WeLove2Ski Snow Report

In today’s report we catch up on conditions across Europe, North America and Asia over the weekend, with big snowfall in the French & Spanish Pyrenees, the Pacific Northwest of the US, and across Japan.

Traveling with young family this Winter? Jen Tsang in La Plagne has you covered.

What is a ‘powder pig’?

And where’s the snow going to land this week? We’ve scoured the internet to give you the best recommendations.

Now on with the snow!

Latest Reports

In the Alps it’s been a mix of sunshine and new snowfall with low temperatures and freezing levels dropping to around 1,700m.

Grand Bornand Snow Report

The pistes are in great shape with a decent coverage, but limited run for early season skiers.

Vist the Grand Bornand

Sestriere Snow Report, Italy

Phil Brown sent us this report from Sestriere, Italy which is part of the Via Lattea / Milky Way Ski Area. He was there for the UK Independent Schools Ski Championships.

https://www.impulse-racing.co.uk/

Valtourneche Snow Report, Italy

Otherworldly conditions at Valtourneche in the Aosta Valley, Italy

Val d’Aran Snow Report, Spain

Aymar Navarro getting pitted near Baqueira Beret, Spain

Grand Tourmalet Snow Report, France

A great Opening Weekend in the French Pyrenees

Bjelasnica Snow Report, Bosnia

Bjelasnica is open day & night

Erciyes Snow Report, Turkiye

It’s been a great start to the season in Erciyes Ski Resort, Turkiye

In the Pacific Northwest of Northern California, Oregon and Washington it’s been four days of storms with over 1m of snow falling.

Sugar Bowl Snow Report, California, USA

The snow tap has stayed on across Japan with big accumulations in both the Hakuba Valley and the Northern island of Hokkaido.

Hakuba Valley Snow Report, Honshu, Japan

Niseko United Snow Report, Hokkaido, Japan

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Where To Ski

The largest connected ski area in the world – Les Trois Vallees / The Three Valleys in the Tarentaise, France – retains its Number 1 spot in the World for open terrain with 274km of piste on offer (70/156 lifts; 274/600km piste; 85-130cm base). This represents just under half of what’s available across the ski area.

Verbier / 4 Vallees (40/68 lifts; 195/412km piste; 30-60cm base); Ischgl, Austria (36/46 lifts; 190/239km piste; 20-50cm base); Zermatt-Matterhorn, Switzerland/Italy (35/51 lifts; 180/322km piste; 15-150cm base) and Val Gardena, Italy (73/79 lifts; 175/181km piste; 50-50cm base) round out the Top 5.

The Alps

Austria still leads the world with the total number of ski areas open at 138 – with 33 ski areas offering 30km or more of pisted terrain.

After heavy snowfall last week, Les Sybelles (44/68 lifts; 121/310km piste; 15-65cm base) and Grand Tourmalet (14/30 lifts; 65/100km piste; 40-40cm base) are offering great piste skiing with France offering a total of 59 ski areas open for daily operations.

Italy has 59 ski areas open with Sella Nevea in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (2/10 lifts; 4/30km piste; 10-20cm base) its most easterly resort the latest addition to the roster. Sella Nevea is linked by lift to Bovec Kanin in Slovenia offering high altitude, cross border skiing with spectacular views. Hopefully the connection will open soon.

Switzerland now has 60 resorts open for daily operations with Arosa entering the Top 5 for most available terrain (25/43 lifts; 79/225km piste; 50-50cm base).

Skigebiet-Winklmoosalm (9/14 lifts; 35/42km piste; 5-55cm base) has the most terrain available in Germany which now has 25 resorts open for daily operations.

After a slow start all three of Andorra’s ski areas – Pal/Arinsal, Grandvalira, and Ordino Arcalis – are open for the Winter with Pal/Arinsal (26/31 lifts; 62/63km piste; 40-80cm base) offering 98% of its pisted terrain.

