April’s Ski News in Brief – Live & Updated

1st April 2023

Here we cover anything that takes our fancy.

Short news stories, eye catching videos, amusing cartoons, things that make us smile/things that make us shout at the screen… in fact anything that catches our eye in the world of snowsports.

Plus links to some of our main stories on PlanetSKI so you can keep up to speed on the ever changing world of snowsports.

See here for:

We’re mixing it up.

Saturday 1st April

Cervinia and Zermatt Linked Throughout the Year

On July 1st 2023 the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II will open and create the highest continuous Alpine crossing by cable car.

It will link the peak Matterhorn Glacier Paradise with Testa Grigia in Italy.

Following the opening of the Matterhorn Glacier Ride I in the autumn of 2018, the completion of the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II will see the two resorts joined by a continuous link.

The cabins cover the 1.6 km stretch over the Theodul glacier in suspension with no pylons needed.

There is a 363-metre difference in altitude.

PlanetSKI has passed by many times during the construction phase:

Lift construction in Cervinia. Image © PlanetSKI.

And while we are in the area, the dates have been revealed for the opening ski speed races of next season:

Chamonix Ski Area Extends Its Ski Season

The Brévent ski area is to extend its winter opening by one week with a partial opening of the facilities and slopes.

It was originally due to close on April 16th but now goes through to April 23rd.

Ski lifts open:

• Planpraz gondola
• Parsa chairlift
• Altitude 2000 ski lift
• Funi 2000

Open slopes:

• Blankets
• Giant
• Combe des Vioz
• Green 2000
• Back to Planpraz

It will open at 8:50am and close at 5:00pm.

There will be a special daily rate for the lift pass.

Brevent, Chamonix, France. Image c/o PlanetSKI

Brevent, Chamonix, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Impact of Climate Change on the Mountains

The BBC has taken a long look at the issue as the permafrost melts and rockfalls become increasingly common.

Permafrost is soil and rocky material that stays frozen continuously and normally lies beneath an “active layer” that melts and freezes depending on the season.

As the frozen “glue” that helps hold the rock faces of the Alps together begins to thaw, mountaineers face a growing risk of sudden rockfall.

Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, France. Image © PlanetSKI

It has implications beyond the climbing community as in the European Alps, more and more of the permafrost is thawing each year – and it is threatening the very mountains it is found in.

There were incidents of unexpected rockfalls in the Alps and Dolomites last summer as we reported at the time:

The BBC reports extensively from Chamonix in France.

Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, France. Image © PlanetSKI

See here for the full article on the BBC website.

It is a long but worthwhile and interesting reading in our view.

Mont Fort glacier, Verbier. Image © PlanetSKI

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This article was originally published by Planetski.eu. Read the original article here.