Big Snowfall In The Alps As 100s Of Ski Areas Open

Hundreds of ski areas, many of which could open last winter, have opened for the 21-22 ski season just as heavy snowfall hits the Alps.

Around 40 ski areas are now open in the French Alps and Pyrenees, most for the first time since the first lockdown began in March last year. At the same time many have reported over a foot (30cm) of fresh snow in less than 24 hours.  Les Menuires in the 3 Valleys is pictured top and bottom.

(Les Arcs Bourg St Maurice)

In Italy even more ski areas have opened – around 60 – again in most cases for the first time since early March 2020.  Val Gardena has opened with the most terrain open of any ski area in the world at present, more than 100 miles of piste.  It’s part of the wider Dolomiti Superski opening which has already opened about two thirds of the 1,200km of ski slopes on the huge pass.

Austria did allow ski areas to open from January this year after keeping them closed in December 2020. However it closed tourism and only local people could use the lifts. That’s the same again now but its hoped the current 20 day lockdown there might end in just over a week’s time. About 50 ski areas have now opened and Austrian ski resorts have also been posting some of the best snowfalls in Europe to start December, with up to 90cm (three feet) more reported in the past week.  Ischgl has opened with the most terrain open in the Alps so far.

Ski areas are also opening in the other countries that saw little or no skiing last season including Andorra, Germany and Spain.

Most countries require skiers to show a covid passport to use the lifts and require masks be worn. With the omicron variant a worry countries are requiring even vaccinated skiers to show a negative test result on arrival.  However skiers getting on the slopes are reported to mostly just relieved to be able to ski again, particularly with the bonus of excellent early season conditions, and report the extra hoops to go through to get on the slopes are well worth negotiating to get that reward.

Hundreds of ski areas, many of which could open last winter, have opened for the 21-22 ski season just as heavy snowfall hits the Alps. Around 40 ski areas are now open in the French Alps and Pyrenees, most for the first time since the first lockdown began in March last year. At the same…