December’s Ski News
1st December 2023
Last modified on December 29th, 2023
– Austrian Ski Racer Marco Schwarz Injured
– FIS New Year Greetings
– Swiss Avalanche Institute Wants Public Help
– PlanetSKI Heads Off Piste with ESF Guide
– Wolves Released into the Wild in US Mountains…LIVE
Here we cover anything that takes our fancy.
Short news stories, stunning videos, amusing cartoons, things that make us smile/things that make us shout at the screen.
Mainly it is just plain news stories to keep you updated.
It is also anything that catches our eye in the world of skiing and snowsports.
See here for earlier summer & autumn ski news:
Thursday 28th December
Austrian Ski Racer Marco Schwarz Injured
He is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Wednesday 27th December
FIS New Year Greetings
Image c/o FIS
Friday 22nd December
Swiss Avalanche Institute Wants Public’s Help
It has introduced a freely accessible map showing where people have observed avalanches in the past few days.
The data will help winter sports enthusiasts select and plan their tours – and they can even contribute to the project themselves as citizen scientists.
The aim is also to gain more feedback from the field in order to make avalanche warning more comprehensive.
Further information on the SLF website
Avalanche in the Alps. Image © PlanetSKI
Thursday 21st December
PlanetSKI Heads Off Piste with ESF Guide
If you have been reading the PlanetSKI snow reports you will know that our reporter Simon Wilson is currently in La Plagne.
He has just had an excellent day out with guide Emmanuel Olivet from ESF Belle Plagne.
Paradiski. Image c/o Simon Wilson.
La Plagne is probably best known for its extensive intermediate terrain, but there’s plenty of good off piste if you know where to look.
Sometimes you have to look hard to access it.
Paradiski. Image c/o Simon Wilson.
“Emmanuel took us along a long narrow ridge from the main Roche de Mio lift station at 2,700m and then a 20 minute walk uphill to access the snowfields above Champagny-en-Vanoise,” said Simon.
Paradiski. Image c/o Simon Wilson.
“The best snow was on north facing slopes and shaded gullies, elsewhere plenty of wind and sun crust” said Simon.
Wednesday 20th December
Five Wolves Released into the Wild in US Mountains
The grey wolves were released into Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
It follows a 2020 vote on re-introducing the animals to the wild, with a further ten expected to be released.
They were originally captured in the US state of Oregon, with animal welfare experts assessing if they were fit to go back to the wild.
See here for a BBC video as they were released.
Monday 18th December
He’s At It Again!
L’ Aiguille percée @TignesOfficiel pic.twitter.com/lbBN5Cyww4
— Candide Thovex (@CandideThovex) December 17, 2023
Sunday 17th December
Italian Government Wants 2026 Olympic Sliding Events in Italy
The sliding events include the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton but currently Milan-Cortina is so far unable to offer a venue.
Organiser are looking to hold them in Innsbruck in neighbouring Austria.
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Matteo Salvini, is reported to have re-iterated that the sliding events should take place in Italy.
The AFP news agency quoted Salvini as saying that “The Milan-Cortina Olympic Games must be Italian Olympic Games” and that “engineers told me that we still have enough time to build this track, and we are working on it.”
Friday 15th December
Phone Lines Back Up at Inghams
See here for more: Inghams targeted in cyber attack
Go Girl!
2️⃣nd place for Kirsty Muir after the @fisfreestyle Big Air Qualification 🥵
Next up ➡️ FINALS 👀#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/Qi5Ca3Omt3
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) December 14, 2023
Wednesday 13th December
Siblings Success
Canada’s Hannah and Jared Schmidt became the first siblings to win FIS Ski Cross World Cup races on the same day as they won their respective events at Arosa in Switzerland on Tuesday night.
It was a maiden World Cup win for 29-year-old Hannah Schmidt, who cruised to victory unchallenged in the women’s big final after the three other finalists were involved in a big collision early in the race.
