(Big White in BC this week)
It’s been a moderate first week of 2015 with less snow than the last week of 2014, but still at least some snow in many areas to freshen up pistes.
In Europe Austria has had the most fresh snow but there have been top ups at higher elevations in other countries, however French, Italian and Western Swiss areas could definitely do with more still. No fresh snow in the Pyrenees but conditions remain largely good and in the Dolomites most slopes are open thanks to snowmaking.
It’s mixed picture in Scotland with extreme weather the main issue, still good in Scandinavia and across the Atlantic there have been big snowfalls in Western Canada and good snowfalls in New England and Quebec too.
Austria
Austrian ski centres have had the best snowfall of the last week with accumulations of up to 50cm, most of it falling on Sunday/Monday. Kaprun and Saalbach were among the big winners along with Overtauern (pictured). The snow means conditions are good from top to bottom at most areas, with most villages having at least a foot (30cm) of snow at the base of the lifts and double or triple that on higher runs.
France
There’s been moderate snowfall in the past week, although most of the new snow that has fallen has been above 2000m where up to 25cm has been reported at resorts including Val Thorens. Generally on piste conditions are good with little or no freeride skiing available. Most resorts do have adequate top to bottom cover though. The image is from Paradiski.
Italy
Italian slopes are perhaps most in need of a good dump of snow after missing out for a second week while areas further north got at least some, and in some cases quite a lot of snow. The giant Dolomiti Superski area is keen to stress that even with limited cover their massive snowmaking system means that around 90% of their 1200km or so of piste are able to open anyway. Some resorts on the country’s border like Cervinia and la Thuile (pictured) have had 20-30cm of new snow and bases are adequate to good at most resorts. They could just do with more!
Switzerland
Swiss areas are largely in good shape with most resorts receiving between 5 and 25cm of fresh snow earlier this week. Most have top to bottom coverage and a decent base even down at resort level. Upper run depths are among the best in Europe with around 2m at Saas Fee, Zermatt (pictured – as you can spot from the mountain…) and Laax and nearer 3m at Andermatt and Engelberg.
Pyrenees
Conditions on the slopes of the Pyrenees are largely good despite a lack of fresh snow this week. Snowfall through December means depths are good from top to bottom of the pistes, with Baquieira Beret, Spain’s largest resort celebrating 50 years in business this year, reporting record visitor numbers over New Year. Areas in Andorra look good too, here’s a picture fro Vallnord today.
Eastern Europe
Up to a foot of fresh snow in Eastern Europe has improved conditions a lot in the region, with slopes in Bulgaria in the best shape they’ve been all season. Borovets has had 25cm of fresh snow and upper slope base depths at Bansko (pictured) have passed the metre mark.
Scandinavia
Conditions remain good in Scandinavia after consistent cold weather and another 10 – 20cm of snow across the region. Most centres have 50-100cm bases, which are good for the area, and Voss in Norway (pictured) continues to see the biggest snowfalls and deepest base in the area at nearly 2m.
Scotland
Scottish ski areas have seen some of the most extreme weather for some years in the past 24 hours, with gales gusting at more than 100mph leading to road closures due to fallen trees and power outages across Northern Scotland. Prior to this there had also been a thaw leaving only limited cover ay Cairngorm and Glenshee and Caingorm unable to operate. Glencoe (pictured when still open earlier this week) and Nevis Range on the West were looking better. The centres are stormbound at present but there has been fresh snow in the East with the Glenshee road blocked by snow this morning so there may be better conditions and more centres open when the storms end at the weekend.
Canada
Another snowy week in Canada – more so than in any other country in the world. Many areas in BC received two to three feet (60-90cm) of fresh snow with Whistler particularly excited by their accumulations. The picture is from Revelstoke. It’s mid-winter conditions with deep powder from top to bottom at almost all centres. On the East It’s looking good in Quebec too with Mont Sainte Anne reporting significant snow too and one of the country’s deepest bases at around 2m.
USA
Jackson Hole (pictured) has had an amazing week with 5 feet of snow in the last seven days, much of that in the past four, it’s resulting 2,2m base is by far the deepest in the country now and its snowfall this week was more than four times that of any other major ski area in the country. There was not much snowfall elsewhere in Western USA although conditions remain good thanks to prior snowfall in Colorado and Utah. On the East Coast conditions have improved a lot after up to a foot of snow fell in many areas after a Christmas week thaw.
