Snow has finally arrived in the Alps – here are the resorts with the best powder

After a festive flop, fresh snowfall and lower temperatures in the Alps over the first half of this week has improved conditions dramatically. Accumulations on higher slopes of up to 70cm have been reported, but it’s down in the valleys that the snow is really needed and here the totals have been more like 20-40cm. That’s enough for Les Gets, France, which had completely closed its ski area, to reopen some slopes and other hard-hit lower-lying centres to reopen runs too. Higher resorts had been operating fairly normally anyway, so the new snow is just a bonus.   

Although the fresh snowfall will be welcomed by freeriders desperate to get off the groomed pistes, it’s important to be aware that the avalanche danger levels have been creeping back up in the Alps. Many are at level 3 (out of 5), which studies have found to be the most dangerous as more skiers tend to ‘risk it’ when few do at level 4 or 5.

Elsewhere, there has been snow in the Pyrenees – but not much. Bulgaria, where there’d been almost no snowfall, has seen wintry weather at last and is trying to open runs as fast as possible. It’s still very snowy in much of Scandinavia and the picture is improving on Scottish slopes as well. North America has seen a brief respite from the series of huge storms moving in off the Pacific, but the next one is due this weekend.

France

The new snowfall over the first half of this week brought some respite to lower French ski areas, which had been suffering. In the Portes du Soleil, Les Gets, which had had to completely close it slopes, re-opened six lifts and runs by Wednesday, with more promised. 

Nearby Châtel, one of the big winners, reporting 58cm (nearly 2 feet) of fresh snowfall, has reopened its Chalet Neuf sector. 

Other areas that had some terrain open, but not a lot, included La Clusaz where the new snow means the Massif de l’Aiguille has now reopened 16 lifts are operating, but for all these areas more snowfall is needed to really turn things around. 

Higher French ski areas, which include most of the big names, have some of the best snow depths in Europe (more have now passed the 2m mark up top) with most of their terrain open. 

The forecast? An increasingly positive one, with cold weather for the week ahead, light snow showers over the weekend and then, if it arrives as hoped, heavier snowfall throughout next week.

Austria

Austrian ski areas have had snowy weather this week with many seeing 20-40cm of new snow so far, and some higher areas, like the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier above Kaprun, more than 70cm. 

The big areas like the Skiwelt (Soll and Westendorf and others) had kept most of their slopes open through the warm spell and are taking advantage of the lower temperatures to run their snowmaking whenever they can, unusually in the daytime as well as overnight, to re-build bases. 

The forecast? Staying fairly cold with light snow showers through the weekend, then heavier snowfalls through next week.

Italy

Italy has probably benefitted least of the big four alpine nations from the new snowfall, although ski areas along its northwestern border got the same 30-60cm as elsewhere and there’s have been lighter falls further east, but then that’s the area that was in the best shape through the warm Christmas and New Year weather anyway.  

La Thuile in the Aosta Valley is posting the country’s deepest base (1.6 metres) and the Milky Way (Sestriere/​Sauze d’Oulx) the most open terrain – 225km.

The forecast? Cold and mostly dry through the weekend but plenty of snow showers from Monday when temperatures on some high slopes may drop to the -20s Celsius. 

Switzerland

Swiss slopes have had a good snow top-up too with most resorts receiving 20-30cm and some higher slopes as much as 60cm over the past few days. 

As with the rest of the Alps the fresh snow is particularly good news for hard hit ski areas like Gstaad, which has jumped from having less than 20 per cent of its slopes open at the start of the week to nearer 40 per cent now – not back to full strength but moving in the right direction.  

Verbier’s base has passed the metre mark and the 4 Valleys are about 80 per cent open.

The forecast? Fairly promising, with temperatures generally below freezing, highs of 5C in lower valleys, and plenty of light to moderate snow showers expected over the coming week. 

Canada

There are fairly good conditions now across the country. The east coast (Quebec) had suffered warm and wet weather until recently, but it’s now sub-zero and snowing heavily. The west (Alberta and BC) has had a mostly snowy winter with some very low temperatures but has been closer to freezing with fewer snowstorms this past week.  

The forecast? Staying cold, typically between freezing and -10C but reaching -15C at times. Drying out in the east before more snowfall next week, overcast with snow showers in the west. 

