Snow report

Skiing conditions in the Alps are now the best of the season so far, thanks to further snowfalls and low temperatures during the last week. This good news is overshadowed by Thursday's bulletin from a colleague skiing in Aspen, Colorado: "I have never seen anything like this. After 48 hours' snow, there's chest-deep, rather heavy powder all the way from the top to mid-mountain. The only runs really skiable runs are the steepest of double black diamonds. Another foot or two of lighter snow is expected." If you're on your way to Colorado, enjoy (as they say).

If, like me, you're picking a target in the Alps for next week, you're spoilt for choice. Impressive reports come from France, where deep powder blankets the higher slopes across the country. Even the previously problematic northern resorts such as Flaine, Chamonix and Megeve are now almost fully open. For the first time this season, almost all Swiss resorts have good conditions down to resort level; the skiing higher up is excellent. Italy and Austria also offer superb skiing, marred by patchy lower runs in some resorts in the Dolomites and the Tyrol.