Colorado's Purgatory Resort is moving ahead with one of its most ambitious terrain expansions in years, as construction accelerates on Colorado Couloir, a new triple chairlift rising from the Gelande parking area to reach expert terrain in the upper mountain and accessing 7 new trails.

Helicopters are now transporting concrete forms, steel components and materials directly onto the steep, roadless alignment, a key milestone for a project designed to open some of the resort’s most challenging terrain by December 2026.

Colorado Couloir replaces the long‑planned Gelande Lift concept and brings a new identity to a zone defined by narrow chutes, technical glades and sustained fall‑line pitches. The lift will eliminate the shuttle previously required to reach the area, giving advanced and expert skiers direct access to terrain that has long been part of Purgatory’s vision. Spanning 4,439 feet and climbing 1,625 vertical feet, the lift reaches grades of up to 60 percent and carries 1,445 skiers per hour, offering a dramatic preview of the terrain below.

Seven new trails and connectors will accompany the expansion, with names to be released later this summer. Crews have already completed timber removal by helicopter and are excavating tower and terminal foundations ahead of installation. To reduce waste, the lift incorporates chairs and machinery from Telluride’s retired Plunge Lift, extending the life of proven components.

The project is grounded in approvals dating back to Purgatory’s 2008 master plan and reaffirmed in 2019. It forms part of roughly $7 million in summer upgrades and a wider $37.5 million investment across the resort's owners Mountain Capital Partners’ portfolio.

Major improvements to Europe's northerly Narvik ski area on Norway’s coast up in the Arctic Circle are due for completion during the upcoming 2026-27 season.

Narvik announced the multi‑year upgrade to its lifts and slopes, priced at €53 million (approx. NOK 720 million), after the FIS awarded it hosting of the 2029 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.  The work includes five new lifts and several new slopes, one of them especially to host World Cup standard races.

Construction is reported to be progressing largely on schedule with major components already in place with all work currently on target to be completed by March 2027.

The upgrades include a new 10-seat gondola, a 6-seat chairlift and three new T Bars. The new six-seater Linken Express chairlift, which was completed earlier this year, with the new Nordlysheisen upper T‑bar (replacing the old Lift 3) also on schedule. Work on a new gondola and two more new T‑bars (Lift 1 and Lift 2) is underway.

One major new development is the 3km (2 mile) long Panorama Downhill Course built specifically for the 2029 Championships. There is also a new family area with and easy slopes created by the upper gondola station at 656 m.

A new family-friendly slope will go from the intermediate plateau down that is approximately 2.9 km long, with an average gradient of 15%, and a width of between 25-30 metres from top to bottom has been completed.

“This is guaranteed to be a new favourite in Narvik!” a spokesperson for the resort commented.

The centre has also been working on adding new snowmaking as well as widening, reshaping, and safety‑net infrastructure are being installed across all championship runs, with completion also targeted for 2027.  

Narvik is installing a new reservoir, snowmaking pump station, booster station and a fully renewed pipeline network, alongside 100 new snow guns and a dozen new slope groomers. A new electrical substation will help provide power for lifts, lighting, and snowmaking.

Planning is underway for a new finish zone, spectator facilities and a commercial centre around the new gondola base station.

Narvik most recently hosted the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in 2020, which were curtailed by the Covid pandemic and again from March 5 to March 15, 2026 earlier this year.

Besides its skiing, Narvik is famed for its ski runs down to wards the sea and for its spectacular coastal scenery, with ski runs appearing to descend into the sea, sometimes enhanced by the northern lights above. 

The resort is located on the other side of the border from Sweden’s Riksgränsen which has an unusual March to June ski season. The opening periods of the two ski areas overlap for 6-8 weeks each year and the two launched a cross-border joint ski pass last winter.

After multiple season-start delays last month (in common with most ski areas across the southern hemisphere), a huge snowstorm in New Zealand has allowed Mt Hutt to open the most terrain in the world right now.  

Mt Hutt jumped from having very limited terrain open to being around 95% open after about a metre (40”) of snowfall this week on its higher terrain.  It’s upper base is now 1.2m (4 feet), with lower slopes posting an equally healthy 75cm (2.5 feet).

“That was a huge day, top towers, south face, bluffs, Rakaia chutes you name it, it was open!” a statement from the area enthused.

For the first month of the southern hemisphere’s 2026 season, glacier ski areas like Hintertux and Zermatt in the northern hemisphere's European Alps have still had more terrain open, as so little has been able to open at resorts in Australia, The Andes and New Zealand due to limited snowfall and some mild weather.  That has now finally changed with Mt Hutt and Coronet Peak both overtaking summer ski centres in the European Alps.

Other New Zealand ski areas are still digging out access roads and lifts to make slopes safe to open over the next few days.  Mt Lyford has reported at least a 105 CM (42”) snowfall.

• Southern Hemisphere conditions are improving, with major snowfall helping resorts reopen across Australia, New Zealand, and the Andes.
• New Zealand saw the biggest gains, with heavy snow bringing most areas back into operation.
• Andes resorts are mostly open, though snow bases remain limited and terrain is restricted.
• Northern Hemisphere summer skiing has declined to only a handful of glacier areas due to warm temperatures.

