Where to Ski in April

The deep snowpacks in these fantastic destinations reliably hold out against the spring thaw and beckon the arrival of late-season skiers. Plus, with fewer people travelling later in the season, you can enjoy the ski areas without the crowds, as well as revel in the milder springtime weather!

Not every resort is suitable for late-season skiing, so let us guide you through our favourite places for guaranteed snow in April.

If you're excited to ski any one of these destinations, be sure to get in touch with our team. Enquire online or call our friendly team on 01273 224060 for a tailor-made April ski holiday.

By Rupert Hatfield, Canada & USA Product Manager

With its relatively low latitude, you might be surprised to find snow-sure skiing in the West of the United States, but the Colorado Rockies deliver great conditions late into the ski season. With around fifty mountains over 4,000 metres, the high altitude means that the snow sticks around right through April and often into May.

Although you're less likely to find deep powder during April, I've actually had some of my best days skiing in Colorado late in the season. In the mornings the snow is pretty firm, but as the day draws on, the sun softens it and creates a light, sugary texture which is wonderful to ski on.

We're unlikely to produce a 'Where to Ski in May' blog, but if we did, Breckenridge would be first on the list. With its high altitude, it's the most impressively snow-sure of our Colorado resorts. In 2021, 2022 and 2023 it closed its lifts on 23 May, 15 May and 21 May respectively, so you can have zero frets about booking a trip to Breckenridge in April. It also sees an average of 91cm in April, and just as many snow days as December and February!

With wide runs for beginners, cruisey blues for intermediates and challenging bowls and glades on Peak 10, Breckenridge's long-lasting season is good news for skiers of all abilities. Additionally, with the longer days in April, you can finish your day's skiing and then head out to enjoy Breckenridge's charming town with its clapboard houses and lively bars while the sun's still out.

Vail is the largest single ski mountain in North America and home to a buzzing town with exclusive hotels. With the season lasting until 23 April in 2023 and 01 May in 2022, and with an average weekly snowfall of 22cm, it's well worth travelling to in April.

Skiing in Vail offers an incredible sense of scale, where the vast ski area creates ample space between skiers. This spaciousness becomes even more evident during the later season when fewer people gather to hit the slopes.

Vail is not affordable for every skier, but as the season winds down and fewer people travel to the mountains, the cost of accommodation and lift passes falls dramatically. So if you've got your heart set on skiing one of America's most prized luxury ski resorts but are restricted by budget, April is the time to go.

Speaking of luxury, Aspen Snowmass is one of the most prestigious skiing destinations in North America and includes four mountains with skiing for all abilities. The town of Aspen is the glitzy part and attracts numerous celebrities seeking a ski retreat.

Think this sounds out of your budget? Think again! If you ski in April and choose to stay in the more affordable base of Snowmass Village, skiing here can be a surprisingly affordable option, especially with the purchase of a Ski10 lift pass. For the 23/24 season, adults can enjoy ten days of skiing after 01 April for just £614!

Aspen Snowmass is a great bet for snow conditions too. You might find a bit of slushy snow at the base but up at higher elevations, the snow tends to stay pretty crisp. This is good news for advanced skiers who can enjoy particularly good conditions in Highland Bowl on Aspen Highlands.

One of the advantages of skiing in April is the opportunity to visit non-ski attractions in sunnier weather. Make the most of milder temperatures in Utah and combine skiing 'the Greatest Snow on Earth®' with the state's stunning 'Mighty 5®' national parks.

On our (appropriately named) Utah & National Parks Ski Safari, you'll ski Park City, which has the largest ski area in the USA at 7,300 acres including 17 peaks and 14 bowls. While the resort's famous powder conditions won't be as world-beating in April, you still get good snow until the middle of the month.

After your skiing days are done, you'll head south for a road trip to Utah's spectacular national parks. It's a four-hour drive to Bryce Canyon and you can make a scenic detour past the lakes and Big Rock Candy Mountain. Then drive over to Zion National Park for some first-rate photo opportunities overlooking Red Canyon and Pink Corral Sand Dunes.

During the depths of winter, the weather means that visibility is lower and views of the parks aren't as great. Routes themselves into the national parks are often snowed under and the best spots are hard to reach by road. This is why we recommend visiting in April, when the snow has thawed and the gorgeous red rock of the national parks reveals itself.

One of the many perks of skiing in Canada is that its biggest and best ski resorts have the longest ski seasons. Whistler and Banff have respectively the first and second-largest ski areas in Canada and both have fantastic skiing usually well into May.

Whistler is a great option for April skiing. With an average of 4.6 days of snowfall a week, both Whistler and Blackcomb enjoy epic alpine skiing well into May due to their size, altitude and close proximity to the sea. In both 2022 and 2023, Whistler Blackcomb finally closed its lifts in late May, so mark April as a snow-sure month in your calendar!

The resort closes Whistler Mountain towards the end of the season to begin preparing the hiking and bike trails for summer, but both mountains stay open until late April. With over 8,000 acres of diverse terrain, plus fewer crowds, it's the perfect time to soak up the space and explore to your heart's content.

