WeLove2Ski Snow Report 20 January 2025
In today’s report we catch up on conditions across Europe, North America and Asia with great powder turns in Austria, Canada, Greece, and Japan.
With fewer sales than the previous winter for the first time since its launch in 2008 is the Epic Pass losing its lustre?
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!
Featured Snow Report
I followed my own advice and my partner Nerys & I headed to where the snow was falling last week as we enjoyed a snowy & sunny first trip to Borovets, Bulgaria with Crystal Ski Holidays.
And we weren’t disappointed.
A wonderful stay at the Lion Hotel with great food; very welcoming locals; and terrain which belies it’s beginner, family-friendly tag.
Colour us impressed and we highly recommended this wonderful little resort which skis very, very big.
Interested in visiting?
Check out the holidays available with Crystal Ski
Borovets Snow Report, Bulgaria
World Snow Forecast For the Next 3-4 Days
https://www.snow-forecast.com/
The European resorts will see sunshine and the freezing level dropping below 2,000m over the next three to four days, with a chance of a storm moving through on Wednesday afternoon.
Andorra and the French & Spanish Pyrenees will see similar conditions.
Formigal, Spain could see 10-15cm; and Prato Nevoso, Italy is forecast to receive 25-30cm through Thursday.
Further east Goderdzi, Georgia will see 5-10cm today on top of the 40cm which fell over the weekend.
The Nordic countries of Finland, Norway and Sweden will see continued cold temperatures and the chance of 5-10cm through Thursday. Are and Kittelfjall, Sweden could see 20-25cm. Further north Akureyri, Iceland could see 15-20cm today on top of the 30cm which fell over the weekend.
The Alberta and British Columbia resorts of Canada will see cloudy skies and cold temperatures with light snow flurries.
Temperatures will remain cold on the East Coast with Blue River, Ontario expecting 5-10cm of new snow.
Most of the western US resorts will see continued double digit below zero temperatures and light snow flurries.
The West Coast resorts of California, Oregon and Washington will see freeze thaw conditions and sunshine through Thursday.
Alyeska, Alaska could see 35-40cm of new snow.
Temperatures will remain cold on the East Coast with sunshine and 5-10cm of snow forecast.
The resorts on Japan’s main island of Honshu and the northern island of Hokkaido will see a brief respite from the ‘Japanuary’ storms with 10-15cm forecast through Thursday.
Latest Snow Reports
Thinking of heading beyond the pistes? Jen Tsang from thatslaplagne has been brushing up on her backcountry skills and knowledge with Oxygene Ski School
La Plagne Snow Report, France
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Conditions are still great in the Arlberg, Austria
Arlberg Snow Report, Austria
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In British Columbia, Canada the conditions have been ‘powtastic’
Fernie Snow Report, BC, Canada
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The snow tap has stayed on across Japan with big accumulations on Honshu and the Northern island of Hokkaido.
Seki Onsen Snow Report, Honshu, Japan
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Floating in the Central Hokkaido fluff
Central Hokkaido Snow Report, Japan
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Snow News
Is The Ski World Looking a Little Less Epic?
For the first time since the pass’ 2008 debut, Vail Resorts sold fewer 2024-25 Epic Passes than it had for the previous season.
Read on to find out if it’s the beginning of the end.
Scotty James racked up a record breaking fourth win at the Laax Snowboard Half Pipe final in Switzerland.
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Should you invest in custom foot beds to improve the fit of your ski boots? Hear what the The Skier’s Lounge has to say on the matter.
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When the mercury drops don’t forget to put on an extra layer.
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Where To Ski
Les Portes du Soleil, France retains the Number 1 spot in the World for open terrain with 525km of piste on offer (156/165 lifts; 525/580km piste; 100-110cm base).
Les 3 Vallees, France (153/156 lifts; 500/600km piste; 150-210cm base); Verbier / 4 Vallees (67/68 lifts; 305/412km piste; 40-100cm base); Tignes/Val D’Isere, France (73/84 lifts; 270/300km piste; 90-175cm base); and St Anton (84/85 lifts; 259/299km piste; 35-165cm base) round out the Top 5.
The European Alps
Austria holds first place in the world for the total number of ski areas open at 187 – with 15 ski areas offering 100km or more of pisted terrain.
France now has 23 ski areas offering 100km or more of pisted terrain from a total of 81 ski areas open for daily operations.
Italy now has a total of 75 ski areas open, with 8 ski areas offering 100km or more of pisted terrain. Via Lattea / Milky Way has the most terrain available (47/70 lifts; 210/400km piste; 70-75cm base)
Switzerland now has 9 ski areas offering 100km or more of pisted terrain from a total of 87 resorts open for daily operations.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (18/18 lifts; 40/40km piste; 15-100cm base) has the most terrain available in Germany which now has 92 resorts open for daily operations.
The Rest of Europe
All three of Andorra’s ski areas – Pal/Arinsal, Grandvalira, and Ordino Arcalis – are open for the Winter, with Grandvalira offering the most pisted terrain (61/74 lifts; 141/215km piste; 40-95cm base).
