J2Ski's Where To Ski or Snowboard In June 2017
Top 100 Snowiest Ski Areas Worldwide
This Week's Snow Headlines
- June skiing follows big snowfalls in both northern and southern hemispheres.
- Mid-winter conditions as mid-summer nears at some European and North American resorts.
- All three Norwegian glaciers open by first weekend in June.
- Three Australian ski areas open early.
- Killington open for free skiing on June 1st; first June opening in 15 years.
- Three French summer glacier areas to open by last weekend in June.
- South American ski areas open early for 2017 season after big snowfalls.
- Cross border Swiss-Italian skiing from end of June.
- Mammoth extends skiing to August, for first time in 22 years.
- Skiing under midnight sun in June in Sweden.
May was a snowy month for many mountainous areas in both northern and southern hemispheres. On several occassions it was snowing simultaneously in North and South America for example. The snowfall in parts of Western North America was unprecedented with some areas receiving 50-60cm snowfalls in 48 hours around mid-May leading to mid-winter conditions (in late spring!) at the still-open ski centres.
In the southern hemisphere too there have been more big snowfalls, following early snow, in Australia and New Zealand. May saw snow on the slopes of ski areas in southern Africa, Argentina and Chile, meaning all three continents are currently looking promising for the main 2017 southern hemisphere ski season.
In fact several ski areas in Chile have opened already, up to a month ahead of their proposed opening dates, following big snowfalls in late May. An Australian ski area also plans to open a week early, on the first Saturday of June, following snowfall there at the end of May.
In the Forecast
There's snow forecast for the highest peaks in Europe this week, but that's more of an issue for climbers than a blessing for skiers...
In the southern hemisphere, New Zealand looks to be inline for some more snow this coming week, with possibilities also for South America.
Always check local conditions and resort opening times directly before travelling!
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NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
The Alps
We start June with what's probably the smallest number of ski areas open in the Alps at any part of the year, with no areas open in France, one a piece in Italy and Switzerland and a handful in Austria. By the end of June this small number will have at least doubled in Italy (to two!) and the three surviving French summer skiing destinations will have opened for the season.
In Austria four of the country's eight glaciers are open – although two are scheduled to close through the month, with another due to open, leaving three operating in to July!
Still open all month are Hintertux (year round) which has a 2.5m base, and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier near Kaprun. The Kaunertal and Stubai glaciers are also currently open but scheduled to close on the 5th and 19th of June respectively. However the Molltal glacier, which closed in early May, should re-open on June 15th.
In France the three glacier areas of Val d'Isere, Les 2 Alpes and Tignes are all scheduled to open later this month on the 10th, 23rd and 24th June respectively. Temperatures in Val d'Isere were reported to have hit 29C at resort level at the end of May so it could be challenging.
In Italy Passo Stelvio re-opened on the last weekend of May, just as the Presena glacier was scheduled to close. Stelvio had a lot of April and May snow so is in good shape for summer skiing this year. Cervinia will re-open on the last weekend of June, a second Italian option and offering cross-border summer glacier skiing with Zermatt.
Speaking of which – after Engelberg and the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz closed for their seasons in late May only Europe's highest ski slopes high above the famous Swiss centre remain open in the country. They'll be re-joined by Saas Fee in July, but until then it is Zermatt only.
Scandinavia
It's ski-under-the-midnight-sun time in the Swedish Arctic Circle with Riksgransen building up to its end-of-season grand finale Midsummer's weekend opening, always a sell out. The base of 1.6m should easily see the centre through the final weeks of the season, especially as fresh snow was falling over the last weekend of May with more mid-winter than mid-summer-like conditions.
Elsewhere in the region Norway's three glacier ski areas are open or opening with deep snow. The Folgefonn glacier is already open and is joined by Stryn on June 1st for a six week ski season, and by the Galdhoppigen glacier on the 3rd.
North America
Half a dozen ski areas in the USA closed after the last Monday in May, the Memorial Day bank holiday in the US, and the last two still-open ski areas in Canada since autumn 2016, Sunshine at Banff and Whistler Blackcomb, ended their seasons the Monday before that. But at still-open ski areas the season is going strong after the huge winter snowfalls and further May snow top-ups.
Mammoth in California claims the largest open ski area in the US, still has a huge base and will be open at least to August (it recently announced another month, at least, beyond its previously announced July 4th provisional-end-of-season date) for the first time in 22 years. Squaw Valley to the north is also still open with plans to stay open all year, although on Saturdays only from July.
Arapahoe Basin in Colorado has extended its ski season to June 11th and is open weekends only, but may extend its season later still. Nearby Copper Mountain will re-open and use stockpiled snow to create a terrain park for summer camps. Other US options include Timberline at Oregon and Boreal, a third Californian resort, will re-open with the aid of an all-weather snowmaking system it purchased last year. If you're fast enough, Killington is opening for one day only of free skiing on June 1st, it's first June opening in 15 years, and they're even giving a free T shirt to the first 250 on the slopes.
North of the border Whistler Blackcomb is due to re-open for summer glacier skiing from 9 June.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
Australia
The Aussie ski season traditionally starts on the Queen's birthday Weekend public holiday whether there's any snow or not at most of the country's ski areas. This year that's the 10th/11th June and a couple of resorts had invested in all-weather snowmaking systems which can operate in positive temperatures if that weekend had proved to be warm and snowless as it quite often is.
However they may not prove necessary in 2017 as big end-of-May snowfalls bringing up to 30cm of fresh snow has meant it's looking like a good start to the season coming up, assuming there's not a rapid thaw (which looks unlikely with more snow in the forecast for the start of June).
The continent's biggest resort, Perisher, has announced it will open limited terrain on 3rd June, a week early, thanks to the snow. Then Mt Buller also announced early opening, just before Perisher on June 2nd in as bid to be first. But then Mt Baw Baw trumped the other two by being the first to open, on June 1st!
New Zealand
There's due to be a change in the opening order at New Zealand ski areas as Ruapehu, the country's biggest resort and located on the North Island, has invested in an all weather snowmaking system and plans to open some terrain on June 3rd – when it is usually one of the last areas in New Zealand to open each season in late June or early July. And that will still be the case for its main area.
South Island ski areas will start opening around June 10th however and at the start of June things are looking good here too with up to 50cm of natural snowfall and cold weather for snowmaking leaving slopes looking very promising for the start of the season – so long as it keeps cold.
South America
Most South American ski areas were set to open on July 17th or 24th but after 50-80cm of snowfall in late May three of Chiles larger areas – El Colorado, La Parva and Valle Nevado decided to open up to a month ahead of schedule in the last week or so of last month. This is very much a repeat of 2016 when similar conditions occurred although last year it got rather warm with less fresh snowfall in June and early July after the good May snowfall, with some areas then having to delay planned openings in late July, so they'll be hoping for no repeat of that scenario and that the snow keeps falling.
Southern Africa
Both Afriski in Lesotho and Tiffindell in South Africa are aiming to open at the start of June. The area has had several good May snowfalls raising expectations for the 2017 season, although both can fully operate with snowmaking if the natural stuff fails to arrive. But so far, it's looking like a good start to the season.
Until next month!