Last Updated on 15th October 2025 by Steve
October is the real start of the early ski season in Europe. Most (but not all) of the glacier resorts will be up and running during the month, helped by snowmaking and colder night-time temperatures.
Austria
Hintertux Glacier
The Hintertux glacier ski area at the end of the Tux valley in the Tyrol offers year-round skiing. At the time of writing it has 12 lifts open, with some of them only until early afternoon.
Maximum snow depth on 15 October was 25cm.
Ski area website: www.hintertuxergletscher.at
Stubai Glacier
The ski area on the Stubai glacier has six runs open on 10cm of snow.
Ski area website: www.stubaier-gletscher.com
Sölden Glaciers
The Rettenbach glacier is open for skiing and is reporting a maximum snow depth on 15 October of 35cm with seven lifts open. The World Cup ski races on the Rettenbach glacier are scheduled on 25 and 26 October.
Ski area website: www.soelden.com
Pitztal Glacier
The glacier ski area at the end of the Pitztal valley in the Tyrol currently has four lifts running and one long red run and one shorter blue run open. Maximum snow depth on 15 October was 20cm.
More information: www.pitztal.com
Kaunertal Glacier
The Kaunertal glacier has five runs open on 10cm of snow.
More information: www.kaunertaler-gletscher.at
Other Austrian Provinces
Skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above the town of Kaprun in Salzburg has five runs open with a current report of 55cm of snow.
More information: www.kitzsteinhorn.at
The Mölltal glacier in Carinthia has one run open with 50cm of snow on 15 October.
Italy
Passo Stelvio
The Passo Stelvio (or the Stilfserjoch as the German-speakers in the area call it), a small summer-only ski area on the border between Lombardy and the South Tyrol, is open until the beginning of November.
More information: www.passostelvio.eu
Val Senales
Skiing on the Schnalstal (or Val Senales, as Italian speakers call it) glacier is open and has three runs operating on 28cm of snow.
More information: www.schnalstal.com
Switzerland
Zermatt
The summer ski area on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3450m in altitude above Zermatt is open with a maximum snow depth of 120cm. The short runs on the Plateau Rosa are open.
Ski area website: www.matterhornparadise.ch
Saas Fee
The ski area above Saas Fee has two runs open on 140cm of snow.
Ski area website: www.saas-fee.ch
Engelberg
The skiing on the Titlis glacier near Engelberg has two runs open and is reporting 83cm of snow on 15 October.
Ski area website: www.titlis.ch
France
Tignes
The glacier ski area above the French ski resort of Tignes has shifted to offering summer activities such as walking and biking into October and plans to open the ski area towards the end of November.
Ski area website: en.tignes.net
