I guess this isn’t of great interest to those living in the UK, but if you’re living out here, or in a nearby resort and fancy some diversity, it’s worth remembering.

It doesn’t look like it’s snowed for a while, and the dominant high pressure that’s sitting over us at the moment means that it’s not going to for a few more days yet either, which is a pity.

That said the snowpack is great and the pistes are in great condition, so it would *seem* that all is good in the world. But driving up from the valley (ooh, I must do a post on the train sometime – it’s the best invention since steam) the lifts didn’t seem to be working, and there were queues at the bottom. I picked up a hitchhiking ski instructor (rather pretty, too, I thought) who explained that the buses and lifts were starting late since the operators had gone on strike for a few hours to draw attention to their low pay.

The lifts opened about 15 mins later (so I guess there was about 1h protest), so we’re back in the game. But remember they’re good people who help us all, whilst standing out in the cold all day, so be friendly with and smile at the lifties! I’d also recommend high fiving a piste basherer, because they have skills and insomnia and deserve our love.

A routine safety inspection found a fault in the cable which can not be repaired until the spring.

This is a real downer, and there are going to be some hefty insurance claims.

Any one with a season pass can request a refund from SAP, or you can keep your pass and just make your own way over.

Like I say: a real downer, especially so early in the season.

On the up side, however, there’s so much skiing in both resorts on their own that you really have to be going some to exhaust either resort in the space of a few weeks.