The ski season is still often assessed using a few well-established indicators: snow cover, visitor numbers, skier days, turnover, the holiday calendar and end-of-season conditions. But this framework is now showing its limitations. For behind these traditional benchmarks, a deeper reality is gradually becoming apparent to operators: each winter is becoming more complex to manage than the last.
In an interview with I Love Ski, David Ponson, Director of the Mountain and Ski Areas Division at the Compagnie des Alpes, puts it bluntly. For him, this season has been “even more difficult than before”, not because it has been a bad season, but because it now brings together all the challenges facing the mountain industry: climate instability, heightened customer expectations, peak periods of increased visitor numbers, staff burnout, risk management and the gradual transformation of business models.
2025–2026: a positive season, but one marked by considerable tension
At first glance, the financial position remains strong. Compagnie des Alpes has expanded the scope of its ski areas, notably with the integration of Pralognan-la-Vanoise. A move that David Ponson describes as “a great experience in taking over a site”, following several years without any comparable new integration.
In this region, everything happened in a very short space of time. We had to quickly get to grips with the basics of a resort that was still relatively unknown to the group, whilst putting in place the essential tools for its operation. “We remained fully on track with the targets we had set ourselves for this first year,” he explains.
The rapid implementation of the Open Resort tool, in just one month, was a significant operational milestone: “Its roll-out enabled us to quickly establish a robust operational framework. This responsiveness made it easier for the teams to get to grips with the site and helped ensure a smooth start to the first few weeks of operation.”
But behind these results, which are in line with expectations, the reality on the ground is more nuanced. The season began with good snow conditions, before experiencing a long period without precipitation and a marked thaw lasting until 10 January. Then the snow returned, sometimes suddenly, with significant spells of bad weather.
A mountain that has become unpredictable, even for the experts
The changing conditions at high altitude are one of the most significant lessons of the season. According to David Ponson, ski resorts must now contend with “more snow above 2,500 metres, more frost and much stronger winds”, all of which make the resorts “less straightforward” and “less predictable” than before.
This transformation calls into question decades of empirical knowledge. Whereas experience once allowed us to anticipate events, it must now be complemented by a constant ability to adapt. “The temperature gradient between the morning and the afternoon is changing so much that an area may be stable at 9am… and no longer stable at all by 3pm,” he explains.
The mountains are no longer a predictable environment, but a dynamic system
In this context, expertise is changing in nature. It no longer consists solely of knowing, but also of doubting, observing and making quick decisions. David Ponson acknowledges this himself: sometimes one must be prepared to say “I don’t know any more”. This phrase does not signify a loss of competence, but rather a new clarity. In a more unstable environment, expertise no longer consists of making assertions, but of observing, reassessing, deciding quickly and sometimes abandoning a line of inquiry during the course of the day.
When risk becomes a permanent feature of operations
This uncertainty was particularly evident during the busiest weeks of the school holidays. David Ponson mentions avalanche risk levels of 4 out of 5, or even 5 out of 5, with situations that led to some guests being confined to resorts such as Tignes. For a ski resort, these are among the most challenging times: visitor numbers are at their peak, customer expectations are high, and staff must ensure safety in an extremely stressful operational environment.
The manager emphasises the need for the teams to be fully engaged: “At times like this, everyone is on the front line”. Risk management is not just about customers. It also involves ski patrollers, lift operators, operations managers and all staff working in demanding conditions. The fatal accident in Flaine is a stark reminder of this reality. David Ponson links it to a period of severe turbulence and bad weather. He does not seek to oversimplify the analysis, but highlights a decisive factor: fatigue. “When there is fatigue, there is always a risk of an accident somewhere,” he explains.
The human factor: the greatest asset of ski resorts
This is undoubtedly one of the most striking insights from this interview. For David Ponso, the success of a ski resort no longer depends solely on its infrastructure or snow cover. “The real wealth of our businesses isn’t our assets… it’s the commitment of our teams and their passion.”
In a more unstable environment, teams’ ability to adapt becomes crucial. This implies a shift in management practices, but also a broader reflection on the meaning of work, responsibility and commitment. He also draws an unexpected parallel with the military world. Not to transpose a model, but to draw inspiration from a culture of commitment, teamwork and risk management.
2025–2026: a more condensed season, and therefore more tiring
The growing challenge is not solely down to the weather. It also stems from changes to the tourist calendar. David Ponson identifies a significant shift: the rise in popularity of January, which now achieves occupancy rates close to those of February. He points out that some fifteen years ago, January was still considered a quiet month, which operators sought to fill with group bookings. This shift may seem positive from a commercial perspective. But it has a major side effect: the season is becoming more concentrated. The periods of “breathing space” are disappearing. Between 20 December and 20 March, staff no longer really have time to catch their breath.
This increase is disrupting the human balance of operations. Peaks in visitor numbers are no longer just occasional; they occur one after another. Fatigue becomes cumulative, both physical and psychological. In an environment that is already more unstable, this tightening of the schedule further increases the level of risk.
Customers who are becoming increasingly demanding
Added to this operational complexity is another development: rising customer expectations. David Ponson links this to a broader societal trend. In a digitalised world accustomed to instant gratification, waiting is becoming harder to accept. Customers want a seamless, rapid service that is commensurate with the price paid.
This requirement is not unique to skiing. It applies to accommodation, catering, transport, services and the entire tourist experience. But in the mountains, it comes up against a specific reality: the very setting for the experience is natural, unstable and sometimes dangerous.
This is where a structural tension arises. Customers expect a premium experience, but operators have to contend with a mountain that cannot be managed in the same way as an urban service: “Demanding agility and speed in a world fraught with risk leads to critical situations”.
Despite these growing constraints, this is no time for fatalism. Quite the contrary. David Ponson observes an undiminished, indeed strengthened, appetite for skiing and, more broadly, for the mountains. When the conditions are right, customers turn out in force. But their motivation now goes beyond simply taking part in the sport: they come in search of an environment, a breath of fresh air, a form of reconnection. Snow remains essential, but it is part of a broader experience, comprising high altitude, fresh air, light and a break from everyday life. In this respect, the mountains hold “a great trump card” for the years to come. Provided, however, that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past.
For if ski seasons seem more challenging today, it is primarily because they are taking place in an environment that has become structurally more complex. This reality demands a shift in perspective. The success of a season can no longer be assessed solely through traditional indicators. It is now also measured by a ski resort’s ability to adapt continuously, to ensure the safety of its operations, to maintain a healthy workforce, and to stay on course in an uncertain environment.
