The Alps are world-renowned for their stunning mountains, snow-capped peaks and world-class skiing ski resorts. If you’re an avid skier or snowboarder, you probably have a list of go-to ski resorts in the Alps that you frequent each season. Many skiers flock to the popular and well-known ski resorts, overlooking the hidden gems of smaller, lesser-known ski resorts. Here are ten small, snow-sure ski resorts in the Alps that should not be overlooked:

La Rosière, France

Located on the French-Italian border, La Rosière offers a unique skiing experience with a mix of French and Italian culture. The resort has 160km of piste, including tree-lined runs and wide-open slopes. The Espace San Bernardo ski area offers incredible views of Mont Blanc and snow-sure skiing from November to May.One of the most exciting ski runs in La Rosière is the Le Roc Noir, which is a black run that starts at the top of the Roc Noir chairlift, at an altitude of 2,800 meters. It is a challenging run that offers a thrilling descent through steep and varied terrain.

Obertauern, Austria

Situated at an altitude of 1,740 meters. Obertauern is a popular ski resort that offers a ski season from November to May. Obertauern is a snow-sure resort in Austria that is often overlooked in favor of more well-known resorts. The resort boasts 100km of piste, with an elevation of up to 2313m. The resort’s long, wide slopes are perfect for beginners and intermediates. One of the most exciting ski runs in Obertauern is the Gamsleiten II, which is a black run that starts at the top of the Gamsleiten II chairlift, at an altitude of 2,313 meters. The Gamsleiten II offers a thrilling descent through steep and technical terrain. The run is known for its steep gradient, with an average incline of 45 degrees and some sections reaching 60 degrees. This makes it one of the steepest runs in Austria.

Montgenevre, France

Montgenevre is situated at an altitude of 1,860 meters above sea level and offers a ski area that ranges from 1,860 to 2,750 meters above sea level. This high altitude means that the resort benefits from a long ski season, typically running from mid-December to late April. The resort’s location on the Italian border means that it receives snow from both the Mediterranean and Atlantic weather systems, which helps to ensure good skiing conditions. The Olympic run is the most famous and challenging ski run.. This slope was used during the 2006 Winter Olympics and offers a challenging run for experienced skiers. The slope is 2.5 kilometers long and has a vertical drop of 440 meters. The run starts at the top of the Chalvet mountain and winds its way down to the village of Montgenevre. The slope is steep and includes a number of sharp turns, making it a thrilling ride for experienced skiers.

Champoluc, Italy

Champoluc is a small, charming resort in the Aosta Valley of Italy. The resort offers access to the extensive Monterosa ski area, which has 180km of piste. The resort’s highest point is at 3275m, ensuring snow coverage throughout the season. The resort’s slopes cater to all levels of skiers, and the off-piste skiing is exceptional. The Couloir Ventina is a steep and narrow chute that offers a challenging and exciting descent through technical terrain. The run starts at the top of the Crest chairlift and requires a short hike or skin up to the entrance of the couloir.

Engelberg, Switzerland

Engelberg is a picturesque ski resort located in the heart of Switzerland, it is a hidden gem that offers some of the best off-piste skiing in the Alps. The resort has 82km of piste, but the off-piste skiing is where Engelberg truly shines. The resort’s highest point is at 3020m, and the snow coverage is guaranteed from November to May. One of the most exciting ski runs in Engelberg is the Laub, which is a black run that starts at the top of the Titlis Rotair cable car, at an altitude of 3,020 meters. The Laub run is a challenging run that offers a thrilling descent through steep and technical terrain. The run is known for its steep gradient, with an average incline of 35 degrees and some sections reaching 40 degrees.

Valloire, France

Valloire is a small, charming traditiona ski resort located in the Savoie region of the French Alps. One of the defining features of the resort is its high altitude. The village sits at an altitude of 1,430 meters, and the skiing goes all the way up to 2,600 meters, providing skiers with plenty of vertical drop and varied terrain to explore.The high altitude of Valloire ensures that the resort has a long and reliable ski season, typically lasting from mid-December to mid-April.The resort has 150km of piste and the resort’s slopes cater to all levels of skiers. One of the most exciting ski runs in Valloire is the Aiguille Noire, which is a challenging black run that starts at the top of the Crey du Quart chairlift, at an altitude of 2,800 meters.

Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland

Val d’Anniviers is a hidden gem in the Swiss Alps that offers incredible skiing for all levels. With 220 km of slopes and an elevation of up to 3,000 meters, Val d’Anniviers boasts fantastic snow conditions throughout the season. One of the most thrilling slopes in the area is the Tsapé black run, which offers a steep, challenging descent through the trees.

La Norma, France

Located in the Savoie region of France, La Norma is a small ski resort with 65 km of slopes that offers a great varietyfor all levels. The village sits at an altitude of 1,350 meters, and the skiing goes all the way up to 2,750 meters, La Norma boasts excellent snow conditions throughout the season, even in leaner snow years. One of the most interesting slopes in the area is the Fontaine Froide black run, which offers a thrilling descent through a narrow valley.

Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, Austria

Obergurgl-Hochgurgl is a charming ski resort in the Otztal Valley of Tyrol, Austria known for its reliable snow conditions. The ski season here runs from November to May, and the resort’s altitude ranges from 1,800m to 3,080m. With 110 km of slopes and an elevation of up to 3,080 meters, Obergurgl-Hochgurgl boasts fantastic skiing possibilities throughout the season. One of the most interesting slopes in the area is the Hohe Mut red run, which offers a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.

Passo Tonale, Italy

Passo Tonale is a small ski resort located in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy that offers excellent skiing possibilities for all levels. With 100 km of slopes and an elevation of up to 3,000 meters, Passo Tonale boasts great snow conditions throughout the season. One of the most exciting slopes in the area is the Paradiso black run, which offers a challenging descent through steep terrain.

Les Carroz, France

Les Carroz is a picturesque ski resort located in the Haute-Savoie region of France that offers a great variety of slopes for all levels. With 265 km of slopes and an elevation of up to 2,500 meters, Les Carroz boasts excellent snow conditions throughout the season. One of the most interesting slopes in the area is the La Tête des Saix black run, which offers a challenging descent through steep terrain.

Arosa, Switzerland

Arosa is a charming ski resort located in the Swiss Alps that offers a great variety of slopes for all levels. With 225 km of slopes and an elevation of up to 2,865 meters, Arosa boasts excellent snow conditions throughout the season. One of the most interesting slopes in the area is the Hörnli black run, which offers a challenging descent through steep terrain.

Isola 2000, France

Isola 2000 is a small ski resort located in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France that offers great skiing possibilities for all levels. With 120 km of slopes and an elevation of up to 2,610 meters, Isola 2000 boasts fantastic snow conditions throughout the season. One of the most thrilling slopes in the area is the La Face black run, which offers a steep, challenging descent through open terrain.

Cervinia, Italy

Cervinia offers an altitude range of 2,050m – 3,883m. It’s ski season covers November to May. Cervinia is a classic Italian ski resort with stunning views of the Matterhorn. With high-altitude skiing on the Plateau Rosa glacier, the ski season here is long and reliable. The Ventina is an exciting slope that starts at the top of the Plateau Rosa and takes you all the way down to the village of Cervinia – a vertical drop of over 2,000 meters! This is a must-do run for confident intermediate and advanced skiers. Cervinia also offers some great off-piste skiing opportunities, particularly on the glacier.

Please note that due to climate change temperatures has risen and snowfall has been decreasing, impacting snow quality and leading to a shorter ski season in the Alps. Ski resorts are feeling the effects of this change, with some starting later and closing earlier than usual.

What to look for

When searching for a snow sure ski resort in the Alps, there are a few key things you should look for to ensure that you have the best possible ski experience. Here are some factors to consider:

Look for a ski resort that has a high altitude, as this typically means more snow and a longer ski season. Generally, the higher the resort, the more likely it is to have good snow conditions. A good benchmark to look for is a resort with a base elevation of at least 1500 meters.

The location of a ski resort can also impact its snow reliability. Resorts that are located on the northern side of the Alps tend to receive more snow than those on the southern side. Additionally, resorts that are located in valleys or on the leeward side of mountains may be more sheltered from the wind and have better snow conditions.

