Summer Snow and Glacier Closures: Europe’s Ski Season Nears the End
Skiing continues at a handful of high-altitude glacier resorts in the Alps and Scandinavia, but with temperatures rising and more closures looming, Europe’s 2025 ski season is fading fast. Midnight sun turns in Riksgränsen and late-season vertical in Les 2 Alpes offer rare spring highlights.
- Summer glacier ski season begins in Scandinavia as Alps wind down
- Hintertux and Les 2 Alpes offer over 1000m vertical in May
- Kaunertal and Kitzsteinhorn glaciers closing after weekend sunshine
- Riksgränsen delivers midnight sun skiing and fresh Arctic snow
- Mostly dry in the Alps, but freezing point hovering near 2400m
The number of ski areas open in Europe is holding steady at around 10. While a few more glaciers in the Alps have closed, summer ski areas in Scandinavia have started to open. That total is expected to drop to single figures after the weekend, though, with more closures than openings on the horizon.
Fresh snowfall has occurred on some of the continent’s highest slopes and in the far north. Skiers lucky enough to be at Riksgransen in the Arctic Circle enjoyed fresh turns, but rising temperatures continue. The freezing level in the Alps is now regularly rising above 2,500–3,000m in the daytime.
🏔️ Alps: Glacier Season Winds Down
After over six months, the Stubai glacier has wrapped up its long 24-25 season. But six glacier ski areas remain open, including four in Austria.
Kaunertal (0/110cm / 0/44”) and Kitzsteinhorn (0/250cm / 0/100”) are due to close after this weekend, while the Molltal (0/140cm / 0/56”) will stay open into June. Hintertux (0/220cm / 0/88”) aims to stay open year-round, snow permitting.
Les 2 Alpes in France is also still open and aiming to maintain a 1,000m vertical between 2,600 and 3,600m altitude throughout May.
The shared glacier area between Italy’s Cervinia and Switzerland’s Zermatt also remains open. Although it’s been sunny, 2–5cm (1–2”) of new snow fell above 2,500m, occasionally down to 1,800m.
Alps Forecast
The second half of the week will be mostly dry and sunny. However, occasional light snow showers are still possible, especially at higher altitudes. The freezing level is between 1,400 and 2,400m.
🌌 Scandinavia: Endings and Beginnings
It’s the final weekend of a more than seven-month-long season at Levi (20/400cm / 8/16”), Finland's last ski area open.
Meanwhile, Riksgransen (70/170cm / 28/68”) still has another week to go, offering the rare treat of midnight sun skiing. Norway’s three glacier resorts are also coming online for the 2025 season. Galdhøpiggen Sommer Ski Senter (40/120cm / 16/48”) has already opened, with Fonna and Stryn soon to follow.
Conditions are good with fresh snow showers, and morning temperatures remain just above freezing across Lapland.
Scandinavia Forecast
Expect mostly sunny skies and warmer-than-ideal conditions this week, with daytime highs reaching +10°C on glaciers. Overnight lows remain just below freezing. A more unsettled pattern may return in the middle of next week.