“It feels pretty amazing,” the Canadian said. “I would say a little bit of luck was involved but it feels amazing.
“And with my brother. It’s a pretty special moment for sure.”
The moment, when you share your first World Cup victory ever with your brother, writing ski cross history…
A moment to celebrate with the Schmidt siblings!
Big up for Hannah Schmidt and Jared Schmidt 🇨🇦🏆#fisskicross #fisfreestyle #wintersport pic.twitter.com/3hWxxVxWi0
— FISfreestyle (@FISfreestyle) December 13, 2023
Tuesday 12th December
Beware the Bear!
We could bearly watch this scary video filmed at @skiheavenly yesterday 😳🐻 #SKI
🎥: @tao7570 on Tiktok pic.twitter.com/gbWeYuuouI
— SKI Magazine (@skimagonline) December 12, 2023
Highest Ski Station in French Pyrenees Confirms Closure
Puigmal 2900 will remain shut this winter.
It closed in 2013 with €13m debt but re-opened in 2021 after a group of enthusiasts came to its aid.
However poor snow last winter meant it was again facing problems.
It is unclear if the resort in the Pyrenees Orientales will ever open again.
Monday 11th December
Skiing Santas at Sunday River
Skiing Santas sleighed the slopes at @sundayriver on Sunday ($8000 raised for local charities) pic.twitter.com/61KPEaQvh0
— Snow Forecast.com (@SnowForecast) December 11, 2023
Accidents on Swiss Ski Slopes
The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention estimates 63,000 people are injured every year while skiing or snowboarding.
The accidents cost CHF600 million (£545m) every year.
The total number of accidents has been falling over the past decade as overall skier numbers decline.
Skiers are mostly treated for knee injuries and snowboarders for wrist injuries.
The accident data was collected by the cable car companies and analysed by The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention.
Ski Accident. Image c/o PlanetSKI
Sunday 10th December
The Ski Season Beckons
The arrival of the new PlanetSKI baseball caps for the reporting team means just one thing.
Winter is round the corner.
We always get a new delivery in December for our selected staff writers.
Image © PlanetSKI
Winter is coming folks!
Meanwhile in Jackson Hole…
3,114 denim-clad skiers and riders carved up Jackson Hole today beneath stunning bluebird skies, collectively breaking the world record we set out to surpass! Thank you to everyone who came out today 🤝 link in bio for full photo gallery.#jacksonhole #worldrecord pic.twitter.com/fIKrYcTLTH
— Jackson Hole (@jhski) December 10, 2023
Friday 8th December
Climbers in Scotland Rescued After Avalanche
A climber has been injured after getting caught in an avalanche in the Cairngorms.
There was heavy snow and strong winds at the time and the rescue operation took 7 hours.
The male climber sustained a lower leg injury, with his climbing partner uninjured.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team hauled the man to safety and carried him by stretcher to the ski area of Cairngorm.
CMRT said: “With conditions deteriorating we were able to lower down one of our team to the climbers, then attach them to our rigging set up and haul them up to safety.”
“After some rewarming the casualty with the lower leg injury was packaged into a stretcher and carried out to the ski area, whilst the other climber was able to walk out,” a spokesperson for CMRT said.
“Huge thanks to Cairngorm Mountain Resort for their assistance last night with vehicles and staff keeping access roads available during this rescue.”
Another avalanche was triggered on Tuesday, below Ben Macdui summit toward Tailler burn.
The debris was searched by the mountain rescue.
See more in our report below.
Rescuers Search for Potential Victims in Scottish Avalanche
Cairngorm and Braemar mountain rescue teams, a coastguard helicopter and Search and Rescue Dog Association (Scotland) searched an extensive area on Ben Macdui in the Northern Cairngorms.
An avalanche was reportedly triggered by human activity.
No-one was found in the slide and there have been no reports of missing persons.
