Where’s Open For Snowsports in May 2018?

May is one of the quieter months of the world’s snowsports calendar as most of the ski areas in the northern hemisphere close but those in the southern hemisphere haven’t yet opened.

That said as we enter May about 50 ski areas (less than 1% of the world total) are still open, and there are even a few areas set to open through the month. But against that about three quarters of these will close through the month leaving only a dozen or so open at the start of June …when the southern hemisphere’s 2018 season will begin to kick off.

Europe

Although a dozen or so ski areas will see it through to May 1^st in the Alps, only glacier resorts look set to be open later in the month.

Zermatt in Switzerland and the Dachstein and Hintetux glaciers in Austria endeavour to offer snowsports year round, and the Stubai and Kitzsteinhon in Austria are also open to June and July but some others will close during this month.

Among them Italy’s Cervinia and Val Senales (Schnalstal); Tignes in France and Switzerland’s  Diavolezza near St Moritz at the end of the day on May 6^th. Val Thorens, the final resort open in France is due to follow on May 8^th.

Then two more Austrian glaciers close, the Molltal on the 13^th and Kaunertal on the 21^st with finally Engelberg on the 27^th.

Against all the closures Italy’s Passo Stelvio glacier opens for its summer snow season on May 26th.

In northern Europe Glencoe ski area in Scotland is staying open to May 7th and some centres in Scandinavia are also open in to early May (Ruka in Lapland to the 7^th too). For later in the month though consider the recently opened Fonna glacier Norway, open all summer, or Riksgransen in the Swedish Arctic, open for skiing under the midnight sun in to June.  A second Norwegian glacier option Galdhoppigen opens on May 21st for its season.

North America

Late season snow bolstered several ski areas that have decided to stay open in to May that perhaps wouldn’t have done otherwise.  They include Winter Park in Colorado, Mont Sutton in Quebec and Jay Peak and Sugarbush in Vermont – all open to the 6th.

Other resorts open in May include Loveland (to May 6^th), Snowbird (to May 13^th), Mt Hood Meadows (to May 18^th) and Mt Bachelor to the 27^th.

North of the border Lake Louise and Marmot Basin in Alberta are open to the first weekend of May, Sunshine (pictured above) and Whistler to about the 21st.

Other resorts planning to stay open through may include Killington, Vermont; Timberline in Oregon, Arapahoe Basin in Colorado and Squaw Valley and Mammoth in California.

Finally, Beartooth Basin (formerly: The Red Lodge International Ski and Snowboard Camp), a summer ski only area on the Montana/Wyoming border opens for the season on May 28^th.

Asia

Japan’s Tsukiyama ski resort near Gassan famously opens for the season each spring, being one of those that are so snowy they’re hard to reach in winter.  This year it did so in early April but had to close again quite quickly due to a lift failure.  This was due to be fixed by this weekend so it should now be open through to July.