Mainly due to the media writing scare stories and overhyping and sensationalising things – What? The press do that? Surely not I hear you say!  Afraid so I say!

So early December and the snow hasn’t arrived and we see articles like this published on 4^th December  “Skiing holidays at risk as warm spell leaves slopes snow-free – Hundreds of thousands of skiers could see their holidays ruined as a record-breaking warm spell leaves slopes across Europe snow-free.”

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/883842-skiing-holidays-at-risk-as-warm-spell-leaves-slopes-snow-free#ixzz1gb1a4K2y

 And a week later we have a load of snow and forecasts looking like this……

Courchevel Snow Forecast 15 December 2011

Looking good isn’t it?  Altitude can’t wait as we will be there this weekend and are as excited as kids on Christmas Eve!

So should we have been worried that there was no snow at the beginning of December and that temperatures were warmer than ever? Should we have been panicking that “hundreds of thousands of skiers could see their holidays ruined”?  Well not really as if we look back historically, the snow doesn’t often arrive until mid December.

Back in the early days when the earth was cooling, global warming was just a thought and Altitude was starting up (it wasn’t that long ago – Ed). OK then, back when we ran around looking after guests in chalets and owners apartments, we had staff and a big red minibus and latterly a little Renault as well!

One of the first things I always taught our staff to do, when we arrived in resort, was to put snow chains on Altitude’s vehicles  – and they would practise and practise until they could do it in a deep freeze and blindfolded (well nearly). 

And guess what – in ten years I can only remember one of these practice sessions in early December taking place with snow on the ground.

December 2005

Ok so last year we would have had to do it in the snow but then last year we had no staff or minibus and the season was a bit rubbish after Christmas and one of the worst I have experienced.

December 2006

So if the snow doesn’t arrive in the first week of December don’t panic and if it does try not to get too excited!

We can’t control it and if you skied at a certain time last season it doesn’t mean that the weather and snow will be equally good or bad at the same time this season! Yes I do really get phone calls asking to go the second week in March as last year the snow was…… anyway that’s a different story!

Whenever and wherever you go we hope you get a load of snow!

The berries are plentiful, the onion skins are thicker, the marmottes are doing something or other and so winter is on the way!

Shorts and t-shirts just a couple of weekends ago for the record temperatures for October and now snow down to 1300m this weekend!

Who knows what will happen this winter – last winter started with record snow falls at the end of November.  Altitude’s first day skiing was on Saturday 4^th December – an amazing powder day!  I was heard to shout more than once that day something on the lines of “WOOO HOOO!  If this is what Verbier has to offer bring it on!!”  It was going to be a great ski season!

Except it wasn’t! 

After Christmas there was a serious lack of snow across most of the Alps through the rest of the season and that powder day turned into one of only two truly great days for me – the other for the record was March 12th.

Verbier Powder Day - 12th March 2011

Oh well, we had three good seasons before this one, so a ratio of one not so good season to three good isn’t so bad!

Altitude was based in Verbier last winter and was fortunate to ski the legendary resorts of St Anton, Zermatt and Chamonix as well as La Plagne, Le Grand Massif and Les Portes du Soleil. 

This year we hope to ski more resorts visit more chalets, speak to more owners and holiday makers and hopefully over the next 5 months or so we can give you some idea of what it is like working in a ski resort, some helpful tips on how to book the best ski holidays, information about ski and snowboard equipment, updates on ski resorts, reports on great day trips, amazing powder days and more.

So with the first ski magazines arriving on my door mat, the nights drawing in and the ski show in just a couple of weeks I’m off to look at the berries, the onion skins and the Marmottes of West Sussex to see if we are going to have a great season.

A West Sussex marmotte......er maybe!