Where to ski this spring

With the mid-March snow dump in the Alps, and a fresh bump last week, April might just be the best time for a 2023 ski…

After a dry season, things were looking up mid-March as snow fell, creating the best conditions many resorts have seen all winter. Verbier reported 175cm of fresh snow at Lac des Vaux (2,550m), Tignes had 125cm on the Grande Motte glacier, Glacier 3000 in Switzerland recorded 160cm (and closed for a few days to dig out) whilst Cervinia in Italy posted 150cm of fresh snowfall and St Anton in Austria measured over a metre of fresh.

As we enter springtime by the astronomical as well as the meteorological measure of the seasons, by which spring started three weeks ago, snow depths on upper slopes in the Alps are about twice as good as they were in mid-winter. 

Snow Forecast

And then it snowed again…

Winter has returned, temperatures are recorded below zero, and April spring skiing is on. Right on time for Easter. So, where to go?

Tignes is claiming the deepest snowpack in Europe at over 4.5 metres, while Les Arcs is reporting that its base depth has grown a metre in a week.

Cervinia in the Aosta Valley will ski through to 7 May, with glacier skiing and its high altitude slopes linking over to Zermatt. With 27cm of snow falling before the weekend and a daily top up expected this first week of April, there’s to be decent Easter holiday skiing.

Val d’Isère in France has had big accumulations high up, as well as snow down in town. More than 50cm fell early in the weekend, making for these cool conditions on its high slopes:

The largest amounts of snow this week are headed for the French Northern Alps and western Switzerland. This means resorts such as Chamonix, Grand Massif, Les Portes du Soleil, La Clusaz – ski resorts in the Haute-Savoie – in France will be good bets, as well as Switzerland’s Valais ski areas, including Verbier, Crans Montana, and the smaller resorts nearby.

Austrian ski mountains above 3,000m have pulled in fresh snow, Sölden and St. Anton good options for spring skiing. In Switzerland, Saas Fee has the deepest snowpack in the country (370cm). Laax is operating with 60% of its slopes open, as well with glacier terrain.

Norway’s glacier resort and summer ski area Fonna has reported its deepest base for 11 years – 8 metres. Norway’s seen nothing of the lean conditions the Alps has witnessed this season – rather, snow records have been set – and remains the best place to ski this winter for snow as well as for cost, according to Fall Line’s editor at large, Jonny Richards, who took a last minute trip to Norge earlier this winter. Catch up with his trip here:

The Pyrenees in recent weeks have warmed up under lots of sun. Many small resorts have closed for the season, while Andorra’s Grandvalira ski area is open for Easter with reduced skiing (on about half the pistes). Baqueira Beret had winter back at the weekend, however, with 20cm of fresh snow. But this week will see the temperature rise above freezing and spring conditions return for the last week of skiing, its season ending after Easter Monday.

With the deepest snowpack in the world, from more than 20m of snowfall this season, it’ll come as no surprise that Mammoth Mountain in California will extended its season. Into July…

Colorado neighbours, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland, will, as usual, battle it out to be the last resort standing – the aim in good winters being Independence Day on 4 July. It’s a little early to call it yet, but bets are on that this spring will be one for the books.

Along with the best conditions this winter come the best ski holiday offers and deals to be had. Take a look below at 2023 spring ski deals, with skiing for under £100: