When it comes to skiing or booking a skiing holiday, one topic is often in focus: snow reliability. Which ski resorts definitely have snow? Where do I have a snow guarantee? The answer is: in glacier ski areas! Glacier ski areas are located at extremely high altitudes and sometimes offer snow all year round, so that winter sports enthusiasts can even pursue their passion here in the summer months. But which glacier ski resorts are there? SnowTrex knows the most popular glacier skiing areas in the Alps.
An overview of the most popular glacier ski resorts in the Alps
| Ski area | Highest point | Glacier slopes | Kilometres of piste in the ski area | Summer ski |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matterhorn Glacier Paradise | 3,883 m | approx. 21 km | 200 km | yes |
| Saas-Fee | 3,573 m | approx. 20 km | 100 km | yes |
| Les 2 Alpes | 3,523 m | approx. 26 km | 200 km | yes |
| Tignes/Val d’Isère | 3,456 m | approx. 20 km | 300 km | yes |
| Pitztal Glacier | 3,440 m | approx. 21 km | 40 km | no |
| Sölden | 3,340 m | approx. 34 km | 144 km | no |
| Hintertux Glacier | 3,250 m | approx. 60 km | 52.4 km | yes |
| Stubai Glacier | 3,212 m | approx. 42 km | 42 km | no |
| Mölltal Glacier | 3,122 m | approx. 17 km | 162 km | yes |
| Kaunertal Glacier | 3,113 m | approx. 22 km | 34 km | no |
| Kitzsteinhorn | 3,029 m | approx. 42 km | 61 km | yes |
1. Ski area Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
In winter, the ski resort of Zermatt, the highest ski area in Europe, offers a total of around 200 km of piste fun. Part of it is on the glacier on the Klein Matterhorn: the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise area reaches up to 3,883 metres, so perfect conditions prevail here even in August on 21 kilometres of piste. Freestyle fans can also rejoice: the Zermatt Snowpark in the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is one of the best in the Alpine region and is open all year round.
2. Ski area Saas-Fee
Switzerland fans take note: Along with Zermatt, Saas-Fee also offers a glacier ski area up to 3,573 m. Of the 100 km of pistes, almost 20 km are on the glacier on the Mittelallalin. The glacier is open even in summer. Not only are varied pistes accessible, but also the freestyle park. The summer opening “Burn the Glacier” offers an action-packed start to the summer ski season.
3. Ski area Les 2 Alpes
In total, the Les 2 Alpes glacier ski area offers about 200 km of pistes, a large part of which are on the Glacier de la Girose or the Glacier de Mantel and reach up to 3,523 m above sea level. This guarantees skiing from the beginning of December until the end of April. The impressive view of Mont Blanc (4,809 m) from the top station is the icing on the cake of a sunny glacier skiing experience. Les 2 Alpes also hosts the annual SnowTrex season-opening “PowderWeek”.
4. Ski area Tignes/Val d’Isère
Snow-sure glaciers are not only to be found in Austria and Switzerland. In France, too, high-altitude glacier ski areas make skiing possible right into May. And that is important, because due to its southern location, the Mediterranean influence is noticeable in the sun-drenched French Alps. With around 300 km of pistes in winter, the Tignes/Val d’Isère ski area on the Grand Motte glacier is one of the largest in the Alps. The special feature: in summer, around 20 km of pistes are opened for glacier skiing. From the end of June to the beginning of August, you can enjoy the sun while skiing on the glacier slopes up to 3,456 m above sea level.
5. Ski area Pitztal Glacier
With an altitude of up to 3,440 m, the ski area on the Pitztal Glacier is the highest ski area in Austria. Winter sports enthusiasts can expect a snow-white panorama and around 21 kilometres of pistes. The highest café in Tyrol, the Café 3,440, offers a magnificent view.
6. Ski area Sölden
In Sölden, too, skiing is possible right into May. Of the total 144 km of pistes in the entire ski area, a part leads across the eternal ice: on the Tiefen- and Rettenbachgletscher, 34 km of perfectly groomed glacier pistes await ski fans. The two glacier ski areas are connected by the Schwarze Schneid ski tunnel. At snow-sure altitudes between 2,675 and 3,340 m, 8 modern lifts transport guests to glacier skiing fun. In winter, the Ötztal Superskipass even brings you a whole 356 kilometres of slopes!
7. Ski area Hintertux Glacier
At the end of the picturesque Tuxertal valley is the entrance to Austria’s largest year-round ski area: the Hintertux Glacier ski area. With a total of 60 km of pistes, winter sports enthusiasts are offered fun on the slopes 365 days a year, because even in summer, almost 20 km of the pistes, which reach up to 3,250 m, are open for skiing.
8. Ski area Stubai Glacier
The Stubaital sets the standard for glacier skiing with about 42 kilometres of pistes (64 km including ski routes). The Stubai Glacier ski area is the largest glacier ski area in Austria! Due to its altitude of over 3,210 m, the ski area is usually open for sun skiing until the beginning of June. In addition to prepared pistes and ski routes, a fun slope and a race track await ski guests here.
9. Ski area Mölltal Glacier
With an altitude of up to 3,122 m, the ski area on the Mölltal Glacier is the only glacier ski area in Carinthia. True to the motto “small but nice”, around 17 kilometres of perfectly groomed pistes invite you to enjoy glacier skiing. Due to its sunny location in the southern part of the Hohe Tauern, the ski area benefits greatly from the Mediterranean weather conditions, so that skiers can enjoy several hours of sunshine, especially in spring and early summer. The Mölltal Glacier is also the official training area of the Austria Ski Team and the German National Alpine Ski Team. The ski pass includes a total of 162 kilometres of slopes.
10. Ski area Kaunertal Glacier
The ski area at Kaunertal Glacier – Fendels is also known as the cradle of snowboarding in Europe. When the trend spilled over from the United States about 30 years ago, the small glacier ski area welcomed the trend sportsmen with open arms and built one of the first halfpipes in the Alps. Today, the glacier ski area still attracts winter sports fans from all over the world from December to May with its total of about 34 km of groomed slopes at up to 3,113 m above sea level.
11. Ski area Kitzsteinhorn
At 3,029 m above sea level, the Kitzsteinhorn is not only the highest elevation in Salzburg, but as part of the Kitzsteinhorn/Maiskogel – Kaprun ski area (61 kilometres of pistes), it is also home to the only glacier ski area in the province. On the glacier on the Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun, sunny skiing is offered until the beginning of June – and on 42 kilometres of all levels of difficulty. But guests who don’t ski also get their money’s worth: the “Gipfelwelt 3,000” offers entertainment for all age groups with the Ice Arena or the National Park Gallery.
