18th September 2022
The first snow of autumn has fallen in the Alps and over in North America too. Plus there has been further falls down under in Australia as the ski season there draws to a close. Three glaciers resorts in the Alps have opened some slopes this week. UPDATED
15th September 2022
The warm summer temperatures have reduced the size of the Austrian glacier. The lifts are now unstable as the ice has melted and the permafrost has been damaged. Large crevasses have also opened up.
15th September 2022
Climate change is making adventure tourism more challenging and sometimes riskier. That’s the claim from travel industry bodies, tour operators and mountain experts.
29th August 2022
Switzerland has nearly half the total number of glaciers in the Alps. The melt rate is accelerating and they may all have disappeared by the end of the 21st century according to a new report. The latest concerns centre on the impact on the water reserves of Europe with glaciers referred to as the ‘water towers of Europe’.
27th August 2022
Mount Ruapehu, on the North Island, has laid off around a third of its workers as many slopes are bare and some areas have had to close. Ski resorts on the South Island report good snow conditions.
13th August 2022
Some areas of glaciers in the Karakoram Range are defying the global trend of glaciers losing mass. The glaciers of the Himalayas are melting, but not in one area. It appears to be due to an increase in precipitation from the west. NEW
12th August 2022
The summer heatwaves in Europe are having a significant impact with glaciers shrinking sharply. This year is when many have woken up to the fact that on current projections it is likely many glaciers will disappear in the coming decades. UPDATED
10th August 2022
The Fonna glacier resort in Norway is closing its summer season early on August 21st as conditions deteriorate. It had been the only place where summer skiing bore some semblance to normal conditions. NEW
10th August 2022
Two bodies have been found in separate sites in Switzerland as the glaciers recede under high summer temperatures. It follows the discovery of wreckage from a plane crash in 1968.
8th August 2022
A mountain guide has found wreckage of a plane that crashed in 1968 on the Aletsch glacier in Switzerland. As the glaciers melt across the mountains more of their secrets are being given up.
6th August 2022
The Major of Saint-Gervais, Jean-Marc Peillex, says it is needed to cover possible rescue and funeral expenses. Saint-Gervais sits at the base Western Europe’s highest mountain. UPDATED
2nd August 2022
20cm has fallen in some resorts with resorts in New South Wales seeing the best of it. However the latest storm is expected to bring heavy rain and some resorts have closed their lifts. UPDATED
29th July 2022
It is the latest resort to call off summer skiing as the warm summer temperatures take their toll. Hintertux in Austria is now the only on summer ski resort in the Alps open to the general public.
26th July 2022
The largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere has reached its lowest level since records began. The lake is claimed to have a significant impact on the quality of winter snow in Utah.
16th July 2022
The ski seasons in Australia and New Zealand are well underway with a great start to winter and more snow is now falling. UPDATED
9th July 2022
The main ski areas in Argentina and Chile are now open for their 2022 season. There have been some decent conditions so far and for some it’s the first time they have been open since 2019 as Covid-19 spread.
7th July 2022
It is the latest resort to end its summer skiing operations. There are continued high temperatures and a lack of fresh snow after a modest winter for snowfall. It raises questions about how long summer glacier skiing can carry on in alpine resorts. UPDATED
6th July 2022
It is the worst drought in 70 years and follows poor levels of winter snow and precious little rain since. The alpine areas are badly affected and it will impact on summer glacier skiing. UPDATED
5th July 2022
It was feared a 12th person could have been killed, but rescuers now say there is no reason to believe the toll will be higher. A day of mourning has been held. Rising temperatures have been widely blamed for the tragedy. UPDATED
5th July 2022
In Switzerland scientists are monitoring the mountain above Kandersteg which is moving several meters a year. A new crack has been spotted on the Marmolada glacier in Italy that partially collapsed killing 11 people earlier this month. UPDATED
3rd July 2022
The accident happened in the Dolomites in northern Italy. The collapse triggered an avalanche of rocks, snow and ice that hit a number of hikers. Eight other people were injured, two are reported to be in a serious condition. It’s feared the death toll could rise as the search operation resumes. UPDATED
2nd July 2022
A new study claims the number of snow days where snow lies on the ground in the Alps will halve by 2100 if greenhouse emissions remain high. Mountain seasonal snow cover is undergoing major changes due to global climate change, but action can be taken. NEW
26th June 2022
Some slopes are now open and they will hopefully stay open to Sunday July 3rd. Friday July 1st is Canada Day. The resort hasn’t opened at this time of year for over three decades. UPDATED
23rd June 2022
There has been no rain for almost 4-months in places. It follows a winter that saw snowfall levels down 70%, so there has also been precious little meltwater filling the rivers and reservoirs.
