Ski Season Begins Early In Europe
Friday, October 29th, 2010
A number of big ski resorts will open for the winter 2010-11 this weekend, many of them weeks and even months earlier than planned.
Heavy snow in the Alps has led to Schladming in Austria being the first non-glacier ski centre to open, it’s due to be followed by Kitzbuhel, tomorrow.
Snow reporting agency skiinfo.co.uk reports that up to a metre of snow has fallen in the past week bringing great conditions to the 20 glacier ski areas that are already open in the Alps. The Tux glacier next to Mayrhofen and close to Innsbruck is already offering more than 40km (20 miles) of piste to enjoy with a 600m lift served vertical. The Kitzsteinhorm glacier above Kaprun has more than three feet of new snow on its slopes.
In Switzerland the resort of Laax, which will stage the Brits festival next Spring, has decided to open early too because of all the snow. It joins Gstaad’s Glacier 300 which is opening tomorrow too. Engelberg, Zermatt and Saas Fee are also open, the latter with World Cup Snowboarding this weekend.
In Italy Cervinia opens this weekend, joining Passo Tonale and two other glacier centres which are already open. Les 2 Alpes and Tignes are both open in France this weekend too. While up in Scandinavia Ruka in Finland is already open and will be joined by Geilo and Hemsedal in Norway next weekend.
Resorts have also begun opening in North America. Loveland and Arapahoe Basin have opened in Colorado and Sunday River in Maine. Keystone and Copper Mountain are due to open on Bonfire Day next week, however Canada’s first opening for 2010-11m Mount Norquay by Banff, is due to happen tomorrow, October 30th, conditions permitting.
