WeLove2Ski Snow Report Thursday 16 January 2025

In today’s report we catch up on conditions across Europe, North America and Asia with bluebird skies in Romania and great powder turns in the United States, Japan, Scotland, and Ireland!

Looking to get away this month? Then make the most of Iglu Ski’s incredible January Sales.

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

Editor Nicky found great skiing conditions in the Portes du Soleil, France earlier this week although it was a tad windy at times.

Portes du Soleil Snow Report

Should have brought my crampons!” Wind-buffed snow meant our skin track in Saint Jean d’Aulps all too quickly turned into a bootpack.”

Joel Hamilton got to tick one off his bucket list with hometown turns in the Mourne Mountains, Ireland

Mourne Mountains Snow Report, Ireland

Just over the Irish Sea, Euan Baxter enjoyed amazing sunrise powder turns in Scotland

Meall a’Bhuachaille Snow Report, Scotland

Poiana Brasov Snow Report, Romania

Snowbird, Utah, USA keeps on delivering for Luke with 21″ (53cm) of blower powder in Mineral Basin

Snowbird Snow Report, Utah, USA

The snow tap has stayed on across Japan with big accumulations on Honshu and the Northern island of Hokkaido.

Josh Fawcett trenching in the Niseko JaPOW!

Niseko Snow Report, Hokkaido, Japan

Where To Ski

Les Portes du Soleil, France retains the Number 1 spot in the World for open terrain with 565km of piste on offer (156/165 lifts; 565/580km piste; 100-110cm base).

Les 3 Vallees, France (153/156 lifts; 500/600km piste; 160-210cm 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 (85/85 lifts; 264/299km piste; 35-180cm 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 22 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 (64/74 lifts; 143/215km 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 (119km), 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; 40-50cm 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; 50-85cm base).

Whistler Blackcomb leads the British Columbia resorts for available terrain (24/27 lifts; 188/200km 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).

Snowmas, Colorado (18/20 lifts; 234/237km piste; 55-110cm base) has the most pisted terrain on offer, with 16 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.

Snow News

January Sales

Looking to get away this month? Then make the most of Iglu Ski’s incredible January Sales.

Iglu Ski MD Simon McIntyre said, ‘There’s no doubt that the current fantastic snow conditions have triggered a surge in last minute ski bookings. So it’s a question of acting now to grab a late deal, before it’s too late. In fact, we’ve just had one of our biggest sales days since 2017. What’s more, skiers returning from incredible snowy festive trips are already rushing to book for winter 25/26, which is selling fast ’.

To find the deals, please click the link

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There’s a moose loose…at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA.

Sick and tired of shoveling the drive in Winter? Here’s the solution.

World Snow Forecast For the Next 3-4 Days

The European resorts will see a combination of sunshine and the freezing level rising to 2,000m over the next three to four days bringing freeze thaw conditions.

Andorra and the French & Spanish Pyrenees will see similar conditions.

Further east, Georgia will see heavy snowfall through the weekend with Goderdzi forecast to receive 35-40cm.

After almost a week of warm weather and freeze thaw conditions the Nordic countries of Finland, Norway and Sweden will see the mercury drop on Sunday evening. Narvik, Norway is forecast to receive 60-65cm.

The Alberta resorts of Canada will see cloudy skies and cold temperatures with 5-15cm forecast.

The British Columbia resorts will see light snow flurries with a mix of sunshine and cloud and a possible accumulation of 5-10cm through Monday.

Temperatures will remain cold on the East Coast with Tremblant and Sommet Saint-Sauveur expecting 10-15cm of new snow.

Most of the western US resorts will see continued double digit below zero temperatures and 5-10cm of snowfall.

The West Coast resorts of California, Oregon and Washington will see freeze thaw conditions and sunshine through Monday.

Alyeska, Alaska could see 30-35cm 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 will see continued snowfall through Monday with 35-45cm forecast. Akita Hachimantai is forecast to receive 60-65cm.

The Hokkaido resorts are forecast to receive 35-40cm of new snow. Kiroro could see 50-55cm.