7 Places You Can Ski This Summer

In much of North America, ski season ends in April and May. Lifts stop running, the weather warms, and locals get out of town and head to the beach. But at certain ski areas in the Northern Hemisphere, the fun continues into summer, and in the Southern Hemisphere, skiing is just getting started. 

Skiers who want to extend their ski season into summer need only know where to head next. Some U.S. ski areas stay open through spring—Mammoth Mountain in California often remains open into June, as does Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin—but a true powder hound needs to know where to head in July or even August. 

If you want to chase ski season this June, July, and August, here are seven places to go—from glacier skiing options in the Northern Hemisphere to ski areas in the Southern Hemisphere. Note that exact opening dates will depend on conditions.

Timberline Lodge Ski Area, Oregon

Mount Hood’s Timberline Lodge Ski Area operates like any other ski area in the winter, but when the weather warms and most resorts close, it typically remains open through August. How? Because the south slopes of Mount Hood hold the Palmer Glacier, which is home to the Palmer Snowfield. The glacial snowfield is one of the few places in North America where you can ski all summer long.

Here’s how it works: When the rest of Timberline closes down, the operation moves up to Mount Hood’s south slopes. A single lift transports skiers to the top of Palmer Snowfield for lap after lap of summer skiing. Timberline draws Olympic athletes and racers who come for summer training, but the mountain is also open to the public.

Hintertux Glacier, Austria

There are several high-elevation glaciers in Europe that allow people to ski throughout much of the year, and the Hintertux Glacier near Tyrol in Austria is one of them. The glacier is located in the Zillertal Alps and is part of the giant Ski & Glacier World Zillertal 3000 ski area in the winter. Hintertux is often considered Europe’s most reliable year-round ski resort; in the early summer, ski terrain is much more limited, but it still offers wide slopes and snow. The closest airport to the area is Innsbruck Airport.

Portillo Ski Resort, Chile

At Portillo, the ski season typically runs from June to September, making it the perfect option for North America-based skiers who want to ski year-round (with time for a beach vacation in between!). At this South American ski area, the action is centered around the bright yellow Hotel Portillo. Most guests stay at the hotel and book lodging packages that include meals and lift tickets.

And since the North American summer is Chile’s winter, a “summer” ski day here will feel like true winter for U.S.-based travelers. Portillo has around 1,700 acres of steep, high-alpine skiing with big bowls, couloirs, and dramatic scenery.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Treble Cone Ski Area is perched in the middle of New Zealand’s South Island. It is considered one of the country’s best ski areas for its quality terrain and great views, with around 1,300 acres of long runs, uncrowded slopes, and steep chutes. It tends to be geared more toward intermediate and advanced skiers, but it does have dedicated beginner terrain. The season typically runs from June through September.

The closest town to Treble Cone is Wānaka, a lively mountain town known for its food and après-ski scene. Most travelers fly into Queenstown Airport and drive the two hours to Treble Cone.

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Switzerland

The highest lift-served ski area in Europe is found above Zermatt, Switzerland, on the Theodul Glacier. Even in the middle of summer, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise typically has 13 miles of ski terrain open, including a terrain park, beginner area, and snow tube facility.

Other than the summer skiing, the best thing about visiting Glacier Paradise is that you can see the Matterhorn, an iconic, pyramid-shaped peak, from the resort. Most travelers fly into Geneva or Zurich and then take the train to Zermatt, which is a car-free town. 

Valle Nevado, Chile

Like Portillo, the ski season in Valle Nevado starts in June and ends in the fall. And since this is Chile’s true winter, you’ll typically find a fully opened mountain with roughly 2,200 acres of terrain to explore, even when it’s balmy back home in North America.

There are multiple on-mountain hotels and restaurants at the base of the ski area, which is less than two hours from the Santiago airport. 

Perisher Ski Resort, Australia

There aren’t a ton of ski areas in Australia, but one of the best and biggest is Perisher Ski Resort. The ski spot is located in the mountains of Kosciuszko National Park between Sydney and Melbourne and is made up of four interconnected resort areas: Perisher Valley, Blue Cow, Smiggin Holes, and Guthega.

The mountain offers over 3,000 acres of skiable terrain spread across seven peaks, and the season typically runs from June to October. There is plenty of beginner terrain, as well as steeper areas and terrain parks. From Canberra, Perisher is around 2.5 hours away by car.