The orientation of a ski slope can also impact its snow reliability. North-facing slopes tend to hold snow better than south-facing slopes as they receive less direct sunlight and are therefore less affected by warming temperatures.

In conclusion

The Alps offer a wealth of exciting ski runs for skiers of all levels. From the challenging off-piste runs in Champoluc to the steep black runs in Engelberg and Valloire, there is no shortage of thrilling descents to be had. These lesser-known ski resorts may not be as well-known as some of the more popular resorts in the Alps, but they offer a unique and authentic skiing experience with fewer crowds and a more relaxed atmosphere. If you’re looking for an adventure on the slopes, consider visiting one of these small, snow-sure ski resorts and discovering the excitement that awaits you.

When it comes to skiing, one thing you really do need over anything else, is snow. You don’t necessarily need a massive amount of it, but there’s nothing quite as bad as having an expensive ski holiday spoiled by a poor snow cover or soggy snow! With climate change and global warming very much a reality, snow conditions in ski resorts are becoming increasingly unpredictable. Many people now seek out more snow-sure ski areas to guarantee their skiing and boarding pleasure.

But where to go? Which are the best snow-sure ski resorts in the Alps?

The impact of climate change is not something many ski resorts want to talk about. There is no question however, that the c-factor is an important force to be reckoned with. Several small low-altitude Swiss and French resorts have already become unviable, and for similar ski resorts it is getting harder and harder to provide a good-quality snow cover during the ski season.

For reasons scientists don’t fully understand, the Alps are warming faster than the global average. But the issue is not primarily the climate change itself -i.c. higher temperatures-, but an odd mix of (fast) interchanging weather patterns, extreme weather events and stalled weather systems. In addition a phenomenon called seasonal drift has pushed the coldest weather in the Alps from December to the early months of the year and Spring snow melt is occurring earlier in the year, thereby shortening the ski season. In the Southern Alps, which already have less snow than their northern counterparts, snow depth below 2000 meters decreased more than in the Northern Alps. Regional trends sometimes differ considerably. So, what can we learn from the recent past?

Snow-sure ski resorts are all about altitude, the higher the ski area the better the chance of deep and good-quality snow. Still, there are huge differences between ski resorts when it comes to snow depth and snow quality. Most resorts claim to be snow sure but quite often this is simply a marketing ploy. Some hide an over-reliance on artificial snow-making. A handful of sources provide arbitrary snow statistics, like highly stationary snow depth levels throughout the ski season (aka flat-lining).

Many wintersport blogs compile lists of snow-sure ski resorts, which entails in arguable and unsubstantiated claims of the ‘snowiest ski resorts’. The rankings hardly ever exceed a top ten of usual suspects. Are those lists based on facts, perception or maybe a result of incentives? What data, if any, are used? Where are the data obtained, and over what time span?

The focus on a top ten means that a lot of interesting snow-sure alternatives are left out-of-scope and umentioned. That does not seem to be fair. We would like to know what can be said about the level of snow reliability of neighbouring ski resorts and those at lower altitude.

SkiWeather.eu is determined to provide you with an honest and unbiased approach to these questions. We have conducted an extensive and thorough research which took place over the best part of the past 10 years. A massive amount of snow and weather data (30mln+ records) from various sources was processed and analyzed. The objective was to rank all ski resorts on a combination of snow depth and temperature.

Not the snowiest, but the most snow-sure

To be very clear, we are not interested in the snowiest ski resorts based on the snow depth at the top. Most of the times the slope area around the top mountain station is fairly limited, or at least forms a very small proportion of the entire ski area. Snow depth around the top station, peak or nearby measuring station is usually substantially higher then, let’s say, 200 meter lower down.

In this research we therefore assigned scores to over 1.500 ski resorts based on the weekly average snow depth on both lower and upper slopes, and to the variance in temperature. This was done for every week of the the main ski season (week 52 – week 10). Consistent and prolonged low temperature and substantial snow accumulation from top to bottom station result in a more favourable score.

