Engelberg ski area in Switzerland has announced it will open for the ski season today, October 11th, 2017.
The Swiss area is the third to open in country, joining Saas Fee and Zermatt. Two more, Glacier 3000 above Gstaad and Les Diablerets and Laax, expect to open later this month.
Engelberg has recently invested in an all-weather snowmaking system saying that it hoped this would allow it to open earlier in the year, but it's unclear whether this was a factor in today's opening plans.
The centre says pistes are in good condition but that skiers are advised to stay on groomed slopes as there's little natural snow cover elsewhere.
There are now 15 ski areas open in the Alps with eight in Austria, three each in Italy and Switzerland and Tignes in France.