World Overview

Some progress was made a week ago for southern hemisphere conditions, with some significant snowfalls at last, a month into the 2026 season. New Zealand has done well with a big snowfall, and things are feeling a little more like real winter at last there.

In the northern hemisphere, meanwhile, with the highest temperatures of the year set to arrive, the number of glacier areas and similar still open in Europe and North America is down to around seven, with the one summer ski area that had been open in Canada ending its 2026 run last Sunday.

Southern Hemisphere Overview

Southern Hemisphere ski conditions are finally improving after a difficult start to the 2026 season. First off, Australia welcomed around 30 cm (12”) of new snow, allowing several resorts that had previously been forced to close by the earlier warm, dry conditions to reopen. Others who had to delay their season starts altogether now have a few runs open. Then heavy snowfall hit New Zealand, where most areas are now open, to start the week. By Wednesday, storm totals of up to 80cm (32") had been reported, and centres are battling to access resorts and open more terrain as we publish this week's report.  

The Andes have had similar progress, with fresh snowfall too and nearly all Chilean resorts and most Argentine centres are open as well. Cover remains thin everywhere, though, with limited terrain able to open still so far and no resort yet exceeding a 60 cm (24”) base or 12 km (7 miles) of piste, most much less. Still, after weeks of stagnation, the overall trend has turned positive, and momentum is finally building again. 

Northern Hemisphere Overview

In the northern hemisphere, July and August are typically the low point of the year when we can slip to just a handful of centres still operating during the hottest months of the year. After some snowfall on high slopes in Europe and North America, it has indeed been warm this week, with the freezing point climbing above the highest peaks in the Alps and many other mountain ranges, even at night on some days. We have dropped down to single figures for areas open with Canada's spell of summer skiing coming to an end, and it looks like we'll be down to that handful in just a week or two's time.

• Australia has improved after fresh snowfall, reopening some terrain, though coverage remains limited.
• New Zealand saw the biggest gains, with heavy snow bringing most resorts online and deeper bases.
• Argentina and Chile are improving, with most resorts open but thin snow cover and restricted terrain.
• South Africa remains limited, relying mainly on machine-made snow with little natural coverage.

Southern Hemisphere Intro

There are signs of improvement across the Southern Hemisphere this week after a slow start to the 2026 season. Australian ski areas are celebrating after around 30cm (12”) of snowfall improved conditions, allowing some centres to reopen. Most New Zealand resorts are now operating, with colder weather and the biggest snowfalls of the week—up to 80cm (32”)—making it finally feel like winter has arrived. The Andes are also seeing gradual improvement.

While snowfall has been less significant than in New Zealand, almost all Chilean resorts were open by last weekend, and most Argentine areas are now operating after colder weather and fresh snow. However, coverage remains limited. Until Tuesday, no resort had a base deeper than 60cm (24”), and no area had more than 12km (7 miles) of terrain open. Wednesday brought a major improvement in New Zealand, with one area exceeding a 1m (40”) base after heavy snowfall. After weeks of little progress, conditions are now moving in the right direction.

Australia Snow Report

Australian ski areas received significant snowfall at the end of last week, allowing some resorts to begin their seasons, improving conditions at open areas, and reopening terrain that had closed during the mild, dry June weather. Resorts reported up to 30cm (12”) of fresh snow before the weekend.

A spokesperson for Hotham said:

“What a difference a day can make on the mountain! Hotham woke to a storm total of 30cm…with cold temperatures helping get the snow guns firing.”

Perisher reported 20cm overnight, with continued snow and strong winds. Falls Creek has reopened beginner terrain and plans to expand operations as conditions improve. Despite the positive snowfall and snowmaking temperatures, Australian resorts still have significant ground to make up, with only around 1–5% of terrain open at many centres.

Australia Snow Forecast

Clear and settled weather is expected across Australia’s ski regions through midweek, with sunny days and cold nights helping preserve snow cover on higher slopes. Summit temperatures should remain around –3°C to –6°C, while valley temperatures rise to 7–10°C. A weaker, milder system arrives late in the week, bringing cloud, cooler air, and patchy light snow or flurries to the Snowy Mountains and Victorian Alps. Forecast totals are modest at 5–15cm (2–6”), but should refresh higher terrain before conditions ease into Sunday.

New Zealand Snow Report

A winter storm moved across New Zealand over the weekend and into early this week, arriving at an ideal time as school holidays began. Cardrona reported 30cm of fresh snow, while Treble Cone received 25cm in the first 24 hours to Monday. Treble Cone opened for the season on Monday with the Home Basin and Triple Treat trails available.

“This is the dump we’ve been waiting for. More terrain will come online at Cardrona as the snow keeps falling and snowmaking continues,” said Cardrona and Treble Cone Chief Mountains Officer Laura Hedley.

By Wednesday, conditions had improved significantly, with storm totals reaching up to 80cm (32”) at several resorts, including Mt Lyford and Mt Dobson. Mt Hutt became the first Southern Hemisphere resort this season to report a base above 1m, with 45/110cm (18/44”) of snow. Resorts are now focused on clearing access roads and preparing slopes for expansion.