Travelling to the west of Canada during April is a great opportunity to visit Vancouver as the skies begin to brighten up. I've wandered around the streets of Vancouver during December - it's beautiful in winter light for sure, but goodness is it nippy!

You're much better off taking a bike ride around Stanley Park or having a stroll along Capilano Suspension Bridge in the Spring while the sun is shining.

The three mountains in Banff are regularly the first to open and the last to close in Canada, with the season usually running until late May. Due to its altitude, Banff retains its snow right through April, known as one of the 'secret months' due to the relative lack of visitors.

While snow is turning to slush in other resorts, skiing and snowboarding conditions usually remain very good in Banff. Combine this with the more moderate temperatures - usually ranging from 2°C to 10°C - and you have some of North America's best ski terrain in glorious sunny weather and with fewer crowds.

At Banff Sunshine Village, one of Banff's three ski areas, the snow is all natural too! They don't make the snow, they farm it, catching it in over 30 kilometres of snow-fencing.

Steve, from SkiBig3 who lives in Banff, says that April is his favourite month to ski:

"If I had to pick one month across the whole year that I would choose to ski in Banff it would be April. People have this impression that the snow will be poor this late in the year but that couldn't be further from the truth. It's also really quiet. Of course, I'd prefer more customers to be in the resort but from a personal point of view I really love how much space there is on the slopes!"

Norway's ski resorts may not have the altitude of the Alps, but with its northerly location, Norway will regularly beat the Alps hands down for late-season snow. And it's not just that you can ski in Norway in April, we think it's one of the best times to go!

From mid-February onwards, Norway actually receives more daylight than the UK. By April, you're looking at long, sunny days, mild conditions with plenty of snow to be getting on with. Norwegian resorts are refreshingly quiet even during peak periods, so make your way here in April and you can expect near-deserted slopes.

For an all-round taste of Norway, April is the ideal month to take on our Ski & Fjord Explorer Ski Safari which lets you combine the breathtaking scenery of the Norwegian fjords with the country's favourite winter pastime - skiing.

First, ski for four epic days in Myrkdalen, a hidden gem with unbeatable off-piste and a renowned snow record. Next, venture to Norway's jaw-dropping fjord region, home to the UNESCO-acclaimed Nærøyfjord, which you'll explore by boat on a two-hour journey to the beautiful village of Flåm. From here you'll take the spectacular Flåm railway, a 20km journey that winds its way through 20 tunnels, past waterfalls and stunning views, ascending 876 metres to the top of the mountain.

With fewer tourists in April, you can soak up the serenity of the lush slopes as nature awakens before the summer madness.

For a similar skiing and fjord adventure that includes the Oslo to Bergen railway line, check out our Fjords and Mountains Ski Safari. Hop on the iconic railway line and behold the breathtaking Norwegian landscape as you speed from Oslo to Geilo. Embark in April for a voyage through seasons, transitioning from milder Oslo to the snowy forests around Geilo.

You'll disembark to spend four days skiing Geilo's exceptional late-season conditions before resuming your railway journey to Voss which also provides you easy access to the nearby slopes of Myrkdalen. Finally, revel in the awe-inspiring beauty of Bergen, Norway's spectacular second city nestled amidst the breathtaking fjord region of the enchanting west coast.

Norway has an excellent late-season snow record right across the board, so it speaks volumes of Kvitfjell that it's consistently the last to close, with the snow usually sticking around until late April.

If you're looking for a vote of confidence in Kvitfjell, our Norway Product Manager Andy took his family to Kvitfjell in April last season and had a fab time navigating the wonderful network of wide-open slopes with excellent snow conditions.

The ideal snow conditions attract numerous professional skiers - Kvitfjell is home to the Olympiabakken downhill course which was used for the 1994 - Lillehammer Winter Olympics, but primarily Kvitfjell is a resort for families, couples and first-time skiers.

For solitude on the slopes, we recommend skiing in Norefjell in April. It's one of the most gloriously tranquil Norwegian resorts, where even peak periods feel peaceful (something our customers comment on regularly). Come springtime, the runs feel nearly deserted, so you can look forward to plenty of space to make your turns!

Norefjell, like Kvitfjell, enjoys a lengthy season which typically concludes around mid-to-late April, all the while maintaining excellent conditions. The resort has more than enough snow to easily stay open later, but closes early due to lack of skiers!

Ski Safari's Rupert and Andy E went to Norefjell with their families in mid-April and had non-stop snow. This level of snowfall isn't typical, but skiing this late is!

If the sunny weather, quiet ski slopes, lower prices and great late-season conditions have piqued your interest then make sure you enquire online or call the team on 01273 224060 for a tailor-made April ski holiday.

Now you've seen the best destinations to ski in April, but why should you take a trip to the slopes at this time of year? Discover the seven main benefits in our 7 Reasons Why You Should Ski in April blog.

We send many customers to these resorts throughout the season (as well as going there ourselves!) so to get a better feel for what it will be like, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.