January Ski News in Brief

Mountain Guide in Court After Fatal Avalanche

29th January 2025

He was charged with involuntary manslaughter after four clients died.

The prosecution has urged for a two-year suspended sentence.

The court identified him as 68-year old, Lionel C.

The accident happened in 2018 in Mercantour when the avalanche risk was at Level 4 – ‘High’.

The court heard how a first avalanche hit his clients and then a second avalanche struck him and he was taken down the slope “like in a washing machine”.

The prosecutor has requested a two-year suspended prison sentence, a ban on practicing as a mountain guide and a fine of €1,500.

The judgment was adjourned until March 17th.

See more here from La Dauphine.

Golden Ticket Deal this Spring in Jackson Hole

28th January 2025

Skiers and snowboarders who hold a valid season pass from any winter resort around the world can enjoy 50% off lift tickets when they visit between 17 March – 13 April 2025.

A six-day lift pass in April 2025 costs £465 pp instead of £930 pp, simply use promo code GOLDEN at checkout.

In addition to discounted lift tickets, guests can also save 20% on lodging with a valid lift pass.

See here for further details – Golden Ticket.

Jackson Hole, USA. Image © PlanetSKI

Lucky Escape for Two Dutch Skiers Stranded Overnight near Val d’Isere

26th January 2025

An inversion meant the temperature near the ground level remained warm.

The pair, aged 43 and 47 became stranded off piste in the Gorges du Malpasset area.

They were in a cliff area with rocky ledges above and below.

Rescue services were unable to reach them until the following morning.

The authorities said they only survived the overnight temperatures at 2,300m as a temperature inversion meant a layer of warm air was stable where they were situated.

They were taken off the mountain by helicopter.

Val d’Isere, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Ski Tourer Dies from Avalanche Injuries

24th January 2025

The 27-year-old man was caught on the Grand Tave summit in the Valais canton last weekend in Switzerland.

The man was at 2,228m on a north east slopes with the avalanche risk at Level 2.

He was swept several hundred meters down the mountain.

He was dug out by his skiing partner after she had alerted the rescue services.

He was transferred to Sion hospital but died this week.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation.

Avalanche danger. Image c/o PlanetSKI.

Cairngorm Mountain Seeks New Chief Executive

24th January 2025

The previous chief executive retired last September and the responsibilities of the post have since been managed through a combination of a part-time interim chief executive and enhanced roles for two of the senior management team.

Top of the new person’s in-tray will be to oversee the re-opening of the funicular that has been plagued by troubles.

• Opening of Cairngorm funicular delayed again

According to the job advert, CMSL is looking for someone with exceptional leadership, people management and communications skills who will lead a highly motivated and skilled team to promote Cairngorm Mountain as a leading Scottish attraction, plan sustainable growth and direct day-to-day operations.

Skiing on Cairngorm Mountain. Image © Dianne Frazer

Commitment to building positive relationships with a broad range of customers, partner organisations and stakeholders at local, regional and national levels will be critical.

It is also important that the chief executive has a clear and strong commercial focus, awareness of environmental issues and a proven ability to make high quality investment decisions to grow and sustain the business.

Details are on the Highlands and Islands Enterprise website and the closing date for applications is Sunday 9th February.

Save Up To 60% On a Ski Holiday with Ski France

24th January 2025

Ski France is offering savings of up to 60% on a selection of chalets, hotels, and apartments across the French Alps, for bookings made before 26 January 2025.

Availability is limited, and prices are subject to change.

Among the highlights is Les Chalets de L’Altiport in Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine, featuring a prime ski-in, ski-out location.

The chalets include a sauna and private terrace and are set in a peaceful area higher up the mountain, around 500m from the lively resort centre. Here, guests can enjoy bars, restaurants, boutiques, a swimming pool, leisure centre, ice rink, and cinema.

A week’s stay at Les Chalets de L’Altiport from 1 February 2025, costs from £4,220 total (was £8,441 total – saving 50%) based on 15 people sharing an eight bedroom chalet on a Contactless Catering basis.

Alternatively, stay at one of Ski France’s brand new properties, Chalet Brioche.

Located in the Méribel Mussillon hamlet, Chalet Brioche features four bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, plus a mezzanine with a single bed.

The chalet also has a log fireplace, a terrace with an outdoor hot tub and sauna, and a flat-screen TV.

Enjoy convenient access to the slopes and, for evening outings, the village centre is only a 12-minute walk away.

