At 2,037 metres summit elevation, Thredbo offers Australia's highest lift-accessed skiing and the country's most significant vertical drop. But with 2.5 metres average annual snowfall and a four-month season window, expectations need calibrating to southern hemisphere realities.
Kronplatz is retiring its long-running K1+2 gondola lift after this winter season, with construction of a brand-new replacement system starting immediately. The new lift has been designed in collaboration with Italian automotive firm Pininfarina, with cabin interiors featuring South Tyrolean loden fabric and a gold and bronze station aesthetic. It's a significant upgrade for one of the Dolomites' most-used mountain connections.
Straddling the Tuscan-Emilian border with 44 kilometres of terrain and 652 metres of vertical, Abetone offers something increasingly rare in Italian skiing: genuine terrain variety without Alpine pretensions. The resort's four-valley layout and moderate pricing make it worth considering if you're already in central Italy.
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies has announced the installation of four new Leitner Poma lifts across its BC resorts - Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Construction begins this spring at Kimberley, with Fernie and Kicking Horse following in 2027. The upgrades include two new high-speed detachable quads at Fernie and a second base-to-alpine access lift at Kicking Horse.
Grandvalira is considering building its own residential complex to house seasonal workers, as soaring rents across Andorra make staff recruitment and retention increasingly difficult. The project would initially accommodate 200 to 300 employees in modular, sustainable apartments - and the resort says it may fund the whole thing itself. It's a significant move, and one that reflects a growing problem across the global ski industry.
Saalbach Hinterglemm is back on the FIS Ski World Cup calendar, with two men's speed races confirmed for February 2027. A downhill and Super-G on the Zwölferkogel will replace a scheduled Courchevel stop, following a late calendar adjustment proposed at the FIS Spring Conference. Less than two years after hosting the 2025 World Ski Championships, Saalbach is back in the racing business.
In the 2025/26 season, the four core Alpine nations spent $1.09 billion on new lift infrastructure. North America managed $317 million. That's a 3.4x gap - and it has nothing to do with snow quality or resort size. After building a database of 226 new lift installations across 32 countries and a full financial comparative report, the answer comes down to ownership structures, regulatory constraints, and 150 years of European mountain history that North America simply doesn't have.
Coronet Peak and Whakapapa are both planning late-May openings using Snow Factory machines that produce snow regardless of ambient temperature. The technology allows limited terrain access before traditional season starts, though whether sledging operations and beginner carpets constitute actual ski area openings is debatable.
A modest cold front will deliver snow to high-altitude European resorts from Monday through Thursday, with the western and southern Alps favoured. Val Thorens and Cervinia could see up to 30cm, while many Austrian resorts miss out entirely. Snow levels fluctuate between 1,800-2,400 metres.
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