J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

Well I actually got this one come in from four different PR agencies so they're obviously very keen to get the news out, but I did write my own story taking the interesting bits from each, cutting out the inane fluff and adding a few bits I thought relevant. You did make me wonder if I had just copied the typo though, which does happen and just had a quick check of the source material. The first one talked about the service being from Gatwick so I thought "oh no, I've not only spelt the airport name wrong I've got the wrong airport" ...but looking at their website it is Stansted, so the whole press release from that PR agency is wrong. The rest talk mostly of "Flights from London" but do eventually confess its Stansted and have it spelt correctly so it's yours truly that randomly added the 'a' for reasons unknown. Sorry, longer explanation than you needed.

Oops, corrected now, thanks. Ironically I always check I've spelt 'Schiphol' correctly when talking about KLM connections but that obvious one went right by me, doh!

Val d'Isère is selling a 4-hour lift pass this winter, which, unlike the traditional morning or afternoon pass, can be skied any four hours.

"This new pass has been introduced in response to the ever-growing demand from customers, who are adopting a more "hybrid" style of skiing holiday that combines time on the slopes with other activities," a resort spokesperson said.

An adult's 4-hour Val d'Isère lift pass is priced at €54 throughout the season (23rd December to 5th May) compared to €66 for a full day pass.

In order for the pass to work, 28 new lift gates have been installed for this winter.

On and off snow showers in the Canadian Rockies have intensified in the past 24 hours with the first announced season start date now only 10 days away.

Mt Norquay near Banff announced it had had 18cm (7 inches) of snowfall over the past 24 hours. The Albertan ski area has a target 23-24 season opening day of Saturday, 4 November, six days before its Banff neighbours Lake Louise and Sunshine.

There's been snowfall reported across much of western Canada however, where most ski areas expect to open during the next 3-4 weeks. Snowmaking is also underway at leading resorts including Mont Tremblant in the East.

After the Banff ski areas Marmot Basin (below on Tuesday 24th) expects to open on the 11th, Sun Peaks may be the first in BC on the 18th and the country's biggest area Whistler Blackcomb plans to open on the 23rd. Nakiska, the closest area to Calgary also usually opens around the same time as Lake Louise, Sunshine and Marmot Basin.

Temperatures dropped in the Alps about 10 days ago, ending a month and half of predominantly above average temperatures up to mid-October. It remained mostly dry though with just the odd snow flurry up high. Now though things are starting to look more wintery with more measurable snow at higher elevations, such as on Glacier 3000 at Gstaad, pictured top.

The snowfall is arriving with perfect timing for the first FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup races of the 23-24 calendar coming up at Solden this weekend, then Zermatt-Cervinia at the start of November, so long as race days are clear.

It's a little late for some glacier ski areas like the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun, Diavolezza near St Moritz and Titlis above Engelberg which have all delayed planned October openings into November, due to the previously warm weather and Les 2 Alpes which cancelled planned to offer France's first skiing of 23-24 this week.

However eight glacier ski areas are already open in the Alps, more than half of them in the Austrian province of Tirol.

The latest snowfall is covering a wider area though, with the Pyrenees also reporting fresh snowfall, with Cerler in Spain pictured below.

Sweden's 23-24 ski season is underway with the northerly centre of Kåbdalis opening.

It's the fourth Scandinavian ski area to open for the new season joining Levi and Ruka in Finland, which opened a fortnight ago, and the Galdhopiggen glacier in Norway which has been open since last May with its 2023 season due to end in early November.

Each has only limited terrain open so far, just a kilometre or two of slopes a piece, but (very) early season conditions are good with fresh snowfall and temperatures low enough for snowmaking.

Elsewhere in Europe eight glacier ski areas are now open in the Alps, more than half of them in the Austrian Tirol region, although stormy weather over recent days have led to temporary closures.

A new air service between London Stansted and the small Italian city of Bolzano, right next to the Dolomites, launches this winter.

Run by the Bolzano-based airline SkyAlps which uses smaller, 74-seat, turbo-prop airliners that generate about half the CO2 of conventional planes, the company says, the new service will make getting to some of Europe's most stunning areas like Alta Badia and Val Gardena much quicker and easier.

Up to now most skiers and boarders heading to the Dolomites fly into Innsbruck, Milan, Verona or Venice, usually 2-4 hours from most ski areas. By contrast Bolzano's small airport is within an hour of most of the well-known ski areas in the Dolomites. With just a couple of gates, travel through the airport is typically very fast too, so there's less time wasted in arrivals and departures as well.

With seat prices starting from €184 each way, the new route will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays with flights now on sale for the whole winter season, running until 14 April.

Travellers can relax and enjoy a premium experience aboard the 2 hour and 35-minute flight, tasting the extensive in-flight menu comprised of regional delicacies and wine from 48 selected producers, including four awarded quality wines every month.

SkyAlps' Dash 8 Q400s aircraft consumes around 50% less fuel than the average jet and is extremely efficient. At 2.3 litres per passenger per 100 kilometres travelled, the planes achieve an emission saving of around 50% compared to conventional jet.

SkyAlps' new route is affordable and environmentally friendly, but still a premium option for those travelling to the Dolomites. Whether you're an avid skier, a nature enthusiast, or simply looking to experience a slice of Alpine paradise, this new route promises to be the gateway to unforgettable experiences.

The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage site, celebrated for their breath-taking landscapes, pristine slopes, and world-class skiing opportunities. It offers some of the best skiing in Europe, The Dolomiti Superski is the largest ski circuit in the world, boasting 1,200km of ski slopes and accessible by 50 lifts across 15 resorts, including world famous destinations like Bal Gardena, Alta Badia, Arabba and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

In terms of the in-resort experience, the Dolomites selling points include the fact that they are protected from northerly storms, meaning the chances are you'll get more blue bird days than anywhere else in Europe. The sun shines an average of 8 days out of 10 and the villages here offer an almost entirely Italian atmosphere, where travellers get to embrace a traditional Italian ski holiday. The region is also known for its delectable cuisine, with traditional Alpine dishes and Italian flavours, it's a culinary experience perfect for even the fussiest of easters.

The last three ski areas still open for the 2023 ski season in the southern hemisphere are coming up to their final weekend.

New Zealand's Turoa and Whakapapa ski areas on Mt Ruapehu on the north Island had always aimed to stay open to this weekend but Argentina's Catedral near the ski town of Bariloche (pictured above) has kept extending its season, despite temperatures reaching +15C on higher slopes in recent days.

It is down to just 3km of slopes open though, less than 3% of its total area which is the southern hemisphere's largest.

By contrast the 16km of slopes currently open at Whakapapa is the most terrain reported open by any of the 15 centres currently open worldwide.

All ski areas in Australia closed earlier than hoped in late September after warm weather there for much of the latter half of the winter. There have since been several post season end snowfalls.

Southern Africa's two ski areas did not really open for skiing this winter. Tiffindell in south Africa last operated in 2019, Afriski in Lesotho only made a small amount of snow and didn't run its main lift, although it did offer some freestyle snowboarding.

In the northern hemisphere the first Japanese ski area has opened for its 23-24 winter this weekend and the first North American area looks imminent. Europe now has 9 glacier areas open in Austria, Italy and Switzerland and a further three centres are open in Scandinavia.