J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

Switzerland's car-free village of Mürren is the highest ski resort in the Bernese Oberland at 1650m, but it's taking no chance with early season snow cover and using the same technique as Finland's Levi and Ruka among others to ensure they have at least some snow from day one of winter: snow farming.

The resort's snow-farming efforts began in the first full winter of the pandemic, 2020-21, when it stockpiled 110,000 cubic metres of snow through the summer. Two depots in the Engetal area of the slopes, covered and camouflaged with white membranes, now store 150,000m² of compacted snow.

At the end of this month the snow will be recycled to piste no.11 ensuring an early start to the resort's season in November, which continues right through to May.

Winter 23-24 sees the centenary celebrations for the world's oldest alpine ski racing club, the Kandahar, which was founded in Mürren on 30 January 1924 and still has its HQ there. The Club took its name from the Victorian military hero Lord Roberts of Kandahar, donor of a prestigious Downhill race trophy.

Kandahar members include the first women's World Champion Esmé Mackinnon, the first British skier to win a World Cup race, Dave Ryding, who triumphed in the Slalom at Kitzbühel in January 2022, and Jasmin Taylor winner of 35 World Cup and World Championship medals for Telemark.

The Kandahar's founding father Arnold Lunn made Mürren the cradle of Alpine ski racing. His campaign for recognition of 'British rules' Downhill and Slalom racing bore fruit when the International Ski Federation (FIS) invited the British to organise alpine skiing's first World Championship at Mürren in February 1931.

This winter will also see the 80th staging of the Inferno race on 27 January, 2024. The world's largest and longest mass-participation downhill, the race was first contested by 17 Kandahar members in 1928. Today it sees 1800 amateur racers tackle a gruelling 15km course from Schilthorn to Lauterbrunnen.

The first measurable snowfall has been reported in Northeastern North America as Arctic Air has moved south into Eastern Canada and the USA.

Quebec's largest ski area, Mont Tremblant, posted pictures of the first pre-season snowfall of 23-24 there while in New York state Whiteface Mountain reported some snowfall and heavy frost as temperatures dipped below freezing there too.

Sunday River in Maine posted video of snowmaking systems firing up, without comment. It is one f several ski areas in the region that have managed to open in October in the past, sometimes ahead of high altitude resorts in Colorado where snowmaking got underway last week.

The long term forecast for Northeast America looks more promising than the past three La Nina winters as a strong el Nino, as forecast this winter, often means a succession of storms meeting cold air from the north, delivering consistent low temperatures and plenty of snowfall, fingers crossed.

The Remarkables ski area in New Zealand says it set a world record for the amount of people skiing and boarding dressed in denim on its closing day on Monday.

Having invited skiers and boarders to, "connect with your inner Jerry and slap on as much denim as you can for a fun final day on the slopes," The Remarkables reported that after staging their first-ever "Denim Dash" they "broke a world record for amount of shredders in denim!"

The resorts closing day also included a pond skim and free mullet haircuts to anyone fancying one.



Elsewhere four New Zealand ski areas (Cardrona, Mt Hutt, Turoa and Whakapapa) remain open for a final week or two of the southern hemisphere's 2023 season. There are also a couple of areas still open in each of Argentina and Chile for the final week of the season there, but with the opening of the Kaunertal Glacier in Austria it has moved to second place in the list of countries with the most areas open as the northern hemisphere's 23-24 season slowly starts to gather pace.

A third Austrian glacier ski area, Kaunertal, opened for its 23-24 season on Saturday (above).

Like the other two Austrian areas already open, Hintertux and Pitztal, it's in the province of Tirol.

With only six ski areas open in the Alps at present, it means that half of those currently operating are in the famous Austrian ski region.

Glacier areas have been struggling to open to make the most of the Octoberfest period when many offer terrain park events, new-gear testing and apres ski for skiers and boarders keen to get on the slopes early.

Although there have been some snowfalls over the past few months, it has mostly been a case lf temperatures much warmer than the average for early autumn, unfortunately.

Les 2 Alpes, which had hoped to start France's 23-24 ski season in a fortnight's time now says it will open for mountain biking and hiking instead.

Other glacier areas that had hoped to open in late September or early October including the Kitzsteinhorn, Solden and Engelberg glaciers have delayed doing so for now.

