So you haven’t yet decided where to spend your summer holiday this year and you fancy a change - well, summer skiing could be the answer! You’re a huge ski or snowboard fanatic and you just can’t wait until next winter season - summer skiing IS the answer! Maybe you’re fed up with crowded beaches with no space to relax? Well, why not try something new and spend this year’s summer holidays in the mountains! We’ve put together a list of the best ski resorts in the Alps for summer skiing. Why not spend your summer holiday getting a suntan on the slopes rather than on the beach?
Summer skiing is only possible in a few European ski resorts, and only where there is a high-altitude glacier in the ski area. Thanks to the glacier, ground temperatures stay low enough to prevent the winter's snow from melting completely. However, at such high altitudes (as high as 3820m in Zermatt in the Swiss Alps), the sun’s strong rays obviously have an effect on the snow conditions. This is why ski lifts start as early as 7am in some of these ski resorts and generally close anywhere between 12:30pm and 2pm. Snow conditions for summer skiing are generally icy first thing in the morning, but the snow softens after a few hours of baking under the strong rays. By mid-morning skiing conditions are just wonderful, allowing a few hours of perfect 'spring' skiing under the hot summer sunshine. The ski lifts close early because the afternoon snow is very wet, slushy and heavy, making skiing and snowboarding hard work and even dangerous. If you’re an early riser with plenty of stamina, you could potentially spend 5 hours summer skiing or snowboarding in the morning, grab a spot of lunch and spend the rest of the day mountain biking, hiking, paragliding or trying some of the latest summer activities in the Alps!
If you’re lucky enough, you could even be treated to some summer powder – skip breakfast if it snows overnight as by 9am, it will all be gone… You might also get the chance to chat to an Olympic skier or snowboarder on a lift, as many international teams come to the Alps in the summer to pack in as many hours as possible of valuable summer skiing practice before the winter competitions start. If you don’t manage to get some hot tips from one of the real pros, there’s always summer ski school and snow camps open so you too can brush up your technique before the winter!
The extremely popular ski resort of Les Deux Alpes in the French Alps has one of the highest ski areas in the world, offering perfect summer skiing conditions. The ski slopes reach up to 3600m above sea level! Thanks to its glacier, the Glacier du Mont de Lans, summer skiing and snowboarding are possible in June, July and even until the end of August. Les Deux Alpes’ summer skiing area offers an 800m vertical descent with 16 ski lifts open from 7:15am to 12:30pm. You can access the well-known off-piste area of La Grave, where the powder can be excellent early in the mornings after any nighttime snowfalls. There is a fantastic snowpark with half pipes, boarder-cross, grind bars and jump modules – not forgetting the great music and barbecues which are organised - and a good variety of ski runs available for all levels, from beginner to advanced. You're beginning to warm up to summer skiing holidays, aren't you?
Tignes – this extremely popular French ski resort also has summer skiing on its glacier up to 3600m of altitude. The ski area offers 20km of ski runs, 12 lifts, 750m of vertical drop, and a great snow park. The Grand Motte glacier dominates the surrounding mountains, offering breathtaking views and unforgettable summer skiing and snowboarding. The glacier is open from July until early August and lifts open at 7:15am and generally stay open until 1:30pm depending on snow conditions.
Kaprun is one of the most popular ski resorts in the Austrian Alps for winter and summer skiing. Only 1 hour from Salzburg, Kaprun offers a large summer skiing area up on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier with lots of great ski runs, mostly suited to intermediate skiers and snowboarders. Kaprun is just down the valley from the chic ski resort of Zell am Zee. Take the cable car and leave the green meadows and cows behind and make your way up to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier which reaches up to 3030m of altitude. In July and August the "Ice Arena" is a great experience – up on the plateau you will find snow slides, a snow beach and an ice bar and several organized events to fill the long sunny summer days.
Mayrhofen – in this world-famous Austrian ski resort, ski fanatics will be delighted by the summer skiing on offer on the various, beautifully groomed ski slopes up on the Hintertux Glacier. The Hintertux Glacier also offers disabled access from the base station at 1500m right up to the Panorama Terrace at 3250m of altitude, making this a ski area which is really accessible to everyone! The amazing Betterpark snow park offers everything you would expect from a snow park and more...
Zermatt – this famous ski resort in the Swiss Alps has the highest and largest summer skiing area in the European mountains. With 25km of ski slopes and its 8 ski lifts that stay open all through summer, summer skiing in Zermatt is a serious affair. Once the Klein Matterhorn cable car has taken you up to a dizzying altitude of 3820m, the glacier offers well-maintained, wide-open, motorway-type skiing which is just perfect for beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. More experienced skiers can get stuck into some tricky black mogul runs, and snowboarders can get some kicks on two half pipes in The Gravity Snowboard Park, one of the best freestyle parks in Europe with a superpipe, kicker park, rail park, and snowskate park!
Take lots of t-shirts AND fleeces – you’ll get hot skiing but you’ll need a fleece when you’re on the lifts or in shady spots – your t-shirts will get damp and you don’t watch to catch a cold on your summer holiday! And, of course, don’t forget your sun cream and a good pair of goggles or sunglasses – serious damage can be done to skin and eyes at high altitudes as the sun’s harmful rays are so much stronger. Last, but not at all least, wear a helmet - you can take it off on the lifts and at lunch if you're determined to catch some rays - better to go home with a good tan than stitches in your head!
Being lucky enough to have parents who were crazy about skiing, my love for the mountains started when I was 4 years old on our first family ski holiday to Austrian ski resort of Obergurl. One ski holiday a year was never enough and tears rolled down my face as I looked out the back window of the car on the drive down the valley on the way home!
