Val d’Isère Kicks Off Summer Skiing with Fresh Glacier Snow

• Passo Stelvio Reopens with Cat-Skiing and Classic Glacier Laps
• Six Alpine Resorts Open as Summer Ski Season Peaks
• Hintertux and Les 2 Alpes Extend Epic Long-Running Seasons
• Stryn and Galdhøpiggen Deliver Snowy Turns Amid Spring Showers

ALPS REPORT

The number of ski areas open in the Alps is set to climb back up to six this weekend as Val d’Isère opens for a four-week 2025 summer ski season, before quickly dropping back down to five as the Mölltal Glacier in Carinthia — one of four centres still operating since autumn last year — finally ends its seven-month-long season. This means France will join Italy in having two centres open, while Austria will join Switzerland in dropping back to one. Italy’s Passo Stelvio, near Bormio, was the latest to open last weekend, initially with its Passo al Livrio cable car and two drag lifts, Payer and Cristallo, operating. Other lifts are currently out of action while replacements are being arranged, but the centre is offering cat-skiing to access some of the terrain normally served by the non-operational lifts. There’s been fresh snowfall on the glacier slopes over the past few days, mostly in the 5–10 cm (2–4”) range, with the snowline between 3,000 and 4,000 metres.

The other centres still open are:

• Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (0/120 cm / 0/48”), accessible from both Cervinia in Italy and Zermatt on the Swiss side, with lifts open up to 3,899 m — Europe’s highest. 
• Hintertux, Austria’s year-round ski area (0/245 cm / 0/98”).
• Les 2 Alpes, the second French option (0/240 cm / 0/96”), which has now been open for six consecutive months — the longest French ski season.

ALPS FORECAST 

Sunshine and showers are expected through the latter half of the week, but with temperatures and the freezing level rising, the showers may unfortunately fall as rain rather than snow at times. The freezing point is expected to rise to between 3,500 and 4,500 metres in altitude.

SCANDINAVIA REPORT

Two of Norway’s three glacier ski areas remain open. The status of the third, Fonna, remains uncertain, apparently due to disagreements between its new owners over when operations should resume. Third-party reports suggest that its lift will not operate this year, although some cat-skiing will be possible. The planned Telemark and Freeski Festival weekends later this month are still expected to go ahead, but with participants requiring cats and skins for access. The originally planned reopening date had been mid-May.

Meanwhile:

• Galdhøpiggen Summer Ski Area (40/120 cm / 16/48”) is fully open.
• Stryn Glacier (120/200 cm / 48/80”) is also open.

Both have experienced a mix of sunny days and more changeable conditions with light snow showers. Temperatures at Galdhøpiggen have ranged from -5°C to +5°C, while lower-lying Stryn has seen afternoon temperatures rise above +10°C on some days, along with periods of rain.

SCANDINAVIA FORECAST

A mixed outlook, with sunshine and showers dominating. Overnight lows will still fall well below freezing — down to -5°C is possible. Daytime highs will reach around +5°C at Galdhøpiggen, and potentially +10°C at Stryn. Light precipitation is expected most days — typically just a few centimetres or an inch or so — with rain, sleet, or snow all possible depending on the time of day or night.