Messages posted by : J2SkiNews
A huge snowstorm that hit Ski Portillo over five days this week has deposited up to 4 metres of snow on the region's slopes. The numbers are in many cases "guesstimates" and still coming in but the totals are huge whether official or not. PowderQuest, a company which specialises in South American ski holidays, says Argentina's Las Leñas has had the most snowfall with 3.3 to 4 metres (11-13 feet) of fresh snow. Portillo in Chile posted its own storm total of 250 cm (8.2 feet) with some days of high winds. The storm has buried lifts, blocked roads and brought down power lines in places so resorts have been closed and are currently digging out.
The snowfall has arrived in what is the final month of the 2023 ski season with most South American ski areas planning to close in the latter half of September. It also comes after a fairly lacklustre season for big snowfalls with few areas managing to open all of their terrain this season and most not getting above the 1m depth mark until this week. Cerro Bayo pictured. |
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Deer Valley Resort in Utah has announced it will more than double in size over the next few years to become the fifth biggest in the US. The expansion means that the town of Park City will have two of the five largest ski areas in the US with a combined acreage of more than 13,000 acres. The two ski areas, the other Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR), are owned by multi-resort-owning arch-rivals the Alterra Group (Deer Valley) and Vail Resorts (PCMR) with separate passes however. Utah will have three of the five largest ski areas in the US by acreage, with as yet under developed Powder Mountain claiming North America's biggest with 8,464 acres of terrain, slightly more than Whistler Blackcomb. The dramatic expansion appears to be the result of an agreement with the owners of the Mayflower resort project that has been underway adjacent to Deer Valley for some years. It was unveiled as a $1 billion ski resort development in 2019 but in recent years has been facing difficulties. It's unclear if Deer Valley has simply taken over the project or if it is a "partnership". Mayflower had originally hoped to open from the 24/25 season. Deer Valleys growth will see it expand by 3,700 acres for a total of 5,726 acres, adding 16 chairlifts and 135 ski runs for a combined total of 37 chairlifts and 238 ski runs spread over 10 mountains and 5,726 acres. There'll also be a new resort base. The first new terrain will be added for the 2025/2026 ski season in just over two years' time. Deer Valley is one of the few ski areas in the world that still bans snowboarding, and says it plans to continue to do so, describing this as a "…unique ski-only experience…" |
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Italy's Passo Stelvio has announced it will close for at least four days as a consequence of the current high temperatures to high altitude in the Alps. Earlier this week Swiss meteorologists found the freezing point isotherm had reached a new record high of almost 5,300m, nearly 500 metres higher than the top of Mont Blanc. This new high was about 100 metres high than the previous record high set 13 months previously. Alpine glaciers had been seeing daytime temperatures getting to +10C higher at 3,000m and not dropping back below freezing overnight for several weeks now, leading to rapid loss of the remaining snowpack. Passo Stelvio (pictured above early in its 2023 season last June) had seen its last reported base more than halves to 50cm and open runs drop to less than two miles and less than a third of its full area. Austria's Hintertux, lone of three other areas open for skiing and boarding in the Alps, reported its base had dropped to 20cm and only 2km of slopes open, fraction of its normal area. Switzerland's Saas Fee and Zermatt appear to be faring the best, each still reporting a slope depth of 2m on higher runs and around 12km of slopes open each. Zermatt's glacier ski area is also accessible by ski lifts from across the border from Cervinia at present. The hot weather is due to end over the weekend with significant snowfall expected on high slopes to end meteorological summer, Passo Stelvio's management say they'll make a decision next Tuesday on whether to reopen and if so when to do so. Passo Stelvio usually aims to open from May to early November but has been forced to close by high midsummer temperatures increasingly frequently, last year closing down for about 6 weeks, along with previously year-round Zermatt, while Saas Fee was only open to race teams, from early August to mid-September. Hintertux was the only centre that managed to stay open to the public. |
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The small ski area of Pomerelle in Idaho has posted webcam images of a short-lived snow covering that appeared in the middle of the night earlier this week. The snow, which is reported to have disappeared by the morning, is believed to be the first clearly recorded in the run up to the start of the 23-24 season in North America, the webcam image was taken at 1.30am. However skiers in Utah say they saw snow on high peaks a few weeks ago. North America is reporting stormy weather across the continent following very hot temperatures, with many areas now seeing cool, wet conditions. There's currently nowhere open for snow sports, other than the indoor centre in New Jersey and dry ski centres, following the 22-23 season end at Mammoth and Timberline earlier this month. High centres in Colorado are expected to begin snowmaking in about 5 weeks' time with the first resorts hoping to open by mid-October, if conditions are right. |
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Les Menuires in the 3 Valleys will upgrade its Roc 1 gondola with new seats and new plexiglass for the coming winter, leading to a more comfortable ride. However the big announcement is that 300m² of photovoltaic panels are being installed on the roof of the Roc 2 garage, generating the powers to run the lift! Les Menuires are also investing in improved digital signage to help provide live information to skiers, as well as through their app. There'll be a huge new 6m² LED screen at La Croisette on the snow front providing real-time information on current weather conditions, ski lift timetables and upcoming events. Other signage in the resort is also being modernised. |
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Canada's Marmot Basin has confirmed its new Knob Quad will go into service this winter, replacing the old double chair. The resort, near Jasper in Alberta, new lift will be a fixed-grip quad, but with a conveyor-loading system so it can run faster. The load terminal will be at an elevation of 2,125 metres, with an inclined length of 1,087 metres. Moving at a speed of 2.3 metres per second, the new lift will be able to carry 1200 people an hour ascending to an altitude of 2,518 metres in under 8 minutes. The lift provides improved access to The Cirque, the resort's most recently opened expert terrain, and will also make it easier to access the peak.
The resort reports that the old chairs will be for sale soon and asked those interested in acquiring one to email the resort. |
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The French ski resort of resort of Les Gets, part of the huge Portes du soleil ski region which links a dozen ski villages across the Swiss border, is the latest to invest in an alpine coaster, a kind of downhill roller coaster accessed year round by ski lifts. Installed in the Perrières sector at the entrance to the village, the coaster ride takes almost six minutes, with an ascent of 380 metres followed by a 714-metre descent over 105 metres. The coaster adds to the resort's strong offering for families which it has made a priority for many years. Children as young as age 3 years can ride the new coaster accompanied by an adult, then from 8 years old children can ride alone. The coaster is suitable for all and two adults can even ride together. Prices are €8 per descent (1 or 2 people per luge) and €35 for 5 descents with- €3 extra for a souvenir photo if required. |
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Big White ski area in British Columbia has shut down its summer operation in order to focus on supporting evacuees arriving at the resort from the nearby city of Kelowna which is being threatened by a serious forest fire. The McDougall Creek wildfire has grown to over 10,000 hectares and destroyed homes in West Kelowna, which has been largely evacuated.
The resort has also cancelled mountain biking sessions on Sunday,.
Canada is experiencing its worst ever year of forest fires due to the climate emergency. |
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