pastel sky in what can only be Scandinavia with snow monsters (trees caked in snow) and a lone skier in red walking uphill (perhaps on snowshoe)
Snow Report

School’s Out! Well, Almost… | Snow Report

The Snow Report, 14 December 2023

This coming weekend sees the first wave of destination holidaymakers traveling to the Alps and North America for their annual snow fix.

Saturday and Sunday departures will see thousands enjoying a pre-Christmas holiday in some of the best conditions in years, especially in Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland.

Their week will start out sunny, but quickly change to heavy snow conditions by the end of the holiday.

This weekend sees the Women’s Downhill and Super G races at Val d’Isère, France; the Men’s Downhill and Super G races in Val Gardena, Italy; and the Men’s Giant Slalom from Alta Badia, Italy.

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.

night skiing trails lit up by floodlight
Hemsedal night skiing

 

WHAT’S OPEN NOW

ANDORRA

Arcalis (5/17 lifts; 8/30km piste; 20-40cm base), Grandvalira (35/74 lifts; 47/210km piste; 15-30cm base), and Valnord (20/32 lifts; 23/63km piste; 20-25cm base)

Austria Snow Report

Silvretta Arena [Ischgl, Samnaun] (37/46 lifts; 173/239km piste; 60-130cm base)
SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental (45/82 lifts; 157/270km piste; 40-65cm base)
Ski Alberg [St Anton, ​St Christoph, ​Stuben, ​Lech, Zürs, ​Warth, ​Schröcken] (61/85 lifts; 147/301km piste; 60-255cm base)
Zillertal Arena [Zell am Ziller/, Gerlos, Königsleiten, ​Hochkrimml] (32/52 lifts; 111/150km piste; 50-120cm base)
KitzSki [Kitzbühel, ​Kirchberg] (23/58 lifts; 100/188km piste; 30-75cm base)
Ski Circus [Saalbach Hinterglemm, Leogang, Fieberbrunn] (51/70 lifts; 96/270km piste; 60-100cm base)
Gurgl [Obergurgl, Hochgurgl] (19/25 lifts; 96/112km piste; 65-150cm base)
Hochkönig [Maria Alm, ​Dienten, ​Mühlbach] (25/34 lifts; 90/120km piste; 40-100cm base)
Snow Space Salzburg [Flachau, Wagrain, ​St. Johann-Alpendorf] (27/45 lifts; 72/120km piste; 50-140cm base)
Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau (16/46 lifts; 48/97km piste; 50-90cm base)
Dachstein West [Gosau, ​Russbach, ​Annaberg] (15/22 lifts; 45/51km piste; 30-90cm base)
Ski Optimal [Kaltenbach, Hochzillertal, ​Hochfügen] (11/39 lifts; 35/86km piste; 10-75cm base)

Axamer Lizum (4/9 lifts; 15/38km piste; 70-90cm base), Bad Gastein (11/18 lifts; 37/82km piste; 50-100cm base), Damuls Mellau (17/20 lifts; 58/81km piste; 100-150cm base), Hintertux (16/21 lifts; 54/62km piste; 30-185cm base), Innsbruck Igls Patscherkofel (3/7 lifts; 5/19km piste; 40-60cm base), Katschberg (14/17 lifts; 67/80km piste; 70-120cm base), Kaunertal (5/7 lifts; 41/55km piste; 1355-290cm base), Kitzsteinhorn (14/21 lifts; 29/61km piste; 15-140cm base), Kleinwalsertal (11/13 lifts; 16/28km piste; 60-100cm base), Kuhtai (10/12 lifts; 32/47km piste; 80-130cm base), Mayrhofen (16/44 lifts; 53/142km piste; 15-100cm base), Molltaler (6/9 lifts; 13/36km piste; 10-130cm base), Nassfeld (16/30 lifts; 40/110km piste; 10-55cm base), Nauders (9/11 lifts; 59/75km piste; 50-100cm base), Obertauern (25/26 lifts; 95/100km piste; 150-180cm base), Pitztal (8/12 lifts; 16/39km piste; 30-220cm base), Schladming (20/47 lifts; 70/123km piste; 50-100cm base), Schlick 2000 (6/9 lifts; 18/25km piste; 15-80cm base), Serfaus Fiss Ladis (30/38 lifts; 161/214km piste; 45-150cm base), Silvretta Montafon (11/36 lifts; 63/140km piste; 50-160cm base), Solden (27/31 lifts; 135/147km piste; 30-255cm base), Stubai (15/26 lifts; 49/68km piste; 60-210cm base), and Tauplitz (12/17 lifts; 39/43km piste; 50-130cm base)

