The French resort of Val d’Isère is set to offer summer skiing on its Pisaillas Glacier for four weeks, starting Saturday, June 7, and running through Sunday, July 6—weather and snow conditions permitting.
Skiers will have access to three runs between 3,300 and 2,725 meters in elevation. In addition, four other slopes are reserved exclusively for race team training. Summer skiing on this glacier has been a tradition since the late 1960s.
Nearby, the resort of Tignes plans to operate its summer season from June 21 to July 20. The Grande Motte Glacier there features slopes at nearly 3,000 meters altitude and offers up to 20 kilometers of glacier runs between 3,456 and 2,724 meters.
Last weekend, Italy’s Passo Stelvio resort opened for summer skiing. The area is currently operating the Passo al Livrio cable car and two drag lifts named Payer and Cristallo. Although other lifts remain closed, the resort is providing cat-skiing to access terrain normally served by those lifts.
Recent snowfall of about 10 centimeters has fallen this week, with the freezing level sitting above 3,000 meters. Over the next week, temperatures in the Alps are expected to rise, pushing the freezing level up to 4,000 meters.
Currently, the following glacier ski areas are open in the Alps:
- Austria: Hintertux and Mölltal
- France: Les Deux Alpes
- Italy: Passo Stelvio and Cervinia
- Switzerland: Zermatt
In Scandinavia, two of Norway’s three glacier ski areas remain open. Galdhøpiggen Summer Ski Area reports snow depths between 40 and 120 centimeters and is fully open. Stryn Glacier, with snow between 120 and 200 centimeters, is also open.
However, the status of the Fonna glacier remains unclear, as the new operators have not announced a start date for summer skiing.
Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, ski resorts in Australia are preparing to open for their winter season this weekend.