Year-Round Glacier Skiing Index 2026

    22 lift-served ski glaciers worldwide compared on top altitude, summer operation, race-camp programmes and 2026/27 season windows. The fastest way to find when and where to ski outside the standard November–April Alpine winter.

    365-day resorts

    3

    open year-round, weather permitting

    Summer-ski venues

    10

    June–September lift-served pistes

    Lifts above 3,500 m

    7

    extreme-altitude glacier terrain

    Glacier ski resort comparison — 22 results

    ResortGlacierTop (m)OperationSummer kmDay pass

    Zermatt

    Switzerland · Europe's highest lift (3,883 m), cross-border to Cervinia

    		Theodul / Plateau Rosa3,883
    365 days

    365 days

    		21 km€108

    Cervinia

    Italy · Italy's only year-round glacier, Alpine Crossing to Zermatt

    		Plateau Rosa (cross-border)3,883
    365 days

    365 days

    		21 km€66

    Chamonix Mt Blanc

    France · Off-piste glacier itinerary, guide recommended, 20 km descent

    		Vallée Blanche / Aiguille du Midi3,842
    Winter only

    Jan – early May

    		—€73

    Valle Nevado / Portillo

    Chile · Southern Hemisphere winter = Northern Hemisphere summer ski option

    		Andes (Southern Hemisphere)3,670
    Winter only

    Jun – early Oct (S.Hem winter)

    		—€75

    Saas-Fee

    Switzerland · World's highest funicular, most reliable summer ski in Switzerland

    		Allalin / Metro Alpin3,600
    Summer

    Mid Jul – mid Sep + Nov–Apr

    		20 km€84

    Les 2 Alpes

    France · Europe's largest summer ski area (140 ha, 22 km pistes)

    		Mont-de-Lans / La Girose3,568
    Summer

    Late Jun – early Sep + Dec–Apr

    		22 km€64

    La Grave

    France · Lift-served freeride only, 2,150 m vertical, guide mandatory above mid

    		La Meije3,550
    Winter only

    Dec – early May

    		—€49

    Tignes

    France · Killy Pass connection, polished summer-ski experience

    		Grande Motte3,456
    Summer

    Late Jun – mid Jul + Nov–May

    		18 km€72

    Passo Stelvio

    Italy · Europe's premier summer race-training venue, summer-only

    		Stelvio / Pirovano3,450
    Summer

    Late May – early Nov

    		20 km€50

    Marmolada

    Italy · Dolomites' highest, 12 km La Bellunese piste, summer ski ended 2020

    		Marmolada / Punta Rocca3,343
    Winter only

    Dec – early May

    		—€62

    Sölden

    Austria · FIS World Cup season opener venue, 144 km full resort connection

    		Rettenbach + Tiefenbach3,340
    Winter only

    Late Sep – early May

    		—€72

    Verbier

    Switzerland · Winter-only, 4 Vallées high point, glacier-fed expert terrain

    		Mont-Fort (glacier-fed)3,330
    Winter only

    Late Nov – late Apr

    		—€95

    Val d'Isère

    France · Killy Pass back side, winter-only glacier section

    		Pissaillas3,300
    Winter only

    Late Nov – early May

    		—€72

    Hintertux

    Austria · Only Austrian resort open year-round, 5 lifts above 3,000 m

    		Hintertux / Gefrorene Wand3,250
    365 days

    365 days

    		20 km€66

    Stubai

    Austria · Largest Austrian glacier ski area by piste km (35 km)

    		Stubaier Gletscher3,210
    Winter only

    Early Oct – early Jun

    		—€68

    Mölltal

    Austria · Austria's longest single-season glacier, Carinthia's only glacier

    		Mölltaler Gletscher3,122
    Winter only

    Mid Sep – early Jun

    		—€60

    Kitzsteinhorn

    Austria · Salzburg's only glacier, Ski-ALPIN-CARD connection to Zell am See

    		Kitzsteinhorn / Kaprun3,029
    Winter only

    Mid Oct – early Jun

    		—€65

    Engelberg-Titlis

    Switzerland · Central Switzerland's only glacier, 1 hr from Zurich

    		Titlis3,028
    Winter only

    Mid Oct – mid May

    		—€92

    Les Diablerets

    Switzerland · 90 min from Geneva, Peak Walk suspension bridge

    		Glacier 3000 / Tsanfleuron3,000
    Winter only

    Late Oct – early May

    		—€80

    Presena (Tonale)

