70+ Ski Areas Plan To Stay Open Into May
70+ Ski Areas Plan To Stay Open Into May
Published : 10-Apr-2026 12:43
More than 70 ski areas in more than 15 countries plan to keep offering lift-served skiing into May this year. The centres are spread across three continents – Asia, Europe and North America.
About half of the areas are in the Alps where Austria has y=the most to choose from - about a dozen centres open into May, half of them glaciers, half snowsure high-altitude resorts.
It's been a particularly good winter in the Pyrenees but that doesn't seem to have changed planned season end dates much, with the region's largest resort Andorra's Grandvalira closing as planned o er the past two weekend even though the snow is lying 3m deep up top. However Spain's La Molina/Massela area is aiming to stay open into May, as is Sierra Nevada, Europe's most southerly major ski area.
In Scandinavia many areas stay open through most of April and about 10 stay open into the first week of May. Riksgransen up in the Swedish Arctic stays open through the month and several Norwegian summer ski areas also start their seasons.
Scotland's Cairngorm and Glencoe haven't announced closing dates yet and are both forecast to receive more snowfall in the coming week.
The Western US has had one of its worst ever seasons for snowfalls and lots of centres have closed early. However about 10 resorts there still look set to make it into May. North of the border, which has had a much more normal winter, five Canadian resorts including centres at Banff, Jasper and Whistler, also have May skiing scheduled.
Other a dozen Japanese ski centres also plan to stay open into next month to reach what's known as the Golden Week holiday there.
Although 70+ areas will make it into May, about half of those will; close after the first weekend of the month, by May 3rd.
Only about 10 ski areas are likely to keep operating beyond May 31st however with most of them operating high altitude or far northerly latitude summer skiing in June and in a few cases later in the summer.
Current expected closing dates in May 2026
1 Austria: Silvretta, Sportsgastein; Sweden: Hemavan
2 Norway – Galdhopiggen opening for 2026 summer ski season
3 Austria: Ischgl, Obertauern, Pitztal, Solden; Canada: Lake Louise, Marmot Basin; Finland: Pyha, Ruka, Yllas; France: Chamonix (Grand Montets), Tignes, Val d'Isere; Germany: Oberstdorf, Zugspitze; Italy: Cortina d'Ampezzo, Livigno, Passo Tonale, Pila, Sulden
Norway: Hemsedal; Spain: La Molina/Massela, Sierra Nevada; Sweden: Åre, Kåbdalis, Tänndalen, Tärnaby; Switzerland: Adelboden (Engstligenalp), Engelberg, St Moritz (Diavolezza), Samnaun; USA: Sugarloaf
6 Japan: Daisetsuzan Kurodake – Sounkyo, Furano, Happo One, Niseko, Nozawa Onsen, Zao
10 Finland: Levi, Saariselka; USA: Brian Head
17 Austria: Stubai; Japan: Shiga Kogen; USA: Solitude
18 Canada: Banff Sunshine, Sommet St Sauveur, Whistler
22 Norway – Stryn opening for 2026 summer ski season
25 Austria: Kaunertal, Kitzsteinhorn; USA: Mammoth Mountain, Mt. Bachelor: Snowbird.
30 Norway – Fonna opening for 2026 summer ski season
31 Austria: Molltal glacier
Staying open all month and into June and/or April/May closing date not yet known: Austria - Hintertux, France - Les 2 Alpes, Japan - Gassan, USA - Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Jay Peak, Killington, Loveland, Mammoth, Palisades, Timberline, Winter Park.
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