WORLD SNOW ROUNDUP #293
Issued: 24th May 2023
By Patrick “Snowhunter” Thorne
World Overview
We’re edging closer to the southern hemisphere’s 2023 ski season, the start of which is now most likely just over a fortnight away. The good news is there’s been more snowfall and snowmaking-friendly low temperatures in Australia and New Zealand so everything appears on track there. In the Andes, it hasn’t been quite so snowy for most areas as earlier in May, but it is still a month to go before most areas start to open in Chile and Argentina. The exception to this statement is Las Lenas which posted a massive pre-season snowfall to start the week and there’s lots of snow forecast across the Andes for the rest of this week. There’s been snow on the ski slopes of southern Africa too, but sadly it appears there won’t be any lifts running at either of the region’s two ski areas this winter for reasons other than snow conditions, or at least that’s how it appears at present.
In the northern hemisphere, we’re continuing to see a gradual drop in the numbers of areas still open from winter 22-23, against which more glacier areas are opening for summer skiing. As so many western US ski areas extended their seasons but are now closing, the numbers are dropping, on balance, including the last three Canadian areas still open and closing for the season on Monday, but we’ve had a few unexpected announcements of re-openings in late May and June of areas not usually open then, along with the expected resumption of Italy’s ski season this coming weekend, all being well.
Europe
EUROPE INTRO
With a couple more Austrian glaciers closing at the weekend, along with one Swiss option, we are down to just five resorts currently open in the Alps, three of them in Austria. The weekend will see another two areas open (to briefly give us six choices) before another two Austrian areas close leaving us with four choices next week – one each in Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland. That’s assuming Italy’s Passo Stelvio opens for its 2023 season as planned this coming weekend. Anyway, we are still, just-about, in double-digits for the number of areas open across Europe though thanks to options in Scandinavia. Those four Scandinavian choices remain three Norwegian glaciers plus Riksgransen, up in the Arctic Circle, which is approaching the final weekend of its 2023 season. Eastern Europe’s 2022-23 season is over with the final centres that had been operating, Slovakia’s Jasna and Kanin in Slovenia, both now ending their seasons.
AUSTRIA REPORT
Austria continues to be the European country with the most ski areas still open, but with two of its glacier ski areas (Kaunertal and Stubai) closing last weekend and two more (the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun and Carinthia’s Molltal) expected to close after this coming weekend, it will be down to just one, year-round Hintertux, as the only area open from Monday. That’s the same total of one that the other three major Alpine nations each have open. The weather has continued to be cold with frequent snow showers. This, coupled with low visibility, has led to several ski areas closing their slopes for periods out of safety concerns, through the last week. For now, the Kitzsteinhorn (0/270cm / 0/108”) has around 17km (11 miles) of slopes open including a reshaped terrain park, and the Molltal (0/170cm / 0/68″) has 8km (5 miles) of runs. Hintertux (0/320cm / 0/128”) continues to post the deepest base in the Alps and the most terrain open with 32km (20 miles) of slopes still skiable there.
AUSTRIA FORECAST
Temperatures on Austrian glaciers will continue in the -2 to +2C range over the coming week with snow showers expected daily bringing anything from 5 to 20cm (2-8”) of snowfall daily constantly refreshing snow cover.
SWITZERLAND REPORT
Switzerland has just one ski area still open from the start of the 22-23 last year, the Kleing Matterhorn ski region above Zermatt, Europe’s highest with its summer slopes a little higher than the winter’s highest up at nearly 3,900m. There’s been a big range of temperatures in the region over the last week with daytime highs in the resort reaching +20C, and overnight lows on the glacier -10C. The weather has continued t bring snow showers and sunny spells to the slopes.
SWITZERLAND FORECAST
The pattern of weather that has dominated for three months now looks set to continue to the end of May and meteorological springtime with more low temperatures, thankfully, on the glacier and another 20-30cm (8-12”) of snowfall forecast by the weekend from a culmination of light snow shower totals.
FRANCE REPORT
It remains just Les 2 Alpes (0/150cm / 0/60”) open in the French Alps with its new ‘summer ski’ season, moving forward to May-June opening after previous operating from late June through July and into August. The past week has seen a continuation of the pattern of cold and snowy weather up high, with regular light to moderate snow showers refreshing slope cover. Tignes and Val d’Isere, the other two French summer ski destinations, are still expected to stick to a schedule similar to that from next month, although with only 4-5 week summer ski ‘seasons’. Les 2 Alpes used to boast the largest skiable glacier in the Alps but seems to have a smaller area open now, It does run a terrain park and boardercross course still though.
