SNOW PATROL
Where’s the snow going to fall next week — and how can you get to it?
IT’S BEEN a roller-coaster of a European ski season so far, with little or no snow in many resorts at Christmas.
But now a voluminous white blanket from the three biggest storms of the winter has half-buried resorts across the entire Alpine chain and the Pyrenees.
If you’re heading for the hills this weekend, your choice of country and resort is relatively unimportant — they are all offering quality skiing in the sunshine.
However, with spring in the air, the snowline will rise as April approaches and then it’s time to aim for the higher altitude resorts. These should remain in top condition until the lifts close.
A word of warning: The avalanche risk off-piste remains significant.
Stay safe.
AUSTRIA
EVEN the lower resorts such as Kitzbuhel and Zell am See will have great cover this weekend. But, in the longer term, higher destinations such as St Anton, Lech, Obergurgl, Solden, and Kuhtai will offer the best skiing.
FRANCE
AFTER a short, sharp thaw, colder weather is set to return and the avalanche risk that has been four-fifths on lower slopes should recede as the snowpack starts to stabilise after recent substantial falls. Everywhere is good, but conditions are fabulous in resorts such as Val d’Isere-Tignes, which now has 250cm at 3000m and 136cm in town.
La Plagne-Les Arcs and the Three Valleys are also skiing superbly.
ITALY
EVEN the central Dolomites have benefited from the March storms, with resorts such as Cortina d’Ampezzo and San Cassiano receiving a welcome natural top-up to what is a superb but largely man-made base.
Sestriere and other resorts of the Milky Way, including Sauze d’Oulx, continue to ski well, along with Courmayeur. As April approaches, the safest destination for good cover is Cervinia.
SWITZERLAND
SIGNIFICANT new snow fell last week in Davos-Klosters along with Murren and other resorts in the Bernese Oberland. If you’re planning ahead, look towards Engelberg, Zermatt, St Moritz, and Saas Fee. Verbier currently has 50cm in the village and 250cm on top.
PYRENEES
ANDORRA continues to have a bumper winter with 120cm in the villages and 180cm at the top of the lift system.
But temperatures have risen as resorts here move into the closing weeks of the season. Destinations in both the French and Spanish Pyrenees, including St Lary and Baqueira Beret, also have substantial cover.