On this page we keep you up to date about the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the situation in the ski resorts, about closed ski resorts and where you can find more information.
Sunday, March 15, 2020:
- 03:30 p.m.: The Federal Government of Germany announced to close its borders to France, Switzerland and Austria, starting from Monday, March 16th, 08:00 a.m.
- 02:00 p.m.: The ski resort Malbun in the Principality of Liechtenstein just announced that it will suspend skiing operations this Sunday evening.
11:00 a.m.: Sweden is one of the countries in Europe where large ski resorts are currently still open, including Are and Idre Fjäll. However, hygiene measures have been tightened everywhere, mountain restaurants have been closed and all events cancelled. Those who feel ill are asked to stay at home.
- 01:30 a.m.: More and more ski resorts in Utah suspend operations: After Park City (Vail Resorts), Deer Valley and Solitude (both Alterra Mountain Company) have already announced to suspend operations, the ski resorts Alta, Snowbird and Eagle Point have now followed suit.
>> All ski resorts in Utah
- 01:00 a.m.: Jared Polis, Governor of the State of Colorado, issued an executive order on March 14 (local time) requiring the closure of all downhill ski resorts in Colorado. This executive order affects the popular ski areas in e.g. Aspen, Vail, Winter Park, Telluride, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Steamboat, Keystone and Beaver Creek.
>> All ski resorts in Colorado
Saturday, March 14th, 2020:
- 11:30 p.m.: After the Vail Resorts, the Alterra Mountain Company decided to suspend operations at their 15 North American ski resorts, starting the morning of Sunday, March 15, until further notice. All lift operations, food and beverage, retail and rental services will be closed until further notice. The following 15 ski resorts in the US and Canada are affected:
Big Bear Mountain, Blue Mountain, Crystal Mountain Resort, Deer Valley, June Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, Snowshoe, Solitude Mountain Resort, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Steamboat, Stratton, Sugarbush Resort, Tremblant, Winter Park Resort.
>> All ski resorts in North America
Also affected by the closure is the heli-skiing provider CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures in British Columbia, Canada, which belongs to the Alterra Mountain Company. All heli-skiing trips scheduled to begin between March 14th and March 16th will run as regularly scheduled. All heli-skiing trips starting March 17th will be cancelled.
- 11:00 p.m.: First ski resorts in North America are closing! The Vail Resorts Inc., the world's largest mountain resort company, which operates a total of 37 resorts worldwide, decided to suspend the operations of all their North American mountain resorts and retail stores beginning Sunday, March 15, 2020 through Sunday, March 22, 2020. The situation will then be reassessed. The following 34 ski resorts in the US and Canada are affected:
Vail Ski Resort, Beaver Creek Resort, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Resort, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Northstar California, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Afton Alps, Mount Brighton, Park City Mountain Resort, Wilmot Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe Mountain Resort, Mount Sunapee Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Stevens Pass, Mount Snow, Hunter Mountain, Attitash Mountain, Crotched Mountain, Wildcat Mountain Ski Area, Liberty Mountain Resort, Roundtop Mountain Resort, Whitetail Resort, Jack Frost, Big Boulder, Alpine Valley, Boston Mills, Brandywine, Mad River Mountain, Hidden Valley, Snow Creek, Paoli Peaks.
>> All ski resorts in North America
- 10:00 p.m.: French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has ordered to close all facilities not necessary for life from midnight. For all ski resorts in France this means the instant end of the season. Large ski resorts such as Portes du Soleil, Les 3 Vallees or Grand Massif have already confirmed the closures.
- 09:40 p.m.: More and more Austrian ski resorts announce that they will no longer be open on Sunday, the last permitted opening day. These includes Serfaus Fiss Ladis, Nauders and Lech-Zürs.
- 07:50 p.m.: First ski resorts in the USA are closing! In Vermont and Massachusetts the ski resorts Berkshire East, Burke Mountain and Jay Peak Resort will stop operations after this weekend because of COVID-19. Taos in New Mexico also plans to close the lifts prematurely, but not before March 22nd. In all other ski resorts in the US operations will continue with additional hygiene precautions (including closed restaurants and fewer people in the lifts).