19th June 2022
The camp is on the Khumbu glacier that is melting rapidly. A new site needs to be found at a lower altitude where there is no year-round ice. Rising temperatures are hitting the glaciers in the Himalayas hard. NEW
17th June 2022
Some people in the ski regions of Piedmont and Lombardy have been asked to ration water in the sharpest drought in the area for 70-years. It follows one of the worst winters for snow in recent years. UPDATED
16th June 2022
It’s the first time the glacier has opened in the Canadian resort since 2019. There were fears that skiing and snowboarding in the summer might be over forever. However there are restrictions and worries for the future of glacier riding.
15th June 2022
There have been huge falls of snow in Australia so far this season, but less so in New Zealand. Not any more as up to 1m has fallen in places. It comes as things get back to normal after Covid-19 with hopes high for a bumper ski season ahead. UPDATED
9th June 2022
The Molltaler glacier in Austria has announced it will not open this year. Earlier this month Val d’Isere said its glacier will remain shut.
8th June 2022
The pace of their melt is accelerating on all the continents on Earth. PlanetSKI examines the current situation, the issues at stake and looks at some of the latest research.
8th June 2022
Resorts in Australia re open with record breaking falls of snow. In New Zealand some snow is now falling as its resorts prepare for the start of the ski season. The last two seasons have been severely disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions and hopes are high for this winter. UPDATED
2nd June 2022
The Pisaillas glacier was due to open on June 11th. Poor snow cover means skiing & snowboarding will not take place this year and the glacier will remain shut. Some see it as a sign of the times as climate change impacts.
31st May 2022
Perisher in New South Wales has fired up its lifts, plus Falls Creek, Mount Hotham, and Mount Buller in Victoria. It bodes well for the ski season that sees the borders open to international travellers for the first time since the pandemic. UPDATED
22nd May 2022
A handful of ski resorts will be open this weekend for Memorial Day celebrations. Some have seen some fresh snow and one has said it will be open into June. Check out the latetest… UPDATED
19th May 2022
Many resorts have them but Sunshine in Alberta, Canada was one of the first. It’s three years since the last one took place due to Covid-19 & this season it ran for the 92nd time. UPDATED
17th May 2022
Skiing and snowboarding is going to carry on in the US resort until at least June 5th as good late season conditions continue. A few other resorts in North America are hoping to remain open for the next few weeks. UPDATED
15th May 2022
That’s the stark warning from the head of the World Meteorological Organisation, WMO, as global warming takes its toll. Glacier skiing continues in the Alps this summer but there are worries about for how much longer.
15th May 2022
The bounce back from the pandemic was better than hoped for and came during a poor season for snowfall. Resorts claim it bodes well for the future, despite some concerns.
6th May 2022
More snow is falling in Colorado and one resort claims it now has the best conditions of the season. Snow is also falling across the globe in Australia as resorts prepare to open next month. UPDATED
23rd April 2022
It’s a final spring fling on the slopes for PlanetSKI’s Chief Reporter. A couple of days in the resort that has the highest skiing in France seems as good a place as any to end the season. Even better if there’s some powder skiing to be had.
23rd April 2022
We’re about to ski in one of the most northerly ski resorts in Europe, Narvik in northern Norway. It is worth a visit for the flight alone.
