Skiers who want to ski on snow all year round have two opportunities. One is to travel all around the world to keep up with the winter. That means moving to Australia and New Zealand from July to August, then moving to South America for September and October, going back to Europe from December to March every year. That could be very expensive for professional skier and almost beyond possible for the average recreational skier. The second opportunity is to try skiing on the glacier.
Kitzsteinhorn, Austria
Glacier skiing or skiing on the glaciers is a little bit different than usual skiing in winter. Here is our checklist of differences you should know before starting your first glacier skiing trip.
Higher altitude
Glaciers are usually at higher altitude levels. They start at 2 500 meters above sea level (8 202 feet) but most of them lie above 3 000 meters (9 800 feet). Be prepared that the air is reduced at such levels and sensitive people can have small breathing problems there.
Weather at such highs can change in a moment so be prepared for an unexpected turn from sunny to the snowstorm.
Sun
Sun is pretty harsh during summer at such high altitudes. And you have to think also on snow glare. The sun is double as strong as usual. Sunscreen with the highest possible block factor (50+) and good sun goggles are a must. Sufficient water supply is important for your body. Do not forget to make a lot of breaks for a water refill and apply your sunscreen as often as possible.
| OutdoorMaster OTG Ski Goggles | Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Lotion | Coppertone SPORT Sunscreen Lip Balm |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
| CHECK ON AMAZON | CHECK ON AMAZON | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Snow quality
Snow is different on glaciers. A thin ice crust that keeps the snow available all year is present. The snow is icy and crusty. Be prepared for harder work when doing your usual turns and twists on the slope. There is no easy powder snow so skiing is more physically demanding.
Slopes
Slopes are much shorter on Glaciers. You will not ski from the top of the mountain to the bottom. On the glacier, you will stay on the top above the 2 500 or 3 000 meters. Also, there are not so many different slopes in resorts during the summer skiing. Be prepared for skiing again and again on the same slope in short intervals.
People
Good thing is that slopes are not so overpopulated by skiers like in winter. There are fewer people on the slopes. Many of them are professional skiers practicing for the following season. Skiing on the glacier gives you a chance to see how professionals ski and let be inspired by their skiing style and practice effort.
List of Glacier Skiing Resorts Worldwide
We prepared a list of Glaciers that offers skiing during the summer. Our list is not definite and we probably missed some places. We focused on glacier ski resorts with developed infrastructure. Feel free to add them in the comments section.
NORTH AMERICA (2)
USA (1)
Timberline, Oregon, USA
31 km of slopes, 7 ski lifts, $
CANADA (1)
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia (Vancouver), CANADA
200 km of slopes, 26 ski lifts, $$
EUROPE (34)
AUSTRIA (8)
Solden, Tyrol, AUSTRIA
142 km of slopes, 31 ski lifts, $
Kitzsteinhorn – Kaprun, Salzburg, AUSTRIA
61 km of slopes, 21 ski lifts, $
Stubai, Tyrol, AUSTRIA
60 km of slopes, 20 ski lifts, $
Hintertux, Tyrol, AUSTRIA
42 km of slopes, 22 ski lifts, $
Pitztal, Tyrol, AUSTRIA
21 km of slopes, 6 ski lifts, $
Kaunertal, Tyrol, AUSTRIA
23 km of slopes, 6 ski lifts, $
Molltaler, Carinthia, AUSTRIA
17 km of slopes, 9 ski lifts, $
Dachstein, Schladming, AUSTRIA
5 km of slopes, 5 ski lifts, $
FRANCE (7)
Tignes/Val d`Isere, Savoie, FRANCE
300 km of slopes, 82 ski lifts, $
Val Thorens, Savoie, FRANCE
600 km of slopes, 137 ski lifts, $
La Plagne, Savoie, FRANCE
225 km of slopes, 90 ski lifts, $
Les Arcs, Savoie, FRANCE
200 km of slopes, 47 ski lifts, $
Grand Montets – Chamonix, Savoie, FRANCE
29 km of slopes, 8 ski lifts, $
Les 2 Alpes, Grenoble, FRANCE
200 km of slopes, 46 ski lifts, $
Alpe d`Huez, Grenoble, FRANCE
250 km of slopes, 62 ski lifts, $
GERMANY (1)
Zugspitze, Bavaria, GERMANY
20 km of slopes, 10 ski lifts, $
ITALY (6)
Tonale, SudTirol – Trentino, ITALY
100 km of slopes, 28 ski lifts, $
Val Senales, SudTirol – Trentino, ITALY
42 km of slopes, 11 ski lifts, $
Marmolada, Venetia, ITALY
63 km of slopes, 28 ski lifts, $
Macugnaga, Piedmont, ITALY
29 km of slopes, 7 ski lifts, $
Passo dello Stelvio, Lombardy, ITALY
9 km of slopes, 6 ski lifts, $
Alagna Valsesia, Aosta Valley, ITALY
132 km of slopes, 20 ski lifts, $
NORWAY (3)
Tystigbreen, NORWAY
4 km of slopes,1 ski lift, $
Fonna Glacier, NORWAY
5 km of slopes,1 ski lift, $
Juvass, NORWAY
2 km of slopes,1 ski lift, $
SWITZERLAND (9)
Laax, SWITZERLAND
188 km of slopes, 28 ski lifts, $
Verbier, SWITZERLAND
412 km of slopes, 67 ski lifts, $
Corvatsch, SWITZERLAND
120 km of slopes, 14 ski lifts, $
Saas-Fee, SWITZERLAND
100 km of slopes, 23 ski lifts, $
Titlis, SWITZERLAND
66 km of slopes, 19 ski lifts, $
Crans Montana, SWITZERLAND
140 km of slopes, 19 ski lifts, $
Lagalb, SWITZERLAND
32 km of slopes, 4 ski lifts, $
Glacier 3000 – Gstaad, SWITZERLAND
30 km of slopes, 10 ski lifts, $
Zermatt – Matterhorn, SWITZERLAND & ITALY
322 km of slopes, 51 ski lifts, $
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