Yes. I've seen it working really well in the USA. Needs several operators though, but by picking groups and singles in advance and pulling them forward they're able to fill every chair to the max, rather than the ~50% occupancy that's more common here.

Some resorts in Switzerland do this very well- others not.

Just as I decided to buy my ski pass this weekend, I see this news:

Coronavirus pandemic: Germany seeks EU deal to close ski resorts

Who knows if it will happen and if Switzerland would follow suit.

Normally I would think we're unlikely to do anything like that in line with the EU, but a big influx of Europeans looking for skiing would be a big problem...

There won't be much of an influx as it is, there's a pandemic afoot. Also the Swiss ski infrastructure is built for the big influx, some places just aren't viable with only Swiss customers.


But anyway, this call is another over reaction. It's the apres ski that's the spreading event, won't be like that this year.

Actually it started with Italy, the Germans are following. The Austrians are resisting.

In any event there wouldn't be any big rush into Switzerland - the Germans would have to quarantine when they got back home which would put most of them off.

Austria already defined very clear rules for aprés ski. Basically, it's sitting down, served at tables (not dancing on them).

So no Dutch people welcome then.

Most places are offering refunds if slopes closed for More than two weeks Anyhow so why not.

The Magazine for British Expats in FRance, ConneXion, interviewed several ski operators, and they are all counting on last minute bookings- just as happened during the Summer season. Very hard to predict, for sure.


Staffing is a real issue, so companies running catered châlets have switched to self-catering. Due to the combination of Covid + Brexit- companies big or small just do not want to take British/Non EU staff on- from chefs, to cleaners, ski hire or ski/snowboarding instructors, etc. I know so many people who work as 'saisoniers' - Summer by the sea/ocean, and winter in ski resorts - who have no idea what their future holds.


I reckon for us who live in CH/EU, there will be some amazing offers on.

Resorts and ski companies normally recruit in September for a December start - this time they have mostly chosen to cut staff to the bare minimum and hope to recruit as and when season progresses. Companies who specialise in School Ski Trips will mostly go to the wall.


Major factor will be fast and easy Covid testing at airports. But this won't resolve staffing issues due to Brexit.

First & foremost will be the weather conditions, if there will be sufficient snow as each successive year in the past few decades has seen a decline in accumulation coupled with rise in temperatures

Plus, Valais has been among the hardest hit cantons in the 2nd wave.

The 'Clean & Safe' pragmatic approach the Suisse have adopted means masks on lifts, gondolas & queues. I suppose then ski stations will likely be evaluated on a case by case basis since telesieges will need to conform to minimum distance between skiers with the the knock on effect being longer wait times & lines. I imagine even then they will cap the number of people allowed

France has confirmed that ski resorts will be open for touring, but no ski lifts will operate, so basically good news.

Excuse my ignorance but I don’t ski so know absolutely nothing about it.

How does that work? Do you have to walk up and then ski down?
So basically a long ascent for a few minutes descent? That should keep everyone fit.

Exactly, it's usually done to get to fresh untracked snow when lifts are open, sometimes just 15 minutes from the top of a lift will give an hours skiing. Since the fire destroyed the Top lift at the Grand Montets 3 years ago, the only way to get up there was to hike. 45 min to 1 hour which is about the same as queueing when the weather is good & everybody wants to ski. After a week of touring you do get incredibly fit, the first time I hiked up it took 3 hours, I was so tired I took the lift down without skiing, 5 days later I was getting up in 1.5 hours! Thats car park up to 2000m, best snow is probably another 400-800m higher.

This is the way I learnt - our first ski lift, one of those dreadful cable with handles, (which we called 'arrache-mitaine') was installed by the Ski Club in 1965ish, but we first had to walk or 'skin up' to the Ski Clubb Châlet, about 2 hours. The chairlift and Pomas came in 69 in my part of the world. For very special occasions we went to the chairlift on the other side of the mountain, then walked up to the very top and skied down back home the other side.


so yes, we prepared the pistes by walking up and down perpendicular to the slope, and then skied down, and up again. For longer trips, we fixed the seal skins (feel awful about that now, and still got boxes of them in the barn) under the skis and 'skinned up' (different meaning now apparently) ... 2 to 3 hours to go up- picnic at the top, then ski down.


Most of my friends who are brilliant skiers, instructors or guides prefer to do this- as they truly love the mountain and dislike the massive environmental impact of ski resorts). Modern touring skis are much better that the wooden slats we had- with great bindings that allow the heel to rise to go up, with a stopper at the back to prevent the achiles from over-stretching- and then clip down for the descent.

Ski de randonnée, it's actually quite popular

Flights are booked will arrive in France on 15th December

Restaurant, cafés, shops, will open in Vaud and other Romand Cantons on 10th of December- with the exception of Valais. So if you want to après-ski as well as ski/snowboard - head to Leysin, Villars and the Bernese Oberland.

There is no way that EU would close Swiss resorts, tbh. I can see the reasons for EU states' caution but don't think that it will influence Swiss resorts. Last season was terrible enough, I don't think they can risk closed slopes here. I am just bummed that I cannot get a snowboard I wanted in a 2nd hand store back home, finally wanted to pick it up. Falling down on skis doesn't embarrass me anymore that much. No fun.

I don't think cross country skiing will be affected though.....oder?
I mean, that would be absurd.

LOL, I learnt to snowboard aged 49 - and I look more like a teapot than a snowboarder. Got a second hand board from the friend who inititated me to it- then for my 50th bought a brand new fabulous board in Châtel, a French board which was ideal was my weight, and I loved it. It was stolen a few weeks later in a Hôtel in Arosa- I was gutted. Never fully switched though- used to ski on hard snow in the morning and board in the afternoon on soft.


Back to skiing only - but perhaps will have a go this season, for my big BD. I love the look on people's faces ...