The ski season usually lasts from early December to late March. Some ski areas that have very high altitude slopes and sometimes glaciers can open and close earlier and even open in summer for summer skiing and boarding. A couple of resorts are open year round (of the more than 6,000 in over 80 countries worldwide).
It’s very difficult to know when snow conditions will be at their best because weather conditions can never be certain, especially in this era of rapid climate change, but generally the best snow conditions are from January to early March.
However most ski resorts now have snowmaking machines even if mother nature is slow to bring their annual snow dump so, unless it’s too warm for the machines to work, there’s almost always enough snow to learn on whenever you visit.
The New Year’s holiday week and all through February during the school half term holidays prices are usually high and most ski resorts are very busy so it’s best to avoid these periods if you can.
Before Christmas, in January after half term and after Easter are usually the cheapest times to go on a ski or snowboard holiday, and the slopes are much less crowded if you’re able to travel then.
The Christmas and Easter Holidays are also cheaper and less crowded than New Year and February.
You might also think about the atmosphere in your resort. Going at Christmas to a pretty resort can be really magical, even if without the skiing and snowboarding.
From mid-March and at Easter there’s normally a lot snow built up on the mountains but the sun is shining and there’s relaxed atmosphere so this is often a particularly fun and relaxed time of the season to hit the slopes.
Although, weather being what it is, you sometimes get warm sunny days in December and January and Arctic blizzards in April, so you can never know for sure until you’re there.
