Where to Ski in May and Beyond
1st May 2023
Last modified on May 6th, 2023
More ski resorts close this weekend including Val Thorens, Val d’Isere and Tignes in France.
Conditions remain very good at altitude for the time of year.
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Several resorts in Austria are closing including Soelden, Piztal and Moltaler.
Cervinia and Passo Tonales in Italy are calling it a day.
In Switzerland Engelberg and Glacier 3000 are shutting.
We detail the handful of resort that are still open lower down this article.
The best snow is found at altitude with the snow getting slushier as the day progresses.
On Monday there was significant snow falling in some areas of the Alps.
“The heaviest of today’s snow is falling close to the border areas between France and Italy (e.g. Val d’Isère), and Italy and south-west Switzerland (e.g. Cervinia, Zermatt).,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk on Monday morning.
“Val d’Isère has already seen more than 35cm at altitude from this latest storm and has plenty more to come today, with a rain/snow limit around 1600-1900m.”
[LIVE] We’re still topping up with snow in @Val_Tho #ValThorens #Les3Vallees pic.twitter.com/H393DNbkuo
— Les 3 Vallées (@3Vallees_france) May 2, 2023
These past few weeks have seen some of the best late-season conditions in the Alps in recent years as we have been reporting:
PlanetSKI ended its European season in Verbier in Switzerland:
Elsewhere conditions at the open ski resorts remain good for the time of year with a handful of glacier resorts in the Tirol in Austria continuing beyond this weekend.
However there has also been ‘considerable’ risk of avalanche in places with a fatality in Samnaun in Switzerland last weekend.
Image c/o Graubunden Cantonal Police
So, which resorts are currently open and when are their closing dates?
The Alps
Austria
Soelden (glacier area only) – May 7th
Piztal – May 7th
Moltaler – May 7th
Stubai – May 21st
Kaunertaler – May 21st
Kitzsteinhorn – May 29th
Hintertux – Year-round
Hintertux, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
France
Val Thorens – May 8th
Tignes – May 6th
Val d’Isere -May 6th
Val Thorens in May. Image © PlanetSKI
Italy
Cervinia – May 7th
Passo Tonales (glacier area) – May 7th
Cervinia, Italy. Image © PlanetSKI
Switzerland
Engelberg – May 7th
Glacier 3000 – May 7th
Zermatt – Year-round
Zermatt, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
There is also skiing to be had in Finland with the summer glacier area of Fonna in Norway opening shortly.
Scandinavia
Finland
Levi – May 7th
Ruka – May 7th
Norway
Fonna – Opens May 7th
North America
Canada
Blackcombe – May 22nd
Lake Louise – May 7th
Sunshine Village – May 21st
Sunshine Village, Banff. Image © PlanetSKI.
USA
Heavenly – May 7th
Brian Head Resort – May 7th
Copper Mountain – May 7th
Solitude – May 21st
Winter Park – May 21st
Breckenridge – May 28th
Snowbird –May 29th
A-Basin – June 4th
Palisades Tahoe – Mid-Jun
Mammoth Mountain – July, maybe even August
PlanetSKI is visiting Palisades Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain in California in the middle of May, so do look out for those reports.
Mammoth Mountain. Image c/o Christian Pondella
Do check with the resorts for exact and up-to-date times as the situation can change quickly at this time of year.
There are of course the indoor snow centres and plastic slopes in the UK if you can’t wait until next winter.
The ski season usually starts in the southern hemisphere in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina in June.
Snow has already started to fall in Australia.
Early season conditions are looking good but there is not confirmation yet of any opening dates.
We’ll keep you posted…
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