Over the past few weeks we have seen some serious snow arriving throughout the Alps. Though there have been sunny days, there has been more snow than anything else, with many of our favourite resorts boasting well over 3m of snow for the season and some even over 4m. This week the sun returns, and fingers crosses, it's back for the whole week.
With bluebird skies and one of the deepest bases that half term has ever seen, skiing this week is going to be perfect on the piste. The back country is looking pretty good, especially if you are with a guide or instructor who knows where the best powder stashes are hidden.
Next week is half term for most schools in England, which means the mountains will be frequented by families, teachers and a few school trips. Many people avoid half-term as the slopes can be busy, but if you avoid the main lifts when ski schools typically start, then you can ski all day without too much hassle. With perfect conditions on offer, this could be one of the best times to ski as a family I can remember.
France is having a season like no other. Last winter may have broken the records thanks to super heavy snowfall in December and January, but this season has seen regular snowfall well above the average. The biggest dumps have been from 50-100cm and the constant snow and cold temperatures mean most upper slopes are boasting over 2m of snow, in some cases nearly 3m, while in resort you can pretty much expect 1m of snow.
Switzerland is following a similar trend to France and with most of the family-friendly resorts offer skiing well over 2000m, the chocolate box villages are still filled with snow-topped roofs.
Austria had snow in epic proportions last year and thanks to steady snowfall over the past two months, the slopes are in incredible condition. The big resorts, such as St. Anton and Ischgl are looking pretty much perfect, and even the lower resorts, such as Kitzbuhel and the newly formed Ski Juwel, are boasting great conditions for this time of year.
Italy is also having a good season, with the Dolomites dominating the recent snow, following on from the strong early conditions in the Milky Way. Either way, with the slopes quieter than France and Austria and good snowfall in most resorts, the half term skiing will be fantastic.
Next week looks like one of, if not the, best week of the season to ski and with half term falling, you couldn't have wished for a better time to hit the mountains as a family.
The Snowman
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