In the past few days more than half-a-dozen ski areas in Canada, Italy and the USA have announced they’ll be opening early.
In most cases it’s thanks to the heavy snow that fell at the weekend and start of this week on ski slopes in Europe and North America. Up to a metre of snow was reported in the Austrian Alps and the Canadian Rockies.
In Canada the two Banff resorts that have not yet opened, and were due to this Friday, have announced they’ll be opening today and tomorrow instead.
Lake Louise will open today, Sunshine tomorrow. The BC Coastal resort of Cypress Mountain (pictured top) has announced it will open at the weekend – the first in the province to do so and its third earliest opening ever.
In Italy the slopes at Passo Tonale will open this weekend with a special low lift ticket price of 27 Euros. Other Italian resorts Bormio and Livigno have also hinted that they may open soon too.
In the USA the first ski areas to open on the East Coast will be Mount Snow in Vermont and Wildcat in New Hampshire, both opening on Saturday too, but in their cases thanks to snowmaking. It will be one of the earliest openings for Wildcat in the past decade, and one of the earliest opening dates on record for Mount Snow.
“Wildcat has always been known for its early openings, and we’re thrilled to continue the tradition,” stated Brian Heon, general manager of Wildcat. “I can’t wait to welcome back everyone as we kick off our 60th season here at Wildcat.”