A week’s stay at Chalet Brioche from 16 February 2025, costs from £16,064 total (was £26,148 total – saving 35%) based on nine people sharing a chalet on a Contactless Catering basis.

Ski France (0203 475 4756, www.skifrance.co.uk)

Image c/o Ski France

Ice Climbing World Cup in La Plagne

23rd January 2025

The French stage of the Ice Climbing World Cup returns to La Plagne from 29 January to 1 February 2025, at the ice tower in Champagny-en-Vanoise.

Organized by the French Federation of Alpine and Mountain Clubs (FFCAM), the competition sees athletes scaling up to 24 meters in record time.

Climbers from 23 nations will battle in two events:

• The “speed” race, a vertical sprint on ice
• The “difficulty” challenge, navigating a mixed route of dry tooling and ice

The ice structure, anchored on three legs, serves as the event’s focal point.

In Champagny-en-Vanoise, a commune celebrated as a “Land of Mountaineering,” the climbers showcase their agility, strength, and strategy.

Faced with intense cold and untested routes, competitors must analyse and adapt quickly, balancing power, endurance, and precision.

La Plagne: www.la-plagne.com

La Plagne

King & Queen of Corbet’s is Back

22nd January 2025

It’s back and is set to take place next month.

Kings & Queens of Corbet’s is BACK Feb. 8-15 👑 link below for all the details: athletes, events, lift ticket & lodging specials. And yes—we’re bringing back the live stream 🙌. Share the stoke with someone who loves Kings & Queens! #jacksonhole #kingsandqueensofcorbets… pic.twitter.com/YjUlGMXbgk

— Jackson Hole (@jhski) January 14, 2025

Woman Dies In Japan After Being Buried in Snow

16th January 2025

Safari Snowmobile Tour in Jackson Hole

15th January 2025

• Embark on an adventure with Scenic Safaris in Jackson Hole to explore the landscapes of Yellowstone National Park.
• Choose from snowmobile or snowcoach tours to experience the park’s natural beauty, frozen waterfalls, and renowned landmarks like Old Faithful.
• Take a private snowmobile tour to delve deep into Yellowstone’s wilderness, covering a 45-mile trail from sunrise to sunset.

Highlights include Moose Falls, Lewis Canyon, and West Thumb Geyser Basin.

The full-day tour includes a grab-and-go breakfast and a packed lunch.

Prices start from £414 pp for a solo rider or £674 for two sharing a snowmobile (driver must be 16+ with a valid license).

Jackson Hole: www.jacksonhole.com/

Jackson Hole. Image © PlanetSKI

Mia Brookes Podiums Again

11th January 2025

The GB snowboarder finished third at the Big Air World Cup in Kreischberg, securing her fourth World Cup podium of the season.

On a challenging jump that saw many of the sport’s established names struggle to achieve significant amplitude, Brookes landed solid jumps on her second and third runs to secure her third successive Big Air World Cup podium.

It advances her defence of the Big Air Crystal Globe she won last season.

A 72.00 for the Cab 9 on her second jump and 76.00 for the Back Couble cork 12 on her third ensured Brookes’ podium streak continued, putting her 9.75 points behind Reira Iwabuchi in second, with Anna Gasser taking top spot.

Podium Result

1 – Anna Gasser (AUT); 2 – Reira Iwabuchi (JPN); 3 – Mia Brookes (GBR)

Mia is joint top of the Big Air women’s standings on 305 points, along with Japan’s Mari Fukada, after four of five rounds.

The next World Cup event in the category takes place on 6th February in Aspen, USA.

• GB snowboarder Mia Brookes wins again

Mia Brookes, winner Klagenfurt Big Air World Cup, Jan 2025. Image © FIS Park & Pipe

Body of Missing British Hiker Found in Italian Alps

10th January 2025

Another British man remains missing. Aziz Ziriat, 36, and Samuel Harris, 35, from London, were last heard from on 1st January.

Italy’s Alpine rescue service said it only received an alert about the men on January 6^th, five days after the men set out, after they failed to make a scheduled flight home and relatives contacted authorities.

The immediate search was hampered by snowfall, fog and avalanche warnings.

The Italian rescue services say a body was found “unfortunately lifeless, buried under the snow” after a helicopter search resumed on last Wednesday.

The discovery was made in a high-altitude area where a phone signal was last recorded from one of the men, it added.

The body was believed to be that of Mr Harris and was found under snow at the foot of a rock face on Carè Alto mountain near Trento.