 
a chairlift line, with a piste to one side and fresh tracks off-piste to the other
Dachstein West

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina Snow Report

Bjelasnica (2/7 lifts; 1/6 piste; 25-25cm base) and Jahorina (3/17 lifts; 14/52km piste; 25-35cm base)

Czech Republic Snow Report

Špindlerův Mlýn (6/17 lifts; 18/28km piste; 30-50cm base)

France Snow Report

Les 3 Vallees [Val Thorens, Les Menuires, ​Méribel, Courchevel] (72/156 lifts; 263/600km piste; 90-140cm base)
Tignes / Val D’Isere (34/79 lifts; 170/300km piste; 75-250cm base)

Alpe d’Huez (52/70 lifts; 102/250km piste; 50-200cm base), Avoriaz (15/165 lifts; 74/580km piste; 10-60cm base), Chamonix (3/7 lifts; 9/29 piste; 70-320cm base), Font Romeu (12/23 lifts; 27/58km piste; 40-40cm base), Isola 2000 (7/20 lifts; 26/120km piste; 45-55cm base), La Clusaz (6/6 lifts; 23/125km piste; 35-120cm base), Les 2 Alpes (24/45 lifts; 63/200km piste; 20-190cm base),  Les Angles (6/23 lifts; 15/55km piste; 40-40cm base), Montgenevre (27/70 lifts; 63/80km piste; 60-100cm base), Serre Chevalier (19/59 lifts; 45/250km piste; 30-140cm base), Valloire (5/6 lifts; 14/160km piste; 40-120cm base), Val Cenis (3/29 lifts; 46/125km piste; 20-130cm base), and Vaujany (17/17 lifts; 24/53km piste; 50-155cm base)

Germany Snow Report

Garmisch-Partenkirchen-Zugspitze (8/10 lifts; 14/20km piste; 80-260cm base), Oberstdorf / Nebelhorn (8/14 lifts; 5/34km piste; 40-100cm base), Spitzingsee (5/10 lifts; 9/15km piste; 45-90cm base), and Sudelfeld-Bayrischzell (6/13 lifts; 24/31km piste; 40-90cm base)

perfect piste under two lift lines, the valley below hidden by clouds
Kronplatz’s perfect piste

 

Italy Snow Report

Via Lattea [Sestriere, Sauze d’Oulx, ​San Sicario, ​Claviere, ​Montgenèvre] (27/69 lifts; 83/400km piste; 20-120cm base)
Monterosa Ski [Alagna Valsesia, Gressoney-La-Trinité, ​Champoluc, ​Frachey] (16/20 lifts; 78/132km piste; 40-90cm base)
3 Zinnen Dolomites [Helm, ​Stiergarten, ​Rotwand/​Kreuzbergpass] (19/20 lifts; 74/86km piste; 10-30cm base)
Latemar [Obereggen, ​Pampeago, ​Predazzo] (17/18 lifts; 45/49km piste; 20-45cm base)
Civetta [Alleghe, Selva di Cadore, Palafavera, ​Zoldo] (15/23 lifts; 28/72km piste; 5-20cm base)