To counterbalance massive snow accumulation at the mountain top we have put more emphasis on the lower slope conditions and the temperature. Therefore, the upper and lower slope snow depth was weighted by a factor of 0.6 and 1.4 respectively. This means that a huge snow depth on the upper slope -in itself- is not enough to qualify as highly snow-sure when the snow cover on the lower slopes is thin. In addition, the attribution of the factor temperature was used as the quality dimension, and it’s weight was set at around one-fifth in the total score equation. The variance of the snow depth timeseries, the occurrence of snow depth outliers and the variance of the maximum temperature timeseries were used as a mitigating factor in the total score.

The ranking

The 2022 ranking method resulted in a more robust and reliable ranking than in previous years, and a new ‘winner’ : The most snow-sure ski resort this year is the french ski resort Val Thorens in the Trois Vallees. VT has an excellent ski condition track-record: both snow depth and temperature levels are quite stable compared to other ski resorts.

Val Thorens: deep and excellent quality snow

Former number one and winner in the last three measurements; Schrocken Warth had moved down several positions since 2018. Schrocken Warth is famous for it’s pronounced micro-climate which usually leads to massive snow fall and low temperatures over the ski season. However the ski resort, like neighbouring Lech am Arlberg, seems to be affected by higher temperatures at times in recent years. Schrocken Warth (1270-1494m) is situated at fairly ‘low’-altitude compared to other top-ranking snow sure resorts .

The most important change in the top 200 is the position of the Dolomites ski resorts. Their position deteriorated considerably due to the lack of snow fall in the eastern part of the Southern Alps in recent years. But also the Lombardian Madesimo gradually moved down the top 10 over the past measurements; an indication of the problematic snow fall record of many Italian ski resorts.

The overall score resulted in the following ranking for the ski resorts with at least 50km of slopes.

The most snow-sure ski resorts in the Alps

 2016201720182022
1.Schrocken WarthSchrocken WarthSchrocken WarthVal Thorens Les Menuires
2.ObertauernObertauernObertauernSankt Christoph
3.Val ThorensVal ThorensVal ThorensObertauern
4.MadesimoSankt ChristophMontgenevreTignes Val dIsère
5.Sankt ChristophVal dIsère TignesSankt ChristophSchrocken Warth
6.Val dIsère TignesMadesimoVal dIsère TignesBreuil Cervinia
7.Lech ZursLes ArcsMadesimoLa Rosière
8.Peisey VallandryLech ZursLech ZursAndermatt
9.Passo TonalePeisey VallandryLes ArcsLes Arcs
10.La PlagnePasso TonaleLa PlagneHochsolden

To avoid any discussion about the exact position of a ski resort in the ranking, we grouped the top 200 ski resorts into rank classes, each containing ten ski resorts. Rank class I ski resorts can be considered as the most snow-sure in the Alps and, are a very safe bet as a destination for your next ski holiday. Please note that although ski resorts in the lower-rank classes may have a lower chance at having deep and high-quality snow or a shorter ski season, they are still a very good option when the conditions are right; when there is a (positive) deviation from the long-term trend, which happens more often as weather systems meander more frequently. Moreover, the price level in these resorts is usually much lower…

See the entire ranking lists consisting of the top 250 snow-sure ski resorts (or the top-50 as png).

These are the most reliable or snow-sure ski resorts:

Val Thorens (2300-3200m)
At an altitude of 2300m, resorts don’t get much higher than this. 99% of the ski area is positioned above 2000m which ensures the best quality snow during its long season. Val Thorens is with a doubt an excellent bet for good snow conditions. Europe’s highest major skiresort is naturally one of the continent’s most snowsure right from the start to the end of winter. As well as the altitude advantage, Val Thorens also has a high proportion of north-facing slopes and access to not one, but two glaciers. Val Thorens is so confident of its snow cover it offers a snow guarantee.

Sank Christoph am Arlberg (1740-2811m)
Located in the famous Arlberg region and sandwiched in-between Lech, Stuben and Sankt Anton -which are all very snow sure resorts- tiny Sankt Christoph adds altitude to the equation. Settled in front of the Flexenpass at an altitude of 1740m it is one one of the best destinations for early or late season skiing in Austria.

Obertauern (1650-2320m)
Austria’s only purpose-built resort also comes with its own micro-climate and was cleverly positioned just so for access to the finest snow. Long term records reveal a snowfall average in Obertauern of nearly 8m, with the encircling peaks of the Niedere Tauern mountain range causing an ice-bucket effect that keeps temperatures super low.