New Zealand Snow Forecast

As the current storm clears, sunny conditions will dominate through midweek, with cold nights keeping upper mountain snow firm. Summit temperatures will range from –5°C to 0°C, with bases reaching 6–8°C in the afternoons.

A colder front arrives late in the week, bringing significant weekend snowfall to the Southern Alps. Forecasts suggest widespread snow, sub-zero summit temperatures, and totals of up to 50cm. North Island areas should also see fresh snow and stronger winds returning to Ruapehu.

Argentina Snow Report

Argentina’s season remains slow, with limited terrain open and several resorts still waiting to begin operations. Cerro Catedral (5/5cm, 2/2”), the Southern Hemisphere’s largest ski area, has finally opened, but only 1% of terrain is operating on a very thin base. 

Cerro Castor (5/15cm, 2/6”), the world’s most southerly ski area, currently offers the most skiing, with 13% of terrain open. Cerro Bayo (0/25cm, 0/10”) has a similar amount available, while closed areas report deeper snow, including Chapelco with 66cm (25”) at the top. Recent snowfall has improved upper mountain conditions, but overall coverage remains limited.

Argentina Snow Forecast

Sunny periods and scattered showers will continue through midweek, with occasional rain possible on lower slopes. Higher elevations will remain colder, with snow showers around Bariloche, Chapelco, and Caviahue.

A stronger, colder system arrives next weekend, bringing more widespread snowfall to Patagonia and the southern Andes, with falling temperatures and improved winter conditions expected across major resorts.

Chile Snow Report

Most Chilean resorts have avoided the unsettled weather affecting Argentina, with generally sunny conditions in the north. Temperatures have remained low, providing excellent snowmaking opportunities. Portillo (25/40cm, 10/16”) reported highs of –1°C and overnight lows of –15°C. Nearly all Chilean resorts are now open, although Antillanca (20/40cm, 8/16”) and Pillán–Villarrica (30/40cm, 12/16”) are currently operating only on weekends. 

Corralco (20/55cm, 8/22”) has the most open terrain, with 12km (7 miles) of runs available—more than 40% of its area. Further south, Nevados de Chillán (20/30cm, 8/12”) has seen some recent snowfall and more unsettled conditions.

Chile Snow Forecast

Snowfall and sunshine will alternate across Chile’s ski regions through midweek. Higher slopes will remain firm, with summit temperatures between –4°C and 3°C. A colder system arrives late in the week, bringing periods of heavy snow to Valle Nevado, La Parva, Portillo, and Nevados de Chillán. Upper mountain areas could receive more than 30–50cm (12–20”) in 24 hours, with short clear periods between snow bands.

South Africa Snow Report

With little fresh snowfall over the past month, Afriski (5/20cm, 2/8”) remains dependent mainly on machine-made snow. The main run has continuous but thin coverage, with grooming maintaining good piste conditions. Overnight freezes help preserve the base, although there is currently no natural off-piste snow cover.

South Africa Snow Forecast

Afriski remains in a settled early-winter pattern, with mountain temperatures between –7°C and 9°C and base temperatures from –5°C to 11°C. Clear periods and occasional cloud will maintain cold nights suitable for snowmaking. Days will be mild, especially at lower elevations, with only brief flurries possible on exposed ridges.

• Four European glacier ski areas remain open, with warm conditions causing rapid snow softening.
• Galdhøpiggen in Norway retains the most winter-like conditions with firmer snow.
• North American summer skiing is limited to a few remaining areas, including Timberline and Copper Mountain.

Europe Snow Report

Alpine glaciers have seen more hot weather over the past week, with the freezing point typically lying between 3,700m and 4,300m, above the tops of most glaciers. So most areas have seen rapid softening through the morning under freezing levels frequently above 3,500 m. There are currently four glacier ski areas open in the Alps, one in each of the major ski nations.

French centre Tignes (0/100cm / 0/40”) retains around 6 km (3.5 miles) of terrain, starting hard‑packed before shifting to spring corn by late morning. Zermatt/Cervinia (0/100cm / 0/40”) on the Swiss/Italian border offers roughly 15 km (9 miles) plus its newly set‑up summer park, though afternoons have climbed close to +20°C even at glacier height. 

Hintertux (0/75cm / 0/30”) has seen its base drop by 75% through the past few months and will end its season later this month. For now, though it continues to provide the largest currently open mileage worldwide at about 25 km (16 miles), it also faces continuous thawing. Passo Stelvio (0/100cm / 0/40”) recently picked up around 10 cm (4”) of new snow at the end of last week.

Farther north, Norway’s Galdhøpiggen (0/120cm / 0/48”) remains the wintriest of the group, with overnight freezes, firm upper snow, and temperatures mostly between 0°C and +8°C. Training teams report stable, dry conditions, with only brief softening later in the day.

Europe Snow Forecast

Mostly sunny, very warm upper‑alpine conditions continue to dominate Europe’s remaining summer‑ski areas, with freezing levels up at 3900–4100 m and keeping glacier surfaces soft by late morning. Tignes and Zermatt stay largely dry, with only a slight chance of 1–5 cm (.5-2”) of snow as a weak disturbance brushes the Alps on Friday or Saturday. Hintertux and Passo Stelvio see similar bright spells and mild summit temperatures, with any snowfall light and short‑lived. Farther north, Galdhøpiggen enjoys long sunny periods and only isolated, brief flurries.

