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. NEW
5th July 2022
Seven people are confirmed dead with 14 people still missing. The search continues as the bad weather has lifted. Eight are in hospital. UPDATED
5th July 2022
The Italian glacier collapse has brought fresh warnings of more to come as temperatures continue to rise. PlanetSKI examines the issues. NEW
4th July 2022
After two years of disruption due to the pandemic the southern hemisphere’s biggest snowsports event takes place August 27th to September 18th. NEW
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
27th June 2022
It’s the question we are asked most at this time of year. We’re currently hiking the South Downs Way in preparation for walking at altitude in the Alps later this summer. We’ve now done a third of the route, Eastbourne to Brighton. 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.
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
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
3rd June 2022
A new report says the melting ice, diminishing snowpack & rising temperatures means non-native plant species are growing in the Alps. It is a further sign of increasing climate change.
2nd June 2022
Arapahoe Basin in Colorado and Killington in Vermont closed on Sunday June 5th. For Killington it marks the latest time skiing has been on offer for 25-years at the east coast resort. 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.
25th May 2022
The 72-mile shoreline of the Californian lake has been cleaned in a project that started in May 2021. Lamposts, phones and engagements rings were found.
22nd May 2022
The French resort fired up some lifts on its glacier last weekend. It’s the first time the resort has opened so early for summer skiing and snowboarding. So, what is summer glacier skiing & snowboarding like?
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
16th May 2022
Winter is fast becoming a distant memory as our attentions at PlanetSKI turn to summer in the mountains. First up we look at what is on offer in one of our favourite winter destinations and where we were based for part of last winter: The Tirol in Austria.
15th May 2022
It is possible to walk down the Hahnenkamm downhill course on a summer holiday. PlanetSKI did it a few years back and it’s since become a popular attraction, with savings now on offer for this year.
15th May 2022
It’s the question we are asked most at this time of year. We’re currently hiking the South Downs Way in preparation for walking at altitude in the Alps later this summer. We’ve now done a third of the route, Eastbourne to Brighton. UPDATED
2nd October 2021
At PlanetSKI we are looking at the rules and regulations in place in the main ski nations as winter approaches. All the main ski nations have confirmed that resorts are set to open. First we look at the situation in Austria.
9th September 2021
The Victorian Government has announced that the lockdown will lift in regional Victoria, and the ski areas are able to open from Friday 10 September. Resorts in New South Wales remain closed.
2nd September 2021
Kirkwood and Heavenly say they are ‘cautiously optimistic’ as the battle against the Caldor fire appears to have been won – so far. The resorts, volunteers and fire crews have put in an heroic effort and there is now hope as the wind eases. UPDATED
31st August 2021
The cannons were turned on at Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort and with the help of fire fighting teams the resort has been saved. Kirkwood is under threat, Heavenly has been evacuated and Squaw Valley has been partially closed due to smoke. UPDATED
28th August 2021
A handful of glacier areas in the Alps have once again been protected by coverings this summer in an attempt to slow the melt. It may though just delay what is looking increasingly inevitable and it comes at a cost.
26th August 2021
PlanetSKI’s intrepid Switzerland reporter, Catie Friend, has been on a women-only expedition to the summit of the Breithorn. It was part of a wider challenge for all-women teams to climb the 48 4,000+ meter mountains in Switzerland this summer: Part Two.
23rd August 2021
PlanetSKI’s intrepid Switzerland reporter, Catie Friend, has been on a women-only expedition to the summit of the Breithorn. It was part of a wider challenge for all-women teams to climb the 48 4,000+ meter mountains in Switzerland this summer. Part One.
23rd August 2021
Some areas in Chile and Argentina have seen over 1m with ski areas that had been forced to close for lack of snow re-opening for the final month of the season. UPDATED
23rd August 2021
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the country needed to be “cautious”. The nationwide lockdown has been extended by three days until midnight on 27 August.
18th August 2021
Large numbers of French people are opting against travelling abroad and taking a holiday in their own country. The Alps and the Pyrenees are proving to be particularly popular.
15th August 2021
The rules change means some late summer travel is now easier if people have been double vaccinated or meet other health requirements. It bodes well for the start of the ski season with some glacier resorts opening in October.
12th August 2021
People who discover archaeological relics revealed by retreating glaciers in the Swiss Alps can now use a new app to log the location and help preserve their findings.
10th August 2021
Parts of the Andes are seeing little fresh snow according to a report from the Reuters news agency.