Alpe di Siusi (21/21 lifts; 62/63km piste; 10-30cm base), Alta Badia (43/53 lifts; 83/130km piste; 10-40cm base), Bormio (7/14 lifts; 36/50km piste; 25-85cm base), Courmayeur (17/18 lifts; 31/42km piste; 70-110cm base), Cortina (18/27 lifts; 50/120km piste; 10-25cm base), Kronplatz (23/31 lifts; 97/121km piste; 20-60cm base), Livigno (31/32 lifts; 100/115km piste; 60-110cm base), Madesimo (8/13 lifts; 13/37km piste; 25-45cm base), Madonna di Campiglio (52/58 lifts; 116/155km piste; 30-55cm base), Meran 2000 (7/8 lifts; 36/40km piste; 25-40cm base), Passo Tonale (27/30 lifts; 60/100km piste; 40-250cm base), Pila (8/12 lifts; 20/50km piste; 30-50cm base), San Martino di Castrozza (15/21 lifts; 35/60km piste; 10-35cm base), Solda (8/11 lifts; 30/44km piste; 80-130cm base), and Val Gardena (72/77 lifts; 170/181km piste; 40-50cm base)

Poland Snow Report

Zakopane (2/4 lifts; 1/3km piste; 25-75cm base)

Romania Snow Report

Poiana Brasov (3/10 lifts; 4/14km piste; 20-30cm base)

Serbia SNow Report

Kopaonik (7/26 lifts; 6/55km piste; 5-10cm base)

A child dragging a sled on an empty ski piste under a chairlift
Kopaonik, Serbia

 

Slovakia Snow Report

Jasna (8/19 lifts; 26/45km piste; 40-60cm base)

Slovenia Snow Report

Maribor (4/16 lifts; 2/24km piste; 10-30cm base) and Vogel (1/8 lifts; 14/15km piste; 10-25cm base)

Spain Snow Report

Baqueira Beret (22/36 lifts; 57/165km piste; 10-30cm base), La Molina (13/33 lifts; 41/145km piste; 15-30cm base), and Sierra Nevada (7/24 lifts; 6/113km piste; 20-40cm base)

Switzerland Snow Report

4 Vallées [Verbier, ​La Tzoumaz, ​Nendaz/, Veysonnaz, ​Thyon] (30/67 lifts; 140/412km piste; 50-95cm base)
 
Adelboden (20/38 lifts; 48/102km piste; 25-80cm base), Aletsch Arena (17/35 lifts; 39/104km piste; 90-160cm base), Andermatt (4/20 lifts; 45/108km piste; 65-120cm base), Anzere (7/13 lifts; 26/58km piste; 40-190cm base), Arolla (4/6 lifts; 10/36km piste; 65-135cm base), Arosa Lenzerheide (21/43 lifts; 76/225km piste; 60-100cm base), Champex-Lac (4/4 lifts; 15/15km piste; 80-180cm base), Corvatsch (7/14 lifts; 60/120km piste; 40-95cm base), Crans Montana (2/19 lifts; 18/140km piste; 100-180cm base), Davos Klosters (11/18 lifts; 50/96km piste; 50-180cm base), Engelberg-Titlis (8/17 lifts; 16/80km piste; 10-125cm base), Flims Laax (7/28 lifts; 26/214km piste; 35-220cm base), Glacier 3000 (5/12 lifts; 9/31km piste; 55-225cm base), Grimentz Zinal (10/21 lifts; 23/115km piste; 30-90cm base), Grindlewald (10/23 lifts; 56/102km piste; 10-65cm base), Gstaad (5/43 lifts; 24/203km piste; 25-65cm base), Leukerbad (9/13 lifts; 23/48km piste; 45-205cm base), Murren (12/16 lifts; 30/54km piste; 55-135cm base), Saas Fee (8/23 lifts; 41/100km; 40-210cm base), St Moritz (15/23 lifts; 63/155km piste; 10-90cm base), Stoos (8/8 lifts; 21/35km piste; 60-80cm base), Zermatt (15/51 lifts; 47/322km piste; 25-200cm base)

pastel sky in what can only be Scandinavia with snow monsters (trees caked in snow) and a lone skier in red walking uphill (perhaps on snowshoe)
Yllas pastel skies and snow monsters