North America Snow Report

The options for celebrating America’s 250th birthday on snow last weekend were more limited than they usually are, with only Oregon's Timberline (0/48” / 0/120cm) offering lift-served outdoor skiing and riding. 

Copper Mountain’s hike-to summer terrain park was also open in the Colorado Rockies, and if you were happy to celebrate north of the border, the slopes of Sunshine near Banff in Alberta, Canada, were concluding their fortnight of summer opening for snow sports last weekend. Its base has dropped to less than 25cm (10") by closing day. But we were well down from the days, following snowier winters, when up to a dozen areas were open or reopened for the 4th of July. There was also indoor snow sports at Big Snow in New Jersey, of course.

It’s been a mostly dry, sunny week in the west, temperatures staying 5-10 degrees above freezing even up high, overnight in Oregon, with daytime highs touching the low 70s Fahrenheit.

North America Snow Forecast

A warm, mostly settled stretch continues for the USA’s two active summer‑ski spots. Timberline’s Palmer Snowfield stays bright and stable through mid‑week, with overnight freezes in the mid‑20s °F firming the surface before softening into the 40s–50s °F each afternoon. 

Copper Mountain’s hike‑to terrain park sees similar mild, dry weather, with upper‑30s to mid‑50s °F and light winds. A weak late‑week disturbance may bring brief cloud and a touch of cooler air, but any snowfall looks minimal and short‑lived, leaving conditions typical for summer.

The IOC has today announced a swathe of decisions ahead of the Alpes 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in the French Alps.

Among the announcements are that the next Winter Games will have gender neutrality for the first time, with skiing one of the sports moving up to 50% female competitor participation. The threatened Parallel Snowboard competition has been saved although Nordic Combined, which has been in the Winter Olympics since the first Games in Chamonix in 1924 has been axed. The IOC have also said in the wider context of global instability, they're going to allow Russian athletes to compete again.

For freeride, a discipline that grew from a handful of legendary alpine faces into a worldwide movement, the Olympic stage is the next horizon.

Freeride has experienced rapid international growth, benefitting from a strong youth fanbase and visually spectacular competition. It uses a natural field of play, which minimises its impact on the Games. Comprising four events, it will provide an Olympic opportunity for 44 athletes (22 women and 22 men) to compete at the Games for the first time. Freeride started in the 1990s to develop as a discipline, the IOC noted in a press statement.

"It's a moment of joy for the entire freeride community, and the result of three decades of commitment and dedication alongside an incredible team. My first thoughts go to the riders, from those who first believed in this discipline and helped build it, to the young athletes who can now dream of an Olympic medal. I think too of the organizers and everyone who has grown this sport over the years, and of all the partners who trusted us throughout the journey," commented Nicolas Hale-Woods, Founder and CEO, FIS Freeride World Tour.

A freestyle skiing mixed team ski cross and a mixed team snowboard parallel event are also being added for 2030.

Ski Mountaineering (SkiMo) will also see men’s individual and women’s individual events as well as men’s sprint, women’s sprint and mixed relay events.

Snowboard Parallel Giant Slalom Retained

When approving the Milano Cortina 2026 sports programme in 2022, the IOC decided to closely monitor the performance of snowboard parallel giant slalom (PGS), considering challenges observed in past editions of the Games from a participation and audience engagement perspective. This move led to concern the event could be axed.

During every Games edition, the IOC conducts a global study covering all Olympic Winter Games sports, disciplines and events across key markets on all five continents. The evaluation during Milano Cortina 2026 measured 14 popularity indicators across broadcast coverage, digital media, general public interest, ticketing and press, involving up to 50+ markets per indicator.

The IOC noted that PGS – as part of the discipline of snowboard – had demonstrated significant improvement since Beijing 2022 across a number of popularity indicators. It was therefore decided to retain the PGS events on the Alpes 2030 programme, provided that they will not have a standalone field of play.

Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel, famous, among other things, for being the first man to ski K2,  has completed the first continuous ski descent of Nanga Parbat (8,126m) in the Himalayas, one of the world’s 14 8,000m+ peaks, without the use of supplemental oxygen.

The Red Bull sponsored athlete closed his decade-long Pakistan Project by skiing an unbroken Line down from the mountain’s summit to the snowline, without using bottled oxygen. That’s something no one, until now, had achieved in one continuous, oxygen-free push.

Nanga Parbat carries one of the deadliest records among the world's 8,000-metre peaks and is central to the legacy of Reinhold Messner's 1970 ascent of the Rupal Face. Despite numerous previous ski attempts, no expedition had completed a continuous descent from the summit to the end of snow conditions. Bargiel's route ran through the upper Diamir Face, an area complicated by a large serac barrier that had historically forced climbers off their skis.

Bargiel began acclimatisation and high-camp rotation in the second half of June 2026, progressively adapting to altitudes above 8,000 metres while assessing snow and weather conditions.