- 05:30 p.m.: All ski resorts in Switzerland will end their operations after today! Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset had previously made it clear that further opening is illegal and would result in fines.
>> All ski resorts in Switzerland
- 04:00 p.m.: In Bavaria, by official order, all ski resorts have to close. Last day of skiing is Sunday, March 15th, 2020. This effects the following ski resorts: Grasgehren, Spitzingsee, Sudelfeld, Bolsterlang, Brauneck-Lenggries, Oberjoch, Unterjoch, Imbergbahn Oberstaufen, Garmisch-Classic, Zugspitze, Winklmoosalm, Söllereck, Nebelhorn, Fellhorn, Jenner, Rossfeld, Immenstadt, Balderschwang, Ofterschwang and Eschach.
>> All ski resorts in Bavaria
- 03:30 p.m.: Next closure in Germany: Last skiing day in the ski resort Winterberg is Sunday, March 15th, 2020.
>> Ski Resort Winterberg
- 02:45 p.m.: Half of the COVID-19 infected people in Norway (459 out of a total of 907) were infected with the virus during their ski holiday in Austria. Sweden (137 of 775) and Denmark (265 of 785) also have many skiers who have fallen ill. This was announced by the health authorities of the respective countries.
- 02:00 p.m.: The Biathlon World Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland, will be stopped after today's races in the pursuit. This was announced by the International Biathlon Union (IBU).
- 01:45 p.m.: Germany's highest ski resort, the Zugspitze, and the ski resort Garmisch-Classic will be closed from Monday, March 16th, 2020. For the ski resort Zugspitze, there will also be a limit on the number of visitors for Sunday, March 15th, 2020.
>> Ski Resort Zugspitze
>> Ski Resort Garmisch Classic
- 01:30 p.m.: Swiss Minister of Health, Alain Berset, calls for the closure of all ski resorts in Switzerland. Despite the decree of the Federal Council on Friday, some ski resorts in Switzerland still are open. "This is illegal", Berset said. So far only in the cantons of Grisons, Valais and Ticino have all ski resorts closed.
>> All ski resorts in Switzerland
- 01:20 p.m.: The ski resort Engelberg-Titlis in Central Switzerland announces the end of the season. Skiing operations end today at 05:00 p.m.
>> Ski Resort Engelberg-Titlis
- 12:50 p.m.: The ski resort Lech-Zürs (Ski Arlberg) closes on Saturday evening. The neighboring village of St. Anton had to end the ski season on Friday, after the village was quarantined by the government. Both ski resorts are connected by slopes.
>> Ski Resort Lech-Zürs (Ski Arlberg)
- 10:50 a.m.: The final of the Freeride World Tour in Verbier has been cancelled. The ski resort belongs to the huge Swiss ski area 4 Vallèes, which has closed from today on by order of the canton Valais.
>> Ski Resort Verbier (4 Vallèes)
- 10:40 a.m.: The Carinthian community of Heiligenblut will be quarantined from now until 29 March. Skiing operations will be terminated. The area will be isolated, like all communities in the Paznaun valley and the well-known ski resort of St. Anton am Arlberg. Foreign guests have to leave the ski area quickly. For Austrians access and departure are denied.
>> Ski Resort Heiligenblut
- 10:30 a.m.: The Robert Koch Institute, a German federal government agency and research institute responsible for disease control and prevention, has declared the Austrian province of Tyrol and also the Spanish capital Madrid a risk area. Further COVID-19 risk areas are the countries Italy and Iran, the French region Grand Est (Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne) as well as numerous provinces in China and South Korea.
- 08:45 a.m.: In Austria, the penultimate day of operations in the ski resorts begins. Last skiing day is Sunday, March 15th, 2020. Already closed are all ski resorts in Paznaun and St. Anton am Arlberg, which have been isolated since Friday afternoon due to the increased number of infections with COVID-19.
- 07:00 a.m.: All ski resorts in Spain and Andorra are closed from today! In Spain there are already more than 4200 confirmed infections with COVID-19, 120 people died. The second highest value in Europe after Italy. The Spanish government wants to declare a state of alert today.
