Easter skiing: where natural snow lasts

The short answer

By Easter the snowpack is at its deepest up high, but lower slopes start to melt. Height decides it.

Over Easter (late March to mid April; the exact dates move each year), 25 of the 29 northern-hemisphere resorts Cirque models were snow-sure in at least 9 of the last 11 winters, meaning mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on at least 90% of days. The surest: Val Thorens (11 of 11 winters), Tignes (11 of 11 winters), Chamonix (11 of 11 winters), Les Deux Alpes (11 of 11 winters) and Courchevel (11 of 11 winters).

The Alps

Snow-sure: Val Thorens (11 of 11), Tignes (11 of 11), Chamonix (11 of 11), Les Deux Alpes (11 of 11), Courchevel (11 of 11), Zermatt (11 of 11), Verbier (11 of 11), St. Anton (11 of 11), Ischgl (11 of 11), Obergurgl (11 of 11), Cervinia (11 of 11) and Cortina d’Ampezzo (10 of 11). Hit and miss: Val Gardena (6 of 11) and Kitzbühel (5 of 11).

Northern Europe and the Pyrenees

Snow-sure: Åre (11 of 11) and Hemsedal (10 of 11). Hit and miss: Grandvalira (5 of 11).

North America

Snow-sure: Whistler Blackcomb (11 of 11), Banff Sunshine (11 of 11), Jackson Hole (11 of 11), Alta (11 of 11), Vail (11 of 11), Aspen Snowmass (11 of 11), Big Sky (11 of 11), Revelstoke (11 of 11) and Mammoth Mountain (10 of 11). Usually good: Stowe (8 of 11).

Japan

Snow-sure: Niseko United (11 of 11) and Hakuba Valley (10 of 11).

Snow down to the village

If you want to ski back to your door, the village figure matters more than mid-mountain. The villages with the most natural snow over Easter: Val Thorens (100% of days), Cervinia (92% of days), Alta (86% of days), Niseko United (83% of days), Jackson Hole (72% of days), Banff Sunshine (70% of days).

Go high

At Kitzbühel, Val Gardena, Grandvalira and Stowe, the summit was snow-sure in at least 9 of the last 11 winters over Easter when mid-mountain was not. Plan to ski the top of the mountain.

Questions

Where is the best snow for skiing at Easter?

Among the northern-hemisphere resorts Cirque models, Val Thorens (11 of 11 winters), Tignes (11 of 11 winters), Chamonix (11 of 11 winters), Les Deux Alpes (11 of 11 winters) and Courchevel (11 of 11 winters) have had the most reliable natural snow over Easter (late March to mid April; the exact dates move each year).

Is there enough snow to ski at Easter?

At most resorts Cirque models, yes: 25 of 29 were snow-sure in at least 9 of the last 11 winters. Lower resorts depend more on snowmaking.

Does this include snowmaking?

No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.