More Glacier Ski Areas Open in the Alps

18th September 2022

Last modified on September 24th, 2022

The first snow of autumn has fallen in the Alps and over in North America too. Plus there has been further falls down under in Australia as the ski season there draws to a close. Three glaciers resorts in the Alps have opened some slopes this week. UPDATED

The latest glacier ski area to open is Soelden in the Tirol in Austria.

Passo Stelvio in Italy has also reopened.

Zermatt in Switzerland opened its glacier ski area on Tuesday.

“After a fine layer of fresh snow last night, the summer ski area can resume operations next Tuesday,” said the resort last weekend.

It shut earlier in the summer after the snow and ice deteriorated.

Zermatt suspends summer skiing as glacier melts

We have reported on the opening of Zermatt in this separate article:

Zermatt re-opens for skiing and snowboarding

It has been a poor summer for summer skiing on the glacier resorts in the Alps.

That is an understatement.

It has been the worst in recent memory.

Only Hintertux in the Tirol in Austria has been able to stay open to the general public, but rain and high temperatures have damaged its slopes over the past few months.

Finally it has seen some snow.

Here was the scene last Sunday.

And on Saturday:

The capital of the Tirol, Innsbruck, has also shared some images of the autumn snowfall:

Deep fresh September #snow at @NordketteIBK high above #Innsbruck today – 19th Sept 22 ☃️🫶
The serious snowfall meant a lot of work for the #Nordkette team this morning! 🥶 #myInnsbruck pic.twitter.com/Cz3cfdmWOl
— Innsbruck Tourism (@InnsbruckTVB) September 19, 2022

So too in St Anton:

Hard to believe this is 20 September 🗻❄️🤔😍
Who else is dreaming of #stantonamarlberg right about now? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️
📸 P. Bätz – #arlberg #austria #autumn2022 #snow pic.twitter.com/2Ar2QZyVFc
— St. Anton am Arlberg (@StantonReview) September 20, 2022

🥶 🌨 The winter is on its way… 😍#stchristophamarlberg
📷 M. Ebster#stantontonamarlberg #winter22_23 #arlberg #austria #snowcovered #snowfall pic.twitter.com/wH880ytabt
— St. Anton am Arlberg (@StantonReview) September 17, 2022

The early snow has led to an increase in activity at the UK operators as people look ahead to winter.

“After one of the hottest summers on record it is good to see a dusting of snow on the slopes of the Alps,” said the managing director of Ski Weekends, Dan Fox.

“There has been an uplift in enquiries and bookings with a real sense that people are getting excited about the approaching winter.”

Dan Fox, Ski Weekends. Image © PlanetSKI

There has been some snow over in the Dolomites in Italy.

Now of course none of this snow will make much difference for the winter ahead as it will melt.

But it is always good to see the first falls as the seasons change.

Here is another scene in Switzerland as summer moves to autumn and the cows leave their alpine pastures:

It’s official, summer is over here in #Mürren 🇨🇭 as the Cows have come down from the alpine meadows. Yes, it snowed over night too!!@Ski_Press @OnTheSnow @planetski @1000Switzerland @JungfrauRegion @Igluski @SnowHour @madeinbern @TelegraphTravel @severeweatherEU pic.twitter.com/5CwLjq4xVH
— Mürren Lover (@Murrenlover) September 18, 2022

Dustings fell earlier this month in the French Alps.

Here is Val Thorens from 10th September:

And lets not forget the current scene in Poland.

Przyszła ❄️❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/WARObus6Ol
— meteoprognoza.pl🇵🇱 (@MeteoprognozaPL) September 18, 2022

It is looking good in places over in the Rockies in North America.

Canada:

USA:

As winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere it is drawing to a close in the Southern Hemisphere.

With some fresh snow in Australia.

Australian ski areas are enjoying a big spring snow dump to refresh cover for the final weeks of the 2022 season. Up to 50cm (20″) reported so far, snow still falling. @_hotham pic.twitter.com/PRfoJS4fuQ
— Snow Forecast.com (@SnowForecast) September 18, 2022