Snow Report: Greece Is The Word!

WeLove2Ski Snow Report

In today’s report we catch up on conditions across Europe, North America and Asia this past weekend, including a massive dump of snow across Greece. Yes Greece!

Have you been naughty or nice in the lead up to Christmas Day? If you’ve been naughty watch out, the Krampus is about.

Did Mikaela Shiffrin record her 100th overall World Cup victory? Read on.

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 Snow Reports

In the Alps it’s been a mix of new snowfall and sunny skies with the brief rise in temperature and freezing level leaving the snow unaffected.

St Anton, Austria is yet to open for the season but these are the kind of conditions we can expect once it does start spinning its lifts.

St Anton Snow Report, Austria

But Kuhtai is very much open and ready

Kuhtai Snow Report, Austria

Val D’Isere Snow Report, France

Opening Day in Val d’Isere – Image signatureski.com

Glacier 3000 Snow Report, Switzerland

From Swiss skis school SnowPros.

Avoriaz Snow Report, France

Avoriaz had enough snow for a pre-opening. Jim Duncombe went along to see what it was like. ‘The snow was thin in places, and pistes funneled, making some sections scraped and mogulled. It was fine for a day and a bargain at €21. The sun was out, and I had a lot of fun.’

Cairngorm Snow Report, Scotland

Hannah Burrows Smith

It was a ‘Powtastic’ Opening Day at Fernie Alpine Resort in British Columbia, Canada

Fernie Snow Report, BC, Canada

Meanwhile in the United States the snow keeps piling up in the Sierra Mountains of California

Sierra Snow Report, California, USA

And at Snowbird, Utah it was a Thanksgiving feast

Snowbird Snow Report, Utah, USA

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In Japan heavy snowfall allowed the Hakuba Valley Resorts of Tsugaike, Happo-One, and Goryu to open. Soft snow and soft landings

And the big winner this past weekend was Greece. Sun & souvlaki turned to snow & souvlaki.

Elatohori Pierias recorded over 1.3m of snowfall in the past 24hrs with more on the way

Elatohori Pierias Snow Report, Greece

It wasn’t alone, with Seli (1.1m); 3-5 Pigadia (90cm); Mt Voras Kaimaktsalan (90cm); and Vasilitsa (65cm) all getting pounded. Hopefully the lifts will start turning soon on a great Greek Winter.

Mt Voras Kaimaktsalan Snow Report, Greece

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Where To Ski

There are over 150 resorts open worldwide with Sun Peaks in British Columbia, Canada still the World Leader for open terrain (13/13 lifts; 102/135km piste; 60-65cm base).

The Alps

Ischgl came straight in at No. 1 for the most terrain available in Austria when it opened this past weekend (27/46 lifts; 94/239km piste; 15-40cm base). Fantastic skiing on piste was followed by a fantastic performance from Ellie Goulding at the Top Of The Mountain Opening Concert on Saturday evening.

Lynsey Devon from Heaven Publicity was there to enjoy it all.

Ischgl was joined by Bad Gastein, Kuhtai, Schlick 2000, Ski Welt, Ski Juwel, Ski Optimal, and Tauplitz for a total of 39 Austrian resorts offering great early season conditions.

France now has seven resorts open with La Rosiere – which along with La Thuile, Italy comprises the cross border Espace San Bernadino – offering the most terrain (6/38 lifts; 28/144km piste; 0-45cm base).

It joins Alpe d’Huez, Avoriaz, Les 2 Alpes, Tignes, Val D’Isere, Val Thorens, and Via Lattea (Milky Way).

Italy more than tripled its list of open resorts this past weekend with 20 ski areas now open.

Kronplatz (20/31 lifts; 50/121km piste; 0-30cm base) had the strongest opening and was joined by Alpe Cermis, Aprica, Courmayeur, Folgaria, Latemar, La Thuile, Livigno, Madesimo, Meran 2000, Passo San Pelegrino, Passo Tonale, San Martino di Castrozza, and Via Lattea.

Zermatt continues to offer the most terrain available in Switzerland (26/51 lifts; 91/322km piste; 15-150cm base).

With the opening of the Aletsch Arena, Anzere, Crans Montana, Grimentz/Zinal, Laax, and St Moritz over the weekend Switzerland now has 28 ski resorts open.

Zugspitze in Bavaria opened this past weekend with almost 5km of piste, giving Germany six resorts open for daily operations.

Eastern Europe

There were a number of resort openings east of the main Alpine countries this past weekend. Recent snowfall and temperatures cold enough for artificial snow making allowed limited piste skiing at :

Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Cerna hora – Janske Lazne, Czechia

Jaworzyna Krynicka, Poland

Roata – Cavnic, Romania

Jasna, Slovakia

Kranjska Gora and Krvavec, Slovenia

Ejder 3200, Turkey

Erciyes, Turkey

The Nordic Countries

Thanks to regular natural snowfall and temperatures suitable for artificial snow making Finland’s Levi, Pyha, Ruka, Saariselka and Yllas, and Sweden’s Hemavan, Kabdalis and Tarnaby are open for the season offering good but limited skiing.

