The third Thursday in November marks the Thanksgiving long weekend celebrations in the United States, with most Americans spending family time at home enjoying the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner followed by the big American Football match ups on the TV.
But in the mountains it’s an entirely different affair.
This is the first big holiday in the US and Canadian winter calendar, with resorts hoping to bring in the winter season with a bang.
Thanks to sophisticated snow making systems, cold temperatures and natural snowfall, resorts across the US and Canada have already opened, with more opening in the coming days.
Earlier this week, Heavenly and Palisades Tahoe (California); Beaver Creek, Crested Butte, Steamboat (Colorado); Big Sky (Montana); Wildcat (New Hampshire) and Stratton (Vermont) opened for the season.
And in the coming days they’ll be joined by Bear Mt, Northstar, Snow Summit (California); Snowmass and Aspen Mountain (Colorado); Sun Valley (Idaho); Taos (New Mexico); Alta (Utah); Mt Snow (Vermont); and Jackson Hole (Wyoming).
North of the border Whistler Blackcomb (BC) and Tremblant (Quebec) bring the Canadian contingent to eight.
Not to be outdone, Ischgl in Austria opens today with Sportgastein, Obertauern, Leogang opening on Friday.
In Italy, Cortina, Kronplatz, Fiemme/Obereggen in the Dolomiti Superski open for the season on Friday.
There’s been lots of snowfall in Andorra and the Pyrenees, and in the eastern European countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Serbia.
It won’t be long before we see these countries open for business.
In racing news, Killington, Vermont hosts the Stifel Killington Cup this weekend where the Women’s Slalom and Giant Slalom races will be contested.
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.
WHAT’S OPEN NOW
There’s been plenty of fresh snow falling across the Alps the past 3-4 days with superb skiing on offer at altitude.
AUSTRIA
Gurgl (18/26 lifts; 82/112km piste; 10-75cm base), Hintertux (16/21 lifts; 48/60km piste; 0-110cm base), Ischgl (34/46 lifts; 131/239km piste; 5-50cm base), Kaunertal (5/7 lifts; 31/55km piste; 65-190cm base), Kitzbuhel (2 lifts; 2 piste), Kitzsteinhorn (3/3 lifts; 40-45cm base), Molltaler (5/9 lifts; 16/36km piste; 0-70cm base), Pitztal (6/7 lifts; 15/41km piste; 5-120cm base), Schladming (4/47 lifts; 5/123km piste; 0-40cm base), Solden (22/31 lifts; 100/143km piste; 5-170cm base), Stubai (18/26 lifts; 39/68km piste; 10-110cm)
FRANCE
Tignes (3/79 lifts; 3/300km piste; 55-150cm base), and Val Thorens (6/156 lifts; 13/600km piste; 40-100cm base)
ITALY
Cervinia (12/51 lifts; 30/322km piste; 0-200cm base), Livigno (4/32 lifts; 3/115km piste; 15-25cm base), Passo Tonale (3/30 lifts; 5/100km piste; 80-120cm base), and Solda (5/11 lifts; 20/44km piste; 100-120cm base)
SWITZERLAND
Andermatt (3/4 lifts; 10/31km piste; 5-90cm base), Davos (12/18 lifts; 10/96km piste; 5-75cm base), Engelberg-Titlis (6/17 lifts; 4/80km piste; 10-40cm base), Glacier 3000 (4/5 lifts; 5/7 slopes; 0-60cm base), Saas Fee (8/23 lifts; 32/100km; 10-125cm base), Verbier (4/73 lifts; 18/358km piste; 10-25cm base), Zermatt (12/51 lifts; 30/332km piste; 0-200cm base).
The Nordic resorts continue to open up more terrain thanks to snowmaking and natural snowfall.
Levi (9/26 lifts; 7/38.5km piste; 15-45cm base) and Ruka (9/22 lifts; 5/19km piste; 20-30cm base) in Finland
Kvitfjell (3/14 lifts; 4/39km piste; 20-80cm base) and Trysil (2/32 lifts; 3/78km piste; 25-40cm base) in Norway
Are (4/35 lifts; 9/91km piste; 20-40cm base), Kabdalis (3/4 lifts; 6/9km piste; 40-90cm base), and Salen (4/38 lifts; 4/44 piste; 40-70cm base) in Sweden
Across the pond, snowmaking and natural snowfall has kept conditions on piste in great shape.
UNITED STATES
Heavenly (6/27 lifts; 3/94km piste; 5-50cm base), Mammoth (4/25 lifts; 6/90km piste; 35-45cm base) and Palisades Tahoe (2/43 lifts; 3/200km piste; 10-45cm base) in California.
Arapahoe Basin (2/9 lifts; 2/105km piste; 45-45cm base), Beaver Creek (3/25 lifts; 1/150km piste; 5-45cm base), Breckenridge (8/35 lifts; 3/153km piste; 30-45cm base), Copper (4/24 lifts; 4/126km piste; 30-45cm base), Crested Butte (4/14 lifts; 45-45cm base), Eldora (4/12 lifts; 50-50cm base), Keystone (7/22 lifts; 10/132km piste; 10-45cm base), Loveland (4/11 lifts; 1/93km piste; 45-45cm base), Purgatory (2/11 lifts; 10-40cm base), Steamboat (1/20 lifts; 7/165km piste; 20-40cm base), Vail (4/34 lifts; 2/234km piste; 35-45cm base), and Winter Park (6/25 lifts; 4/132km piste; 30-45cm base) in Colorado.
Sugarloaf (2/14 lifts; 8/160km piste; 15-35cm base) in Maine.
Mt Rose (3/8 lifts; 2/60km piste; 40-60cm base) in Nevada.
Wildcat (3/5 lifts; 5/25km piste; 20-40cm base) in New Hampshire.
Brian Head (2/9 lifts; 40-40cm base), Park City (8/42 lifts; 5/250km piste; 30-40cm base) and Solitude (6/9 lifts; 3/64km piste; 25-45cm base) in Utah.
Killington (2/22 lifts; 4/118km piste; 30-30cm base), Okemo (2/20 lifts; 4/70km piste; 35-40cm base), Stowe (3/13 lifts; 3/70km piste; 35-60cm base) and Sugarbush (1/18 lifts; 30-60cm base) in Vermont.
CANADA
Marmot Basin (2/7 lifts; 3/91km piste; 25-35cm base), Mt Norquay (2/6 lifts; 1/16km piste; 55-65cm base), Lake Louise (5/11 lifts; 7/139km piste; 45-45cm base) and Sunshine (5/12 lifts; 10/109km piste; 30-40cm base) in Alberta.
Sun Peaks (4/12 lifts; 5/135km piste; 20-25cm base) in BC.
Sommet-Saint-Sauveur (1/8 lift; 1/38km piste; 10-20cm base) in Quebec.
FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 3-4 DAYS
The freezing level will drop to as low as 500m across Austria, France, Italy, and Switzerland in the coming days with consistent and at times heavy snowfall.
The Nordic countries will see consistent below freezing temperatures and clear skies in the coming days, with a chance of snow.
The East coast of the US and Canada will see consistent below freezing temperatures and a little snowfall.
The Mountain states and provinces will see a small storm system roll through over the weekend bringing a healthy top up of snow.
The West Coast states and provinces will see cold & sunny conditions with little to no snowfall.
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