Can you ski in october

Ischgl opens towards the end of November and, despite its lack of glacier, usually offers the greatest extent of early season skiing in Austria, sometimes even the Alps.

There are two main reasons for this. Ischgl has far more skiing above m than any other resort in Austria, much of it facing north or north-west - meaning that once an early base is laid down, it tends to stick. What's more, unlike many other resorts, Ischgl will always make the maximum effort to open as many pistes as possible given the snow conditions at the time. Looking for hotels in Ischgl? Mid to late November.

Open from 18 November With a resort height of m and slopes topping m, Obergurgl is probably the most snow-sure entirely non-glacial resort in the Alps, and is an excellent early season choice if you don't mind its relatively limited terrain. Ischgl may have a larger ski area, but Obergurgl has the distinct advantage of offering the more reliable resort level snow. Looking for hotels in Obergurgl?

Thanks to the resort's altitude and state-of-the-art snow-making, snow cover on piste is normally assured from late November, although snow conditions can be more hit and miss off-piste.

The available terrain is usually less extensive than in L'Espace Killy - at least until the rest of the 3 Valleys open up in early to mid-December - but Val Thorens does have the distinct advantage of being more compact, as well as offering more reliable resort level snow.

Of these, Courchevel is another safe early season option - if you can hang on until early December - not least due to its immaculate grooming and piste maintenance. Looking for hotels in Val Thorens? Late September. Additional slopes may also open early depending on conditions, though you normally have to wait until mid to late November before any significant non-glacial terrain becomes operational. By early December, however, you can count on the majority of this high altitude Austrian ski area being open - as well as being able to ski back to resort.

Klein Matterhorn glacier: all year round. Main ski area open from 27 November Zermatt may have a relatively dry climate but with both a large glacier and the highest pistes in the Alps, its snow preservation is excellent. Skiing is possible all year round on its Klein Matterhorn glacier. Other non-glacial parts of the ski area normally open in late November, starting with the Gornergrat sector, followed by neighbouring Sunegga.

The extent of early skiing available in Zermatt is dictated by snow conditions, but by early December there is normally a good network of pistes open linking all three of the resort's main areas.

Don't forget that weather-permitting you can also ski into neighbouring Cervinia , across the border in Italy, which has its own extensive and snow-sure ski area, open from late October. Late November. Open from 25 November Nobody can guarantee early-season powder, but these classics will likely be running lifts by the time you read this.

Killington, Vermont The first to open in North America last fall, the resort had its first day of skiing on October The best catski option in Chile is Ski Arpa. Ski Arpa is currently the only catskiing operation in South America. It offers a big vertical drop and wide open bowls that are frequently filled with dry powder. Another enormous country the 8th largest in the world , Argentina shares the Andean chain with Chile. Much of the south of the country is dominated by the massive lakes and mountains of Patagonia.

Rather like Chile, Argentina has a few resorts that are generally well known to international skiers, and many smaller localities that fly under the radar. Cerro Catedral and Las Lenas are probably the two most popular resorts in the country. Cerro Catedral has the biggest ski area in South America. The chutes and couloirs at Las Lenas are justifiably world famous. Just a short hike or skin from the top of the Marte Chair are many beautiful lines.

Although ski patrol often close the Marte Chair in bad weather, the place is extraordinary when the conditions align. The parks are as good in autumn as mid-winter. Are you a family fed up of limited availability, crowded slopes and sky-high prices in February half term?

How much more relaxing and better value to go skiing in the October half term instead? Just six ski areas are likely to be open for early season skiing. So by the start of autumn it is already two months into its month-long snowsports season! Its sister resort, Kaunertal , operates a similar schedule. The cable car will get you to the station at Hochjochferner in just six minutes for a five-mile 8km downhill run linked by chair lift to additional trails.

Credit: Tuxertal Tourism Austria Austria has up to eight ski areas open in mid-October for early-season skiing. The precise dates depend on conditions, but they are often tied to the autumn beer festivals to offer a full-on party feel.

Obergurgl , thanks to its altitude, is generally one of the first non-glacier areas to open.