Late season skiing has many advantages to winter skiing. Firstly, the slopes aren’t as crowded as they are during peak season, meaning that you’re more likely to get more time on the snow. Also, as winter is over and we head into spring, it’s sunnier and more pleasant than braving the slopes in midwinter. The move into summer also translates to more daylight hours and longer lift opening times, and having sundowners on the terrace becomes a much more welcome prospect. Also, due to the lack of visitors, many of these resorts offer off-season pricing, making late season skiing some of the cheapest skiing around.
To find the ideal ski resort for late season skiing, consider heading either north or higher. Most late season resorts are found at altitudes of 2000m or above, as the snow lasts longer. Resorts on glaciers are even better as they have skiing seasons that last almost all year round due to the ice.
Here are some ski resorts to consider when shopping around for late ski resorts:
Cervinia, Italy – With slopes reaching almost 3500m, Cervinia offers great snow conditions late into the season, and offers some of the longest pistes for intermediate skiers. Cervinia is connected to Zermatt in Switzerland, so you can ski over borders from November to May of most years.
Zermatt, Switzerland – Linked to Cervinia in Italy, over 85% of its slopes are over 2000m, offering excellent ski conditions up to April/May. The resort is car-free, and offers some of the best cuisine in the Alps. The slopes are north-facing, meaning that in the late season they get plenty of sunshine, while the altitude helps keep the snow pristine and of the same quality as in midwinter.
Meribel, France – Meribel is situated in the heart of the Trois Vallées network, one of the most extensive ski networks in the world. The resort has over 50 ski lifts and over 150km of ski runs. While not as high as some of the other resorts, Meribel offers premium late season skiing and is ideally suited for family focused chalet holidays.
Val Thorens, France – The highest ski resort in Europe at 2300km, with most of the pistes being found at over 3000m. The resort is car-free, and is part of the Trois Vallées. The slopes are north facing, making Val Thorens ideal for late season skiing as these slopes get plenty of afternoon sun. The resort offers a snow guarantee that 70% lifts will be open, and will give free days if this guarantees is not met.
Whistler, Canada – If you feel like getting away from Europe, Canada offers some of the best resorts in North America. Whistler and Blackcomb combined form the biggest ski area in North America with the longest runs on the ocntinent. It has two glacier areas, making it ideal for late season skiing, so ideal that it offers the longest ski season of any major resort, keeping the doors and lifts open until June.
Saas Fee, Switzerland – often called the “prettiest ski village in Europe”, car free Saas Fee is a picturesque village lined with a ring of 4000m high peaks. Apart from the charming atmosphere, the village offers some of the most reliable late season skiing in Switzerland, as most of the runs are above 2500m and north-facing. In addition, some of the runs are on a glacier, making ensuring that these runs are open for most of the year.
Mammoth, USA – Located in the mountains of California the resort sits 2500m above sea level. The resort is open until May, with a large amount of visitors even in April
So if the idea of a quieter, warmer, cheaper ski holiday appeals to you, consider visiting one of the ski resorts that offer late season skiing.
Great post. It is very informative. I have heard about Switzerland being a great place to go skiing but not to much on the other locations. I will definitely have to do more research on this topic to see if any would be a great place for me and my family to vacation.