Best new ski treats

In recent days it has been snowing across the Alps, and some of the highest ski areas on both sides of the Atlantic are already looking wintry. It's far too soon to suggest we are in for a bumper season, but early signs are promising. Here are a few tasters of what to expect:

New technology
No self-respecting tour operator can be seen to shun Twitter and Facebook. The major operators tweet special offers and resorts tweet snow reports daily.

Vail Resorts has a new iPhone app — as does Méribel, which supplies information on which slopes and restaurants are open — and provides an emergency button if you need help.
Aspen is developing an iPad app which currently works from iPhone and BlackBerry, providing live weather and snow information.

New on piste
First came boardercross, now there's babycross. Méribel's Acticross course launches with tunnels, turns and little slaloms for children (over six) and their parents. Chalet Aurigny, £545pp half board, with chalet specialists Fish and Pips, fishandpips.co.uk

Breckenridge is building an Olympic-sized half-pipe — 22ft deep — as part of an overhaul of Freeway Terrain Park. The Tannhauser Condominiums, from £759pp self-catering, based on four sharing a two-room apartment including return flights and transfers, with Inghams, inghams.co.uk

Buttermilk at Aspen is adding a 12ft beginner's pipe at Snowmass. The Viceroy, ski-in ski-out with spa, from £1,431pp including flights and transfers with Crystal Finest, crystalfinest.co.uk
France's longest winter luge piste opens in Montgenevre. An apartment sleeping five at Village Club du Soleil is from £543pp full-board including six-day lift pass and equipment hire with Lagrange, lagrange-holidays.co.uk

New lifts
The heated chair lift at The Canyons in Utah has lovely warm seats and an orange "bubble" cover which resembles a pair of bad-weather ski goggles. A studio at the Grand Summit at The Canyons from £1,045pp B&B including flights and transfers, with Ski Independence, ski-i.com
Tignes is opening a new gondola to replace the ancient two-seater that connects Tignes Les Boisses to the Espace Killy lift network. A two-bedroom Le Telemark apartment, £353pp, based on four sharing with Eurotunnel crossings, with Ski Collection, skicollection.co.uk
A new six-seater chair is to open in Serre Chevalier. An apartment sleeping four at the Best Western Chalet 52 in the village of Chantemerle from £822 — or about £2,06pp — with Erna Low, ernalow.co.uk

In Bansko, Bulgaria, the ancient T-bar is replaced with a chair lift, and there's a new piste too. Hotel Katarino Spa from £4,93pp half-board includes flights and transfers — thomsonski.co.uk

A new "chondola" opens at Mayrhofen. A traditional pension costs from £329pp B&B including flights and transfers, with Directski.com

New places to stay
No 14 Verbier is going for £91,000 half-board in high season with Verbier Exclusive. It has a 10m pool and sleeps 28 guests: verbierexclusive.com
Shemshak Lodge in Courchevel 1850 is ski-in, ski-out and sleeps up to 12. New Year week here costs £79,500 half-board with Consensio Holidays, consensioholidays.co.uk.

Mountain Exposure is the biggest chalet operator in Zermatt. New is the spectacular Heinz Julen Loft, a favourite of Robbie Williams. It sleeps six and is now available to rent from CHF2,500pp (about £1,620pp) half board, mountainexposure.com
The four-star Le Portetta Hotel in Courchevel 1650 costs from £2,930 for a four-bedroom loft. That's about £732pp: Le Portetta Hotel & Lofts, leportetta.com