Easter Skiing Hit by High Winds & Lift Closures
30th March 2024
Last modified on April 3rd, 2024
Storm force winds in parts of the Alps have caused some problems. PlanetSKI opted to go touring to make some Easter turns.
There have been reported gusts of up to 100kms per hour in places with many resorts closing lifts at altitude.
The worst example comes from Cervinia in Italy.
Verbier in Switzerland shut much of its ski area and stopped selling lift passes on Saturday.
It was a similar picture across other resorts.
In St Anton in the Tirol in Austria the upper lifts were closed.
PlanetSKI reporter, Simon Miller, is in the resort preparing for some ski touring next week that he will be writing about for PlanetSKI.
“The upper lifts have been closed today so there have been some busy pistes lower down,” Simon said on Saturday.
“There was good skiing until about 10am then it quickly turned to spring snow right up to 2,000m.”
St Anton, The Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
St Anton, The Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
The strong foehn wind from Africa has brought warm temperatures and some sand/desert dust.
“There are moody skies caused by the Saharan dust,” added Simon.
St Anton, The Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
It has been a similar picture slightly further east in Austria.
PlanetSKI editor, James Cove, is in Innsbruck with his family where many resorts around the city were completely closed.
They had been planning to ski in Patscherkofel.
Not today.
Patscherkofel, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI
Patscherkofel, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI
So, they did what a few others did – put on some touring skis and walked uphill.
They headed to nearby Axamer Lizum for a few turns.
Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI
They weren’t the only ones.
Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI
And, er, you might be able to hear the wind as James set off.
Apart from the pleasures of skinning uphill and skiing down, touring offers plenty of wonderful picnic opportunities too.
Savouring the mountains and the food.
Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck. Image c/o PlanetSKI
Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck. Image c/o PlanetSKI
We will be posting shortly about the joys of touring/skiing and the multiple opportunities around Innsbruck to partake in it, so do look out for that article.
The high winds have not just affected ski resorts.
The Brenner Pass that links Austria and Italy was affected as lorries went at a snail’s pace in the windy sections, causing some traffic delays.
Brenner Pass. Image © PlanetSKI
We will be updating this article as we receive more information about lift openings and closures over the Easter weekend.
And we’ll probably be touring again on Sunday as the winds are forecast to be even stronger with more lifts closed.
We’ll likely be getting into the mountains under our own steam.
Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck. Image c/o PlanetSKI
Do check back…
