Happy New Year

31st December 2020, by Dave Watts

It's ironic that snow cover in the Alps is great right now but we can't go skiing

I’m sure we’re all hoping for a much better 2021 than 2020 turned out to be.

Like most people’s, my 2020 skiing was cut short in March by the spread of Covid-19 – read about my last two days of the 2020 season here

I had hoped to be back on the slopes in December. I love skiing before Christmas, just as the season is getting underway in most resorts.

Sadly, the virus put paid to that. So I’ve had to make up for it by day dreaming about my best pre-Christmas ski trips in the past.

One of my favourites was back in 2015 in the Dolomites. Although it had not snowed since the previous winter, the whole of the Sella Ronda circuit was open thanks to the area’s fabulous snow making system and a cold November weekend when they fired it all up. The skies were blue and the scenery, as always in the Dolomites, breathtaking.

What made the trip extra special was that it was the launch of the Alta Badia’s ‘A taste for skiing’ promotion and Michelin-starred chefs were on hand to display their culinary skills at mountain huts at remarkably affordable prices.

Read more about this fabulous trip here and here

Way before that in the 1990s I had a wonderful December two-centre trip to Whistler and Breckenridge with great powder snow at both resorts and a stop-over for a few hours to explore San Francisco on the way.

Back in Europe in 2011, I enjoyed delightful December powder in Courchevel courtesy of tour operator Le Ski

From there I went next door to La Tania and tour operator Ski Amis to celebrate Christmas early with the rest of the WTSS team. Sadly Ski Amis went under and ceased trading a few weeks ago because of the problems caused by Covid-19 – they were a good family-run business and had advertised with us every year since the book started in 1993. Very sad to see them forced to stop.

Last December I was in Zell am See to try the new link to Saalbach-Hinterglemm – read my blog here

In the few seasons before I’d enjoyed December skiing in Val d’Isère and Tignes, Sölden and Obergurgl and St Anton and Lech.

This season, December skiing was ruled out by the virus – very sad. And much of the coming season looks likely to be ruled out too, the way things are going.

So I’m looking forward eagerly to skiing in December 2021 – and, fingers crossed, hopefully before.

It’s ironic that snow conditions in most of the Alps looks good right now and the weather looks likely to remain cold and wintry for the foreseeable future – but we can’t go skiing.

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