"I knew that the success of this project would depend on the right timing and the right conditions in the mountains. I'm happy that we were able to find a line that made it possible to complete the entire descent safely. I'd like to thank the whole team and Red Bull for their support," said Andrzej Bargiel after completing the expedition.

He departed Base Camp (4,200 m) at 06:00 on June 28, 2026, climbing without supplemental oxygen. He overnighted at Camp II (6,200 m) and Camp III (6,850 m) during the summit push. He reached the summit of Nanga Parbat (8,126 m) and spent 45 minutes there before transitioning to skis.  He descended via the Messner Route, navigating a traverse past a serac barrier that had previously ended ski descent attempts on foot.

Bargiel spent a total of two hours above 7,900–8,000 m, within the mountain's death zone. He completed the ski descent at 15:00 on June 30, 2026, below Camp I (4,400 m), making a vertical descent of around 4,000m and marking the end of continuous skiable snow and the first fully continuous ski line recorded on Nanga Parbat.

"It was one of the most complex ski projects I've ever seen in the high mountains. Andrzej had to constantly assess and solve the terrain in real time throughout the descent. On Nanga Parbat, there is no room for chance," commented team member Janusz Gołąb.

Andrzej Bargiel, holds the first full ski descents of K2 (2018) and Broad Peak (2015), and in 2025 became the first person to climb and ski Mount Everest from summit to Base Camp without supplemental oxygen. With Nanga Parbat, he becomes the first person to have climbed and skied Broad Peak, K2, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, Everest, and Nanga Parbat without supplemental oxygen.

You know it's an unusual start to July when several ski areas in the northern hemisphere, where it's the height of summer, are still posting more terrain open than those across the southern hemisphere, where it's midwinter.

In the northern hemisphere, things are pretty normal; there are around 10 areas open still across Europe and North America. In the south, however, the dismal start continues, and unusually all three major ski regions – Australia, New Zealand and the South American Andes are suffering together. Only Southern Africa's Lesotho is having a fairly normal start to winter.

Most regions are still waiting for sustained winter weather. Australia’s season remains on hold, with only short, snowmade strips open at a handful of resorts, all heavily used by crowds. A sharp cold front from this weekend should finally deliver 10–20 cm of natural snow to major resorts, though rain may fall at lower elevations.

In New Zealand, limited terrain has opened at Cardrona, The Remarkables, Mt Hutt and Coronet Peak thanks to snowmaking and last week’s snowfall. A stronger wintry outbreak late week could bring more snowfall, particularly to South Island fields.

Argentina continues to struggle, with most centres still closed and only thin cover. Sunshine dominates the north, while the far south (including Ushuaia) may see light natural snow. Chile is cold but mostly dry, with limited terrain open at a few resorts, in a similar scenario to New Zealand.

In Southern Africa, Afriski remains open with its full mile‑long run thanks to snowmaking, despite warm daytime temperatures. A colder pulse on Thursday may bring a dusting of light snow before skies clear again.

In the northern hemisphere, across the European Alps, summer glacier skiing continues at Tignes, Hintertux, Zermatt and Passo Stelvio, though warm temperatures and strong sunshine dominate. There was a little fresh snowfall in the past 24 hours but now no fresh snowfall is expected in the near future. Norway’s Galdhøpiggen remains fully open with variable but mostly dry conditions.

In North America, Timberline (Oregon) and Copper Mountain’s hike‑to park (Colorado) remain the main options, with Canada's Sunshine set to end its fortnight of summer skiing and riding this Sunday.

It’s a big weekend coming up for Les 2 Alpes as, unless there's an extension, this Sunday marks the end of a season which began more than seven months ago at the start of December last year.  It appears it has outlasted Val d'Isère, which ended its winter season back in early May, then planned a summer ski-season to mid-June, but appears to have been thwarted by the unprecedented high temperatures in Western Europe over the final weeks of June and to have ended summer skiing after a fortnight.  So as of next week, only Tignes (0/100cm / 0/40") appears to be staying open in the French Alps. It's currently reporting 6km (about 4 miles) of terrain open.

Elsewhere in the Alps, Austria’s Hintertux (0/145cm / 0/58") is reporting the most terrain open in the northern hemisphere (in fact, currently in the entire world), still, 25km (15.5 miles) of runs. It says it will no longer open year-round and close for a few months from July, but it has not yet said when in July that will be.  On the Switzerland/Italy border, Zermatt, still open year-round, has almost as much terrain open, around 15km of slopes, and last weekend got a new summer terrain park set up in operation. Also open is Italy’s Passo Stelvio (0/180cm / 0/72”) with about 4km (3 miles) of runs open and reports of up to 10cm of snowfall in the past 24 hours. 

All areas in the Alps have been dealing with some very warm temperatures reported to have hit 20C some afternoons, even up at glacier level. 

Up in Scandinavia, the Galdhøpiggen (20/120cm / 8/48") summer ski area remains fully open and has had more national and regional teams training there over the past week. Conditions have been variable, temperatures mostly in the freezing to +8 °C range, although some afternoons are now seeing the mercury climb into double figures. Elsewhere in the region, one new option became available last weekend, and will be again this weekend, with Norway's Trysil opening a summer terrain park from Friday to Sunday for the last weekend of June and the first weekend of July, using snow stockpiled from last winter.