>> All ski resorts in Spain
>> All ski resorts in Andorra
- 03:00 a.m.: The Vail Resorts announced that all North American ski resorts operated by the Vail Resorts remain opened as scheduled. The Vail Resorts are deploying specific actions to encourage social distancing and to slow the spread of COVID-19. Over the course of this weekend, all resorts will begin to reduce operations at on-mountain, quick-serve dining facilities to avoid crowding. Furthermore the ski resort will encourage guests to ride on chairlifts and gondolas with their parties only.
- 12:00 a.m.: By order of the Polish Government, all public institutions, universities and schools will be closed for 14 days from Saturday, March 14th, 2020, 12:00 a.m. Opening hours of restaurants, entertainment and shopping centers will be restricted. Public life will be kept to a minimum. For all Polish ski resorts this means the instant end of the season. In addition, from March, 15th, 2020, 12:00 a.m., the Polish borders will be closed to foreigners.
>> All ski resorts in Poland
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Friday, March 13th, 2020:
- 07:00 p.m.: Confusion currently prevails in Switzerland regarding ski resorts. After the Federal Council's ordinance this afternoon did not announce a concrete order to close the ski resorts, it is now up to the cantons to decide. Grisons and Valais have already announced that they will close ski resorts instantly. The situation is different in the Bernese Oberland, where ski resorts have to decide about closings themselves.
>> All ski resorts in Grisons
>> All ski resorts in Valais
>> All ski resorts in Bernese Oberland
- 06:.00 p.m.: Now also the provincial governments of Styria and Carinthia have announced that ski resorts will be closed from Monday, 16th, 2020. Last skiing day is Sunday, March 15th, 2020.
>> All ski resorts in Styria
>> All ski resorts in Carinthia
- 06:00 p.m.: Now the government of the province of Styria has also taken the floor: The ski resorts will be closed from Monday, March 16th, 2020. Last skiing day in the ski resorts in Styria is Sunday, March 15th, 2020.
>> All ski resorts in Styria
- 05:45 p.m.: After Grisons, the Canton of Valais also speaks out: All ski resorts there will close instantly.
- 05:00 p.m.: The first reports of closures are now also coming from Switzerland, after no concrete measures were announced at the Federal Council's media conference in the afternoon. The canton of Grisons will have all ski resorts closed as of Monday.
>> All ski resorts in Grisons
- 04:30 p.m.: On Friday, the two Helene Fischer concerts at the beginning of April, which were completely sold out, were also cancelled. The German superstar had been booked for two performances in the ski resorts of Grindelwald (Switzerland) and Bad Hofgastein (Austria). Now the band is looking for catch-up dates for the concerts.
- 03:45 p.m.: Now the governments of Upper and Lower Austria have also decided that they will close all ski areas. A closure of hotels, as in Tyrol and Salzburg, is not planned in these two provinces, however, according to current information.
03:15 p.m.: The first ski resorts in Poland are closing, too. The cable car company Polskie Koleje Linowe (PKL) has declared that the ski resorts of Zakopane, Szczawnica Palenica, Mosorny Gron and Jaworzyna Krynicka will be closed from Friday, March 13th, 2020. The ski resort Bialka Tatrzanska has also announced that it will end the ski season early. The last day of skiing is Sunday, March 15th, 2020.
>> All ski resorts in Poland
- 02:45 p.m.: The ski season in the Czech Republic is over. The ski resorts are closed from Saturday, March 14th, 2020. The country had already declared a state of emergency yesterday.
>> List of all ski resorts in Czech Republic
- 02:15 p.m.: All ski resorts in the Paznaun valley (Ischgl, Galtür, Kappl, See) as well as St. Anton am Arlberg are quarantined for 14 days! This was announced by Austria's Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz at a press conference of the government leadership. The areas will be isolated, the police will control all access roads. The reason is the increased incidence of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in these areas. The holiday guests still there are supposed to leave quickly, but they are registered and have to isolate themselves at home. The inhabitants of the communities are being cared for. In addition, shops throughout Austria will be closed from Monday onwards (except supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, etc.). Flights to Spain, Switzerland (including trains) and France will be suspended and restaurants/bars will only be open until 3 pm.
