More Ski Resorts Open in Europe & USA
4th November 2024
Last modified on November 5th, 2024
It has been very mild in the Alps and the freezing level is set to be over 3,000m across the mountain range this week and beyond.
“A huge area of high pressure is currently dominating western Europe and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk.
“This means that it will be dry across the Alps until the middle of November at least, with plenty of sunshine at altitude but lots of cloud lower down.”
Resorts are hoping for a drop in the temperatures later this month so snow making can begin, but it is early days and there is no need for concern – yet.
It is a different story in North America with snow falling and the snow guns turned on in many areas.
Overall it has been a good autumn for snow at altitude in the Alps with some decent conditions in the glacier areas that are open, though a drop in temperatures and fresh snow would be welcome.
The Alps has several resorts currently offering varying amounts of skiing and snowboarding:
- Hintertux, Austria
- Pitztal, Austria
- Stubai, Austria
- Soelden, Austria
- Kaunertal, Austria
- Moltaller, Austria
- Passo Stelvio, Italy
- Adelboden, Switzerland
- Engleberg, Switzerland
- St Moritz, Switzerland
- Saas-Fee, Switzerland
- Zermatt, Switzerland
The Swiss resoret of Murren has had some terrain open, thanks to snow farming, since late September.
However this but has only allowed Swiss ski teams access to it for pre-season training.
Soon it will be open to all, at weekends only though initially with training continuing during the week.
In Val Senales in Italy the skiing is only for race team training and not the general public.
There are no resorts open in France with Tignes and Val Thorens planning to open on November 23rd.
There has been some recent snow in the Pyrenees.
Plus the mainland’s most westerly, Portugal’s Serra De Estrella.
We mentioned the Portugese ski area in this earlier article on PlanetSKI:
Scandinavia also has some areas open:
- Levi, Finland
- Ruka, Finland,
- Kabdalis, Sweden
- Galdhopiggen, Norway.
In the USA the latest areas to open include Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado.
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Others are opening soon include Loveland in Colorado.
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The first resort in the USA to offer a decent amount of skiing was Wolf Creek in Colorado that opened last month.
A handful of small areas have opened for a limited amount of skiing as the cold temperatures have allowed them to make snow.
“Given the opportunity that we had with Mother Nature blessing us with these temperatures, we figured why not go after it,” said Josh Bean, Lee Canyon’s Director of Mountain Operation, to local media.
There has been some natural snow further north in Canada with Lake Louise in Alberta set to open on Tuesday 5th November.
The Glacier Express Chair will fire up at 9am giving access to Bald Eagle, Wiwaxy, and part of Easy Street.
All are lower-mountain beginner runs.
Mt. Norquay had hoped to open on November 2nd, but the resort has postponed its opening date to November 9th.
Sunshine Village is set to open on November 8th, and snow is falling.
Do check back for updates as winter edges ever-closer…
