3rd May 2026
Last modified on May 5th, 2026
The last of the main resorts in the Alps have now closed, though a handful of options still remain. Hintertux is ending year round skiing but plans to be open until July.UPDATED
Last weekend Val Thorens, Tignes, Ischgl, Engelberg, Argentiere (Chamonix), Cervinia and Pitztal called it a day.
There were still some decent conditions for the time of year.
“Despite April having been exceptionally dry and warm, leading to a rapid melting of much of the lower-lying snow across the Alps, at higher altitudes, solid base depths and predominantly fine weather have provided excellent spring skiing in recent weeks,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk.
“That said, overall snow depths are now below the norm for early May, which does not bode particularly well for the summer skiing season.
“If you are planning to ski in the Alps this summer, May and June will generally offer the most options.
“Skiing in the Alps any later in summer is becoming increasingly uncertain these days.”
Hintertux, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Hintertux in Austria remains open but has announced it is ending year-round operations and looks set to close in July.
“After that, we’ll enjoy the glacier summer to the fullest off the slopes,” the resorts says on its web site.
PlanetSKI last skied in the summer in Hintertux in 2023:
Hintertux in the summer. Image © PlanetSKI
It has been closing on and off over the summer months for the last few years
It follows Tignes that used to be open year-round, but stopped several years ago as climate change took its toll.
Zermatt in Switzerland is now the only alpine ski area that is open across the summer if the weather conditions allow.
Zermatt, Switzerland, this week. Image c/o Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
Les2Alpes also ended its winter season on Sunday, but it re-opened on Monday May 4th for its spring/summer season on the glacier.
It goes through to July 5th.
Summer glacier skiing in Les2Alpes. Image © PlanetSKI
Les2Alpes in the summer. Image © Claire McAteer/PlanetSKI
After this weekend some Austrian glacier resorts remain open:
Stubai (May 17th),Kaunertal (May 25th),Kitzsteinhorn (May 25th)Moltal (tbc)
We have skied in Stubai near Innsbruck in the second half of May with fresh powder snow falling.
Stubai in May. Image © PlanetSKI
There are still some slopes open in Jasna in Slovakia.
Cairngorm in Scotland closed on Monday 4th May
“I skied Cairngorm last week for the hell of it,” said the ski journalist, Patrick Thorne, to PlanetSKI.
“Was great fun and had slopes to ourselves, but unsurprisingly snow not great, partly as they don’t run first funicular until 10am by which time it was already well on the way to +10C.
“Amazing they’ve made it into May though.”
PlanetSKI will be out in the Alps over the summer and reporting on what is on offer in the ski resorts.
We have just posted about what is on in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana:
Crans-Montana in the summer. Image c/o Patrick Guller.
Next month the ski resorts in New Zealand and Australia will be firing up their lifts.
South Island, New Zealand. Image © PlanetSKI
Thredbo, Australia. Image © PlanetSKI
Resorts in South America will also be starting their ski season.
Cerro Catedral, Argentina. Image © PlanetSKI
Across the summer months we”ll be hearing from our readers and reporters on both continents once the snow starts to fall.
Do check back…
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