Here’s the penultimate InTheSnow weekly guide to Where To Ski or Board this week. Don’t work after next week we’ll keep going, just give month by month guidance to where’s open around the world and how the snow is looking through late spring, the summer then early autumn before we return to weekly again.
About half of the world’s leading ski areas have now closed down for the season, including most lower areas in Austria and Canada, most centres in the Pyrenees and around half of those in Italy and Switzerland. However for one more weekend at least almost all areas in France are still open and all leading resorts in Scandinavia.
Slopes that are still open have seen often sunny conditions with the best skiing in the morning and up high. Quite a few have seen fresh snow too though with many receiving anything from a few inches to a foot of fresh snow in the last week.
(Pictured above, Jasna in thew Czech Republic this week)
Austria
Most of Austria’s ski areas closed last weekend but a dozen or so of the bigger resorts are still open, and by May there’ll be more Austrian choices than any other country, due to its larger choice of late spring and summer glacier centres. Currently snow depths are up to 3m up high and there’s been a little fresh snow. There’s been some fresh snow at still open areas too, here’s Lech on Thursday:
France
(Murray Buchan in Tignes and Val d’Isere with Inghams). Most french resorts are still open and many got fresh snow on Wednesday/Thursday – up to 20cm reported at La Clusaz and les Contamines. Quite a few French resorts are open in to May including Val Thorens and Tignes.
Italy
(Madonna di Campiglio)
More than half of Italy’s ski areas closed last week but several including Passo Rolle, Passo Tonale, Cervinia and Cortina plan to stay open to the start of June. There was a foot of fresh snow at Cervinia which has more than 2m base on upper runs.
Switzerland
(Saas Fee) About half of Switzerland’s ski areas are still open – and they’ve had up to a foot of fresh snow in the last week, with even more expected in the week to come. Engelberg is open to late May and Zermatt year round.
Scotland
Scottish centres have had some fresh snow and as the picture from Glencoe above this week illustrates, conditions can still be excellent. Only Glencoe and Cairngorm remain open daily. Nevis range may open at weekends subject to conditions.
Pyrenees
Most ski areas in the Pyrenees are now closed, including all resorts in Andorra and on the Spanish side, but some resorts on the French side are still open, including Cauterets, which has had fresh snow!
Scandinavia
All leading ski areas in Scandinavia are still open and looking good for the rest of April and in to May. Most will close on the first weekend but some will stay open later in the winter including Narvik in Norway and Ruka in Finland whilst Riksgransen is open to late June.
Eastern Europe
Most Eastern European ski areas are now closed for the season but some of the bigger resorts like Jasna in the Slovak republic (which has had fresh snow) and Bansko in Bulgaria are still open.
Canada
(Lake Louise open to May 8th, Photo: Daniel Thomson). Most Canadian resorts are now closed and most of those still operating will be open to May. They include the three Banff resorts of Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise as well as Marmot Basin to the north and over in BC, Whistler Blackcomb. Bases are good at all five but there’s been no fresh snow this week to talk of.
USA
Most US resorts are now closed but several dozen remain open and it has kept snowing in the West, and snowed some in the East in Vermont (including at Stowe, above). After the great winter in California Mammoth has a 5m deep base and Squaw Valley says it will be open at least to the end of May. In Colorado its the final week at Breckenridge and Aspen has added some bonus opening weekends.
