 Poster: A snowHead
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Given the amount of snowfall in general across the Alps so far, what's the view on any resorts potentially extending their season?
(Note I'm not asking for a particular reason just a general question to those more in the know than I).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm guessing that most resorts won't extend their season because there'll be no one wanting to ski and there's no point opening the lifts
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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More a logistical thing in Avoriaz - most the staff and support services are on fixed term contracts ( extra Pompiers, police etc. have fixed deployments).
They can't run the lifts beyond those dates.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Higher resorts seem to run out of guests before they run out of snow.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Depends on locations too. Some places they only have permissions to operate until a fixed date, and the very next day the farmers have rights to the land instead.
Also seen the diggers going in on the first working day after piste closure to dig up the snow to start infrastructure maintenance, and clearing space for new infrastructure.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm pretty sure the resorts run the numbers on operating costs vs skier visits very carefully. That said, IIRC, because of the late snow in the French Alps last year (combined with a dry early season) I believe some stations did extend their season, probably because they needed to make up a shortfall. Certainly the ski resorts in California last year when they had unbelievable amounts of snow continued to operate.
This year, if there are enough guests (and ski stations can tell in advance) I could see some of the French resorts going a bit longer. The staff may be on fixed contracts but that's not to say they couldn't be extended if the revenue model allows it.
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i believe the office in Bonneville sets the opening and closing dates for each resort in the haute savoie, they're set in stone and wont change (or at least, wont extend)
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Higher resorts seem to run out of guests before they run out of snow. |
Exactly - so maybe the OP question should be flipped, from "will resorts extend their season?" to "will skiers extend their season?". Seems like a lot of skiiers (not everyone though) have finished their own personal skiing season by Easter, will the conditions persuade those skiiers to look at skiing deep into April? I've already booked a trip to VT on 28th April..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I went to Engelberg for five days on April 25 last season. More snow than I've ever seen - very few skiers about and limited lifts open. But great fun, though!
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No chance. Customers run out before the snow does every season anyway.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As others have said, almost certainly zero.
Around here a resort like Les 7 Laux will pretty much be done after the winter holidays, snow or not. After that the second they start running at a loss for a few days they shut the shop. Most years you can ski the local mid-altitude resorts well into May and Chamrousse we ski tour in June in an average year.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm pretty sure @eddiethebus, @WindOfChange and @andy have got it bob on;
Eddie with; dates set by prefecture in Bonneville
Windofchange with; most of the employment contracts are for the five months which gives the employers certain "benefits" as the employees are "seasonaires" and not "full time permanent" (iirc if you work 6 months then you're considered a full time permanent employee so have to be made "redundant" and state redundancy is something liek 90% of your salary so funded by state and employer until employee finds new employment
and finally Andy with; lift companies have to rent the land from the landowners who will want/need the land back for farming/grazing otherwise the value of their goods (livestock or crops) is reduced when it comes to market.
Also any lift companies investing in their infrastructure with new lifts will need Tourists to disappear so that can start to rip any lifts out and replace them by the next Winter..... 7 months isn't that long to demolish old and build commission new!
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Thanks, for the replies, as mentioned in the OP not a loaded question just interested. Just one observation to make.
@Andy - So the farmer gets his land back on the 1st of May, but it's still 1.5m deep in packed snow. He can't graze his sheep/cows or whatever, so he makes no saving as he still has to keep them housed and fed, but he loses any potential income. Probably a rare occurrence but we all know how tight/skint and thrifty farmers are, would he(more likely they) not have a word in the ear of a few local friends to see if they could keep bit of income coming in?
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You know it makes sense.
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@ansta1, If the pistes are still deep in snow you will often see piste bashers rip up the base so that it will quickly melt. Sad but true.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| ansta1 wrote: |
Thanks, for the replies, as mentioned in the OP not a loaded question just interested. Just one observation to make.
@Andy - So the farmer gets his land back on the 1st of May, but it's still 1.5m deep in packed snow. He can't graze his sheep/cows or whatever, so he makes no saving as he still has to keep them housed and fed, but he loses any potential income. Probably a rare occurrence but we all know how tight/skint and thrifty farmers are, would he(more likely they) not have a word in the ear of a few local friends to see if they could keep bit of income coming in? |
Yes as Cad99uk says, I was in Radstadt towards the end of the season (Radstadt closed while we were there). When I returned I posted on here about how great a time we had at Flangesax's place and asked if Kooky was still touring up there. She replied along the lines of it being heartbreaking to see all that lovely skiable snow being ploughed and churned up. They also have to spend time going out checking fences, putting out troughs and feeders - a much easier job without skiers hurtling towards you!
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