Europe Forecast

A strong high‑pressure pattern keeps the Alpine glaciers sunny, with Tignes, Hintertux, Passo Stelvio and Zermatt all seeing bright skies, firm early‑morning surfaces and freezing levels well above 3000 m. Temperatures will rarely dip below freezing even at glacier level overnight, so thawing will continue around the clock some nights. No meaningful natural snowfall is indicated across the main glacier areas, and winds stay light. Further north, Galdhøpiggen Glacier in Norway also remains under settled, sunny weather, but here there should be overnight freezes and dry, stable daytime conditions.

It’s been a week of extremes in Western North America with some record cold for June and fresh snowfall reported at altitude in the mountains of the northern US Rockies region in states like Idaho, Wyoming and Montana at the weekend (Jackson Hole was amongst those posting pics of fresh snow), whilst forest fires rage elsewhere.

Despite the fresh snowfall being enough to temporarily close the Beartooth highway again, the Beartooth Basin summer ski area announced last Sunday was its final day of the 2026 season and that it would re-open around Memorial Day at the end of June next year.

Timberline (0/66” / 0/160cm) in Oregon is the main ski destination still open in the US, although it's now only a fortnight off its suggested early-closure date of July 19th (early compared to its usual mid-August closure of recent years). There are a mile or so of slopes open on the Palmer snowfield high above the resort base. You can also still ski and ride freestyle at Copper Mountain’s hike-to summer park, open to the public from Thursdays to Sundays.

In Canada, Sunshine (0/80cm / 0/32”) near Banff is nearing the end of its 16 days of summer skiing, set to run until this coming Sunday. It’s been a big week with a record run for skiing in tuxedos on Canada’s National Day on Wednesday.

At this time of year, it’s increasingly common to hear that one or more North American ski areas are being impacted by a wildfire. This week, it has been the Eagle Point ski area in Utah that has been damaged by the Cottonwood fire.

Some American ski areas have begun countdowns to the start of their 26-27 seasons, with Colorado’s Loveland announcing last Thursday that it was likely 100 days until they start snowmaking ahead of the first runs opening, hopefully in October.

USA Forecast

A cooler pattern is expected to settle over the western US to end the week, keeping Timberline’s Palmer Snowfield firm early with mid‑20s to low‑30s °F overnight and 40s–50s °F by day under mostly clear skies. Copper Mountain’s hike‑to summer park stays mild but stable, with upper‑30s to mid‑50s °F and light winds. No meaningful new snowfall is indicated, but overnight freezes at Timberline continue to support solid morning conditions before softening through the morning.

Winter remains slow to arrive across much of the Southern Hemisphere. Australia has only short, snowmade strips open, but a sharp cold front this weekend could finally bring 10–20 cm of natural snow, with some rain lower down. New Zealand has limited terrain running thanks to snowmaking, and a stronger wintry outbreak late week may deliver further snowfall, especially on South Island fields. Argentina continues to struggle with thin cover and widespread closures, while Chile stays cold but mostly dry with only small areas open. Afriski in Lesotho remains operational, with a brief dusting possible before clearer, colder weather returns.

Australia Report

Australia’s season remains on hold, but colder nights have allowed for more snowmaking with some fresh snowfall in the past 12 hours have created a slightly more positive picture. Tasmania's Ben Lomond said snowmaking was enough to open a short run at the weekend. Until Thursday there had been little or no fresh snow, again so it was a bit of a holding pattern from last week with Mt Buller (0/33cm / 0/13"), Thredbo (13/13cm / 5/5") and Corin Forest all maintaining small areas of snow, generally less than 1km, thanks to all-weather snowmaking. Perisher (0/5cm / 0/2") is also open with a similar small snow area. Unofficial images and webcams show all these small areas getting very heavy use due to the number of people wanting to get on the snow.  Other areas remain closed until conditions improve. Wednesday night did finally bring a little respite though with 5-10cm snowfalls recorded and snow still arriving as we publish this week's report.

“There's a real buzz around Hotham today after overnight snowfall, and with heavy snow forecast tonight, anticipation is building across the entire village. In snowfall terms consider this the entrée before the main course this evening! We can't wait!” said Alex Pankiw, Manager Brand + Experience, Hotham on Thursday.

Australia Forecast

Further snowfall is expected for Australian slopes from Thursday, 2 July, as a sharp cold front drives in much colder air and widespread wintry conditions, although there may be rain on the front of it. Snow levels fall to around 1200–1400 m, with steady snowfall through Thursday and Friday delivering 10–20 cm (4-8”) on the upper slopes of Perisher, Thredbo, Hotham, Falls Creek and Buller with rain, potentially, at lower elevations at times. Strong winds ease into Saturday, leaving lighter flurries and improving visibility. Temperatures stay low enough for continued snowmaking, and natural cover should firm up noticeably with this much‑needed top‑up.

