Most ski areas in the northern hemisphere have ended their 2017-18 ski season or will do this weekend or next.
But Norway has three 'summer only' ski destinations and the first, the Fonna Glacier, is scheduled to open for its 2018 season this Friday at 10am.
The other two will open over the next five weeks – the Galdhoppigen glacier on 20th May, the Stryn glacier on 1st June.
"The ski conditions are amazing and we finally cleared the snow on the road leading up to Fonna, at 1200 m," a resort manager said, adding, "We got lots of snow on the glacier and during the opening weekend we will offer carving on freshly groomed slopes, freeride off piste and cross-country tracks up to the top of Folgefonna glacier, with an amazing view towards the Hardanger Fjord."
The centre will be open for four days to May 1st from 10am to 4pm daily then from 7th May it will be open seven days a week throughout the season until October.
Norway is almost unique in Europe in having a 'summer only' ski area. In Italy the Stelvio Pass ski slopes are open from mid-May to November and in the USA Beartooth Basin (formerly: The Red Lodge International Ski and Snowboard Camp) on the Montana/Wyoming state line opens next month too.
In Japan the Tsukiyama ski resort near Gassan in open from April to July. It opened for 2018 earlier this month but promptly closed again due to lift problems. It also hopes to re-open this weekend.