    Italy · Smaller summer offer, Pontedilegno-Tonale winter connection

    		Presena / Adamello3,000
    Summer

    Jul – Aug + Nov–May

    		8 km€49

    Timberline Mt Hood

    USA · US national-team summer race base, Windells/HCSC camps

    		Palmer Snowfield2,620
    Summer

    Apr – early Sep

    		5 km€85

    Whistler Blackcomb

    Canada · Camp of Champions / Momentum summer freestyle camps

    		Horstman Glacier2,284
    Summer

    Late Jun – late Jul + Nov–Apr

    		4 km€145
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    Glacier skiing FAQ

    Only three lift-served ski resorts in the world operate 365 days a year (weather permitting): Hintertux (Austria, Gefrorene Wand glacier), Zermatt (Switzerland, Theodul glacier / Klein Matterhorn at 3,883 m), and Cervinia (Italy, Plateau Rosa — same glacier as Zermatt, accessed from the Italian side). All three rely on glacier terrain above 3,000 m. Saas-Fee (Switzerland) and Les 2 Alpes (France) operate continuously except for a ~6-week September maintenance gap. All other major European glaciers (Stubai, Kitzsteinhorn, Mölltal, Tignes, Stelvio) close for several months each year.

    The Klein Matterhorn / Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car at Zermatt tops out at 3,883 m — the highest lift in Europe and also accessible from the Italian side at Cervinia. Second-highest is the Aiguille du Midi cable car in Chamonix (3,842 m, though this serves off-piste Vallée Blanche only, not pisted skiing). Third is the Pic Blanc gondola at Alpe d'Huez (3,330 m, also glacier-fed). For pisted lift-served skiing, the Klein Matterhorn is the practical European altitude ceiling and the only summer-skiable point above 3,800 m.

    Three venues dominate Northern Hemisphere summer race training: Passo Stelvio (Italy, May–November — the budget choice for European national teams and junior federations), Saas-Fee (Switzerland, July–September — the premium choice with the longest reliable summer snow and integrated race-camp infrastructure), and Hintertux (Austria, year-round — the choice when teams need the longest possible training window). For freestyle / park / pipe summer training: Whistler Blackcomb (Canada, Camp of Champions / Momentum), Timberline Mt Hood (Oregon, Windells / HCSC), Saas-Fee (Stomping Grounds), and Les 2 Alpes (which builds a fully maintained summer slopestyle and pipe each season).

    Yes — measurable glacier retreat has reduced summer-skiing availability across the Alps over the past 15 years. Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn ended public summer skiing in 2018 and 2019 respectively (now reopen in October only). Marmolada (Italy) ended summer skiing in 2020. Saas-Fee has progressively shortened its summer season from mid-October closure (2010) to early-mid September (2025). Year-round operations at Hintertux, Zermatt and Cervinia remain viable but with shorter daily lift windows (typically morning only in summer) to preserve snow on the increasingly thin glacier surface. Industry forecasts suggest no major Alpine glacier south of 46°N will support reliable summer skiing past 2050 without artificial preservation (covered slopes, snow-injection).

    For dedicated summer ski camps (race training or freestyle): Passo Stelvio (Italy) is the European budget winner — EUR 50/day glacier pass, EUR 60–90/night accommodation in Bormio (45 minutes down-valley) or Trafoi, and the dominant national-team summer training venue. For casual summer skiers wanting one ski morning during an Alpine summer holiday: Les 2 Alpes (France, EUR 49/day summer pass, large summer freestyle park, two valleys of summer hiking and mountain biking on the rest of the resort). For a single 'I skied in July' bucket-list day: Saas-Fee or Zermatt from a Switzerland summer base — expensive (CHF 79–92 day pass) but the highest-altitude and most reliable snow guarantee.