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service, SAIS, has warned the potential avalanche hazard in the Northern Cairngorms is “considerable”.
“Poorly bonded windslab is present but pretty much confined to just below coire rims and gully tops that face west, however it overlies a weak layer of weak grains and could be triggered on steep convex slopes 35 degrees or more,” said SAIS in a statement.
“All change tomorrow with very strong Gale force winds developing and piling snow onto West through North to North east aspects – deep unstable windslab with avalanches likely here.”
The service has recorded two avalanches in the past month.
More than 150 were recorded by SAIS during the 2022-23 season.
Glenshee, Scotland. Image c/o Dianne Frazer
Thursday 7th December
Kayaking Down a Glacier Waterfall
Aniol Serrasolses has conquered the world’s highest glacier waterfall drop in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway.
Serrasolses and his team embarked on a challenging expedition.
It began with a 36-hour sea voyage followed by an 11km trek across the Arctic’s icy expanse to access the river leading to the glacial waterfall.
Following the record drop, Serrasolses said: “It’s hard to find the words to explain this feeling. It’s like kayaking on another planet.”
Wednesday 6th December
Switzerland Aims For 2038 Winter Olympics
The International Olympic Committee has said it will have a “privileged dialogue” with Switzerland for the organisation of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2038.
It made the announcement after declaring France is set for the 2030 Games and Salt Lake City the 2034 edition.
“We had set our sights on the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2030 or 2034, but in sport you have to be flexible,” said the President of Swiss Olympic, Jürg Stahl.
“We now have the opportunity to further develop our project together and are convinced that our framework conditions, our extensive experience and our reliability make us an excellent partner for the IOC – also for 2038 – to successfully and efficiently continue the current process towards the next generation of Games.”
Switzerland has hosted the Winter Olympics twice before – in 1928 and 1948 in St Moritz.
Switzerland’s plan is to host the Olympics across the whole country.
It would be the first ‘host country’ in the history of the Winter Olympics.
It would be a de-centralised model using existing facilities across the country, in all four language regions of Switzerland.
The Opening Ceremony would likely take place in Lausanne, the Olympic capital.
Swiss capital Bern has been proposed for the Closing Ceremony.
“The 2038 Winter Olympics in Switzerland can give us wings in our ongoing efforts to keep winter sports fit for the future as a national cultural asset, as part of the Swiss DNA,” said the President of Swiss Ski, Urs Lehmann.
“I am convinced that Swiss sport as a whole would benefit from this.
“We now have in our hands the opportunity to turn our vision into reality and to make the 2038 Olympic Winter Games not only an unforgettable sporting event but also a long-term stimulus programme for Switzerland and Swiss sport.”
Swiss Flag. Image © PlanetSKI
Tuesday 5th December
Former Olympic Snowboarder Jailed for Staging Plane Crash
Trevor Jacob, 30, has been sent to prison for 6 months for deliberately crashing his plane for views on You Tube, and then lying about it to US investigators.
He posted the video of the plane crash in December 2021, implying it was an accident.
He ejected from the plane – selfie stick in hand – and parachuted down to land.
The clip was viewed millions of times.
In a statement, Jacob said that “this experience has been so humbling” and described the sentence as the “right decision”.
See here for the full story on the BBC.
Jacob represented the USA in snowboarding in the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi.
Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
Happy Birthday Dave Ryding!
Not getting older, just becoming a classic 💁♂️
Happy Birthday, Dave Ryding! 🎉🎂
Here’s to more podiums and epic celebrations. Cheers, Dave! 🏆#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/d7YRCqdeUE
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) December 5, 2023
Spanish Resort of Sierra Nevada Opens Today
#SierraNevada abrirá para el esquí y snowboard mañana martes.