10th August 2021
Local DJ Arthur Monné (AKA FastArthur) is performing an hour long set this Friday (August 13th), performed from a spectacular viewing platform at the summit of Pointe de Nyon. NEW
5th August 2021
Travelling from the ski nations of Europe is now a little easier for those of us in the UK. However there are still some tough restrictions on entry as the UK has one of the highest current number of cases of Covid-19 in Europe. UPDATED
22nd July 2021
Scientists say the glaciers are melting at ‘worrying rates’. The temperature at 3,000m is 6 degrees above average with large amounts of ice melting. Glaciers are melting at alarming rates across the world. UPDATED
15th July 2021
Living Wage is an independently set hourly rate, calculated to ensure a decent standard of living can be achieved by an individual.
6th July 2021
The French resort has issued this summer’s news and information to the press as a quiz. It may be currently difficult to travel there but it is still possible to find out about what’s on offer.
6th July 2021
The warm weather has been blamed on climate change, but the temperatures have now dropped with more ski areas opening.
6th July 2021
70m long strips of reflective material are being placed over the ice on the Pressena glacier to try to preserve it. Other glaciers in the Alps have also been covered with some limited success.
22nd June 2021
The authorities are urging caution after a person was caught in a summer slide earlier this month near Verbier. The 36-year-old local remains missing and the risk continues to be high in places.
10th June 2021
The lifts opened for summer skiing on the Pisaillas glacier above Val d’Isere in France at the weekend. Les2Alpes is already open and Avoriaz also opened some slopes at the weekend.
9th June 2021
There are plenty of options in the Alps – if you can get there. Our friends at Maison Sport have produced a guide to five main European glacier resorts for summer skiing.
4th June 2021
Mt Hutt in New Zealand opens on Friday with resorts in Australia firing up lifts on Saturday. However the ski state of Victoria in Australia is extending its lockdown to control the latest Covid-19 outbreak. Australia has see significant snow fall. UPDATED
1st June 2021
A landing ban comes into force in Austria and the UK is put on the list of variant virus areas. France has introduced strict new measures. Germany has done the same and we look at the rules in the other main mountains countries of Europe with the potential impact on summer tourism to the mountains.
27th May 2021
It’s June but snow conditions in the Alps are exceptional at altitude. With several resorts open and more due to open soon, there is some great skiing and snowboarding for those lucky enough to get on the slopes. UPDATED
27th May 2021
Anyone heading to the Alps or the Pyrenees mountain ranges will need to quarantine for 7-days and prove their visit is essential. The new measure comes into force on Monday due to the spread of the so-called Indian variant in the UK.
21st May 2021
A few resorts are firing up their lifts this weekend, some for the first time in more than a year. Unusually wintry weather for late spring looks like providing some excellent skiing and snowboarding.
13th May 2021
The Austrian ski area joins three others in the Tirol that are currently open for spring skiing and snowboarding.
8th May 2021
More walking routes and terrain for mountain bikers, a wider selection of hotels, villas and campsites. There’s a lot that’s new for summer 2021 in the Austrian Tirol.
30th April 2021
If you like your summer holidays as active as your winter ski trips, here are some mountain ideas for when travel opens up.
28th April 2021
Hotels, accommodation providers and businesses can reopen on May 19th. Some glacier skiing is hoped to be on offer too with other summer activities available. We also look at the situation in some of the other ski nations of Europe. UPDATED
24th April 2021
The Austrian resort of Ischgl and the Paznaun Valley provide the backdrop for these summer adventure hikes.
23rd April 2021
Winter was cancelled. Summer is a hope. If you are able to head across the Channel in 2021, Morzine in the French Alps is a great choice. It’s easily accessible by car and a short hop from Geneva. And there’s a whole lot to do there in summer.
22nd April 2021
The Transport Select Committee says a report by the Government’s Global Travel Taskforce gives “insufficient” detail to allow for travel on 17th May.
20th April 2021
Scotland is open, with a further easing of Covid-19 restrictions coming into force on Monday 26th April. The nation is an option for spring and summer holidays, but it’s come too late for the Scottish ski industry.
9th April 2021
People in England can start thinking about booking foreign holidays again this summer. The government has unveiled further details of its traffic light system, though there is criticism of the testing costs and most European countries still have high levels of Covid-19.
6th April 2021
It bodes well for the approaching ski season Down Under and could be a model used in Europe as well to help people get to the mountains later in the summer if cases fall in Europe. No quarantine will be required.
20th March 2021
The card will be for vaccinated people, those who have had the virus & people who have tested negative. It’s hoped it will help re-start tourism but much depends on whether countries will allow their citizens to visit Austria as it has rising levels of Covid-19, with only 9% of the country vaccinated.
14th March 2021
British Airways is the latest and follows Ryan Air, plus others. Will this mean summer travel from the UK is more likely to the mountains and other destinations?
