a skier in light powder, a chairlift in the distance overhead
Snow Report

Christmas Has Come Early | Snow Report

mountain sunset casts a golden glow over the ski area of Kronplatz
Kronplatz

It’s one month to Christmas Day, but for those fortunate to live close to the mountains or those who’ve been able to take an early season trip to the slopes then Christmas has come early.

The number of resorts that are open each day combined with those on limited weekend opening has passed the 100 mark, with some of the best November conditions in decades.

There’s been plenty of fresh snow falling across the Alps the past 3-4 days with superb skiing on offer at altitude.

Austria and France have seen the lion’s share, but the other Alpine countries haven’t missed out.

Here’s the breakdown of which countries are open for business:

Austria – 17
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 1
Finland – 2
France – 2
Italy – 7
Norway – 4
Sweden – 4
Switzerland – 13

USA – 38
Canada – 8

In N America and the Nordic countries it’s been limited terrain but unlimited fun on offer, with cold temperatures and snow making transforming the landscape.

For the main players – Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland – the combination of snow making and regular snowfall has seen far more terrain with which to play on and even some excellent off-piste turns available.

Bob and family in Verbier have been enjoying bluebird knee deep powder off Mont Gele this past weekend. In November!

In other news, Demi Lovato was the star of the show at a very snowy Top of the Mountain Opening concert in Ischgl, Austria.

In racing news, Mikaela Shiffrin recorded her 90th World Cup win this past weekend at the Stifel Killington Cup in Vermont, USA.

We’ll be posting twice weekly snow reports on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the 2023/24 Winter season, so bookmark us, or better yet subscribe to get the latest snow news and our tips for where the snow will be.

If you’re out in resort drop us a line via our social media channels to share your ‘on the snow’ experiences and photos.

a skier in light powder, a chairlift in the distance overhead
Alta, USA | Rocko Menzyk photo

WHAT’S OPEN NOW

AUSTRIA

Axamer Lizum (3/9 lifts; 9/38km piste; 25-60cm base), Bergeralm (4/7 lifts; 6/27km piste; 5-50cm base), Fieberbrunn (4/69 lifts; 4/69 piste; 0-30cm base), Gargellen (4/8 lifts; 12/37km piste; 55-100cm base), Gurgl (18/26 lifts; 82/112km piste; 20-85cm base), Hintertux (12/21 lifts; 48/60km piste; 0-110cm base), Hochfugen (3/12 lifts; 11/28km piste; 30-80cm base), Ischgl (34/46 lifts; 146/239km piste; 30-60cm base), Kaunertal (6/7 lifts; 40/55km piste; 105-230cm base), Kitzbuhel (6/56 lifts; 9/89 piste; 5-55cm base), Kitzsteinhorn (8/23 lifts; 10/61km piste; 10-190cm base), Molltaler (5/9 lifts; 16/36km piste; 60-90cm base), Obertauern (5/26 lifts; 8/100km piste; 80-110cm base), Pitztal (6/7 lifts; 15/41km piste; 15-175cm base), Schladming (4/47 lifts; 5/123km piste; 20-70cm base), Solden (22/31 lifts; 100/143km piste; 5-230cm base), Stubai (18/26 lifts; 39/68km piste; 15-145cm base).

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Jahorina (2/16 lifts; 1/20 piste; 25-30cm base).

FRANCE

Tignes (3/79 lifts; 7/300km piste; 15-150cm base), and Val Thorens (6/156 lifts; 13/600km piste; 50-110cm base).

ITALY

Cervinia (17/51 lifts; 66/322km piste; 0-200cm base), Cortina (1/27 lifts; 1/120km piste; 10-30cm base), Kronplatz (18/33 lifts; 27/78km piste; 5-60cm base), Livigno (4/32 lifts; 3/115km piste; 15-25cm base), Madonna di Campiglio (7/20 lifts; 17/59km piste; 35-50cm base), Passo Tonale (3/30 lifts; 5/100km piste; 80-120cm base), and Solda (5/11 lifts; 20/44km piste; 100-120cm base).

SWITZERLAND

Aletsch Arena (6/35 lifts; 3/105km piste; 45-65cm base), Andermatt (2/20 lifts; 12/108km piste; 20-45cm base), Arosa (8/43 lifts; 12/220km piste; 15-30cm base), Crans Montana (2/24 lifts; 9/136km piste; 20-80cm base), Davos (12/18 lifts; 24/109km piste; 45-130cm base), Engelberg-Titlis (5/13 lifts; 10/73km piste; 10-85cm base), Flims-Laax (4/26 lifts; 6/204km piste; 25-100cm base), Glacier 3000 (4/5 lifts; 5/7 slopes; 0-60cm base), Grimentz Zinal (14/21 lifts; 25/115km piste; 10-70cm base), Saas Fee (11/23 lifts; 39/100km; 60-130cm base), St Moritz (13/24 lifts; 63/163km piste; 10-90cm base), Verbier (11/67 lifts; 24/412km piste; 10-30cm base), Zermatt (9/54 lifts; 43/360km piste; 0-200cm base).

a ski area shot from above - trees dusted with snow, ski slopes looking great
Hemsedal Facebook image

The Nordic resorts continue to open up more terrain thanks to snowmaking and natural snowfall.

Levi (14/26 lifts; 11/38.5km piste; 25-50cm base) and Ruka (9/22 lifts; 9/19km piste; 20-30cm base) in Finland.