The statement said his cause of death was unclear but one possible cause was a fall “from above”.

The rescue team added it was forced to abandon a search for Mr Ziriat, which had been using dog units specialised in avalanche searches, due to weather conditions.

The search will resume as soon as weather conditions allow.

Italy Flag. Image © PlanetSKI

Park City Ski Patrol Strike Set to End

9th January 2025

A tentative agreement has been reached between Vail Resorts and the ski patrollers.

The industrial action has been going on for almost two weeks and has led to massive disruptions at one of the largest ski resorts in North America.

“We deeply regret that this is having any level of impact on the guest experience and are grateful to our thousands of employees who are working hard every day to enable the experience at Park City Mountain and open the terrain that we can safely open,” said Vail Resorts’ mountain division president, Bill Rock.

Park City, Utah. Image © Rob McAteer

The two sides have issued a joint statement:

“Park City Mountain and the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) are pleased to announce that they have reached a new tentative agreement through April 2027.

“The Union’s bargaining committee is unanimously endorsing ratification by its unit.

“The tentative agreement addresses both parties’ interests and will end the current strike.

“Everyone looks forward to restoring normal resort operations and moving forward together as one team.”

The Unfair Labor Practice strike began on December 27, 2024, after multiple Unfair Labor Practice complaints were filed against Vail Resorts.

The ski patrollers sought better wages, improved benefits, and a fair contract.

The tentative agreement includes provisions for wage increases, improved benefits, and other key issues.

Both parties have agreed not to release the specifics of the agreement at this stage.

The union’s bargaining committee unanimously endorsed ratification by its members.

Park City Ski Patrol Strike Enters Second Week

8th January 2025

Ski resort workers have entered their second week of striking, causing chaos at the height of ski season in the resort in Utah.

Visitors are reporting long lines, ruined holidays and a lack of communication.

NBC’s Liz Kreutz reports for TODAY.

Two Skiers Die in Switzerland

7th January 2025

On Friday a 55-year-old man fell while skiing with his son in the Tschiertschen ski area near Chur.

He was able to make it back to his accommodation but died the next day.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident.

The second fatal accident took place on Sunday at Klosters where a 24-year-old German man collided with another skier.

He then crashed into an information sign.

He lost consciousness and died at the spot

An investigation is underway.

Swiss Flag. Image © PlanetSKI

Visitor Numbers Up at Jungfrau

6th January 2025

The Swiss mountain rail company, Jungfraubahn Holding, says it’s had its best ever start to a ski season.

Visitors from the United States, India and Southeast Asia have helped compensate from lower numbers from China and Japan.

In 2024, 1,058,600 guests visited the Jungfraujoch station connecting the Jungfrau and the Mönch mountains, a 5.1% increase from the previous year.

Jungfraubahn says visits are back to pre-pandemic levels.

“The start of the 2024/2025 winter season was the best in history,” the company says in a statement.

While visitors from the United States, India and Southeast Asia are up, the numbers from China and Japan are still about 50% behind pre-Covid 19 levels.

The Jungfrau ski region also recorded 218,500 skier visits from the start of the season on 30 November to to 31 December, also an increase of 5.1%.

Wengen, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI

Impasse as Ski Patrol On Strike in Park City

4th January 2025

Negotiators for Vail Resorts and the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association have met with  mediators.

The patroller union strike at Park City Mountain Resort is now over a week old.

The patrollers union said that the two sides remained far from a resolution after mediation sessions this week.

The union is calling for entry-level pay of $23 per hour, up from the current $21, along with better overall pay packages and improved benefits.

“Given the major impacts our work stoppage has had on resort operations, we are surprised the company’s counterproposal is still far from what we feel is acceptable,” said Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association vice, Nik Smith.

In an Instagram post the COO of Park City Mountain Resort Deirdra Walsh said that while the strike continues, the mountain will prioritise opening its most popular beginning and intermediate slopes and delay the opening of expert terrain.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Park City Mountain (@pcski)

“To our guests who are here, I want to thank you for your patience,” she said.

“I am committed to delivering you a safe experience.”

Park City, Utah. Image © Rob McAteer

Another Avalanche Fatality in USA

2nd January 2025

Four people have died in avalanches across the holiday period  including two in Utah.

The latest fatality is a 38-year old Canadian, David Ethier, who was out snowboarding with his dog in Millcreek Canyon near Salt Lake City.

People found the dog and alerted the authorities.

His body was later found.

Next of kin have been informed.

The authorities are urging caution in the backcountry after recent heavy snowfall.