Regular snowfall and temperatures cold enough for artificial snow making has allowed the following resorts to offer very good but limited piste skiing, the exceptions being Baqueira Beret (125km), Formigal (52km) & La Molina/Masella Alp 2500 (63km) all in Spain; Bansko (74km) & Borovets (56km) both in Bulgaria the only resorts offering 50km or more of pisted terrain :
Bosnia and Herzegovina : Bjelasnica, Jahorina
Bulgaria : Bansko, Borovets, Pamporovo, Vitosha
Czechia : Cerna hora–Janske Lazne, Certova hora–Harrachov, Horni Domky–Lysa Hora, Jested–Liberec, Keilberg, Lipno, Paseky nad Jizerou, Pec pod Snezkou, Spicak, Spindleruv Mlyn, Zadov–Kobyla
Georgia : Bakuriani, Goderdzi, Gudauri, Hatsvali, Tetnuldi
Greece : 3-5 Pigada, Falakro, Kaimaktsalan, Parnassos, Vasilitsa
Liechtenstein : Malbun
Poland : Bialka Tatrzanska, Jaworzyna Krynicka, Szczyrk Mountain Resort, Szymoszkowa, Zieleniec
Portugal : Serra da Estrela
Romania : Arena Platos, Harghita Bai, Madarasi Hargita, Poiana Brasov, Roata–Cavnic
Serbia : Kopaonik
Slovakia : Bachledova/Jezersko/Frankova, Donovaly, Jasna, Rohace–Spalena, Strbske Pleso, Telgart
Slovenia : Golte, Kanin–Sella Nevea/Bovec, Kope, Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Maribor, Rogla, Vogel
Scotland : Cairngorm Mountain, Glenshee, The Lecht
Spain : Baqueira/Beret, Candanchu, Cerler, Formigal, Fuentes de Invierno, La Molina/Masella–Alp2500, San Isidro, Sierra Nevada
Turkiye : Ejder 3200, Erciyes, Sarakamis
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.
Are, Sweden leads the way with 65km of pisted terain available (30/35 lifts; 65/91km piste; 45-80cm base).
Norway is now up to 17 resorts open for limited piste skiing with Trysil offering the most terrain (25/32 lifts; 38/78km piste; 35-50cm 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 Lake Louise leading the way (12/12 lifts; 132/139km piste; 50-95cm base).
Whistler Blackcomb leads the British Columbia resorts for available terrain (24/27 lifts; 186/200km piste; 0-165cm base) with 6 other ski areas offering 100km or more of pisted terrain from a total of 17 open for daily operations.
On the East Coast Ontario’s Blue Mountain is open for daily operations. 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 holds second place in the world for open resorts (178) behind Austria (187), but ahead of Japan (171), Germany (92), Switzerland (87), France (81), and Italy (75).
Park City, Utah (40/42 lifts; 250/250km piste; 130-130cm base) has the most pisted terrain on offer, with 17 other ski areas offering 100km or more of pisted terrain.
ALASKA : Alyeska, Eaglecrest
ARIZONA : Arizona Snowbowl, Sunrise Park
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, Sun Valley, Tamarack
MAINE : Sugarloaf, Sunday River
MONTANA : Big Sky, Bridger Bowl, Discovery, Whitefish
OREGON : Mt Bachelor, Mt Hood, Timberline, Wilamette Pass
NEVADA : Diamond Peak, Lee Canyon, Mt Rose
NEW HAMPSHIRE : Attitash, Bretton Woods, Cannon Mountain, Loon, Waterville Valley, Wildcat Mountain
NEW MEXICO : Angel Fire, Pajarito, Taos
NEW YORK : Belleayre, Holiday Valley, Hunter Mountain, Windham, Whiteface-Lake Placid
UTAH : Alta, Beaver, Brian Head, Brighton, Deer Valley, Park City, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Snowbird, Solitude, Sundance
VERMONT : Bolton Valley, Jay Peak, Killington, Mad River Glen, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe, Stratton, Sugarbush
WEST VIRGINIA : Canaan Valley, Snowshoe Mountain
WYOMING : Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole
WASHINGTON : Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker, Stevens Pass
Asia
Japan
The Hakuba Valley Resorts along with Aomori Springs, Appi, Geto Kogen, Gunma, Hakkoda, Kagura, Lotte Arai, Madarao, Myoko, Naeba, Nozawa Onsen, Seki Onsen, Shigakogen, Yuzawa and Zao are the 16 most popular Japanese ski areas on the main island of Honshu out of a total of 130 open for Winter operations.
On Hokkaido the 10 most popular resorts (Furano, Niseko United, Kamui, Kiroro, Kurodake, Rusutsu, Sahoro, Sapporo Kokusai, Sapporo Teine, and Tomamu) are opening more and more terrain by the day. There are a total of 41 ski areas open for Winter operations on Hokkaido.
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