“Martin, Andy and Santiago” have filmed themselves making the first turns of 21-22 at Păltiniș ski area in Transylvania, Romania, on snowboards. The area, along with many ski areas across Eastern Europe, reported a moderate snowfall at the end of last week, the first of the autumn. Although eight ski resorts have opened in Austria, Italy and Switzerland for the 21-22 season already this is possible the first ride on fresh snow this autumn in the northern hemisphere at a ski area  below 2000m altitude and without a glacier. The Arena Platoș ski area at Păltiniș is located 1440m up in the Cindrel Mountains.

Last Updated 27 September 2021 at 06.40 GMT (Updates so far since commenced on 5 May 2020: 921) The web's most comprehensive guide of ski resorts opening around the world during the pandemic. An estimated 60+ Ski Areas Are Currently Open Worldwide in at least 6 Countries on 3 Continents including: Europe: Austria, Italy, Switzerland. Oceania: Australia, New Zealand South America: Argentina, Chile Browse by country: North America: Canada USA Europe: Andorra Austria Bulgaria Czech Republic Finland France Germany Italy Norway Poland Scotland Slovak Republic Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Asia: China Japan NEW: Italy announces opening rules from winter 21-22 including all resort staff must be fully vaccinated and wear surgical standard masks. Open air lifts can run at full capacity, enclosed lifts at 80%. (27 September) Ben Lomond in Tasmania hopes to extend its season to October 10 thanks to snowfall (23 September)Austria

An increasing number of individual resorts and entire countries have announced that all employees at ski areas must be fully vaccinated against COVID 19 in order to be able to work this winter. In Canada and the US a growing number of individual resorts and resort groups, including the largest, Vail Resorts, have now mandated that stuff must be fully vaccinated in order to work there this winter.  In Canada ski areas around Banff have announced similar rules and Whistler is owned by Vail so the rule applies there too. In Europe, Italy has included that requirement in a list of rules agreed to allow ski area to re-open there this winter after being closed last season. All resort staff

Ben Lomond Snow Sports centre located on Australia’s southerly island of Tasmania has announced it expects to stay open in to October thanks to heavy snow forecast to blanket the region this weekend. The centre says that if the snow arrives in the quantities forecast it hopes to stay open to October 10th, taking in the island’s school holidays. Snowmaking before the snowfall Ben Lomond has had a mixed winter for snow cover with only beginner terrain and snow play areas open for periods so it appears that the best weather is arriving late in the day.  It has though stayed open through the winter. For large parts of August and September the island had the only ski slopes open

Several glacier ski areas in Austria are already open and welcoming international skiers again, but for the main season ahead the government is stressing skiers will be required to wear face masks indoors and on lifts and will also need to carry Covid-19 passes to use the ski lifts. However skiers will not be required to be vaccinated in the country where a sizable minority of the population appear to be resisting getting the vaccine. Stubai Skiers will instead have to show they have either been vaccinated, tested or have recovered from COVID-19 when they buy a lift pass. The news came at a government press conference at which it was stressed that winter 21-22 is on, after the country