Ranking
The ski resorts with the longest natural-snow seasons
How many days a winter each resort has had 30 cm or more of natural snow at mid-mountain, ranked, with the shortest and longest winters.
The short answer
Cervinia has had the longest natural-snow season of the 44 resorts Cirque models: mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on a typical 233 days a winter, and never fewer than 175 in the last 11.
Season length here is the number of days each winter with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain. The typical figure is the median of the last 11 winters; the range shows the shortest and longest of them.
The ranking
1. Cervinia, Italy: typically 233 days (range 175 to 282).
2. Zermatt, Switzerland: typically 221 days (range 174 to 276).
3. Chamonix, France: typically 213 days (range 183 to 249).
4. Tignes, France: typically 211 days (range 171 to 250).
5. Whistler Blackcomb, Canada: typically 207 days (range 186 to 253).
6. Verbier, Switzerland: typically 206 days (range 136 to 239).
7. Les Deux Alpes, France: typically 205 days (range 136 to 239).
8. Val Thorens, France: typically 203 days (range 172 to 238).
9. Obergurgl, Austria: typically 198 days (range 115 to 240).
10. Big Sky, USA: typically 188 days (range 145 to 206).
11. Ischgl, Austria: typically 185 days (range 130 to 214).
12. Jackson Hole, USA: typically 184 days (range 167 to 199).
13. Las Leñas, Argentina: typically 180 days (range 74 to 227).
14. Banff Sunshine, Canada: typically 177 days (range 139 to 207).
15. St. Anton, Austria: typically 172 days (range 141 to 217).
16. Mammoth Mountain, USA: typically 166 days (range 24 to 244).
17. Vail, USA: typically 165 days (range 138 to 191).
18. Aspen Snowmass, USA: typically 165 days (range 110 to 188).
19. Courchevel, France: typically 164 days (range 136 to 189).
20. Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy: typically 161 days (range 44 to 190).
Questions
Which ski resort has the longest season?
For natural snow, Cervinia among the resorts Cirque models: a typical 233 days a winter with 30 cm or more at mid-mountain. Opening dates also depend on snowmaking and the resort’s own calendar.
Is the season getting shorter?
Eleven winters show how much one season differs from the next, not a long-term trend. Cirque does not draw trend conclusions from this record.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.