FRANCE FORECAST
There’s more cold weather and snow forecast for Les 2 Alpes over the coming week with light to moderate snowfalls forecast daily through to the weekend, sunny spells in the daytime though.
ITALY REPORT
There remains nowhere open in Italy at present, but that’s due to change this coming weekend with Passo Stelvio due to open for its 2023 summer ski season. Cervinia is due to reopen next, to give a second Italian ski option through the summer, in June. The past week has finally seen slightly warmer temperatures and plenty of sunshine up to high altitudes in the Italian Alps, but still staying close to freezing, a few degrees on either side, at 3,000m.
ITALY FORECAST
Sunshine with snow showers are forecast for Stelvio over the coming week – some quite significant snowfall, so it remains to be seen if this will impact the planned opening of the pass – temperatures in the -5 to +3 range through the 24-hour daily cycle.
SCANDINAVIA FORECAST
Fairly good conditions for the week ahead with snowfall down to low elevations and temperatures in the range of -5C to +2C. Some sunny spells are expected too but the snow cover should be fresh.
NORTH AMERICA INTRO
More consistently warm and sunny weather has been dominating North America for the past week, although that has not stopped temperatures still dipping below freezing overnight up above 10,000 feet. There has also been some rain and (at night up high) light snow showers too.
We’ve lost a few more ski centres from the dozen or so that had been still open with resorts in Colorado, Utah and Washington state all ending their long 22-23 seasons after the weekend. The ski season in Canada ended on Monday with Mont Saint Sauveur in Quebec, Sunshine near Banff in Alberta and Whistler Blackcomb in BC all ending their 22-23 seasons.
However, at the time of writing, resorts remain open in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Vermont and we actually have extra areas opening in California this weekend and the summer ski area Beartooth Basin, located on the Montana/Wyoming border due to open for its 2023 run later this week.
USA REPORT
Despite warming daytime temperatures, we’re still in double figures for the number of US resorts open for the final weekend of May and the Memorial Day holiday coming up. Although most are currently closed midweek, 10 ski areas will be open in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming. Although three more centres closed last weekend, two more are re-opening for the first time this month or even this year.
In Colorado, we’re down to two ski areas open after Breckenridge announced in the middle of last week that its season would end on Sunday. Arapahoe Basin (26/68” / 65/170cm) and Winter Park (8/60” / 20/150cm) remain open however and Copper Mountain has also opened its terrain park, although reserved for those signed up for summer snow sports camp at its Woodward freestyle facility. Winter Park says that it has now stayed open than its previous longest season, last winter.
For Utah, currently, Snowbird (34/118” / 85/295cm) and Brighton ski areas remain open, with Solitude ending its season last weekend after a record 190 days of operations, 30 days longer than its previous record. The two still open areas will though, close after the coming Memorial Day weekend, but now Snowbird ski area has confirmed that it will offer skiing and snowboarding in June. It has not yet announced an end to its 22-23 season leaving the possibility of a July opening on the cards. The ski area, which has reported over 800” of snowfall through the season says it will re-open after a fortnight of closure for the Father’s Day weekend on 17-18th June. From that point, it will run the new cabins on its iconic tram lift complete with the option to ride up the mountain in open-air ‘balconies’ on the roof. This type of lift is offered at several other ski resorts in Europe including Tignes and the former ski area on Austria’s Dachstein glacier, but nowhere else in North America.
In California, Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort is the latest to announce plans to reopen for this coming Memorial Day weekend skiing on May 27th and 28th, with lift passes set at $49, around half the average. The resort’s Chair 5, a two-seater from the base, will be running and the Weigh Station Rail Garden open. The resort says it has had 757 inches of snowfall this season, 230% above average.
It joins Mammoth (160/213″ / 401/533cm) and The Palisades (26/194″ / 65/485cm), the latter recently announcing a special four-day Fourth of July festival to celebrate US Independence Day, with EDM legend Paul Oakenfold the headline act. Both areas plan to stay open at least until July with Mammoth still posting the continent’s deepest base.
Elsewhere in the west, the Arizona Snowbowl is still going and Mt Bachelor (24/80” / 60/200cm) is still open in Oregon although the coming weekend is expected to be the last of the season for both.