ℹ️ Toda la información: https://t.co/oqsJ7khkPF#pasionporsierranevada pic.twitter.com/7nYYy1JK4A— Sierra Nevada (@websierranevada) December 4, 2023
Monday 4th December
Men’s World Cup Ski Racing at Beaver Creek Wiped Out by Weather
There was to have been two Downhill races and one Super-G race.
All were cancelled on the Birds of Prey course due to heavy snow and high winds.
❌ 💨 Too much wind this morning in @bcworldcup. The Super G race had to be cancelled. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers and the hardworking team. Your dedication is the true spirit of this sport. Hope to have a better weather for next races.#fisalpine pic.twitter.com/p3jPDgFgUI
— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) December 3, 2023
Last month the first speed races of the season from Zermatt in Switzerland to Cervinia in Italy were cancelled due to the weather.
The men will be racing in Val d’Isere, France, next weekend for a giant slalom and slalom race – weather permitting.
The men return to the USA at the end of February for races at Palisades Tahoe in California and Aspen, Colorado.
Birds of Prey, Beaver Creek. Image © PlanetSKI.
Sunday 3rd December
Xmas is Coming
🎄 Embrace the festive spirit with our Alpine Christmas Jumper Guide! 🎄
From cosy chalet chic to après-ski classics, we’ve curated the perfect selection to get your winter season started ✨
Which jumper will be your snowy statement piece this year? ❄️#Christmas pic.twitter.com/DUyiCbGtIH
— VIP SKI (@VIP_SKI) November 28, 2023
Ha!
Saturday 2nd December
GB’s Kirsty Muir Makes the Podium
Read more here:
Friday 1st December
90 Avalanches in Colorado
90 avalanches were reported in Colorado from November 21st to 27th.
18 of which were human-triggered and involved six people caught and carried and three people partially buried.
That’s according to data from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’.
No-one was injured or killed but CAIC says some people caught are lucky to be alive.
Colorado saw 11 avalanche deaths last winter.
The USA saw 30 deaths last season, and Canada saw 15.
Skiing in the USA. Image © PlanetSKI
They’re Keen to Be on the First Lift
Stoke 📈 pic.twitter.com/b7EpHQ16wZ
— Snowbasin Resort (@SnowbasinResort) November 30, 2023
New Chalet for Premiere Neige near Ste Foy
We are sent much information on new hotels and chalets, with details of their spas, hot tubs and all the rest.
Some catch our eye.
Here’s one that has – chalet Le Ruitor near Ste Foy:
Chalet Le Ruitor. Image ©Manu Reyboz
Chalet Le Ruitor. Image ©Manu Reyboz
Chalet Le Ruitor. Image ©Manu Reyboz
Chalet Le Ruitor. Image ©Manu Reyboz
“Le Ruitor offers fabulous quality designer decor spread over 2 floors with 6 ensuite bedrooms and expansive living areas,” said Premier Neige.
“Within walking distance to a local mini-market and boulangerie as well a couple of local restaurants and bars. There is also a bus shuttle to Sainte Foy ski station.
❄️price on application
❄️6 bedroom self-catered chalet
❄️Sleeps 14
❄️7km from Sainte Foy Ski Station
❄️3km from Villaroger (Les Arcs)
❄️Spacious ensuite bedrooms
❄️Hammam & Hot-tub
❄️Log fire
❄️Wi-Fi internet
❄️Flatscreen TV with satellite channels
❄️Underfloor heating
❄️Utility room with washing machine and tumble dryer
❄️Parking on site
See our earlier article on Ste Foy:
Inghams Holidays for Winter 2024/25 On Sale
Inghams Ski is offering £100 per person savings on lift passes and ski hire when pre-bought together on all European holidays.
A holiday cann be secured with a deposit of £150.
Inghams offers over 70 resorts in six different countries.
“With skiers keen to hit the slopes and secure the holidays they want, we are excited to launch our winter programme for 2024/25, with a great selection of accommodation options and deals to be had, especially over the December 2024 festive period,” said Inghams Managing Director, John Mansell.