It's looking more promising in Scandinavia where, after opening for their 23-24 seasons with recycled snow saved from last winter, Finland's Levi and Ruka (below) reported heavy natural snowfall for the weekend.

Other ski areas further south including Norway's Hemsedal also reported good pre-season snowfalls.

Two of Finland's biggest ski resorts have got their 23-24 season underway today.

Levi and Ruka both used snow they had stockpiled from last winter, under cover through the summer, then spread back out on the slopes to create several kilometres of runs each.

Levi is pictured above on Wednesday night, when the northern lights put on a display, Ruka below yesterday.



Both areas had stockpiled record amounts of snow, over 100,000 cubic metres each, and say they had improved storage techniques to ensure that less snow was lost to summer thawing.

Both are also running gear tests and snow fun park events to make a festive atmosphere for opening weekend. Each also plan to stay open for more than 7 months, closing in May next year.

Temperatures have been cooler in Lapland than much of Europe, with temperatures closer to freezing and some fresh snowfall in late September, although that has since melted. However the snow being used now is expected to last until fresh snowfall and cold weather for fresh snowmaking allows the resorts to open more terrain.

Les 2 Alpes (pictured above in better times for snow cover) has announced that it won't be opening for skiing and snowboarding in a fortnight's time as hoped.

The decision was made after Europe posted its warmest September on record, with temperatures well above freezing most days on glaciers in the Alps, and not getting back below freezing on many nights either.

Last weekend the Kaunertal and Solden glaciers in Austria delayed their planned openings, although the Pitztal had managed to open limited runs with a very thin base the previous weekend.

Les 2 Alpes had been due to be the first French ski area to open for 23-24 after Tignes abandoned its long term aim of operating at least a day of every month of the year, a target frequently missed over the last decade, and announced it wouldn't try to open until the end of November, the same as Val Thorens.

Les 2 Alpes now says it will open on 1st December, but will offer mountain biking and other summer mountain activities as well as lift access to the glacier for anyone visiting during its traditional October-November fortnight.

Temperatures have been gradually falling on high slopes in the Alps and overnight lows on glaciers have been dipping back below freezing but it has been mostly dry and sunny with resort-level temperatures still peaking in the 20s Celsius in the past week, and the coming week isn't looking much different so far. There have also been some fresh snowfalls in August and September but not enough to counter the impact of the warm temperatures.

Besides Pitztal, the Hintertux, Saas Fee, Passo Stelvio and Zermatt glaciers are currently open to skiers.

Australia's ski season ended early in late September after months of above average temperatures melted the snow cover despite the efforts of snowmakers in overnight cold spells and grooming teams.

However there's been fresh snowfall turning slopes white again, which would not be unusual in a normal season when the major resorts like Falls Creek and Thredbo can extend their seasons a week or two into October if conditions are good.

Perisher, received 5cm (2 inches) of snow overnight, blanketing the country's largest ski resort in white as a reminder of winter in spring.

"We get excited when it snows at Perisher, even out of season, as it reminds us of the love we have for being in the mountains, out in nature and the thrill of enjoying snowsports," said Maddi Ventura, Perisher's field marketing manager, who added. "Last week felt like mid-summer and now we have fresh snow on the ground! It feels like winter all over again and we're not complaining about it!"

Falls Creek reported to a 2cm dusting of fresh snow and -3.6 degrees early this morning.

"It's been a fun day for students at Falls Creek Primary School, who returned to classes this week," said Betony Pitcher, Falls Creek's field marketing manager. "We're always happy to see snow in the resort, even out of season."

Two US ski areas have reported ski tracks from the first descents of Fall 2023 as the race commence to be the first North American ski area to open for 23-24.

Tracks were spotted at Mammoth Mountain on Monday (above), where a thin cover of fresh snow was lying on snow left from the 22-23 season, which only ended there less than two months ago.

Then Colorado's Silverton ski area reported its first descents being made by ski patrollers at the area, an annual perk (below).

The ski descents were recorded as snowfall continued in western North America with Alta in Utah noting its first top to bottom snow cover at the weekend.

Several resorts posted pictures of fresh snow lying around trees in full fall colours.

Meanwhile ski areas are competing to be the first in the US to open, with Loveland in Colorado firing up its snowmaking systems to begin building a base ahead of hopefully opening later this month.