Two of the four main ski areas in the Australian state of Victoria have closed just a few days after their delayed winter 2020 opening, but two others have decided to stay open, as the region suffers an increased number of virus cases. Falls Creek and Mt Hotham (pictured above at opening last week) have however closed their ski lifts just a few days after opening for the 2020 season a month later than planned, due first to pandemic restrictions then to limited snow cover.   Vail Resorts, which operates the downhill ski infrastructure at both resorts, say they’ll be closed to at least August 19th – about six weeks before the end of the season. Mt Baw Baw (pictured

2Last Updated: 9 July 2020 at 15.40 GMT (Updates so far since 5 May: 92) The web's most comprehensive guide of ski resorts opening around the world. More Than 35 Ski Areas Have Currently Re-Opened Worldwide In 10 Countries on 5 Continents:  Africa: Lesotho; Asia: Japan. Europe: Austria, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland. North America: USA. Oceania: Australia and New Zealand. Countries where ski areas would normally be open but are currently unable to do so due to the COVID-19 pandemic are: Argentina, Chile and South Africa. Browse by country: North America: Canada USA South America: Argentina Chile Europe: Austria France Italy Norway Scotland Slovak Republic Slovenia Sweden Switzerland Africa: Lesotho South Africa Asia: China Japan Oceania: Australia New Zealand NEW: Is there light at the end of the tunnel in

The world’s most southerly ski area, Cerro Castor in Argentina, down towards Tiera del Fuego, has announced it is opening its restaurant and ice rink today, July 9th, with all the now normal pandemic-spread-prevention measures in place. There is no word yet on when or if its ski slopes might re-open, but opening any facilities seems a step forward. The pandemic picture in Argentina is complex, as it is in most countries. The country locked down early and has suppressed infections better than most other south American countries. It was easing its lockdown last month when there was an increase in infections in the capital, leading to a renewed lockdown there, but elsewhere cases have been relatively low and restrictions

Only a few days after all of the major ski areas in Australia were finally open for the 2020 season, last Monday, when pandemic easing and adequate snow cover allowed, several have announced they’re closing again due to the surge of cases in Victoria. Cases are surging in Melbourne, hundreds of kilometres to the south of the ski areas, they are not believed to be an issue in the resorts themselves. “Due to the Stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions for the state of Victoria and the border closure with NSW, we have made the difficult decision to suspend lift operations at Hotham and Falls Creek, effective Thursday, 9 July through at least 19 August,” a statement from Mt Hotham today announces,

In a blow to the ski industry, and to the environment, Eurostar appears to have cancelled the direct Ski train service between England and the French Alps. “Skiers and snowboarders are gutted by the loss of this hugely popular train. This cancellation is a damaging step backwards by Eurostar. While there are indirect train routes to the French Alps, these can’t compensate for the loss of the direct Ski Train,” said Daniel Elkan, founder of independent rail-ski guide Snowcarbon . Since 1997, the train has run twice weekly in the ski season from London and Ashford to the popular Tarentaise region of the French Alps, dropping skiers at Moutiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice stations, a short hop