22nd April 2022
We are out in the mountains enjoying the spring skiing. We’ve had some turbulent weather in the French Alps followed by a bonus dump of late season fresh snow. We are also in Norway and Sweden deep inside the Arctic Circle. UPDATED
18th April 2022
Low levels of snow across the Swiss Alps and some generally stable conditions prevailed according to a new report from the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research based in Davos. There were though times of critical danger.
11th April 2022
They were in a party of six in Chamonix, France, with a guide when the avalanche struck. An investigation is continuing. It’s the latest in a numbers of avalanches in the north western Alps. UPDATED
10th April 2022
One was buried under the snow for 15 minutes while the other managed to free himself. 50 people were involved in the rescue operation on Saturday. On Sunday a skier was dug out of an avalanche in Tignes. UPDATED
8th April 2022
The Canadian resort has expressed its deepest sympathy to the victim’s family & friends. An investigation is underway. It comes as three ski tourers died in an avalanche in Norway.
7th April 2022
There are some decent spring conditions at altitude, but it is soft and slushy lower down with the warm weather taking its toll. The temperatures are about to drop over the next few days with some light snow around. PlanetSKI will be in the French Alps this week and inside the Arctic Circle in Norway. UPDATED
23rd March 2022
Significant amounts of snow have fallen across the Alps with some areas reporting well in excess of 50cm. It is very welcome after a prolonged dry spell with spring conditions on the slopes. It bodes well for the start of the Easter break that is getting underway. UPDATED
3rd March 2022
The clear weather and blue sky is back in the Alps after the sand from the Sahara passes. There’s precious little snow in the forecast with temperatures remaining mild. We report from the Austrian Alps and on recent conditions in Scotland. UPDATED
18th February 2022
There is settled and clear weather across the Alps. PlanetSKI moved across Italy from the Aosta Valley in the west, to The Dolomites in the east at the end of last week. Now we have arrived in the Tirol in Austria for an extended stay. UPDATED
14th February 2022
Two men died in Switzerland and others were caught in separate slides in Austria but were rescued. With the busy half-term week underway the danger is ‘considerable’ in places with caution urged. UPDATED
8th February 2022
There are warnings of a continued high risk of deadly avalanches in the Alps with the authorities in the Tirol saying have had an unprecedented number of incidents. The warnings follow the deaths of 13 people in avalanches in the Alps since Friday. The latest fatalities are two young Dutch skiers who died in France. UPDATED
7th February 2022
There has been some fresh snow in parts of the Alps with changeable weather. PlanetSKI is back in the Aosta Valley in Italy where there has been a bit of fresh snow as the half-term week continues. UPDATED
5th February 2022
In the worst incident 5 people died near the town of Spiss in the Tirol near the Swiss border. The people caught were a group of Swedish ski tourers. Investigations are underway into all three fatal avalanches. UPDATED
30th January 2022
There has been some fresh snow in parts of the Alps, but also some high winds in places. PlanetSKI’s main team is in the windy part, rather than the snowy part. Check out the latest… UPDATED
18th January 2022
Many parts are seeing further sunshine and PlanetSKI reports again from the slopes of the Alps. Our teams have been in France, Italy and Switzerland today. Fresh snow may be needed but there is still plenty of great skiing to be had. UPDATED
5th January 2022
It’s not enough yet to allow for extensive skiing and snowboarding but resorts in Scotland are opening some slopes. They hope they’ll soon be able to open up more terrain. UPDATED
5th January 2022
It’s sunshine all the way across most of the Alps. It’s been cold but now it’s turned milder and there’s no sign of any significant snowfall in the forecast. UPDATED
30th December 2021
The warm weather in the Alps is finally set to change with a cold front approaching from the North. It is bringing some snow. In North America after record snowfalls and plunging temperatures the sun is finally making an appearance. UPDATED
20th December 2021
Record amounts of snow are falling in parts of the USA with temperatures dropping to -30c in some Canadian ski resorts. In Europe it is the opposite with mild temperatures and rain at lower levels in some resorts. UPDATED