New Zealand Report

After snowfall at the end of last week and, crucially, cold enough temperatures for snowmakers to do their thing, New Zealand's ski areas were finally able to open some terrain to start June, although it was limited.  Cardrona was first, last Friday, focused on beginner terrain and a rail park, followed by The Remarkables and Mt Hutt on Saturday.  The latter ran its Nor’West Express and Magic Carpet lifts whilst working to get their upper mountain terrain going as soon as possible.  The Remarkables got its Alta Chair open on Sunday, meaning more terrain to explore, but advised that due to early-season conditions, Alta Green was operating as intermediate terrain. The two joined Coronet Peak, which had been the only area already open, with limited terrain again, thanks to its all-weather snowmaking machine. It now has its Coronet Express II chair open, too.

Commenting on their opening, Cardrona's Chief Mountains Officer, Laura Hedley, said it was a great first day on the mountain. "The snowmaking team has worked incredibly hard to get us here, and the natural snow mid-week was a welcome boost. It was a fantastic day to be on the mountain - and this is just the beginning. We'll continue snowmaking through the cold temperatures ahead, and more terrain will open as conditions allow."

There has not been enough snow and cold yet for some areas, though, with new delays still being announced. More resorts, including Treble Cone, were forced to delay opening plans despite the new snow, with conditions deemed too marginal there.  Mt Dobson announced on Tuesday it won't be opening this weekend as planned, and looking further ahead, Rainbow ski area said their mid-July opening was in doubt unless there was a serious weather improvement.

New Zealand Forecast

A promising-looking shift to wintry weather to end the week is forecast for much of New Zealand, with a series of cold fronts bringing widespread snow and much lower temperatures. South Island fields look set for the heaviest falls, with 15–30 cm (6-12”), and potentially much more in some areas, possible at higher elevations around Queenstown and Canterbury, and lighter but still useful accumulations on mid‑mountain terrain. On the North Island, Ruapehu also turns colder with periods of snow and stronger winds. Snow levels dip well below 1500 m, and conditions stay unsettled into Saturday before gradually easing, hopefully leaving a markedly refreshed natural cover.

Argentina Report

Things are not going well with Argentina's season start, with more delays and most centres still closed. Temperatures have been low, cold enough for snowmaking where available, but there's been little natural snowfall, hence resorts, including the country's largest, Cerro Catedral, are reporting only a few centimetres of snow cover so far. The past week has continued predominantly wall-to-wall sunshine, overnight lows in the zero to -10C range at altitude, about five degrees warmer at base level.  Cerro Bayo (0/20cm / 0/8”) remains open but with very thin cover and just a few hundred metres of slopes open.

Argentina Forecast

Unfortunately, sunshine continues to dominate northern Argentina’s ski areas, with clear skies and cold, stable conditions forecast to continue across Las Leñas, Penitentes, Vallecitos and other Mendoza‑region resorts. Expect –10 to –2 °C on upper slopes and crisp freezes overnight. Further south, a weak disturbance brings periods of cloud and light snowfall, with modest top‑ups mainly at higher elevations. Ushuaia, home to Cerro Castor, stays colder and more unsettled, with occasional snow showers. Overall, natural cover holds firm, with the south likely to be the only area seeing meaningful new snow.

Chile Report

After another cold but mostly dry week, most of Chile's ski areas were open for the final weekend of June. There is, though, very limited terrain available so far, and most of what there is is thanks to snowmaking efforts. Valle Nevado (10/30cm / 4-12") and Corralco (5/25cm) are each posting some of the larger skiable areas at about 4km (2.5 miles) so far, less than 15% of their terrain.)  Portillo, however, has delayed its opening for a second time although has now confirmed it plans to open limited terrain from this coming Saturday 4 July. Open resorts are managing to add a little terrain thanks to snowmaking as temperatures have been low, dipping below -10C overnight. Valle Nevado reports half a dozen lifts open and about 3.5km (2 miles) of slopes. Nevados de Chillan is the latest to open some novice terrain.

Chile Forecast

It’s good news for snowmakers but not for natural snowfall with Chile’s ski areas continuing in a mostly clear, colder pattern from Thursday, 2 July, with strong overnight freezes and bright, stable days across Valle Nevado, La Parva, El Colorado and Portillo. Summit temperatures will frequently drop to –15 to –6 °C, overnight with bases nearer –4 to +2 °C. A weak disturbance around late Saturday may bring a dusting of natural snowfall on higher terrain, but accumulations look light. Overall, it’s a crisp, sunny stretch with excellent snowmaking windows but only brief wintry spells.

Southern Africa Report

Lesotho’s Afriski (10/30cm / 4/12") continues to operate and is believed to have its full mile-long ski run open, thanks to snowmaking.  Temperatures appear to have been challenging this week, getting well into double figures above freezing in the daytime, even at 3,000m, however overnight lows under the clear skies continue to dip far enough below freezing for snowmaking top-ups as required.

Southern Africa Forecast

Colder conditions forecast from Thursday as a wintry pulse sweeps across the Maloti Mountains. Summit temperatures plunge to –13 to –5 °C, with the base sitting between –11 and –3 °C, delivering hard overnight freezes and firm early‑morning surfaces. Thursday brings the only notable precipitation signal, with <1 cm of light snow possible as a fast‑moving disturbance crosses the region. Winds peak from the southwest before easing into Friday, and skies clear again for the weekend.