 

Nordic Resorts Snow Report

Levi (15/26 lifts; 13/38.5km piste; 25-50cm base), Ruka (17/22 lifts; 15/19km piste; 30-40cm base), and Yllas (19/26 lifts; 19/53km piste; 60-60cm base) in Finland

Geilo (12/20 lifts; 16/34km piste; 40-70cm base), Hafjell (11/18 lifts; 29/50km piste; 50-60cm base), Hemsedal (10/21 lifts; 16/44km piste; 30-50cm base), Kvitfjell (9/14 lifts; 23/39km piste; 20-80cm base), Myrkdalen (8/9 lifts; 13/32km piste; 40-50cm base), Oppdal (4/16 lifts; 8/56km piste; 5-25cm base), and Trysil (9/32 lifts; 32/78km piste; 35-50cm base) in Norway

Are (9/35 lifts; 41/91km piste; 35-60cm base), Kabdalis (3/4 lifts; 6/9km piste; 60-95cm base), Salen (16/40 lifts; 20/45km piste; 60-70cm base) and Vemdalen (4/12 lifts; 5/21 piste; 40-60cm base) in Sweden

Turkey Snow Report

Ejder 3200 (8/10 lifts; 14/34 piste; 10-120cm base)

two skiers make lovely technical turns on dry looking snow
Big Sky little turns

 

United States Snow Report

Alyeska (7/7 lifts; 11/62km piste; 85-220cm base) in Alaska

Heavenly (10/27 lifts; 5/94km piste; 5-55cm base), Mammoth (8/25 lifts; 14/90km piste; 30-45cm base), Northstar (8/19 lifts; 11/97km piste; 10-75cm base), Palisades Tahoe (7/43 lifts; 24/200km piste; 45-60cm base) and Snow Summit (5/12 lifts; 40-40cm base) in California

Arapahoe Basin (4/9 lifts; 7/105km piste; 40-60cm base), Aspen (5/9 lifts; 49/103km piste; 20-50cm base), Beaver Creek (12/25 lifts; 27/150km piste: 40-75cm base), Breckenridge (25/35 lifts; 33/153km piste; 45-55cm base), Copper (9/24 lifts; 25/126km piste; 40-75cm base), Crested Butte (6/14 lifts; 90-90cm base), Eldora (9/12 lifts; 50-50cm base), Keystone (15/21 lifts; 23/135km piste; 25-60cm base), Loveland (6/10 lifts; 15/93km piste; 30-50cm base), Monarch (5/6 lifts; 55-55cm base), Purgatory (2/11 lifts; 40-40cm base), Snowmass (9/20 lifts; 102-237km piste; 35-80cm base), Steamboat (15/20 lifts; 55/165km piste; 40-75cm base), Telluride (7/19 lifts; 10/88km piste; 25-50cm base), Vail (16/34 lifts; 119/234km piste; 60-95cm base), Winter Park (13/25 lifts; 30/143km piste; 60-80cm base) and Wolf Creek (9/11 lifts; 90/100km piste; 45-50cm base) in Colorado

Sun Valley (7/18 lifts; 50-60cm base) in Idaho

Sugarloaf (6/14 lifts; 20/87km piste; 10-35cm base) and Sunday River (8/20 lifts; 33/85km piste; 60-70cm base) in Maine