In Norway, Hafjell and Myrkdalen opened this past weekend joining Bjorli, Geilo, Kvitfjell and Oppdal.

North America

Canada

Alberta currently has four resorts open for daily operations (Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin, and Mt Norquay) with Nakiska open on weekends.

All five resorts have a combination of natural and artificial snow covering the open slopes, with Banff Sunshine offering 44km of pisted terrain.

This past weekend Fernie (9/10 lifts; 100/142km piste; 80-125cm base) joined Big White, Cypress Mountain, Grouse Mountain, Silver Star, Sun Peaks and Whistler Blackcomb giving British Columbia 7 resorts open for the season.

On the East Coast Tremblant was the second resort after Sommet Saint-Sauveur to open in Quebec.

USA

With the openings of Alyeska, Sierra at Tahoe, Beaver Creek, Telluride, Tamarack, Big Sky, Taos, Snowbird and Jackson Hole this past weekend the USA leads the ski world with 51 resorts up and running this Winter.

ALASKA : Alyeska
ARIZONA : Arizona Snowbowl
CALIFORNIA : Heavenly, 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, Tamarack
MAINE : Sugarloaf, Sunday River
MONTANA : Big Sky
OREGON : Mt Bachelor, Mt Hood, Timberline
NEVADA : Mt Rose
NEW MEXICO : Pajarito, Sandia Peak, Taos
NEW YORK : Belleayre, Whiteface-Lake Placid
UTAH : Alta, Brian Head, Brighton, Park City, Snowbird, Solitude
VERMONT : Killington
WYOMING : Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole
WASHINGTON : Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker

Asia

Japan

The Hakuba Valley Resorts of Tsugaike, Happo-One, and Goryu, and Nozawa Onsen joined Shigakogen as the only Japanese resorts on the main island of Honshu open for Winter operations.

On Hokkaido, Niseko United, Kiroro, and Sapporo Kokusai opened over the weekend.

Niseko Snow Report, Hokkaido, Japan

There’s a big storm cycle sweeping across the Japan Alps and Hokkaido and it won’t be long before ‘JaPOW’ is back on the menu.

Snow News

It’s Krampus time in the mountains of Europe!

According to legend, Krampus is a half-goat, half-demon monster believed to be the son of Hel – the Norse god of the underworld.

He’s the devilish companion of St. Nicholas and both are said to arrive on the evening of 05 December (Krampusnacht; “Krampus Night”) with St. Nicholas rewarding nice children by leaving presents, while Krampus beats those who have been naughty with branches and sticks.

On 06 December, St. Nicholas Day, children awaken to find their gifts or nurse their injuries.

Krampus at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

Val Senales, Italy

Have you been naughty or nice?

Holding the lead heading into the second run of this past weekend’s Women’s World Cup Giant Slalom at Killington, Vermont, USA Mikaela Shiffrin crashed out of her second run suffering a puncture wound to the right side of her abdomen and severe muscle trauma.

She was in good spirits at Rutland Regional Medical Center and hopes to be back on skis as soon as possible in her attempt to record her 100th overall World Cup victory.

The reigning Olympic champion, Sweden’s Sara Hector, won Saturday’s race.

World Snow Forecast For the Next 3-4 Days

The Alps, Eastern Europe and the Nordic Countries will see a mix of cloud and sunshine over the next 3-4 days with the chance of 5-10cm of new snowfall.

The Alberta resorts of Canada will see cloudy skies and cold temperatures with a chance of light snowfall.

Most of the US resorts will see continued low temperatures and sunshine for the second half of the week.

There’ll be a brief spike in temperature on the West Coast of the US with freeze thaw conditions expected in the California, Oregon and Washington resorts.

The resorts on Japan’s main island of Honshu (Tsugaike, Happo-One, Goryu, Nozawa Onsen and Shigakogen) will see 5-10cm of new snow followed by cloudy skies for the first half of the week.

The Hokkaido resorts of Kiroro and Sapporo Kokusai will see a big storm system moving in from today with 45-60cm forecast.

Where to find a detailed snow report 

There are so many great resources available on the internet for up to the minute information on snow conditions, lift status, and available terrain that this season we’re directing you to the best places to find that info and plan where to head for the best skiing.

Starting close to home and being a mainstay of worldwide snow forecasting is Cardiff-based snow-forecast.com. With a massive database of resorts and free 6-day forecasts just type in where you’re going for the lowdown. Sign up for longer range forecasts and historical data.

Wepowder does what it says on the tin. Free, extensive 6-day forecasting for Europe, with a paid subscription for 14-day forecasts and Powder Alerts.

Want to quickly know which ski resorts are open? Then head to skiresort.info. Narrow down your search by country and resort for more detailed information.

On Instagram our go to sites are Powderhounds and new ‘kid’ on the block instagram.com/imlukesnow/.