First Snow of the Season At Levi Ski Resort, Finland

Finland's Levi Ski Resort, nestled near the Arctic Circle, recently welcomed the first snowfall of the 23/24 season. Known for its snow-resistant location, the resort employs a unique practice called 'snow farming,' storing spring snow through the summer to ensure an early October opening.On October 6, 2023, in just 16 days, this renowned Finnish resort will kick off the European ski season, boasting attractions like the Levi Glacier slope, early season park on the Front Slopes, and cross-country ski tracks with preserved snow near the Levi golf course. Levi is also famous for hosting the women's FIS Alpine World Cup annually for 18 years, scheduled this year from November 10 to 12, 2023.The Levi slalom consistently draws the world's top female athletes, with the winner receiving a unique prize from Santa Claus himself – a reindeer. The iconic Santa Claus village in Rovaniemi, only a two-hour drive from Levi, adds to the resort's charm. Last year, U.S. ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin clinched her fifth and sixth Levi World Cup victories, expanding her reindeer herd to six, breaking the previous record held by Slovakia's Petra Vlhová, who owns a herd of five reindeer.