Being ready to hit the slopes entails much more than just packing up your ski gear and getting yourself and your equipment to the mountains.
There is some prep work you should do first — an important step for both your comfort and safety.
Let’s start with the ‘comfort’ part first.
Check the snow
Obviously, you don’t want to drive, or take public transport, all the way to the resort to ski on grass and rocks.
This may sound far-fetched, but it isn’t.
Take January 2023, for instance, when the unseasonably warm weather (up to 20C in some places) prompted many lower-attitude ski areas, especially those located below 1,400 metres, to shut down.
While this is not the case right this very minute, when there is abundant snow at higher altitudes, climate change makes all kinds of weather scenarios possible.
A good source for checking the snow cover at over 200 resorts in real time is Switzerland Tourism’s website.
It not only shows you the air temperature and the depth of snow in each ski domain, but also how many lifts and slopes are operational at any given time.
That is important info, but certainly not the only one you should look for.
And that brings us to the next point: safety
Each year, people die in avalanches in the Swiss Alps, and this year is no different.
Though the ski season is still young, snow has already claimed two lives during the Christmas holidays: Sophie Hediger, who was a member of the national snowboard cross team, and another person, who succumbed to his injuries after being rescued from an avalanche.
READ ALSO: Skier killed in Swiss avalanche
The common-sense advice is to keep away from unmarked pistes and areas designated as avalanche risks.
These areas are always clearly marked, but you can also do your own homework before you venture out.
The best source of this information is the constantly updated Avalanche Bulletin of the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research.
Besides giving specific information about risk areas, the bulletin also includes detailed snow maps, including how its depth varies from one area to another.
The Swiss government also gives up to date avalanche information on its own website.
With these sources, you have all the tools you need to ensure both comfort and safety in the mountains.
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