Niseko Village has confirmed a major lift expansion that will reshape access on the southern side of the Niseko United ski area, Japan's best-known ski area internationally, with a new gondola scheduled to open next winter and a second stage planned for 2027–28. The resort will also retire one of the world's last remaining single chairlifts, replacing it with a modern two‑seat chair as part of a wider upgrade.

The new installations will sit above Niseko Village, one of the linked bases that form Japan’s best‑known ski destination. Central to the project is the Mori‑no Gondola, which will take over the long‑running route served for more than 40 years by the Mori‑no Chair. The gondola will operate in two sections with an intermediate station and a fleet of 86 cabins, including four VIP cabins equipped with tables for light dining and two glass‑floor cabins offering views over the snow‑covered terrain below.

The Wonderland Chair will also be rebuilt as a double chairlift, improving circulation and reducing pressure on older infrastructure. In total, five ageing lifts will be replaced by the two new systems.

A resort spokesperson said the upgrades will shorten queues, enhance safety and give skiers and riders more flexibility as they move around the mountain.

With the highly successful Italian Milan-Cortina Olympics earlier this year, which reportedly attracted 2.6 billion viewers, now behind us, plans are moving ahead for the 2030 Winter games set to return to the French Alps for the first time since Albertville in 1992. 

The IOC’s Executive committee has just confirmed most of the snowsports venues put forward by the French organising committee. Some of the venues from those last French Winter Olympics almost four decades ago are set to be reused. Others, such as the 2030 Olympic downhill course, are very new racetracks.

Alpine skiing events are set take place in a compact cluster of resorts built around long‑established World Cup and former Olympic sites. But the IOC has announced some skating events will take place in The Netherlands, making this the first Winter Olympics spread across two countries.

Val d’Isère, host of men’s technical events during the 1992 Albertville Games, will stage slalom and giant slalom on its signature pistes. The Face de Bellevarde will be used for men’s and women’s giant slalom, while slalom events will run on the Stade Olympique and lower Bellevarde sections. The women’s giant slalom will additionally use the OK (Oreiller‑Killy) piste in La Daille, a regular World Cup venue but not previously used for Olympic racing.

Speed events are assigned to Courchevel, fresh from hosting the 2023 Alpine World Championships on their special created new Eclipse downhill racetrack. The resort will also host Super‑G competitions.

Freestyle skiing and snowboard park and pipe events will be centred in the Briançon cluster, with Serre Chevalier and Montgenèvre designated for slopestyle, halfpipe, big air and other freestyle disciplines. The same area is also earmarked for ski‑alpinism and freeride, subject to final IOC approval of additional events. Neither Serre Chevalier nor Montgenèvre has previously hosted Olympic competitions, but both have long histories in French national and international freeride and freestyle circuits

Nordic skiing will be based in Haute‑Savoie, with La Clusaz and Le Grand‑Bornand sharing the programme. La Clusaz will host cross‑country and para‑Nordic events, while Le Grand‑Bornand—already a regular IBU World Cup venue will stage biathlon and para‑biathlon. Despite their long histories, this will be the first Olympic hosting for the two centres in the Aravis Mountains above Lake Annecy.  Le Grand‑Bornand, a regular IBU Biathlon World Cup venue attracting crowds of 50,000 plus each time they host, and also the home of more French Olympians than any other ski resort, will be a first‑time Olympic host, staging all biathlon competitions.

Ski jumping for Nordic combined will take place at Courchevel Le Praz, using the Olympic jumps built for the 1992 Games. La Plagne will see sliding sports return to their purpose‑built 1992 Olympic track which is also now France’s only homologated bobsleigh, skeleton and luge venue. The track will undergo targeted modernisation to meet current safety and broadcast standards.

Ski Mountaineering or Skimo, which proved a hit at the Milan Cortina Games, will be back with an expanded programme in 2030.

The XXVI Olympic Winter Games 2030, branded as the Alpes 2030 Olympic Winter Games, is  scheduled to take place from 1 to 17 February 2030.  Some venues, including for ice events and opening and closing ceremonies, have not yet been confirmed with final approval of the venue masterplan to be given at a later date. The 2030 Winter Paralympics will follow from 1 to 10 March 2030.

World Overview

It’s been a little like Groundhog Day for those waiting for the southern hemisphere's 2026 season to get properly underway.  Ski areas in the Andes that had been expected to open last weekend delayed doing so at the last moment, whilst Australian resorts battled continuing thawing conditions, and New Zealand's centres postponed their season start for a second time. Only Lesotho's Afriski in southern Africa appears to be operating without any issues.  Hopefully, most areas will get off to a belated season start, or restart, this coming weekend after most ski regions saw promising wintery signs, or better still, serious snowfall, over the past few days.

In the Northern Hemisphere, we're still just about in double figures for the number of ski areas still open. It's been very warm in much of Europe and North America, but whilst Sweden's Riksgransen ended its 2026 run at the weekend, two more centres opened for summer skiing – Sunshine near Banff in the Canadian Rockies and Tignes in the French Alps. Sunshine is the only ski area open in Canada, opening for summer skiing for only the third time in its history. Tignes is the third French centre to open for summer skiing; the country now has half of all areas open in the Alps.