JAMES GAMBRILL
MY TOP FIVE
Ski Club General Manager and former Rep James Gambrill often finds himself skiing late in the season. Here are his favourite resorts for bagging those extra turns – places that come up trumps even when the snow isn’t prime
1. Innsbruck, Austria The site of not one but two Winter Olympic Games, Innsbruck is a skier’s mecca – a city where you are likely to see locals wandering the streets with skis over their shoulder during ‘rush hour’. What makes Innsbruck such a brilliant bet for late-season skiing are the options that abound the area. Kühtai, at over 2,000m,offers potential for springtime powder through to late April, while the Stubai Glacier keeps going until June. Kaunertal – popular for its freeriding options – also offers late-season skiing among spectacular glacial terrain. Add in further options, with Pitztal, Sölden and Hintertux all within easy reach, and you would be very unlucky not to find decent skiing during your late-spring ski foray. There are also incredible touring options surrounding Innsbruck, as well as a cosmopolitan feel to its streets that make the non-ski options as attractive as the mountains – almost.
2. Sierra Nevada, Spain Europe’s most southerly skiing region also offers one of its longest seasons, with skiing often extending into May. Located in Spain’s largest national park, the Sierra Nevada mountains offer a beguiling view of the Mediterranean on a clear day. As a former host resort of the FIS World Ski Championships this is no novelty resort, with its ski area extending to over100km of runs. While the entire area may not be accessible at the very end of the season, there is still a good chance of getting some turns in early May, in a very unique resort. The beautiful city of Granada is only 30 minutes away, and a 90-minute drive takes you to the beaches of the Costa del Sol. So a late-season ski trip can be easily combined with some early season sun. Just be prepared for a few strange looks as you pick up your skis and boots from baggage reclaim in Malaga: most visitors are unaware of the superb skiing options that lie beyond the beaches.
3. Mammoth, USA Mammoth Mountain is situated in the other Sierra Nevada mountains of California, and it always aims to keep its lifts turning later than almost any other resort in the US, with the season regularly extending into June. This ancient (and thankfully dormant)volcano reaches a height of over 3,300m, and in the best years snow can fall well into May, so it can feel like a mid-winter day even when the beaches of nearby LA are full of surfers and sunbathers. If you’re unlucky enough to hit a warm spring and the snow is lacking, the incredible scenery of Yosemite is just down the road, and early spring can be one of the best time to visit this stunning valley, when the melting snow means the many waterfalls are in full flow.
4. Banff, Canada The quintessential mountain town, Banff (pictured below) offers three ski areas: Mount Norquay, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village. Of these, Sunshine Village offers the best for late-season skiing. Low January temperatures often help preserve the snowpack well into May, and powder skiing in late April is not unusual. I’ve had some incredible ski days here right at the end of the season. The best part is that while it can be full-on winter up in Sunshine, down in Banff it can feel like summer, with locals and visitors alike getting stuck into hiking and mountain biking. So you can have a true two-season mountain sports holiday all in one trip
5. Bormio, Italy For late-season skiing in Italy most people would think of Cervinia, which links with Zermatt in Switzerland to offer the highest skiing in Europe. It’s a great option, but also worth considering is Bormio further east, which has skiing over 3,000m and a season that stretches deep into April. Although a winter resort with a great pedigree – Bormio will host the men’s alpine skiing events at the 2026 Winter Olympics – it boasts much more than just late-season skiing. It offers late-season soaking too: the resort is famous for its ancient thermal waters that have been flowing for 2,000 years and can been joyed at several spas in town, with a myriad of pools, hot tubs and waterfalls. Your end-of-season ski muscles with thank you...
Banff often stretches its ski season into May