Congrats to GB’s Andrew Musgrave

1st January 2025

The cross-country skier took bronze at the 20km Interval Start F stage of the Tour de Ski Stage World Cup on New Year’s Eve.

It was hit fifth career World Cup podium, and the best Stage World Cup finish of his career to date.

The 34-year-old finished in a time of 44:33.7, that’s 28.4 seconds behind race leader Harald Oestberg Amundsen, and  7.2 seconds behind second placed Simen Hegstad Krueger, both from Norway.

The result leaves Musgrave sixth in the Tour de Ski standings, having finished 23^rd in the 15km C Mass Start, and 62^nd in the Sprint F stages.

Musgrave said he was “happy with a podium” but “would have liked to have been closer to Harald [Amundsen]”.

“But that’s the way it goes. I’ll try and catch him tomorrow,” he added.

Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo leads the overall standings with Amundsen in second and American Ben Ogden in third.

The competition continues with the men’s and women’s 15km pursuit classic on Wednesday.

Tour de Ski podium. Image c/o GB Snowsport

Deer Valley Expansion Partially Opens

1st January 2025

The Keetley Express and Aurora chairlifts, as well as several newly developed ski runs opened on New Years Eve.

On Thursday, January 9, 2025, a Grand Opening event will celebrate the new Keetley Express chairlift and officially introduce day-skier access from the newly constructed Deer Valley East Village, creating an enhanced gateway to the resort’s expansion.

This milestone introduces over 300 acres of never-before-skied terrain this season and provides enhanced access through the resort’s new Deer Valley East Village with 500 additional day-skier parking spots.

Image c/o Deer Valley

“This terrain expansion represents a transformative moment for Deer Valley and our skiing guests,” said Todd Bennett, Deer Valley President & Chief Operating Officer.

“Keetley Express and the skier access through the new Deer Valley East Village are the next steps in our commitment to deliver exceptional access and unparalleled ski experiences.

“These enhancements make our world-class terrain even more accessible while maintaining the thoughtful design and exceptional experience that define Deer Valley.”

See here for full details about the expansion:

• Deer Valley expands with much more to come

Deer Valley, Utah. Image © PlanetSKI

How to Ski on Ice

1st January 2025

Skiing on ice can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

In this video Aaron from Maison Sport shares four essential tips to help you navigate icy slopes with confidence and control.

Whether you’re an experienced skier or just starting out, these tips will transform your approach to skiing on ice.

Tip 1: Discover how the right ski equipment can make all the difference on icy runs.

Tip 2: Perfect your body position to stay balanced and steady in slippery conditions.

Tip 3: Build your confidence skiing on ice.

Tip 4: Learn tactical strategies for maintaining control and precision while skiing on ice.

Don’t let icy slopes hold you back—these techniques are designed to help you ski smarter and safer in challenging conditions.

Australia Snow Guns Ready to Fight Forest Fires

1st January 2025

Mt Buller in Victoria has more than 300 snowmaking guns positioned around the ski area.

They can be used to protect the resort, buildings, chairlifts and precious alpine habitat in the case of a bushfire.

In addition to the snowguns there are permanent sprinklers on top of key infrastructure including buildings and lifts to protect these assets in the event of a fire threat.

The snowguns spray water under high pressure – which is used to make snow in the winter months – and in summer can work as a giant sprinkler system pumping water across the mountain to prevent the spread of fire.

The snowguns can be turned on automatically from the pump control room or remotely using tablets, ensuring water can be pumped quickly and efficiently to where it’s needed, keeping people out of dangerous areas.

The water comes from the Sun Valley dam.

“This system allows us to pump around 1 megalitre of water each hour across the resort area if we are faced with the threat of a fire,” said the Ski Lifts’ General Manager, Noel Landry.

“We’ve worked closely with our suppliers and adapted the snowmaking system so it can do this important job for our community and the mountain each fire season, as well as delivering essential snow cover in our winter months.

“I’d like to acknowledge the great work of our snowmaking and mountain operations teams for preparing the mountain ahead of summer and being ready to defend our community and environment if the need arises.

Mt Buller’s ARV General Manager, Alan Arthur, said the snowmaking system also worked to protect some of Mt Buller’s most endangered residents.

“In addition to protecting key buildings and infrastructure, the snowmaking guns will help the resort spread resources to protect critical habitat such as protected plants and our Mountain Pygmy-Possum colony,” he said.

Mt Buller, Image © PlanetSKI