UKC

In your experience, how common is it to have the entire ski area closed due to high winds?

First time in 25 years for me today*, but I rather suspect I've been lucky up to now. But it's also the first time I've been to this resort - Gressoney

(* apart from my one and only skiing trip to Aviemore)

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Had late opening before but never shut, where is the resort, never heard of it.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

Monte rosa region, Italy - incredibly quiet and undeveloped, great piste and ,so I believe, even better off-piste, but not this week.

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Twice in 40 years. First time in Breckenridge (from about 11am as I remember) , then this year in Morzine/Avoriaz (actually there was one low lift running but nothing at Avoriaz-that way they don't have to refund)

In reply to Chris the Tall:


That's the gamble with underdeveloped resorts though that have older lift infrastructures. Be good when it opens though, looks like more snow on the way too, certainly over the hill in the Swiss resorts !

In reply to Postmanpat:


Same story here - each of the three valleys had a single lift running. But instead we went to a nice walk and a surprisingly interesting museum visit. Hoping for better luck tomorrow, but the wind is still howling outside

In reply to Chris the Tall:

iirc Cortina had to close parts last year because of too much snow, but not the entire resort

In reply to Chris the Tall:


Cervinia was closed apart from a 40 year old one person chair lift with no sides. It so so cold you'd have hand round face on way up , ski straight for a hot chocolate , then repeat.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

To be fair it doesn't seem that antiquated. Ok, one or two rickety 2 man chairs, but mostly 4 man chairs and gondolas. But that thought had occurred to me. Could also be the geography, or the nature of this winter

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Never whole place, only upper runs in a few places. Many wind risk slopes try to run t bars etc as they have a higher tolerance than chairlifts etc..

In reply to Orgsm:

Is that today ? And the coldest I've ever been was in Cervinia 3 years ago -28C

In reply to Chris the Tall:


Sorry not today, a few years back but recentish

In reply to AlanLittle:

I think 2 years ago we were in Corvara and Arraba was completely closed for the first 4 or 5 days, but everywhere else was open. But when we finally got there the skiing was fantastic, and the traffic lights in the village were almost buried by the snow

In reply to Chris the Tall:



Never been skiing in Scotland then?

Edit: maybe I should read posts in full...

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Happened to me last year in Gressoney. All the lift systems in the Alagna, Gressoney and Champoluc valleys were closed due to wind. We'd been up in the Gnifetti hut and came down to find the slopes empty, quite nice really. I believe it happens not infrequently. I was there last week, in Champoluc, hope there's more snow for you as we struggled to get off piste and tour. If you need any touring or off piste tips I can give a few pointers.
Dave

In reply to Chris the Tall:


Scotland.

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Come to NZ. They don't call Mt Hutt "Mt Shut" for nothing!

b

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Outside of Scotland, I've seen it in Oppdal (Norway) some 25 years ago (although I think they had a very short tow for kids working that was in the lee of some buildings)

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Les Menuires was closed completely for a day about 10 years ago when we were there - that's the only time I can remember.

In reply to Postmanpat:


Same here.

Once, many years ago in the mid-1980s, Heavenly Valley closed mid-morning due to high winds. Full refund on the day pass, no questions asked. (We drove up to Reno for a cheap lunch in one of the mega-casinos there.)

Then this year in Avoriaz on 11th Jan, all lifts closed from just after 9am apart from the drag in the middle of town. I don't think that was to avoid refunds: the word from a number of sources including the resort rep was that they don't give refunds. One of our party did get a form from the lift pass office but on closer inspection it was just a customer comment form, nothing about refunds!

In reply to Martin W:


>
Yeehaw! I gave my name and address and pass number to the lift office at Prodain asking for a rebate for the closure on Jan 11th.
Lo and behold, today I just got an apologetic letter enclosing a 5 hour (best part of a day!) lift voucher valid for this season or next

In reply to Dark-Cloud: Gressoney/Champoluc/Alagna is not undeveloped, indeed Alagna has a virtually brand new lift, but like any big high area when you get high winds they will close 'linked'areas as the risk is people can't get back. It's about 30 mins on the lift Champoluc to Gressoney but about a three hour drive. Last Easter virtually the whole of Chamonix was closed as was Courmayeur and La Thuile.

In reply to aostaman:


... but the snow was epic when they re-opened!

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Only time was at the Nevis range.

In the US I've known them to close the entire upper sections but that was due to Frost bite risk on exceptionally cold days. -15-20 C. Just brutal on the lifts.

In reply to Roadrunner5:



Is it naked skiing? Our kids have been in ski school in those temps. I have seen them piste bashing at Kiruna ready to open when it was -30. Although even the locals cringe a bit when it gets into the 30s.