Geilo (5/20 lifts; 4/32km piste; 40-70cm base), Hemsedal (2/21 lifts; 2/44km piste; 25-35cm base), Kvitfjell (3/14 lifts; 4/39km piste; 20-80cm base) and Trysil (2/32 lifts; 7/78km piste; 25-40cm base) in Norway.

Are (5/35 lifts; 12/91km piste; 25-60cm base), Kabdalis (3/4 lifts; 6/9km piste; 40-90cm base), Salen (4/38 lifts; 4/44 piste; 40-70cm base) and Vemdalen (4/12 lifts; 5/21 piste; 40-60cm base) in Sweden.

Levi Facebook image

USA

Bear Mt (1/12 lifts; 35-35cm base), Heavenly (6/29 lifts; 3/94km piste; 50-50cm base), Mammoth (7/25 lifts; 19/90km piste; 35-45cm base), Northstar (3/15 lifts; 5-50cm base), Palisades Tahoe (2/43 lifts; 3/200km piste; 10-45cm base) and Snow Summit (1/12 lifts; 15-45cm base) in California.

Arapahoe Basin (3/9 lifts; 4/105km piste; 10-45cm base), Aspen (2/8 lifts; 30-35cm base), Beaver Creek (5/25 lifts; 5-50cm base), Breckenridge (20/35 lifts; 12/153km piste; 30-45cm base), Copper (5/24 lifts; 9/126km piste; 30-45cm base), Crested Butte (4/14 lifts; 50-55cm base), Eldora (5/12 lifts; 50-50cm base), Keystone (8/22 lifts; 13/135km piste; 10-45cm base), Loveland (4/11 lifts; 5/93km piste; 30-45cm base), Powderhorn (2/3 lifts; 75-75cm base), Purgatory (2/11 lifts; 10-40cm base), Snowmass (5/23 lifts; 40-60cm base), Steamboat (1/20 lifts; 7/165km piste; 20-40cm base), Vail (5/34 lifts; 10/234km piste; 35-45cm base), and Winter Park (8/25 lifts; 4/132km piste; 50-50cm base) in Colorado.

Sun Valley (2/18 lifts; 45-45cm base) in Idaho.

Sugarloaf (2/14 lifts; 8/160km piste; 15-35cm base) in Maine.

Big Sky (5/38 lifts; 20-30cm base) in Montana.

Mt Rose (4/8 lifts; 8/60km piste; 60-120cm base) in Nevada.

Wildcat (3/5 lifts; 5/25km piste; 20-40cm base) in New Hampshire.

Taos (4/12 lifts; 60-60cm base) in New Mexico.

Alta (1/13 lifts; 30-100cm base), Brian Head (3/9 lifts; 40-40cm base), Park City (8/42 lifts; 8/250km piste; 30-45cm base) and Solitude (6/9 lifts; 3/64km piste; 25-45cm base) in Utah.

Killington (2/22 lifts; 6/118km piste; 5-35cm base), Mount Snow (4/26 lifts; 30-30cm base), Okemo (2/20 lifts; 4/70km piste; 35-40cm base), Stowe (3/13 lifts; 3/70km piste; 35-60cm base), Stratton (4/14 lifts; 30-30cm base) and Sugarbush (1/18 lifts; 30-60cm base) in Vermont.

Jackson Hole (2/12 lifts; 5-60cm base) in Wyoming.

a stationary chairlift over a ski slope, the valley brown and blue (lake) far beneath
Mount Snow

CANADA

Marmot Basin (3/7 lifts; 12/91km piste; 25-35cm base), Mt Norquay (2/6 lifts; 1/16km piste; 65-100cm base), Lake Louise (6/11 lifts; 16/139km piste; 30-45cm base) and Sunshine (6/12 lifts; 29/109km piste; 30-40cm base) in Alberta.

Sun Peaks (4/12 lifts; 6/135km piste; 20-25cm base) and Whistler Blackcomb (11/27 lifts; 22/200km piste; 0-55cm base) in BC.

Sommet-Saint-Sauveur (3/8 lift; 1/38km piste; 15-15cm base) and Trembland (6/14 lifts; 30-30cm base) in Quebec.

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 3-4 DAYS

Austria will be enjoying excellent conditions after a big fall overnight (Sunday), where up to 90cm of new snow fell.

France and Switzerland are set to receive heavy snowfall Monday and Tuesday, with Italy getting top-ups from Thursday.

The Nordic countries will see consistent below freezing temperatures and clear skies in the coming days, with a chance of snow in Sweden.

The East coast of the US and Canada will see consistent below freezing temperatures and a little snowfall after a healthy fall last night (Sunday).

The Mountain states and provinces will see cold, clear conditions in the coming days.

The West Coast states and provinces will see cold & sunny conditions with little to no snowfall.

The tap has been turned on in Japan with significant snowfall forecast for the next 3-4 days.

a snowboarder in ankle deep pow on piste, above a ski village
Hochfugen Facebook image

About the author

Mike Richards

Welsh valleys boy born & bred, Mike now lives between Cardiff and Niseko in Hokkaido, Japan where he's a pro ski instructor. Mike came to skiing later in life at 27, with his first ski season spent as a Chalet Host in Ellmau, Austria in 1993. He's skied every year since, notching up 100+ ski areas across 21 countries and five continents, including his home hill in Brecon Beacons National Park. His personal motto - "If it's snowing, I'm going..."

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