Three Areas Now Open in the Alps but Two Others Postpone September Openings
26th September 2026
Pitztal in Austria opened on Saturday, joining Val Senales & Passo Stelvio in Italy. The Austrian glacier areas of Soelden & Kaunertal have cancelled their scheduled opening as there is not enough snow. NEW
Pitztal set its opening date of Saturday September 26th some time ago and it was feared the resort might have to push it back after the high temperatures of the summer.
Conditions on the glaciers are not great, but there is enough to offer some September skiing and snowboarding.
“It’s about to start again!” said Pitztal on social media ahead of the opening of part of its glacier area.
“On Saturday, September 26th, we’ll kick off the new ski season at Pitztaler Gletscher.
“We’re looking forward to the first runs of the season with you.”
View this post on Instagram
This is the current scene in Pitztal:
Kaunertal is not so fortunate and has been forced to delay its planned opening.
“Our planned season start for a training operation from 26.09.2026 cannot take place due to the current weather conditions.”
“Instead of snow, there was rain recently, and the temperatures are still too high to start with snowfall.
“As soon as the snow and temperature conditions allow, we will start.”
Soelden has also cancelled its September 26th opening.
Hintertux is planning to open next weekend.
“The extent of skiing on all these glaciers remains very limited with just two runs open in Pitztal on a heavily managed base,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk.
“There was a dusting of snow on the Austrian glaciers mid-week, though not enough to radically transform the otherwise barren landscape for any length of time.
“Overall, the weather in the Alps this September has again been exceptionally dry and warm.
“Looking a bit further ahead, the forecast for the Alps remains unfavourable for the glaciers, with next week set to get off to a very warm start across the board.
“It will turn a fraction cooler mid-week with some showers and even a dusting of snow possible at high altitude, however, temperatures will remain above average for the foreseeable future.
“Next weekend will see Hintertux – which until recently opened 365 days a year –open its glacier for skiing for the first time since July.
“Sölden and Kaunertal, however, have postponed their openings and (at the time of writing) have yet to confirm until what exact dates.”
The Italian ski area of Val Senales has some very limited skiing with just 1km of terrain open.
Passo Stelvio in Italy re-opened earlier in September after closing in mid-August due to the warm temperatures.
Its glacier ski area was a sorry sight.
Photo: pirovano.it, 15 August 2026
It has 3kms of slopes open.
In the Alps there has been some recent snow and a further drop in temperatures.
In the second week of September 20cm fell in places – the first significant snow since last Spring.
Here was Saas-Fee in Switzerland as the snow finally fell:
Saas-Fee web camera image, Friday 11th September.
It is not enough for Saas-Fee, or its neighbouring Swiss autumn ski area of Zermatt/Cervinia to re-open, but it is certainly an improvement.
Both ski areas have said they will fire up some lifts when conditions allow.
Zermatt/Cervinia shut it summer slopes on August 1st, while Saas-Fee held out to August 10th.
The 2026 summer ski season in the Alps has been the worst since summer skiing began around 60 years ago with areas shutting early amid heatwave after heatwave.
At one point there was no lift served skiing on offer – a first.
Once all the numbers are collated it will be the warmest summer on record in the Alps and likely the shape of things to come.
However, our thoughts at PlanetSKI are turning to the winter ahead.
Austria usually sees the first resorts to open.
- Hintertux glacier – Early October 2026.
- Molltal glacier – 3rd October 2026
- Kitzsteinhorn – Mid-October 2026
- Stubai glacier – Mid-October 2026
See here for a related PlanetSKI post as we detail the opening and closing dates for the major ski areas in Austria:
In Finland two resorts are preparing to open on October 2nd.
Levi and Ruka are launching the earliest non-glacial season on the planet without relying on a single fresh flake of snow.
They are using snow stored from last season.
Ruka preserves around 150,000 cubic meters of snow over the summer, enough to blanket roughly 67 football fields.
View this post on Instagram
The summer of 2026 has been very poor for the Alps with long-term changes taking place as the glaciers melt and the mountains become more unstable.
PlanetSKI reported across the summer on the impact of the rising temperatures on the Alps:
- Another heatwave hits the Alps with damage to glaciers and mountains
- Further rockfalls threaten the Alps
- Swiss villages threatened by melting glaciers
- Another Swiss village evacuated due to landslide threat
- Monitoring rockfalls in the Alps
Winter may still be some way off, but it is getting closer by the day and our posts on PlanetSKI are already turning to the season of 2026/27.
Ski resorts & companies are also releasing news for the coming winter:
- What’s new in Verbier for next winter?
- See what’s new at Alpine Fleet for next winter
- Inghams Ski expands ski programme for next winter
- VIP SKI aims to boost skier’s confidence
- Austria looks forward to next winter
- Iglu Ski unveils what’s new for next winter
- Luxury Chalet Company reveals what’s new for next winter
Winter is on its way folks!
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