Hochkar deluged for free skiing

18th May 2019, by Abi Butcher

Hochkar has reopened today after another heavy snowfall. Pic: facebook.com/hochkar

The ski resort of Hochkar — which in January was cut off by heavy snow — has reopened this weekend after another heavy fall and offering free skiing to all. The news has brought such a rush of skiers and snowboarders from surrounding areas that the roads have come to a standstill.

For the first time ever, Hochkar is open in May after receiving as much as 130cm of snow last weekend, a month after it closed for the season.

Hochkar posted the above picture on Facebook this morning with the caption: “Good morning! Today is the 18th of May 2019. A dream day awaits you - we wish you a wonderful skiing day” but an hour later posted “Nothing’s going on: full house!”

Hochkar director Rainer Rohregger told Euronews this week that the “ice saints days” had brought cold temperatures and heaving snowfall as the resort started to prepare for the summer season. “It led us to think of re-opening the slopes,” he said.

Hochkar is around 150km from Vienna, and has been experiencing temperatures up to 25C since closing more than a month ago. In celebration of its first-ever May opening, skiing this weekend is free.

• snow
• austria
• record breaking
• hochkar
• free skiing
• may skiing

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