traveller1959

Next Saturday, on 12 November, the lifts will open on the Feldberg, Black Forest!

There is already enough snow on the slopes, and more is expected until Saturday. The Zugspitze will start the season on 18 November. This year, the skiing season starts very early. Let's hope, it will last until late April, like 2016 and 2015.

For those who will be driving: Don't worry, the roads are cleared quickly.

littlejane

Fingers crossed the snow will hold up for my Austrian holiday at Christmas! Last year there was very little snow so we took a chance booking our first ski trip in years at that time. Looks like we might be in luck

traveller1959

Last year was VERY unusual - a heatwave in December.

Of course, it will warm up a bit during the next weeks, but if there is a basic layer of snow, then they can use man-made snow.

annhig

traveller, many years ago I had a family holiday to the Black Forest during which we visited the Zugspitze - it must be 45 years ago.

thanks for bringing back the memories.

swandav2000

Well, I disagree with traveller1959 that last year was very unusual -- it was quite the new normal, at least here in Garmisch. I've lived here since 2008, and in that time, we've had snow this early only about 3 times; the other years, it was quite warm and skiing just barely got started by Christmas on the Zugspitze (January for the Classic area). In fact, a few years ago, they had to cancel the FIS ski race here in Garmisch and move it to St. Moritz.

I'm quite happy that we're getting good snow this early this year, and do hope it will continue to happen in the future . . . but I doubt it.

I know that traveller1959 doesn't think that humans are contributing to the global warming trend, and I do hope he's right. But again, I doubt it. In the meantime, I'm hoping that scientists find an effective and cost-effective way to capture and expunge all the carbon emissions --

annhig -- are you certain that you visited the Zugspitze from a base in the Black Forest? That takes about 2h even starting from Garmisch.

s

neckervd

.....and in about 40 years, there will be no more natural snow in the Alps anyway.
https://www.alpinesmuseum.ch/en/exhibitions/our-water

traveller1959

Interesting, how quickly a harmless thread about skiing turns political here on Fodor's. Well, since it had started:

In 1420, the cherries were ripe in April.
In 1538, all flowers were blooming at Christmas.
In 1585, the grains were harvested at Easter.
In 1806, strawberries were ripe between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Climate change is nothing new. And the glaciers melt because they had grown during the Little Ice Age.

At the Feldberg, the statistics show how many days the skiing season lasted:

2008/2009 100 days,
2009/2010 95 days,
2010/2011 90 days,
2011/2012 107 days,
2012/2013 117 days,
2013/2014 140 days.

I could not find newer statistics on the web.

Do you see any tendency?

swandav2000

Unfortunately, traveller1959, global warming exists beyond the Feldberg. Here are some facts about how the temperature has risen around the globe:

http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

http://www.skepticalscience.com/evid...al-warming.htm

http://www.icr.org/article/evidence-for-global-warming/

I really think it is a fact that the Earth is warming; I think the difference lies in what we each think is the cause. I believe you think it is a natural event and will reverse naturally. I think it is man-made, and to be undone also requires man.

BTW, scientists say that, in a decade or two, there will be no more glaciers left in Bavaria at all.

Not being political at all, simply disagreeing with one of your statements.

s

bilboburgler

"I know that traveller1959 doesn't think that humans are contributing to the global warming trend"

I struggle to imagine there are people who still disbelieve, but hey now we will have a clown in charge of the USA what other black swan event will paddle into view?

traveller1959

>> who still disbelieve <<

Yes, it is a question of believing. Like religion.

For travelling, the political discussion about climate change is largely irrelevant. I am looking forward to a nice, long skiing season.

At least, all warnings like "the ski areas in the middle mountain ranges will die" have been proven wrong so far. And this believing guy who planted an olive orchard in Cologne failed miserably, whereas the operators of skilifts are making good business.

WeisserTee

Before anyone gets too carried away planning a Black Forest ski trip, a warm-up in the weather will start this week-end. By the middle of next week, temps in Feldberg are not expected to dip to freezing even at night. And several days of showers are in the forecast.

annhig

annhig -- are you certain that you visited the Zugspitze from a base in the Black Forest? That takes about 2h even starting from Garmisch.>>

ah well, perhaps I misremember.

I know that we stayed in the Schwarzwald and may even have stayed in the village of Feldberg or nearby. I also know that we visited the Zugspitze but it may conceivably have been on a different trip. it was a long time ago.

Melnq8

Woo-hoo! Snow! We didn't get so much as a flake during our three week trip to Germany last year, so very much looking forward to this year's trip.