Snow of the week
While fires rage in the southern hemisphere, North America continues to attract some of the best snow in the world. Heavenly Lake is heavenly indeed, with 165cm of packed powder on the lower slopes and a massive 245cm on the upper slopes. Park City runs a close second, with 130cm on the lower slopes and a healthy 150cm on upper slopes. All of the runs in both resorts are open.
The greatest dumps this week are in upstate New York. Dry Hill gave the lie to its name with a dump of 30cm on New Year's Day, while Kissing Bridge welcomed in the New Year with a whopping 50cm of new snow.
The good news closer to home is that conditions in Austria are improving after a disappointing season. St Anton is making the best comeback: snow is 270cm on the upper slopes, all runs are open and more snow showers are expected.
In France, Avoriaz, Portes du Soleil, seems to be this week's best bet with 150cm of packed powder on the upper slopes.
Deal of the week
Free extra nights are on offer from Ski Independence at selected US resorts. It can be a long and costly journey to get the best conditions, so free nights are a great incentive to chase the perfect pistes. Booking a seven-, eight-, or nine-night holiday will get you three extra nights free, while a booking of 10 nights will gain an extra four free nights. The resorts are Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Vail. Prices including flights range from £726 to £1,203 depending on the resort and accommodation. Ski Independence (0870 555 0555).
Website of the week
This site goes beyond resort reports and offers meaty reads for dedicated skiers who have been forced away from the slopes. Not only does it offer its own content, but it provides links to a host of other sites and ski communities, whether you want to read up on ski law or chat to disabled skiers online. There is comprehensive weather information and, despite a US emphasis, it's a great central resource.