- 01:35 p.m.: In North America, ski operations currently continue without restriction. Although isolated cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the ski resorts and many events and sporting events in Canada and the USA have been cancelled, there have been no other effects directly in the ski resorts so far.
>> All ski resorts in North America
01:15 p.m.: Further closures from Bavaria are reported. Both, the ski resort Winklmoosalm in Reit im Winkl and the ski resort in Balderschwang in Allgäu will end the ski season on Sunday, March 15th, 2020.
>> All ski resorts in Bavaria
12:00 p.m.: First ski resorts in Spain are closing. The ski resorts Formigal-Panticosa, Cerler and Candanchu in the Pyrenees as well as Valdelinares in the region Sistema Iberico are closed from Saturday, March 14th, 2020.
>> All ski resorts in Spain
11:00 a.m.: In France ski operations - right now - will continue without restrictions. This was confirmed by the Alpe d'Huez ski resort on Friday morning upon request. On Thursday evening, the French government decided to close schools and universities and called on the population to stay at home.
>> All ski resorts in France
09:45 a.m.: All ski resorts in Vorarlberg will cease ski operations from Monday, March 16th, 2020 by order of the state government. This also affects the Austrian-German two-state ski region Oberstdorf-Kleinwalsertal. The Austrian ski resorts Walmendingerhorn-Ifen-Heuberg and Fellhorn-Kanzelwand close as well as the German ski resorts Nebelhorn and Söllereck.
>> All ski resorts in Oberstdorf-Kleinwalsertal
- 09:30 a.m.: All ski resorts in Ski Amadè will have their last day of skiing on Sunday, March 15th. This was announced by the ski association on its website. The closure applies to both the ski resorts in the Salzburger Land and in Styria.
>> All ski resorts in Ski Amadè
- 09.00 a.m.: After the Arber, the Mitterdorf ski area also closes early. This means that all ski resorts in the Bavarian Forest are closed! These are the first two ski resorts in Germany to stop their operations due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
>> All ski resorts in the Bavarian Forest
- 07.30 a.m.: Also in Upper Austria the first ski resorts start to close their doors. As announced by the Hinterstoder-Wurzeralm mountain railways, the ski operation on the Wurzeralm will end on Sunday, 15.03.2020. In Hinterstoder, however, operations will continue for the time being.
>> Ski resort Wurzeralm
>> Ski resort Hinterstoder
Thursday, March 12th, 2020:
- 11:00 p.m.: After Salzburg and Tyrol, the province of Vorarlberg also announces the closure of the ski resorts due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The last day of skiing is Sunday, 15 March 2020 and hotels will remain open until Monday.
>> All ski resorts in Vorarlberg
- 10:30 p.m.: The Salzburger Land ends the winter season As in Tyrol, all ski resorts and hotels will be closed. The last day of skiing is Sunday, 15 March 2020, and the accommodations will then still be open on Monday so that guests can return from the ski resorts.
>> All ski resorts in the Salzburger Land
- 09:20 p.m.: Now the first ski resort in Germany is also closing due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Skiing operations on the Arber in the Bavarian Forest will be discontinued from Friday, 13 March 2020. "The decision serves as a preventive measure for the safety of our guests and employees", says the mountain railways.
>> Ski resort Arber Bavarian Forest
- 07:10 p.m.: The ski season throughout Tyrol is stopped! All ski resorts and hotels close! This will be announced by the provincial government in a mailing on Thursday evening. "After a meeting with representatives of Tyrolean tourism, it was decided that the cable cars will be closed with the expiry of Sunday, 15 March 2020, on the basis of the Epidemic Law".
>> All ski resorts in Tirol
- 06:00 p.m.: More and more ski resorts cancel big events. Among others, the White Pearl Mountain Days (20.3.-5.4.) and the Freeride Testival (14./15.3.) in the Skicircus Saalbach are cancelled. The Electric Mountain Festival in Sölden was also cancelled for this season. In Kaunertal, the Freeride Days (14./15.3.) and the Freeride Testival (21./22.3.) were cancelled.