Eastern Europe

Recent snowfall and temperatures cold enough for artificial snow making has allowed the following resorts to offer limited piste skiing, the exception being Bansko, Bulgaria which has 60km of pisted terrain open :

Bansko, Bulgaria

Bosnia and Herzegovina : Bjelasnica, Jahorina

Bulgaria : Bansko, Pamporovo

Czechia : Cerna hora–Janske Lazne, Certova hora–Harrachov, Horni Domky–Lysa Hora, Jested–Liberec, Keilberg, Pec pod Snezkou, Spicak, Spindleruv Mlyn, Zadov–Kobyla

Georgia : Bakuriani, Goderdzi

Liechtenstein : Malbun

Poland : Bialka Tatrzanska, Jaworzyna Krynicka, Szczyrk Mountain Resort, Szymoszkowa, Zieleniec

Romania : Arena Platos, Harghita Bai, Madarasi Hargita, Poiana Brasov, Roata–Cavnic

Serbia : Kopaonik

Slovakia : Donovaly, Jasna, Rohace–Spalena, Strbske Pleso, Telgart

Slovenia : Golte, Kanin–Sella Nevea/​Bovec, Kope, Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Maribor, Rogla

Scotland : Glencoe, The Lecht

Spain : Baqueira/​Beret, Candanchu, Cerler, Formigal, Fuentes de Invierno, La Molina/​Masella–Alp2500, Sierra Nevada

Turkiye : Ejder 3200, Erciyes

The Nordic Countries

Regular natural snowfall and temperatures suitable for artificial snow making has enabled Finland’s Levi, Pyha, Ruka, Saariselka and Yllas, and Sweden’s Are, Dundret Lapland, Hemavan, Idre Fjall, Kabdalis, Klvosjo, Salen and Tarnaby to offer good but limited skiing.

Yllas, Finalnd leads the way with 22km of pisted terain available.

Norway is now up to 17 resorts open for limited piste skiing with Hemsedal offering the most terrain (11/21 lifts; 11/44km piste; 20-30cm base).

North America

Canada

Alberta has all of its seven resorts open for daily operations (Banff Sunshine, Canada Olympic Park, Castle Mountain, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin, Mt Norquay, and Nakiska) with Castle Mountain leading the way (5/6 lifts; 85/94km piste; 50-75cm base).

Whistler Blackcomb leads the British Columbia resorts for available terrain (20/27 lifts; 120/200km piste; 0-110cm base) with more terrain opening at the 15 open resorts by the day.

Thanks to recent snowfall and much colder temperatures on the East Coast Ontario’s Blue Mountain has opened for the Winter. Quebec has all five of its resorts open for the season (Le Massif, Mont-Sainte-Anne, Sommet Saint-Sauveur, Stoneham, and Tremblant).

USA

The USA drops to fifth in the world for open resorts behind Austria (138), Switzerland (60), and France & Italy (59), with 58 resorts the length and breadth of the country up and running this Winter.

Vail, Colorado, USA (19/34 lifts; 142/234km piste; 50-90cm base) offers the most pisted terrain to date.

ALASKA : Alyeska
ARIZONA : Arizona Snowbowl
CALIFORNIA : Diamond Peak, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mammoth, Northstar, Palisades Tahoe, Sierra at Tahoe, Snow Summit
COLORADO : Arapahoe Basin, Aspen, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Copper Mtn, Eldora, Keystone, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Purgatory, Snowmass, Steamboat, Telluride, Vail, Winter Park, Wolf Creek
IDAHO: Lookout Pass, Schweitzer, Tamarack
MAINE : Sugarloaf, Sunday River
MONTANA : Big Sky, Whitefish
OREGON : Mt Bachelor, Mt Hood, Timberline
NEVADA : Mt Rose
NEW HAMPSHIRE : Attitash, Loon, Wildcat Mountain
NEW MEXICO : Taos
NEW YORK : Belleayre, Whiteface-Lake Placid
UTAH : Alta, Brian Head, Brighton, Park City, Powder Mountain, Snowbird, Solitude
VERMONT : Killington, Okemo, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe
WEST VIRGINIA : Snowshoe Mountain
WYOMING : Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole
WASHINGTON : Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker

Asia

Japan

The Hakuba Valley Resorts of Tsugaike, Happo-One, and Goryu, along with Naeba, Nozawa Onsen, Shigakogen and Zao are the seven Japanese resorts on the main island of Honshu open for Winter operations.

