Fresh snow beckons Italian skiers returning after 20 months

By COLLEEN BARRY and CHARLENE PELE
Associated Press

SAN VIGILIO DI MAREBBE, Italy (AP) — After a season of being restricted to watching snow accumulate on distant mountains, Italian skiers are finally returning to the slopes that have been off-limits since the first pandemic lockdown in March 2020. But just as the industry is poised to recover from the lost season, a spike in cases in the Alpine province bordering Austria is underlining just how precarious the situation remains. Snow making has been on full-speed in two valleys in Italy’s South Tyrol, which are opening Saturday ahead of a general season opening on Dec. 5. The slopes of San Vigilio Di Marebbe, which hosts an annual world cup event, were groomed and ready to go for the first skiers of the new season.