 Poster: A snowHead
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About a third of all the stations in the Pyrenees and Iberian peninsula will be open beyond next weekend, including some that Brits might have heard of such as Grandvalira (Andorra; open until 28 April), Sierra Nevada (5 May) and Baqueira-Beret (5 May).
In the south of Europe at least, as Pam W says, closing has nothing to do with quantity of snow (though there's no doubt that the resorts dread a late Easter in poor seasons, knowing they'll have to try to eke out the snow through endless days of sunshine). It's to do with the mentality of the clients: after Easter your average Mediterranean skier starts thinking of the beach, not the mountains, to the frustration of those of us who'd love the resorts to stay open until the snow melts.
This year of such extraordinary snowfall, though, there's been a real mind-shift from the resorts in the Pyrenees; the large majority not only extended their opening dates but also reduced the cost of the forfait - something that was pretty much unheard of. It seems they're beginning to realize that the mentality can be changed; it's a question of marketing, surely! (I like to think that even they had to admit that it would be criminal to close resorts which still have more that three metres of snow! But sadly I doubt it; everything boils down to balance sheets in the end.) Now we just need to respond to these offers so that the attempt isn't in vain...
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 4-04-13 21:47; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Warth-Schroecken is open until 14 April and has 3m of snow at the top and 2m of snow in the valley@ present.
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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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The Pengelstein area of Kitzbühel/Kirchberg closes tomorrow, 7th April. I believe some lifts will be running at the Pass Thurn end but I don't know what.
Fieberbrunn closes tomorrow too, St. Johann in Tirol is already closed.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The Flek in Kirchberg is still open. Sonnenrast, Steinbergkogel and Jufen. Your right, you cant get as far over as Pengelstien, but certainly still open. I suspect it will remain so depending on the numbers going thru. That's what they did last year. Then just closed and left only Pass Thurn open. But I skied Pass thurn last week, and its still okay.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Most ski resorts end ski season
Although snow conditions would allow a longer ski season, most ski resorts in Carinthia (Southern Austria) are closing after the upcoming weekend. They argue that skiers have enough of the winter and holidaymakers have already gone home.
Carinthian ski resorts were happy about the amounts of snow after Easter at other times. This year’s ski season ended in most ski resorts such as Bad Kleinkirchheim or Klippitzthörl after the Easter holidays.
Smaller ski resorts such as Hochrindl or Petzen already closed in the middle of March. The ski lifts of Katschberg, Mallnitz, Nassfeld, Heiligenblut and Gerlitzen will stop this weekend.
Other ski resorts are not operating the lifts any longer as holidaymakers have already gone home. Apparently, people from the area also do not want to go skiing any longer.
The lifts Innerkrems will be opened until 13 April and the Turrach ski lifts will operate until 14 April. The Kornock lift will be operating until 1 May. Like in the last few years, the lifts at the Mölltal glacier will operate the longest - until 12 May. |
http://www.austriantimes.at/news/General_News/2013-04-08/47836/Most_ski_resorts_end_ski_season
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And back in England, North Pennine skiing is in good health - both Weardale and Yad Moss can still run, Harwood might do depends on grouse and landowners but Allenheads is closed for Lambing.
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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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Nordkette is staying open (though closing 8-12th April for maintenance)  Still plenty of snow in them thar couloirs!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Everything open and currently snowing in Les 2 Alpes, resort open till the end of the month
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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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That's not what we've been saying. We've been saying that snow levels are not the direct determiner of closing date. Income is. If resorts think that there'll be enough paying customers to make it worthwhile for them to stay open, then they will probably do so. If they don't, then they almost certainly won't, regardless of the metres of snow on the ground (which turns out to not influence the availability of paying customers as much as one might think).
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| Quote: |
If resorts think that there'll be enough paying customers to make it worthwhile for them to stay open, then they will probably do so
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the emptiness of Les Saisies, throughout the Easter holidays and despite excellent snow depths and conditions, has been notable.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
If resorts think that there'll be enough paying customers to make it worthwhile for them to stay open, then they will probably do so
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the emptiness of Les Saisies, throughout the Easter holidays and despite excellent snow depths and conditions, has been notable. |
We were booked to go to St Anton with Esprit they decided to close a week early in that resort meaning we are now going to Belle Plagne. I can only guess that they must have been well down in bookings for next week despite how great the season has been for snow that it was more cost effective to rebook people onto different flights and accomodation.
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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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NickyJ, IIRC they told you that the resort was closing early. Have they accepted that that is not the case?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yep they are closing all their properties in resort - it was mix up over who "they" were and them missing words out. As she said "they have decided to close the resort early" the missing word being "in" and the "they" were probably "hotel plan" as I went on the inghams website and although they appeared to have availability when I went through the costing the price turned into approx £20,000 for that week. Well I guess that is one way of stopping people making new bookings LOL.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For the resorts it will be a simple case of can they make a margin if they stay open? If they paying customers are not there then the likely answer is no they can't. The other issue they will have is around staffing. Many people who work in the leisure industry will split their year between winter and summer destinations with a bit of downtime in-between. The summer season is getting under way in many areas so staff will be migrating to those areas.
You can't really blame customers either. Most of us get a limited amount of holiday each year and we have to use it wisely. Add in to the equation a limited amount of money to spend on holidays and its easy to see why most people sop skiing at the end of March. I've just paid the balance on our summer holiday as that is only 12 weeks away! 
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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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DT68, I am in Warth at the moment! Just had a great end of season crud and powder day skiing from the Sonnenjet lift down 8 and 4. Weather was changeable but noone else on the pistes. Off to Lech tomorrow.
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FAQ
