More ski resorts open up
Sunday June 13, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

The number of ski areas open worldwide continues to rise despite some areas closing in Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and the US. 

That's because the Southern Hemisphere's ski season has kicked off at resorts in Chile and New Zealand.

This weekend Australia opened up.

Meanwhile in the Northern Hemisphere Canada and France will be re-opening some glacier ski areas too.

First turns at Treble Cone, NZ.

Here's the PlanetSKI round up of conditions round the world with some help from our friends over at skiinfo.

We start where things are happening: - New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND: The southern hemisphere's 2010 ski season is under way. Coronet Peak opened on Saturday, June 5^th with a 55cm base including 15cm of new snow that fell on Tuesday.

We reported on it in full earlier in the week here on PlanetSKI. See what it is like with our reports and pictures.

Conditions are looking pretty good across the country and most of New Zealand's resorts will open in the next three weeks.

First Tracks were reported at Treble Cone last week, for those prepared to hike up, with 30cm of new snow, and a further 25cm was reported earlier this week. 

Looking good at Treble Cone

Check out the video below from The Remarkables of the snowfall.

The Remarkables currently has a 60cm base and plans to open on 19th June. Conditions are looking good and more snow is expected over the next few days.

Mt Hutt, has a 1m base, and opened at the weekend.

Cardrona and Mt Ruapehu will open later this month.

Ski Dobson possibly has the deepest base in the southern hemisphere at present with 1.3m, but it will not open until the weekend of June 20/21 and full-time from the following weekend.

AUSTRALIA: In Australia most resorts had some natural snow last month and currently have temperatures low enough to start snowmaking.

Falls Creek, Mt Hotham, Thredbo and Perisher were busy snowmaking ahead of opening over the weekend.

Here’s a round up of conditions in Perisher on June 12th.

"Just on cue yes, it's exactly what we've all been praying for," said Narelle Clark from the Falls Creek Chamber of Commerce.

"The snow makers have been busy. We've got a heap of snow-making overnight and I believe that we're going to have skiing for this opening weekend for sure."

But what about Europe and The Alps?

AUSTRIA: The Dachstein glacier was due to have opened for summer skiing a fortnight ago, but finally hopes to do so this weekend. 

The delay has been caused by problems on lift infrastructure upgrading work that has taken longer than expected, partly due to bad weather - snow.

The ski area has reduced season ticket prices to compensate disappointed skiers and boarders.

The Kitsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun is also briefly closed for a few week annual maintenance and the Molltal glacier will not re-open until the 27th June. 

However several other Austrian glaciers are still open, as in the case of Kaunertal and Stubai, but not for long. 

The ski area at Kaunertal  received 13cm of new snow in the past week closed for the season on Sunday, with a re-opening party already announced for October 15th-17^th.

The Stubai glacier also closed this Sunday, June 13, it has a 1.7m base and 5 runs open, served by four lifts.

So only the Tux glacier is staying open permanently at the moment.  It has 25km of runs to enjoy on a 295cm deep snow pack with nine lifts operating.

ITALY: Elsewhere in the Alps Passo Stelvio is open in Italy as is the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale.  One of the two remaining red runs that was open has now closed, leaving just one red and one black run to enjoy.

Val Senales opened this Saturday and Cervinia reopens a fortnight later on the 26th.

SWITZERLAND: In Switzerland Europe's highest lifts on Zermatt are operational at the resport's large summer ski area. 

The ski area is open throughout the year.

It appears to be the only summer ski area currently open in the country as the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz has now closed.

There are some good snow conditions up on the glacier above Saas-Fee, though the resort has not yetr reopened for summer skiing.

The Japanese World Cup football team has been staying in the Swiss resort for some hgh altitude training as we have already reported.

The team also took time off from the training ground to see the surrounding peaks.

Hiting the heights for the Japanese team

We have just taken these pictures from the PlanetSKI base resort of Verbier.  Summer is with us.

Summer in town

Summer on the slopes

Still wintery above Verbier

FRANCE:  In the French Alps the glaciers at Les Deux Alpes, Tignes and Val d'Isere are scheduled to begin their summer ski season from the middle of next week.

Les Deux Alpes opens first next Wednesday 16th of June and stays open until Saturday 28th August 2010.

The glacier slopes are open from 7.15am to 1.30pm daily and from resort level at 1,500m, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Europe's largest skiable glacier (3,200m - 3,600m). 

There are 200 skiable hectares on the glacier served by 11 ski lifts.

In Tignes the glacier opens from Saturday 19th June to Sunday 29th August 2010 from 7.15am to 1pm daily.

The Tignes Glacier rises from 2,700m to 3,600m and has 20km of ski runs served by 12 lifts and 750m of vertical.

It often opens with a race in bikinis and swim suits.

Summer in Tignes

Here is the PlanetSKI story from last year and below is a video of proceedings.

There's a snow park and an ice grotto, not to mention some pretty breathtaking views.

Access to the glacier by funicular only takes seven minutes.

SCOTLAND: In Northern Europe Scotland's Cairngorm Mountain has finally closed after an epic winter.

We reported in full on it in this PlanetSKI story last weekend.

To read what it was like with some video then see this related story.

It includes an overview of Scotland's winter.

In Scandinavia Sweden's Arctic-circle ski area of Riksgransen has now closed and so Norway's three open glacier areas of Folgefonn, Galdhoppigen and Stryn are the best bets.

FINLAND: Ruka still has its Saarua summer ski slope open until this weekend.

However, June 13^th is the last day of the Finnish ski season.

In North America two ski areas are currently open full time in the US, and one at weekends. 

USA: The last ski area still open for the 2009-10 season in Colorado, Arapahoe Basin, has now closed.

Snowbird in Utah however is open for at least one more weekend and possibly longer.

It hasn't had any recent fresh snow but still has 2.3m of snow lying at mid mountain and recently passed the 15m of snow accumulated this season in total. 

In California Mammoth Mountain still has the best part of a month of its long season left, it's open daily and plans to remain so until at least the US Independence day, July 4^th. 

It most recently received 13cm of new snow on May 27^th and currently has a base of 1.2m - 2.1m.

America's near year-round ski centre of Timberline on Mt Hood in Oregon is the other open ski area in North America.  Its lifts, Terrain park and pipe are all open.  There's a 3.25m base at present.

CANADA: There are no lift-served ski slopes open in Canada, but that will change next week when Whistler's Blackcomb glacier re-opens for a summer ski season on Saturday 19^th June.

So, what about back down in the Southern Hemisphere?

SOUTH AFRICA: The country's only ski area Tiffindell has a snow covering and with low temperatures continuing should be able to open quite soon.

The same is true of Afriski in neighbouring Lesotho which had hoped to open on June 1^st.

Just in time for a bit of skiing during The World Cup!

In South America many ski areas are reporting cold temperatures and snow.

CHILE: Valle Nevado will be opening this weekend along with neighbouring El Colorado (Farrellones). 

Portillo hopes to be open for business in a week's time on the June 19^th.

ARGENTINA:  Las Leñas reports 4cm of snow remains on the tops of the mountains following a 30cm fall last month.

The You Tube video below shows a pre-season promo video for Las Leñas.  Fingers crossed conditions will be this good for the 2010 season.

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