Spring Skiing

Here in the Alps the Chalet Ski holidays team have been enjoying some fabulous skiing in the sunshine after another snowfall last week which saw between 20cm and 30cm of fresh snow. Chamonix tops the list with 4 metres of snow in the French Alps with St Anton closely behind with 3.9 metres.

The season in both ski resorts, and many others, looks set to run well into May. And with some brilliant blue sky days, there really isn't a better time to book a great last minute ski deal in one of your favourite luxury ski chalets with the Chalet Ski holidays team.

Half Term Ski Holidays

Well the first day of the half term ski holidays got off to a cracking start with crisp snow and sunshine. With the arctic freeze the sunshine was a pleasant sight and made a significant difference to the cold temperatures experienced last week.

Nevertheless, with temperatures below freezing, children were wrapped up warm and turtle necks firmly placed around necks to keep the still sub zero temperatures out. This said, with perfect snow conditions it really couldn't have been a better start to the half term skiing holidays overall!

Contour Roam Versus GoPro Hero

Here at Chalet Ski holidays we are looking forward to reviewing the Contour Roam in a couple of weeks time against the GoPro Hero. The latter we tested last year and having been so impressed with the results, ended up buying one!

Our only critism of the GoPro Hero is its slightly intrusive 'look' and that when mounted on a helmet it can be 'awkward' on ski lifts (particularly gettng in the way of the safety bar). It should be said that we are nit picking here but nevertheless, the cooler looking Contour Roam looks on paper an interesting option.

Severe Cold Snap Set For Alpine Ski Chalets

Alpine ski chalets are set for a severe cold snap with temperatures set to drop well below freezing during the day, with day time digits remaining below double digit minus tempartures (-10 and below). Night time temperatures are set to plumge as low as -25 C with temperatures between -15 C and -20 C when lifts first open in resort.

With temperatures losing up to 1 C for every 200m of asscent, high lifts could see temperatures toward the late -20's and even close to -30 C. In such extreme temperatures, ski chalets need to be prepared and all pipes and vulnerable plumbing protected. Likewse Chalet Ski holidays clients who are strongly recommended to wrap up warm, base layers (good thermals), mid layers, warm fleeces, jackets, turtle necks, helmets, warm gloves etc.

Children on ski chalet holidays should in such extreme weather be exposed to the cold in short, and not long, bursts. Take them out with all skin covered, lots of layers, and for an hour at a time, maximum. Regular stops in warm restaurants for hot drinks and food we believe at Chalet Ski holidays are essential. 

30cm Of New Snow In The Alps

The bumper ski season continues with today seeing even more snow fall across the Alps. Ski chalets throughout Europe are reporting up to 30cm of fresh snow with snow levels already the highest in decades.

Here at Chalet Ski holidays we have seen a massive surge in demand for ski holidays and luxury ski chalets in particular throughout February and with snow levels looking set to climb throughout February,the season looking set to run long into May. Easter ski holidays as a consequence look set to be in high demand with a number of weeks sold n the last two weeks, so a bumper end for the ski chalet holidays industry looks very likely as a consequence.

St Anton Tops Luxury Ski Resorts List

Austrian ski resort St Anton is currently topping the European and World's luxury ski resorts snow reports for snow depths with a whopping 520cm of snow. For those of us used to imperial measurements, that equates to 17 feet of snow on the top slopes! Chamonix isn't far behind with 450cm, which Google reliably tells us equates to just short of 15 metres of snow with our Chamonix ski chalets telling us it is again snowing this morning with more expected Tuesday down as low as 400m meaning that Chamonix may also soon top the magical 5 metres mark.

Staff at some of the luxury ski chalets in Verbier have also told us that Verbier is also enjoying a snow bonaza with nearly 2 feet of fresh snow (50cm) taking levels to over 3 metres on upper slopes.

To put these snow depth in perspective, the British Ski Club snow reports report that historical figures for this time of year in St Anton are 240cm, 220cm in Chamonix, and 160cm in Verbier which tells us that to date we have experienced twice the seasonal average, and we are nly in January.

Lets hope the good start continues and we are skiing long into May in such great snow. Here at Chalet Ski holidays we will be working for much of it unfortunately, but as a consequence will be online and by the telephone to take your late ski chalets bookings, whether for a budget ski chalet or one of the many luxury ski chalets we feature here at Chalet Ski holidays.