Ski season kicks off near Prague with snow saved from last winter

Ski season has begun at Monínec, where sunny skies and snow preserved from last winter helped draw an estimated 400–500 visitors Sunday.

The resort near Sedlec-Prčice, south of Prague, says it is the first in Czechia to open this season. Skiers currently have access to the upper 600 meters of its main slope.

The full 1,200-meter run is scheduled to open Nov. 27. Resort director Jaroslav Krejčí said building reconstruction had delayed preparations for the lower section.

Krejčí reported favorable opening-day conditions, with cold, sunny weather and a groomed slope nearly 30 meters wide. Snow depth reaches up to one meter, he said.

He was particularly pleased with the condition of snow stored through the summer.

“It’s very nice and dry. So far, we’re very satisfied,” he told ČTK.

Monínec’s early opening relies on nine Snowfactory units, which can produce snow even when temperatures are above freezing, alongside stockpiles protected by special insulating covers.

The resort maintained two storage sites this year and preserved almost half of the snow originally stored, compared with approximately 53 percent last year.

Around 8,000 cubic meters remained in the upper stockpile, with further supplies stored lower down the hill.

Saved snow accounts for roughly 40 percent of the material needed to prepare the slope; newly manufactured snow provides the remaining 60 percent.

Last November, freezing weather also allowed the resort to use conventional snow cannons. Krejčí said a similar cold spell was not yet in the forecast this year, but fixed energy prices were keeping snow-production costs manageable.

Online ski-pass prices remain at last season’s levels, according to Krejčí. Prices have increased only for tickets purchased at the resort’s cash desk.

Sunday’s opening includes a DJ program and evening skiing from 6 to 9 p.m.

On Monday, Nov. 16, skiing is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday’s public holiday will offer daytime skiing only.

Wednesday and Thursday will have evening sessions, followed by daytime and evening skiing Friday and Saturday. Monínec has regularly opened around mid-November since 2016.

Last year, it opened the entire main slope on Nov. 15, the earliest full opening in Czech skiing history, according to the resort’s management. This season, visitors will initially have a shorter run while work on the lower section is completed.