Nearby Timberline (44/110” / 110/275cm) in Oregon is also open with skiing and boarding on its Palmer permanent snowfield expected to continue through the summer, although there has been fast thawing over the past week that’s fast diminishing the snowpack. Crystal Mountain in Washington state ended its season at the weekend, however.
The Beartooth Basin summer ski area in the Wyoming/ Montana border is due to start its 2023 operations this Friday, 26th.
And at the time of writing Killington (0/12” / 0/30cm) in Vermont remains open, at weekends, with its bumps run, Superstar, still skiable – though the cover is getting thin.
USA FORECAST
It will continue to be mostly sunny across much of the Us but with rain showers, and potentially snow when falling up high at night as temperatures still dipping down to freezing, or just below then. However daytime highs will be in the 60s, potentially even low 70s Fahrenheit.
Asia
JAPAN REPORT
Japan’s Gassan (60/400cm / 24/160″) ski area remains open with the aim of continuing operations through to July. Currently, all three lifts with 10km (6 miles) of slopes are operating and open. There’s been the usual weather mix, although it’s been predominantly sunny, but with a period of rain/sleet and snow on Monday.
JAPAN FORECAST
Staying mostly sunny with overnight lows dipping down below freezing over the next few days, but climbing back up to low single figures by the weekend, mid-teens in the afternoons.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
Southern Hemisphere
AUSTRALIA REPORT
With less than three weeks to go to the start of Australia’s 2023 ski season it is continuing to look promising with more snowfall at the end of last week and more snow in the forecast too. Most areas reported 10-20cm (4-8”) of fresh snowfall at the end of last week. “It was great to see another early season snowfall and the temperatures staying nice and low for our snowmaking team to add to the cover over the coming weeks, we couldn’t be more excited to open our lifts for skiing and boarding on Saturday, June 10,” confirmed Richard Phillips, VP + GM Falls Creek Ski Lifts. Skies cleared but overnight temperatures stayed low into the start of this week with resorts continuing to make snow and build bases ahead of opening day.
AUSTRALIA FORECAST
The current dry weather should begin to breakdown in the latter half of this week with snowfall forecast to arrive from Thursday.
NEW ZEALAND REPORT
There have been low temperatures and fresh snowfall in New Zealand with Treble Cone reporting its base is starting to fill in nicely ahead of the season start. Resorts have reported up to 25cm (10”) of fresh snowfall over the last week and some have run snowmaking systems too. Mt Hutt will probably be the first to open in the country (and possibly the whole southern hemisphere) in just over a fortnight on the 9th of June, with Coronet Peak and The Remarkables following a week later.
NEW ZEALAND FORECAST
It is looking good for some serious snowfall towards the weekend after a dry few days midweek. Temperatures in the range of -7 to +5C.
ARGENTINA REPORT
It’s still 3-4 weeks until most ski areas in Argentina are opening for the 2023 season but things are looking very good at Las Lenas, due to open June 17th, after a huge snow storm at the weekend left the snow reported at 80 to 140cm (32-56″) deep – so good enough to open already. It’s unclear if there’s any early opening plan, however. Temperatures have been varying between -8 and +8C across the country’s ski slopes with constant sub-zero temperatures for upper mountain areas, there’s been plenty of snowfall too.
ARGENTINA FORECAST
The cold and snowy weather is expected to continue through to the end of the week with some resorts seeing 60-90cm (2-3 feet) of snowfall in total over the next 3-4 days. The weekend looks clearer for most areas with sunshine returning.
CHILE REPORT
There’s been colder and sometimes snowy weather in Chile too but as yet without quite the big falls that have been reported in southerly Argentina. El Colorado Farellones posted its first snow covering of the autumn, a light dusting, on Tuesday morning.
CHILE FORECAST
It’s going to remain cold with temperatures potentially dipping to -10C but there’s not much snow forecast, instead, its generally dry, sometimes sunny weather expected. Some areas may see light snowfall around Thursday/Friday.
SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT
Afriski in Lesotho reported fresh snowfall last week, but also reconfirmed that while the resort itself is open and people are welcome to play in the snow, they are not making snow and sadly don’t plan to run ski lifts this winter. There are no signs that Tiffindell in South Africa, which has not operated its lifts since 2019, plans to run them this year either unfortunately.
SOUTHERN AFRICA FORECAST
Mostly sunny for the week ahead. Overnight lows are around freezing, and daytime highs are up at about +10C. In Eastern Europe.
