Christmas Snow and Easter Skiing
Indeed the seasons are changing, no one can argue that the snow is coming later, but few realize which is also staying for much longer. We are seeing some of the best snow arriving mid to late March, and well into April and May. Maybe skiers need to start changing their habits for their annual ski holiday?
From my own observations during the 20 years I've been immersed in the industry, Snow has not deteriorated over the past two decades, but has simply decided to start coming later. But not so late that it has finished with the traditional time favorite the years to go skiing, which is of course Christmas.
Ten years ago the temperatures would fall in late October and the first snow would arrive late November. A base layer would have formed by the first week of December, which allows skiers to enjoy the cold, dry snow from early December of.
In those days Easter Ski was a luxury that only offers that could justify the expense of an elite "high" as destination Tignes and Val d'Isère. Snow in the rest of Europe was the last time well beyond the end of March.
Easter is a different story today. The temperatures remain cold and the snow is falling heavier than ever during the first two weeks of April. Last year I enjoyed one of the best holidays ski I've had in 23 years in Les Arcs 2000 on 25 April.
Early season however, was not so great. In recent years, the field has not reached its critical level of freezing until early December, which wipes out the relevance of all the snowflakes in late November that excited the press in the UK and to encourage early season skiers to hit the mountain with such aplomb.
Above 1500m we're seeing mid-forming bases December, which means that unlike the past, Christmas week is now actually worth the first week of the season for ski holidays.
But let's not forget the past. A look at the history books will tell you that we have seen all this before. I've talked to countless locations during my time in France that have lived for much of the last century in these alpine farming villages, towns that have become major ski resorts.
These premises do not worry at all. I have seen it all before: "The snow comes and goes in cycles," they say. "You get good years and bad years."
In 1988, the consistency of snow was so flaky (pardon the pun) that only a career in the famous Arare in Avoriaz was open all season. Meribel was not skiing at all below 2000 feet, and was in a bind similar Courchevel. Of course this was before the snow guns and skiers had to take off their skis and walk the rest of the grassy slope until from1850 meters.
But the locals resort are not ignorant of the effects of the British press to pontificate about changing seasons. Nor is its dependence on British public opinion ideal ski for their livelihood. They also realize that British skiers are traditionalists and the week Christmas is our favorite time of year to ski.
Are responding with snow guns, learning new ways to produce artificial snow, even experimenting with bacteria that crystallize in degrees Celsius.
His techniques of "pisting" the mountain are being developed to address the demand for Christmas ski holidays. Piste bashers (shovel snow tractors) are working all night to store snow at altitude when going to last the season before be used on the lower slopes.
They maintain their tracks better and who spend their summers preparing the ground for holding the base layer more effectively those weeks in early winter. In 1500 sub subway stations, the preparation of the slope is becoming an art in order to maintain their share of the demand for travel Christmas ski?
About the Author
Shaun Parker has been at the forefront of the Ski Holidays industry for 15 years and oversees 10,000 client placements per year. For more information visit http://www.alpineelements.co.uk
Altitude Futures - Ski and Snowboard Instructor Course Verbier
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