Well, I don't know about you guy but I'm crazy about getting back to the slopes, ski fever is not going anywhere.
Which resort usually fully(at least 90% of its slopes) opens first ? I saw that Solden opens at November 19th, is there any other that opens before ?
Also, for those early ones, are the conditions good enough ?
Cheers!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Kitzbühel usually open one slope/lift sometime in October with snow stored from the previous season. It's really just a marketing ploy to say they are the first to open, not really worth a visit. The glaciers are normally all operational again from the beginning of November and round our way Schladming, Reiteralm and Zauchensee usually open a few lifts/pistes during November. For 90% of slopes you would have to wait until December.
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?
AndreSilva wrote:
Olá!
Well, I don't know about you guy but I'm crazy about getting back to the slopes, ski fever is not going anywhere.
Which resort usually fully(at least 90% of its slopes) opens first ? I saw that Solden opens at November 19th, is there any other that opens before ?
Also, for those early ones, are the conditions good enough ?
Cheers!
Obergurgl normally seems to open on/around 13th Nov. Stubai and the other glaciers should normally be in full swing before then too. Of the bigger resorts, Ischgl usually has a solid amount of terrain open by the end of November (opening day usually on/around the 30th).
As to conditions, that completely depends and it's impossible to generalise or guess. Could literally be anything from perfect deep blower powder to a few flakes on glacial ice/manufactured concrete (I normally start my season at Stubai in September and have experienced all the previous).
In my experience even if a resort has enough snow to open 90%+ of all the lifts before Christmas it won't because it doesn't make financial sense. (cost of runing lifts and preparing slopes). I doubt very few if any resorts would have 90%+ lifts/pistes open before christmas.
The glaciers are generally the best place to ski early season
I was just looking through my accounts and saw a lift pass purchase for the 7 laux for the 16th November 2019, I think we skied more or less continually until Covid stopped play in March.
I was just looking through my accounts and saw a lift pass purchase for the 7 laux for the 16th November 2019, I think we skied more or less continually until Covid stopped play in March.
Good conditions for this early november!
davidof wrote:
best thing is to storm chase if you can get last minute transport
That's what I'm thinking about, as I'm going by car I can just hop in and go!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
DB wrote:
The glaciers are generally the best place to ski early season
Makes sense, I guess I'll aim for those one.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Zoetermeer or Landgraaf, if you're really desperate. Might need to wear a mask though.
Much before Christmas, I wouldn't look any further than Sölden or Lech. Skied in Sölden, Obertauern and Meribel in November. Although one year was basically solid ice. And another we ended up doing powder one day one a piste performance clinic.
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.
andy wrote:
Zoetermeer or Landgraaf, if you're really desperate. Might need to wear a mask though.
Going there Friday
But it's not the same thing
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ruka in Finland tries to open in early October, IIRC. The first non-glacier resort to offer lift-accessed skiing. But it seems to be just one or two pistes, and probably be on snow stored from the previous winter.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
stubai glacier
6th Nov inc. equipement testing
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.
Espace Killy opens at the end of November, with Tignes' glacier open as soon as feasible from October. As to percentage open:- remember 50% of 200km piste open is more than 90% of 100km piste.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Well, after watching some videos I decided to book a hotel for November 26th in Solden
That is 1 week after it opens so I can see if things are working as expected, I can cancel the hotel for free if necessary.
Thanks guys!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
AndreSilva wrote:
DB wrote:
The glaciers are generally the best place to ski early season
Makes sense, I guess I'll aim for those one.
I think Hintertux is one of the best (I think it's actually open 364 days a year. although conditions are obviously better towards the start of Winter). Covid-19 permitting I'm hoping to spend a few days out there at the end of November. https://www.hintertuxergletscher.at/en/specials/hintertux-glacier/
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Kronplatz (Plan de Corones) in northern Italy has a great reputation for early season Skiing. It is regularly is in the top 10 for kms of piste open by Christmas and is very popular with Italian and German skiers because of the reliability of its runs and lifts. They aim to open first runs at the end of November.
Its slopes are wide, rock free and not too high. It’s in a dry part of the alps that is unreliable for natural snow (last year was the exception!) but it is in the best part of the alps for snowmaking. It is sheltered from westerly and northerly airstreams which can close lifts at higher resorts.
Effective snow making and a majority of gondolas make for a very reliable early season piste skiing holiday. Once the runs are open they tend to stay open because of their shelter From strong winds, poor visibility and avalanche risk.
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Poster: A snowHead
