 Poster: A snowHead
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The European summer skiing glaciers (Alps and Scandinavia) seem to have one of three policies.
- Stay open 365 days per year (e.g. Zermatt, Saas Fee, possibly Hintertux, any others?)
- Stay open until the sufficiently deep snow runs out usually August time (I think the Norwegian ones do this)
- Close in the spring then open for a couple of months in the middle of summer from late June (Les Deux Alpes I think, and presumably others).
Any recent trip reports or useful past experiences?
Also, is there any particular website which is good for this stuff?
Thanks.
NN
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We go to Zermatt for summer sliding. June is nice - snow's still good until lunchtime. Can be a bit hot in July & August, but things start improving again in September, and by October there'll be fresh snow quite regularly. Lovely village too.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Judging from a video I saw a few days ago the conditions at Les Deux Alpes seem to be particularly good at the moment. I've twice spent a few days Summer skiing there. If you should be considering LDA I can recommend the B&B Hotel Lutins which is situated in the centre of town very close to the main Jandri lift.
Also if you fancy a lesson in LDA to brush up your technique you can't do better than Charlotte Swift, Easiski. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Stubai is normally open 'til late June (then re-opens mid September), but closed in May this year while they're upgrading the lifts.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Zermatt is the only guaranteed-365 glacier left in the European Alps.
The rest are melting away.
Alpinforum, Skiclub and Planetski are good for tracking Summer skiing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tignes opens on Saturday (23 Jun) with about 20km of pistes (the same as many years ago). Todays webcam is not showing a lot as they are in cloud, but looking good yesterday. Given that they had to dig the Col De L'Iseran out this year to open it should be a good early start.
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Tux has had to close midsummer, due to lack of skiable snow, at least once in recent years.
Often looks grim in August / September...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks for the info. Useful/encouraging stuff.
Anyone know much about the Norwegian ski-glaciers?
I think there are three, and tend to stay open until the snow runs out which is usually July/August time but sometimes they can last through to the autumn.
Wondering which is easiest to reach from the UK...
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| Quote: |
- Stay open 365 days per year (e.g. Zermatt, Saas Fee, possibly Hintertux, any others?)
- Stay open until the sufficiently deep snow runs out usually August time (I think the Norwegian ones do this)
- Close in the spring then open for a couple of months in the middle of summer from late June (Les Deux Alpes I think, and presumably others)
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Saas Fee closes for 4-8 weeks per year May and June normally, Zermatt from memory has set closing days too both have designated lift opening and closing times in summer and Hintertux is the last 365 operator, with all day opening.
Norwegian glaciers are good but difficult to reach and expensive for accommodation and food and drink
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Neil Neige, Tux looks ok at the moment. I would not go up there much later though. I've been in August a couple of times and came away wondering why I had bothered. Of course you can be lucky and it has dumped recently, but generally there are better things to do in the mountains in August, September and October!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I get the impression that summer skiing is usually better in June and July - solely based on watching webcams/piste opening in LDA, mind.
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@dobby, That's definitely my experience. Also its generally a one day thing unless you are doing a course of instruction when it doesn't matter if you do the same pitch a dozen times in a morning. That said you do get the odd fab day after heavy thunderstorms that are snow above 3000m, 4 days before Le Tour arrived in Tignes in 2007 springs to mind/
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You know it makes sense.
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| Fattes13 wrote: |
| Quote: |
- Stay open 365 days per year (e.g. Zermatt, Saas Fee, possibly Hintertux, any others?)
- Stay open until the sufficiently deep snow runs out usually August time (I think the Norwegian ones do this)
- Close in the spring then open for a couple of months in the middle of summer from late June (Les Deux Alpes I think, and presumably others)
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Saas Fee closes for 4-8 weeks per year May and June normally, Zermatt from memory has set closing days too both have designated lift opening and closing times in summer and Hintertux is the last 365 operator, with all day opening.
Norwegian glaciers are good but difficult to reach and expensive for accommodation and food and drink |
No. Zermatt is 365. It might close for bad weather but there is no planned closed days. As others have said the early summer is better than the late summer. The lift up the Furgg glacier closed a coulee of days ago and so until new snow starts arriving it is just the high glacier on Klein Matterhorn that is open. I enjoy a good morning up there but you would get bored after a couple of days unless you were training.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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LDA looking good ATM
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Poster: A snowHead
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Courchevel is opening the Saleve tomorrow I believe for a one day special.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Neil Neige wrote: |
...
Anyone know much about the Norwegian ski-glaciers?
I think there are three, and tend to stay open until the snow runs out which is usually July/August time but sometimes they can last through to the autumn.
Wondering which is easiest to reach from the UK... |
Yes I do, but I can't really remember. I just drove there and then went from one to the other. There were several and they were all open in the late summer. Easy to get to, but not at all a big deal. More like the North American attitude - just drive there, go for a ride, go away again. I didn't feel inclined to ride any of them two days in a row.
Google should help you locate what's what and what's open. Have fun with the English peso out there though.... maybe Milton Keynes is a more appropriate option for these dark days.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Been some rain in the Eastern Alps the past few days.
Rumors the Kaunertal glacier in Austria is in poor condition and may close early for the Summer season.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just had an e mail from Tignes - they are having to delay the opening of some of the MTB trails as there is still too much snow!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Crans-Montana Glacier slopes open today. Ticket CHF35.
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