USA

An east/west split continues with snow cover well below average in New England but snowfall records in the Rockies. California continues to be hit by huge storms and Mammoth Mountain has the world’s deepest snowpack. Park City in Utah, the country’s biggest ski area, is fully open. 

The forecast? More storms are forecast to hit the west, where, ironically, the logistics of dealing with too much snow too often is now a problem. Some snow, but also possibly more rain, for the east over the next few days then cold and sunny from the weekend.

Scandinavia

The snow keeps falling in Scandinavia with the numbers most impressive in Norway, where Hemsedal and Voss have reached the 1.5-metre base depth mark. It’s cold and dark in January but there’s something magical about floating through powder under the floodlights.

The forecast? Plenty more snow forecast, particularly in the north and west, and temperatures ranging from freezing down to the minus 20s Celsius in Lapland.

Andorra

It has been colder and there have been several snow storms bringing 5-20cm of fresh snowfall to Andorra’s slopes but bases remain thin and most only have about half their runs open still.

The forecast? A promising forecast for the weekend and start of next week, with temperatures below freezing from top to bottom, day and night, and moderate snowfalls expected daily from Sunday. 

Eastern Europe

Some respite at last for ski areas in Bulgaria with colder weather allowing snow guns to fire up, and some natural snowfall too. There’s a lot of lost ground to make up; Pamporovo has the most slopes open so far – about a third of its 30kms. Bansko has had more than 20cm of snowfall and is endeavouring to open fresh terrain fast.

The forecast? Mostly dry weather for the week ahead with occasional snow showers. Overnight lows of -5C should allow for more snowmaking. 

Scotland

Conditions continue to improve on Scottish hills with cold weather delivering snow to the five Highland ski areas. But gales, a perennial problem for Scottish centres, have occasionally closed slopes. Glencoe has about a dozen runs open at present, the rest just a couple of short trails each, with Nevis Range currently closed for snow sports. 

The forecast? Temperatures staying around freezing, more snow showers and strong winds forecast. 

FAQs

Many skiers are concerned about what to do if their ski holiday is impacted by the lack of snow in some resorts – our expert answers the most common questions.

Can I get a refund if I cancel my booking if slopes are closed? 

If your ski holiday was booked as part of a package – that means your flights, accommodation and at least one other significant element included in the price – most operators will move you to a resort where you can ski, or offer a refund, if you cannot ski in your primary destination.

Over the New Year period, Club Med, for example, was directly contacting customers affected by the closure of Grand Massif ski area, offering them alternative resorts if they wish to change.

However, Crystal Ski Holidays is currently in a row with customers who have been denied a snow guarantee refund at a resort where four pistes are open – terms and conditions state a resort must be entirely closed in order for the policy to apply. A spokesperson for Crystal Ski Holidays said: “For customers travelling to Bulgarian resorts this weekend, ski trips will be going ahead as planned as the weather is set to improve over the coming days, with snow forecast during the week and temperatures expected to drop.” Concerned customers are advised to raise a case with travel association ABTA.

If you have booked independently; you will have to address each element independently. If you have booked flights, ferry or train, you can change your travel dates or apply for a full refund if you purchased a flexible ticket – though rules vary. EasyJet, for example, allows ticket changes for a fee and Eurotunnel allows travellers with standard tickets to change travel dates by paying any applicable difference between original dates and new ones.

While there is no legal requirement for accommodation booked independently to offer a refund other than goodwill, this also varies.

If you have pre-booked lift passes or lessons that prove redundant if you cannot ski you should consult the resort or provider's terms and conditions regarding a refund, or your insurance policy. Do note, some insurance policies (but not all) cover poor snow, but only if all lifts are closed. So check the small print.

What else is there to do in resorts where slopes are closed?

Resorts have been working hard to keep snow on the pistes, as well as offering extra entertainment and activities from ski touring and snow shoeing to snow karting, hiking, fat-biking and climbing. During recent bad weather cinemas increased their offering, and tennis courts, ice rinks and swimming pools have either reopened or extended opening hours. Les Gets took the step of re-opening its ski lifts to mountain bikers, while also offering free games and entertainment.