- 05:20 p.m.: All four ski resorts in the Paznaun will end their skiing operations this week. After Ischgl, Kappl, See and Galtür have also decided to do so and announced the decisions on the websites of the respective mountain railways. The last day of skiing is Friday, 13 March 2020. The four ski resorts are so far the only ones in Austria and Germany to completely stop skiing due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
- 03:30 p.m.: The World Cup final of the biathletes in Oslo (20.-22.3.) is cancelled The World Cup races in Kontiolahti starting today will start as planned, but without spectators.
-> World Cup Calendar Biathlon
- 03:15 p.m.: The International Ski Federation (FIS) cancels all other events of the Ski Jumping World Cup for men and women without substitution.
-> Ski Jumping World Cup Calendar
- 02:30 p.m.: The Czech Republic declares a national emergency for 30 days and bans all events with more than 30 people. Important: Ski resorts are not covered by this measure, as outdoor sports fields are not affected by the measure! This means that ski resorts will remain open if they want to. However, foreigners from countries at risk, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland, are prohibited from entering the Czech Republic with immediate effect.
-> All ski resorts in the Czech Republic
- 02:00 p.m.: Slovakia takes drastic measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) In addition to the ski resorts, all three airports, public facilities and schools will be closed from Friday, March 13th, 2020. Restaurants and hotels will remain open for the time being.
-> All ski resorts in Slovakia
- 01:00 p.m.: The Swiss canton of Ticino declares a COVID-19 emergency on Wednesday. All ski facilities will be closed as well as theatres, cinemas and fitness centres. An extension of the state of emergency to the whole of Switzerland is being discussed.
- 12:30 p.m.: Several event cancellations in Austria: After the rope race in Hochfügen (27 - 28 March) and the snowbombing in Mayrhofen (13 - 18 April) were cancelled yesterday, the Winzer Wedelcup in the Hochzillertal (2 - 5 April) will now also not take place. Also the Freeride Testival in Saalbach (14./15.3.) will not take place.
- 12:00 p.m.: The ski area of Ischgl announces the early end of the season! Last day of skiing is Friday, 13 March. On Wednesday evening, the Tyrolean state government had ordered to ban skiing in Ischgl for at least two weeks. One day later, the ski resort decided to end the season prematurely.
-> Article: Ischgl must close ski resort due to coronavirus
- 10:00 a.m.: The ski resort Galtür is considering taking a two-week "tourist break" from Saturday 14 March 2020. It became known on Wednesday that the neighbouring village of Ischgl will have to close down from Saturday until further notice due to several COVID-19 infected people, by order of the Tyrolean state government.
- 09:00 a.m.: The Ski World Cup will end prematurely. The last open men's World Cup races in Kranjska Gora will be cancelled on Thursday morning. The women's races in Are were already cancelled the day before.
Wednesday, March 12th, 2020:
- 09:45 p.m: First positive tests of COVID-19 in Aspen. All cases are tied to a single visiting group from Australia. The ski resorts Aspen Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Aspen Buttermilk will stay open. The ski resorts are not closed. But Aspen canceled the following events: Hi Fi concerts, the Kick Aspen Big Air, NASTAR National Championships and the US Tech Championships. Aspen is planning to keep the lifts running through spring.
-> Ski resort Aspen Snowmass
-> Ski resort Aspen Mountain
-> Ski resort Aspen Highlands
-> Ski resort Aspen Buttermilk
- 07:30 p.m.: The World Cup races of the women's alpine skiing in Are are cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Federica Brignone is the first Italian winner of the overall World Cup.
- 06:30 p.m.: The Tyrolean state government orders the closure of Ischgl ski resort. From Saturday, 14 March, skiing is to be discontinued.
-> Article: Ischgl must close ski resort due to coronavirus
- 7.00 a.m.: After a bartender in Ischgl has infected at least 15 people with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the "Kitzloch" bar, all après-ski bars will be closed from now on.
Tuesday, March 10th, 2020:
09:00 a.m.: All ski resorts throughout Italy will close today by government order. The country has been declared an exclusion zone. Ski resorts in high-risk areas such as Lombardy had already closed at the weekend because of the coronavirus (COVID-19). At that time, almost 8000 people in Italy were already infected. More than 500 people have died of the virus.
All information in Central European Time (CET).
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