills. Known for its vast powder fields and remote allure, Tetnuldi continues to captivate both athletes and fans, delivering action-packed freeride experiences against the stunning backdrop of the Caucasus. 
Georgia Pro, FWT 2023, photo © Freeride World Tour / Jeremy Bernard Stop 5: Fieberbrunn Pro – March 8-13, 2025 The pressure mounts as riders head to the Wildseeloder in Fieberbrunn, Austria, for the final event before the cut. Known for its intimidating slopes and complex lines, Fieberbrunn is one of the most revered stops on the Tour. Riders will need to lay down their best line on the steep and technical terrain, which has been a proving ground for freeriders since 2011. With the cut looming, the stakes will be higher than ever as riders battle for their place in the Grand Finale at Verbier. YETI Xtreme Verbier by Honda – March 22-30, 2025 The Freeride World Tour culminates at the legendary Bec des Rosses in Verbier, Switzerland, the most prestigious and challenging stop of the season. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025, the YETI Xtreme Verbier has become synonymous with freeride excellence. Rising to 3,223 meters with a 600-meter vertical drop, the Bec des Rosses is known for its extreme pitches exceeding 50 degrees and complex technical lines. Only the top riders of the season will qualify to compete at Verbier, where the stakes are highest, and the ultimate freeride champions will be crowned. The intense competition on the Bec's treacherous face consistently delivers some of the most memorable and high-risk performances in the sport, solidifying Verbier as the crown jewel of the Freeride World Tour. Making History: The First Freeride World Championships – February 1-6, 2026, in Andorra In addition to the 2025 season, the Freeride World Tour is excited to announce the first-ever FIS Freeride World Championships, to be held in Andorra from February 1-6, 2026. Andorra has long been a top-tier freeride destination, and this event will elevate the sport to new heights as the world's top freeriders gather to compete on a global stage. The qualification system for the event will be announced in December 2024, with a formal award by the FIS Council on October 23, 2024.
Don't Miss a Moment Follow the Freeride World Tour live at www.freerideworldtour.com, where every stop will be broadcast. Stay connected through our social media channels for behind-the-scenes content, rider interviews, and more. The countdown to the 2025 season has begun, and the world's best freeriders are ready to deliver unforgettable performances. About FWT FWT Management SA is based in Verbier, Switzerland, and has been organizing premier sports events globally in mountain resorts since 1996. The company founded the Xtreme Verbier, an iconic event in freeride skiing and snowboarding and, in 2008, it turned this single competition into a prestigious series of worldwide events, called the Freeride World Tour (FWT). The company has since grown to include multiple competition series that fall under the FWT brand – including FWT Challenger, FWT Qualifier and FWT Junior – with events across all formats taking place in Europe, North America, South America and Oceania. Since December 2022, FWT is part of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Discover more at www.freerideworldtour.com About Peak Performance Born in the Scandinavian mountains out of a love for skiing in remote, untouched terrain, our passion for adventure and nature runs deep. Our purpose is simple: we bring the freeride spirit to the world. As for our products, they all have the same purpose – empower the freedom to be adventurous and follow your own line. Whether it be horizontally or vertically, on skis, by bike, or on foot, they offer a balance of style and performance. Our Scandinavian heritage is ever present and our commitment to doing better things in a better way is our never-ending responsibility. For more information, please visit www.peakerformance.com |
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Snow Reports by e-mail - New Ski Resorts
Started by Admin in Snow Forecasts and Snow Reports, 78 Replies, discussing Morillon and Sölden |
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Pending an imminent (and major!) refresh of our forecasts, we realise we've got a bit of a backlog on the requests here, but as of today the following are added;
Is also done (thanks for the prompt)
Is available under France. Enjoy! For anyone reading who's not sure what this is all about... sign-up on J2Ski, login and visit your Profile. You can add the ski areas you're most interested in to get forecast updates and powder alerts, etc. |
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Ski areas closing in the southern hemisphere, glacier areas already open in Europe, and others preparing to open in the northern hemisphere.
Stubai Glacier, Austria, now open for skiing... Where to Ski in October 2024 We're at the changing of the seasons in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Temperatures have been rising and the snowpack melting fast in most ski regions of Australia, New Zealand and South America. More than half of the southern hemisphere's ski centres have already closed with those still open having reduced their open terrain in most cases and the majority of those still operating planning to close the first weekend of this month, although a few will go a week or two later into October. Of course, it's the opposite picture in the northern hemisphere with temperatures falling and anticipation building for the season ahead. A big early snowfall in the Alps in mid-September led several glacier ski areas to start their 24-25 seasons early and as a result we expect the number of resorts open in the northern hemisphere to overtake the number open in the southern from next Monday October 7th, with a few more opening each weekend from then on. Nowhere is open yet in North America but there have been some early snowfalls here too, raising anticipation levels and it's likely one or more centres will open in the latter half of the month. Europe Alps There was a good snowfall in the Alps about a third of the way into September which deposited 50cm of snowfall on glaciers and seemed to mark a change to more wintery weather that continued up high for much of the latter half of last month. As a result, we went from just two glacier areas at the start of September to almost double figures as we start October, with several resorts opening early thanks to the snow. Austria is leading the way with a re-opened Hintertux offering the most open terrain in the northern hemisphere at the start of the month, about 25km of slopes. The Pitztal, Solden and Stubai glaciers are also already open and Kaunertal plans to join them on the 4th, followed by the Kitzsteinhorn on the 12th and then the Molltal glacier on the 26th. In Switzerland, Saas Fee and Zermatt are open and expected to be joined by the Diavolezza Glacier near St Moritz on the 19th. In Italy, Passo Stelvio and Val Senales have opened and the link to Zermatt's glacier from Cervinia should re-start on the 26th. There's currently nowhere open in France and nowhere expected to open in October with Les 2 Alpes and Tignes both having given up attempting to do so. Scandinavia Norway's Galdhoppigen glacier, Scandinavia's highest ski centre, re-opened in late September and should remain so throughout October, it's already had some fresh snowfall. Finland's season is due to start on October 3rd with Levi and Ruka opening a few kilometres of slopes each, spreading snow stockpiled through summer back out on the slopes ahead of the first snowfalls, last year those were within days of opening. Finally, Sweden's Kåbdalis and Tarnaby should open from the 26th for the final weekend of the month. North America October is normally the month when North America's ski season begins, but at the start of the month no one really knows where it will be and precisely when – all depends on where gets coldest quickest for snowmakers to make enough snows to form a base, with any natural snowfall a bonus. More often than not that's one of the high centres in Colorado, but past years have seen resorts in California, the Pacific Northwest, Vermont on the east coast and even in the Midwest manage to get their lifts turning first. There have been a few early snowfalls on most North American mountain chains, especially in the West (and as far south as Arizona) with ski areas around Banff – which officially have the earliest named season opening dates at the start of November, seeing the most so far. Prime candidates for October opening, with their snowmaking systems ready to go and past history of opening in October, are Colorado's Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Loveland, Silverton and Wolf Creek. Southern Hemisphere The southern hemisphere's 2024 ski season is winding down fast with Australia's biggest resort Perisher and Tasmania's much smaller Mount Mawson, the last centres to close - in the final week of September. Most centres in Argentina, Chile and New Zealand have also either closed already or are due to on the first Sunday of October. Around 10 ski areas across those three countries will carry on for a further one or two weeks. In the Andes, Chile's Valle Nevado has extended its season by a fortnight so far, to October 20th and some New Zealand centres including Cardrona, Mount Hutt and The Remarkables are targeting either that weekend or the one before too. |
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