The end of season is a fantastic time to ski, but of course it can be scary to commit to a ski holiday when you can’t guarantee the snow. Just because it’s springtime it doesn’t mean all the snow has melted, and there are many excellent resorts out there which are great at maintaining a blanket of snow.
Take a peek below at our top 10 snow sure resorts. This is just a small sample of the many excellent late season resorts:
1. Tignes/Val d’Isère, France
Resort Altitude: 1785m
Piste Altitude: 1550m-3656m
Ski Area: 300km
Runs: Blue 87/Red 41/Black 26
Glaciers: 1 in each resort
Snow Canon coverage: 352 snowguns
Famed for their unbeatable snow record, if there’s snow in the French Alps, you’re likely to find it in these neighbouring villages of Tignes and Val d’Isère. Each resort also has their very own glaciers which are open well into the summer – perfect for a spot of summer skiing!
2. Cervinia, Italy
Resort Altitude: 2050m
Piste Altitude: 2050mm-3900m
Ski Area: 150km
Runs: Blue 18/Red 35/Black 7
Glaciers: 1
Snow Canon coverage: 50%
As one of the highest resorts in the Alps, Cervinia is often able to keep their slopes open as late as the beginning of May! This resort is a dead cert for spring skiing and has glacier access to boot. Situated on the Swiss border, with a whole area lift pass you can ski into another snow-sure resort, Zermatt, for the very best of both worlds!
3. Ischgl, Austria
Resort Altitude: 1400m
Piste Altitude: 1400m-2872m
Ski Area: 340km
Runs: Blue 47km/Red 155km/Black 27km
Snow Canon coverage: 50%
Ischgl is a paradise for powder hounds. There’s excellent access to the unpisted freeride terrain high in the Fimbatal Valley via the Piz Val Gronda lift. As one of Austria’s most snow-sure ski areas there’s nothing to stand in your way if you’re planning your spring ski getaway to Ischgl this year!
4. Zermatt, Switzerland
Resort Altitude: 1620m
Piste Altitude: 1620m-3900m
Ski Area: 200km
Runs: Blue 13/Red 42/Black 4
Glaciers: 1
Snow Canon coverage: 70%
With or without the iconic Matterhorn Zermatt would be hailed as one of the world’s top ski resorts. It boasts a huge, high-altitude ski area with plenty to keep you entertained whether you’re skiing or not.
The highest cable car in Europe will take you to the ‘Matterhorn Glacier Paradise’, where the snow quality is always high. You can even ski to Zermatt’s sunny, Italian neighbour, Cervinia using an international lift pass.
5. Les Arcs, France
Resort Altitude: 1800m/1950m/2000m
Piste Altitude: 3225m
Ski Area: 210km
Runs: Blue 140/Red 79/Black 37
Glaciers: 1
Snow Canon coverage: 25%
The snow-sure, high altitude resort of Les Arcs is an excellent end of season destination. The skiing rises as high as 3225m on the Aiguille Rouge summit, and in good conditions stretches down to the tree lined pistes at 1200m. It’s an excellent variety of terrain.
Purchase a whole area lift pass and you’ll also be able to explore Les Arcs’ sister resort of La Plagne. With its very own glacier and further 225km of pisted ski runs, together these two resorts are a fabulous end of season destination.
6. Val Thorens, France
Resort Altitude: 2300m
Piste Altitude: 1300m-3230m
Ski Area: 170km
Runs: Blue 177/Red 111/Black 30
Snow Canon coverage: 43%
At 2300m, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe! And the piste stretches as high 3230m. Consequently, the area has an excellent record with snowfall right through to May.
The powder holds for days in this high altitude resort making Val Thorens an amazing destination for spring skiing. And the après isn’t too shabby either!
7. Obergurgl, Austria
Resort Altitude: 1930m
Piste Altitude: 1930m-3080m
Ski Area: 110km
Runs: Blue 30%/Red 50%/Black 20%
Snow Canon coverage: 99%
Obergurgl is one of Austria’s most snow-sure locations despite the absence of any glacial terrain! Starting at 1930m, the resort historically receives a consistent natural snowfall from November through to May. It also has phenomenal snow canon coverage - 99%! Obergurgl is an excellent choice for skiing late into the season.
8. Lech, Austria
Resort Altitude: 1450m
Piste Altitude: 1450m-2811m
Ski Area: 340km
Runs: Blue 145/Red 140/Black 55
Snow Canon coverage: 60%
With an excellent natural snow record and 60% snow canon coverage, Lech boasts great late season skiing year in, year out. In addition to that, it offers a fantastic array of off-piste opportunities. It’s is one of the few Austrian resorts to offer heli-skiing!
With sophisticated après-ski, exclusive boutiques and a horse drawn carriage or two, Lech is an amazing place to be in the spring – whether you’re on or off the slopes.
9. Saas-Fee, Switzerland
Resort Altitude: 1800m
Piste Altitude: 1800m-3500m
Ski Area: 145km
Runs: Blue 20/Red 19/Black 6
Glaciers: 1
Snow Canon coverage: 45%
Widely known as ‘the Pearl of the Alps’, Saas-Fee is one of the most traditional resorts in the Alps. Set amidst the most spectacular, glacial scenery, you can ski in Saas-Fee well into the summer months! With an excellent snow record and plenty of cruising red runs, Saas-Fee is also a great resort for snowboarders of all levels.
10. Obertauern, Austria
Resort Altitude: 1740m
Piste Altitude: 1740m-2350m
Ski Area: 147km
Runs: Blue 83km/Red 55km/Black 11km
Snow Canon coverage: 86%
Much like Obergurgl, Obertauern doesn’t have a glacier but does have one of the best snow records in Austria. The long season reaches into May, an assured destination for a late ski holiday.
The resort offers high altitude, queue-free skiing with traditional Austrian après and plenty of ski-in/ski-out accommodation. What more could you want?!
Fancy a spring ski holiday? Find out more about this excellent time of the year to visit the mountains.