Big Sky (5/38 lifts; 10/250km piste; 30-40cm base) in Montana

Mt Rose (6/8 lifts; 30/60km piste; 60-120cm base) in Nevada

Wildcat (3/5 lifts; 5/25km piste; 20-45cm base) in New Hampshire

Taos (7/14 lifts; 10/113km piste; 40-75cm base) in New Mexico

Mt Bachelor (5/15 lifts; 25/100km piste; 50-80cm base) in Oregon

Alta (6/8 lifts; 27/71km piste; 90-155cm base), Brian Head (4/9 lifts; 50-50cm base), Brighton (5/7 lifts; 105-110cm base), Deer Valley (12/25 lifts; 30/103km piste; 65-65cm base), Park City (16/42 lifts; 38/250km piste; 50-90cm base), Powder Mountain (3/9 lifts; 16/68km piste; 50-105cm base), Snowbasin (5/9 lifts; 115-115cm base), Snowbird (5/14 lifts; 49/103km piste; 70-110cm base), Solitude (5/9 lifts; 27/64km piste; 45-90cm base) and Sundance (8/8 lifts; 80-80cm base) in Utah

Killington (7/32 lifts; 48/121km piste; 30-35cm base), Mount Snow (6/26 lifts; 30-30cm base), Okemo (10/20 lifts; 19/70km piste; 25-40cm base), Smuggler’s Notch (3/9 lifts; 13/78km piste; 35-105cm base); Stowe (6/12 lifts; 37/70km piste; 40-60cm base),  Stratton (7/14 lifts; 30-30cm base), and Sugarbush (5/18 lifts; 30-90cm base) in Vermont

Crystal Mountain (6/11 lifts; 19/50km piste; 30-45cm base) in Washington

Snowshoe (3/14 lifts; 100-105cm base) in West Virginia

Jackson Hole (9/13 lifts; 41/116km piste; 15-105cm base) in Wyoming

A lone skier makes fresh tracks off piste
Making tracks in Lake Louise, Canada

 

Canada Snow Report

Marmot Basin (4/7 lifts; 21/91km piste; 30-40cm base), Mt Norquay (4/6 lifts; 5/16km piste; 70-140cm base), Lake Louise (11/11 lifts; 80/139km piste; 45-100cm base) and Sunshine (10/12 lifts; 57/109km piste; 45-75cm base) in Alberta
Fernie (8/10 lifts; 59/142km piste; 50-115cm base), Kicking Horse (4/5 lifts; 15/100km piste; 40-95cm base), Revelstoke (5/7 lifts; 20/55km piste; 65-105cm base), Sun Peaks (10/12 lifts; 35/135km piste; 15-55cm base) and Whistler Blackcomb (22/27 lifts; 80/200km piste; 10-85cm base) in BC
Mont Saint Anne (3/9 lifts; 27/73 piste; 30-50cm base), Sommet-Saint-Sauveur (6/8 lift; 13/38km piste; 30-50cm base) and Tremblant (9/14 lifts; 25/82km piste; 10-85cm base) in Quebec

Japan Snow Report

Furano (3/9 lifts; 5/32km piste; 50-80cm base), Happo One (5/22 lifts; 5/52km piste; 20-105cm base), Niseko Grand Hirafu (13/32 lifts; 14/51km piste; 10-70cm base), Nozawa Onsen (4/17 lifts; 6/44km piste; 10-40cm base), and Rusutsu (3/18 lifts; 13/42km piste; 15-35cm base)

a mountain sunset in the distance over far, high mountains, the picture taken from the top of a piste next to a stand-still chairlift line
Japan’s Happo One at sunset

 

FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 3-4 DAYS

There’s snow forecast across the Alps today through to Friday, then clear, sunny skies and a warming spell through to next Monday.

It’s a similar pattern further East, with 10-30cm snow forecast.

The Nordic countries will see a mix of weather through the weekend. Finland remains cold, but both Norway and Sweden will see a mix of snow and rain as temperatures rise.

The East coast of the US and Canada will see clear skies through to Sunday when the temperature will spike bringing rain to mid-mountain levels.

The Mountain states and provinces and the Western states of the US will see freeze thaw conditions through to next Monday.

British Columbia will see snowfall between 10-40cm through the weekend.

Temperatures have plummeted on Hokkaido in Northern Japan with 20-50cm of snow forecast.

The Honshu resorts will see the rain top to bottom through Saturday night, then the freezing level will drop bringing heavy snow at all levels.

 

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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