On Hokkaido we’re up to 10 resorts open (Furano, Niseko United, Kamui, Kiroro, Kurodake, Rusutsu, Sahoro, Sapporo Kokusai, Sapporo Teine, and Tomamu) with heavy snowfall opening more and more terrain by the day.

Snow News

The Family That Plays Together, Stays Together

Based in La Plagne, France with her family Jen Tsang from https://www.instagram.com/thatslaplagne/ is back for another season of snow reports and tips to have the best family ski holiday

Here’s her latest snow report

And invaluable advice for getting your kit ready for the Winter

If you’re heading to La Plagne this season or hitting the slopes with little ones then be sure to follow her on Instragram

This past weekend saw the 61st Breckenridge Ullr Fest in Breckenridge, Colorado, USA where locals & visitors praised Ullr, the Norse God of Snow in the hope of a snow filled season.

A ‘powder pig’ is the derisory slang term for a skier or snowboarder who always hogs first turns in the powder but this group of ski tourers in France’s Haute Pyrenees experienced the literal translation this past weekend.

Thankfully neither man nor beast (wild boar) was injured in this unexpected rendezvous

World Snow Forecast For the Next 3-4 Days

The first half of this week we’ll see a brief spike in temperatures across most of the Alps, the Pyrenees, and Eastern Europe with sunny skies, the freezing level climbing to 3,000m, and a short freeze thaw cycle before the next storm system arrives on Thursday.

Georgia continues to see storms coming in off the Black Sea with Bakuriani set to receive 10-15cm of new snowfall. Goderdzi could see up to 50cm.

The Nordic Countries will see a significant drop in temperature with a storm system moving into Finalnd, Norway and Sweden bringing 15-30cm of new snowfall.

The Alberta and British Columbia resorts of Canada will see cloudy skies and cold temperatures with 10-15cm forecast.

Further west, Whistler Blackcomb is forecast to receive 60-70cm above mid-mountain but heavy rain at village level unfortunately.

Temperatures have dropped on the East Coast with Tremblant and Sommet Saint-Sauveur expecting 5-10cm of snow through Thursday.

Most of the western US resorts will see continued low temperatures, sunshine and light snow flurries. Jackson Hole, Wyoming is forecast to receive 25-30cm.

The West Coast resorts of Oregon and Washington will see a storm system moving in today with up to 60cm forecast. The freezing level will rise on Wednesday which could bring rain to village level.

On the East Coast, above freezing temperatures and rain to mid-mountain will change to snowfall across the region from Wednesday.

The resorts on Japan’s main island of Honshu will see continued snowfall through Thursday with 50-70cm forecast.

The Hokkaido resorts will see a storm system moving in from today with 35-50cm forecast. It’s Prime Powder Season up north.

Where to find a detailed snow report 

There are so many great resources available on the internet for up to the minute information on snow conditions, lift status, and available terrain that this season we’re directing you to the best places to find that info and plan where to head for the best skiing.

Want to quickly know which ski resorts are open? Then head to skiresort.info. Narrow down your search by country and resort for more detailed information.

For in resort reports get the lowdown from the Ski Club of Great Britain’s reps skiclub.co.uk/snow-and-weather/

For worldwide snow forecasting start with Cardiff-based snow-forecast.com. With a massive database of resorts and free 6-day forecasts just type in where you’re going for the lowdown. Sign up for longer range forecasts and historical data.

Wepowder does what it says on the tin. Free, extensive 6-day forecasting for Europe, with a paid subscription for 14-day forecasts and Powder Alerts.

On Instagram our go to sites are Powderhounds and new ‘kid’ on the block instagram.com/imlukesnow/.

On YouTube get detailed weather analysis from https://www.youtube.com/@WeatherWatcher14