Ski resorts begin to open with ‘excellent conditions’ on the highest slopes
It remains too early to say how the start of the ski season will play out in the Alps. But after a warm summer melted snow cover on many of Europe’s glaciers, the autumn weather has been much cooler with regular snowfalls through September and October above 2,000m.
As a result, more than 20 ski areas in the Alps and Scandinavia are already open for the season, with glacier ski centres reporting “excellent conditions”.
It’s currently possible to get early turns in on more than a dozen Alpine glaciers, with Austria leading the way with a choice of seven. They also have some of the largest areas already open, with Sölden reporting more than 30km of slopes, and the Hintertux and Stubai glaciers more than 20km each.
Five centres will be open in Switzerland to start November with St Moritz (Diavolezza glacier), Saas-Fee and Zermatt joined by Adelboden and Engelberg.
You can also ski in Italy at four centres from the start of November with access to Zermatt’s glacier slopes re-opening from Cervinia, after a two-month lift closure.
There’s nowhere expected to open in France though until Chamonix, Tignes and Val Thorens in the last week of November, with the country giving up on autumn skiing due to climate change. There have, though, been good snowfalls on high slopes ahead of the season.
A few resorts in Norway, Finland and Sweden are also already open, in most cases thanks to snow farming (reusing snow stockpiled through the summer) to make a mile or so of piste.
Resorts in North America began opening on October 22, with Colorado’s Wolf Creek winning the annual race to be first after a big temperature drop and 53cm snowfall over the weekend. Most of the continent’s major resorts will now aim to open through November, to be able to offer skiing for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend at the end of that month.
Below we outline the opening dates for the world’s leading ski resorts and how the snow is shaping up ahead of the season.
Skip ahead to your favourite destination:
America
Aspen: November 28
Beaver Creek: November 27
Big Sky: November 27
Breckenridge: November 8
Copper Mountain: November 8
Crested Butte: November 27
Heavenly: November 22
Jackson Hole: November 29
Keystone: “As soon as conditions allow”
Killington: “As soon as conditions allow”
Mammoth: November 15
Palisades: November 27
Park City: November 22
Solitude: November 15
Telluride: November 28
Vail: November 15
How’s the snow looking?
It looks like a La Niña weather system will return to North America this winter (there’s a 79 per cent likelihood at present). This essential means forecasts will likely predict more moisture in the west, with the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington state and Canada’s British Columbia) likely to see heavy snowfall. It will likely be drier in the Rockies. It’s too early yet to tell if predictions will be correct, but resorts are already claiming that the first heavy snowfalls over the weekend of October 19 to 20 were, “an early gift from La Niña.”
Find more of the best resorts in America in our guide.
Canada
Banff Norquay: November 2
Big White: November 28
Jasper: November 8
Kicking Horse: December 6
Lake Louise: November 8
Revelstoke: December 30
Sun Peaks: November 16
Tremblant: November 22
Whistler Blackcomb: November 22
How’s the snow looking?
Canada’s Rockies saw their first snowfalls in late August and it has kept snowing for the past few months, so things are currently on course for the start of the season in early November. In recent weeks, snowfall has also occurred on the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, with Whistler reporting a 17cm accumulation on its higher slopes.
Find more of the best resorts in Canada in our guide.
France
Alpe d’Huez: November 30
Avoriaz: December 13
Chamonix: November 22
Courchevel: December 6
Flaine: December 14
La Plagne: December 14
La Rosière: December 14
Les Arcs: December 14
Les Deux Alpes: November 30
Les Gets: December 14
Les Menuires: December 7
Megeve: December 7
Méribel: December 7
Morzine: December 14
Serre Chevalier: December 7
Tignes: November 23
Val d’Isere: November 30
Val Thorens: November 23
How’s the snow looking?
At the time of writing, France stands out among the big Alpine nations in having no ski slopes open yet and none planning to open until late November, with the era of autumn skiing at Les Deux Alpes and Tignes apparently over. However, France has had its share of early snowfall too with slopes above 1,500m turning white over the past week.
Find more of the best resorts in France in our guide.
Austria
Bad Gastein: November 29
Ischgl: November 29
Kitzbühel: November 9
Lech: December 4
Mayrhofen: December 6
Obergurgl: November 14
Obertauern: November 23
Sölden: September 27
Saalbach: November 29
St Anton: December 4
Zell am See: October 12
How’s the snow looking?
Austrian ski areas saw remarkably heavy snowfall down to low elevations in mid-September. 50cm of snow fell up on glaciers and there have been plenty more snowfalls in the weeks since, building bases and providing great early-season conditions. Seven glaciers (Hintertux, Kaunertal, Kitzsteinhorn, Mölltal, Pitztal, Stubai and Sölden) are already open for the season.
Find more of the best resorts in Austria in our guide.
Switzerland
Andermatt: November 16
Crans-Montana: November 16
Davos: November 15
Engelberg: November 16
Grindelwald: November 16
Gstaad: November 9
Laax: November 29
Saas-Fee: July 13
St Moritz: October 19
Verbier: November 9
Wengen: November 16
Zermatt: Year Round
How’s the snow looking?
Swiss glaciers have reported good conditions through September and October with regular snowfalls refreshing cover. Both Saas-Fee and Zermatt are moving into winter mode as we enter November adding more terrain, whilst more ski areas including Adelboden and Engelberg open. St Moritz also has one run open on its Diavolezza Glacier area.
Find more of the best resorts in Switzerland in our guide.
Italy
Bormio: November 30
Cervinia: October 26
Cortina d’Ampezzo: November 16
Courmayeur: November 30
La Thuile: November 30
Livigno: November 16
Madonna di Campiglio: November 23
Passo Tonale: October 26
Sauze d’Oulx: November 30
Val Gardena: December 5
How’s the snow looking?
Italy’s higher slopes have also seen repeated snowfalls through October and September and report great conditions for mid-Autumn. Cervinia’s access to Zermatt’s glacier slopes is re-opening and four centres entirely on Italian soil have already opened for the 2024/25 season.
Find more of the best resorts in Italy in our guide.
Eastern Europe, Spain and Andorra
Bansko (Bulgaria): December 14
Borovets (Bulgaria): December 13
Baqueira Beret (Spain): November 23
Jasna (Slovakia): November 30
Pas de la Casa (Andorra): November 30
Sierra Nevada (Spain): November 30
Soldeu (Andorra): November 30
How’s the snow looking?
Resorts in the Pyrenees have seen several increasingly heavy snowfalls over the past few months. There’s also been snowfall up high as far east as Slovenia. Most centres though won’t open until December, with a few aiming for the final week of November if conditions allow.
Where to stay for an early-season snowy escape
If you fancy heading for the hills and being among the first to sample this winter’s snow, now’s the time to book an early-season escape.
France: Chamonix
Iglu Ski offers four nights at La Folie Douce hotel in Chamonix from £257pp, room only, excluding transport, arriving November 24.
Plan the perfect trip with our Chamonix ski guide.
Canada: Whislter
Sno offers a week at the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa from £1,232pp, room only, including flights and transfers, departing December 2.
Plan the perfect trip with our Whistler ski guide.
Austria: St Anton
Inghams offers a week in Chalet Rendl in St Anton from £999pp, chalet board, including flights and transfers, departing December 14.
Plan the perfect trip with our St Anton ski guide.
Switzerland: Zermatt
Skiline offers a week at four-star Hotel Mirabeau in Zermatt from £1,309pp, half board, including flights and transfers, departing December 7.
Plan the perfect trip with our Zermatt ski guide.
This article was first published in September 2023 and has been revised and updated.
