News Search

Push to The Latest: No
SAM Magazine--June 9, 2010--www.skiinfo.co.uk reports that the number of ski areas open worldwide continues to rise despite more areas closing for the season in Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S. That's because the southern hemisphere's ski season has kicked off at resorts in Chile and New Zealand and, next week, Australia, Canada and France will be opening ski areas, too.

Starting in the Alps, there are just six glaciers open for snow sports. In Austria, the Dachstein glacier, which was due to have opened for summer skiing a few weeks ago, hopes to finally do so this weekend. The delay has been caused by problems on lift infrastructure upgrading work that was hampered by 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 annual maintenance and the Molltral glacier will not re-open until June 27. However several other Austrian glaciers are still open, but not for long. Kaunertal and Stubai glaciers close this weekend. Only the Tux glacier is staying open for good at the moment.

Elsewhere in the Alps Passo Stelvio is open in Italy as is the Presena glacier above Passo Tonale. Val senaes opens this Saturday and Cervinia on June 26.

In Switzerland, Europe's highest lifts on Zermatt are operational.

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.

In Northern Europe, Scotland's Cairngorm Mountain remains open on weekends although snow cover is finally reported to be getting patchy.

In Scandinavia, Norway's three open glacier areas of Folgefonn, Galdhoppigen and Stryn are the best bets. Finland's Ruka still has its Saarua summer ski slope open until this weekend when it will close.

In North America, several ski areas are still open in the U.S. There are no lift-served ski slopes open in Canada, but that will change next week when Whistler/Blackcomb's glacier re-opens for a summer ski season on June 19.

In Colorado, Arapahoe Basin, is open, but closes this weekend. Snowbird in Utah is open for at least one more weekend and possibly longer. In California, Mammoth Mountain still has the best part of a month of its long season left and plans to be open through July 4. As well, Kingvale up in Tahoe remains open with lots of snow. In Oregon, Timberline has started its summer operations on snow.

The southern hemisphere's 2010 ski season is under way with Coronet Peak in New Zealand opening with a 20-inch base. Conditions are looking good across the country and most of New Zealand's resorts will open in the next three weeks. The Remarkables currently has a 2-foot base although no plans to open for another two weeks. Mt Hutt, with a full 3-foot base, will open next Saturday June 12. Cardrona and Mt Ruapehu will open later this month. Ski Dobson possibly has the deepest base in the southern hemisphere with 4.3 feet, but it will not open until June 20.

In Australia, most resorts had some natural snow last month and currently have low temperatures and are able to start snowmaking. Falls Creek, Mt. Hotham, Thredbo and Perisher are all making snow.

In South Africa, the country's only ski area of 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.

In South America many ski areas are reporting cold temperatures and snow, but none are so far saying they have opened. Chile's Valle Nevado will be opening shortly, neighbouring El Colorado (Farrellones) on June 11 and Portillo in two weeks on June 19. In Argentina, Las Lenas reports some snow, but no opening date.