Tignes and Val dIsere (1550-3456m)
Tignes sits above the treeline at 2100m with a top lift height of 3456m on the Grande Motte. Tignes is open before all other ski resorts in Europe and is the last to close its tracks. Like neighbouring Tignes Val d’Isere can get significant snow from storms of both Atlantic and Mediterranean origin. Tignes and Val dIsere are amongst the most reliable resorts in Europe for good snow due to the extent of high altitude skiing (60% of its 300km of slopes are above 2500m).

Schrocken-Warth (1270-2450m)
With it’s own micro-climate making things colder and more precipitous than others in the area, Warth-Schrocken averages over 10m of snowfall each year. Long term records taken at just 1600m show a seasonal average of nearly 11m of snow. Even in bad years Schrocken and Warth are snowier than many of it’s higher-altitude rivals.

Breuil Cervinia (1520-3820)
At 2050m, Breuil Cervinia is one of the highest resorts in the Alps, guaranteeing excellent, snow-sure skiing throughout the season and into summer.

La Rosiere (1176-2800)
La Rosière is the snowiest ski resort in the Tarentaise. La Rosiere has the benefit of being sited on the sunnier yet still snow-sure southern side of the domain, This is explained by its exposed position perpendicular to storms funnelling up the valley from the west.

Andermatt (1445-2965)
Andermatt has a big reputation for snow that few Alpine ski resorts can rival. Key to this is the way it benefits from storms arriving from different directions. The resort is equally likely to get dumped on from the north, the west or the south, and is therefore an excellent place to hedge your bets. The main Gemsstock mountain is also high and shady, so the snow that does fall sticks around, and is often in good condition.

Les Arcs (1800-3225)
The snow-sure, high altitude resort of Les Arcs is an excellent end of season destination. The skiing rises as high as 3225m on the Aiguille Rouge summit, and in good conditions stretches down to the tree lined pistes at 1200m. It’s an excellent variety of terrain.

Passo Tonale (1200-3016m)
Tonale is a high-altitude resort perched in a wide, open expanse that is both snow-sure and sunny. It is actually one of Italy’s highest resorts and is guaranteed good snow and a long season. Presena is the glacier just south of Passo Tonale which sits at over 2700m, so this coupled with the generous snowfall makes Tonale the perfect spot for powder seekers. Incidentally, Tonale is one of the cheapest snow sure destinations.

Operations level

In the table below the average percentage of ski slopes and ski lifts that er in operation during the ski season. It is an indication of the risk that not the full ski area is available at any day. Some ski resorts are prone to bad weather (high winds, avalanches), or the age / maintainance level of the ski lift system. Once again, Val Thorens has a good track-record, as do Les Arcs and Obertauern.

 SlopesLifts
1.Val Thorens80%80%
2.Sankt Christoph63%78%
3.Obertauern87%84%
4.Tignes Val dIsere74%76%
5.La Rosiere79%82%
6.Schrocken Warth71%78%
7.Breuil Cervinia67%68%
8.Les Arcs82%86%
9.Andermatt73%76%
10.Passo Tonale65%75%

Micro-climate

In addition to our research on the snow reliability of ski resorts we did an analysis on the spatial variability of (complete) snow depth and temperature timeseries in order to discover which resorts have a similar micro-climate profile.

The map below shows all the ski resorts included in the research (data available). Ski resorts with an identical marker have a similar micro-climate profile. The clustering is a result of timeserie-profile analysis over a 10 year period. Basically, the map shows the classic north-south divide (by the main Alpine ridge) and the divide between the Western and Eastern Alps. But in this N-S/W-E lay-out there is still significant differentiation, which means that the direction of a storm front has a different impact on the (sub) regional scale. The best example is the Northern Alps, and most notably the region below the Bodensee (e.g. The Arlberg region). In general, the Northern Alps have a mixed situation of profiles (clusters). This is due to the fact that this area is prone to Fohn.

The lesson-learned here is that although ski resorts are in close proximity to each other, that does not guarantee the same weather pattern and snow conditions. This is particularly true for ski resorts in the Northern Alps like Tirol and Vorarlberg.

The cluster id is included in the snow-sure ranking.