The Alps had no summer skiing this year. Here's what that means for your winter

Morning all,

An unusual thing happened in the mountains this August: for the first time in around sixty years, not a single lift-served ski area in Europe was open. Zermatt, Saas-Fee and finally Passo Stelvio all suspended summer glacier skiing as heatwave after heatwave took its toll, and the national race teams packed up and flew to Chile and Argentina to find winter. The Alps have since cooled and a little snow has fallen up high but it's a striking marker of how the seasons are shifting.

The good news is that the countdown has already started. InTheSnow reckons ten areas should be open in October, including Solden's glaciers for the World Cup opener, Hintertux, Saas-Fee, and Levi and Ruka in Finland from the 2nd. And in Switzerland, summer lift use is running 29% above the five-year average, so resorts are busier and better funded than the headlines suggest.

One thing worth knowing if you're booking: Christmas Day falls on a Friday this year, so most people are shifting to a Sunday 27 December departure — and Iglu Ski has found 60% fewer seven-night packages on that rotation. Peak weeks are going early.

Which brings us neatly to your skis. If you're travelling in December, the pre-Christmas rush is going to arrive earlier than usual this season.

Drop us a line and we'll get you booked in.