Skiing in August in Colorado

Can you ski in Colorado in August?

No. Every ski resort in Colorado is closed in August, and unlike the Alps there are no glaciers in the state to keep summer skiing alive, so there is simply nowhere to ski on lifts. Colorado's last spring survivor, Arapahoe Basin, typically winds up by mid to late May at the latest, and the high country snow that does linger in shaded couloirs is patchy backcountry terrain reached on foot, not pisted, lift served skiing for a holiday.

By August the Colorado mountains are firmly in summer, with green valleys, wildflowers and afternoon thunderstorms rather than snow. If your heart is set on skiing in August, the honest answer is that Colorado cannot help, and you should plan around the Southern Hemisphere winter instead. Save Colorado for its real season from late November to April.

What are the Colorado mountains like in August instead?

August is one of the best months to be in the Colorado high country, just not on skis. The ski resorts run as summer destinations, with hiking, lift assisted mountain biking, scenic gondola rides, festivals and alpine activities, and the high passes and trails are open and at their most beautiful. Towns like Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen and Telluride are lively summer resorts in their own right, with cooler mountain air than the plains below.

The one thing to plan around is the weather pattern. Colorado summers bring near daily afternoon thunderstorms in August, so the mountain rule is to start early, summit or finish your big activity by early afternoon, and be off exposed high ground before the storms build. Do that and August is a superb month for a Colorado mountain holiday, with skiing simply off the table.

Where should you ski in August if you want snow?

For real August skiing, look to the Southern Hemisphere, where August is the peak of winter. New Zealand, Chile and Argentina all have resorts in full swing with open lift networks and good snow, which is exactly what the Northern Hemisphere cannot offer in August. Our guide to Southern Hemisphere skiing from June to September covers where to go and how to time it.

If you would rather stay closer to the Northern Hemisphere summer and only want a taste of turns, a few high glaciers in the Alps keep limited morning skiing going into the summer, though many wind down by August, so the Southern Hemisphere is the dependable choice. Either way, an August ski trip means leaving Colorado behind and chasing winter to the other half of the world.

When does Colorado skiing return, and when should you book?

Colorado skiing returns in late autumn. A couple of high Colorado resorts race to open a single run in late October, the season builds through November, and by the Thanksgiving holiday at the end of November a meaningful spread of terrain is usually open. The heart of the season then runs from December through April, with March often the best all round month for snow and sunshine combined.

If you are planning ahead from an August standpoint, the smart move is to book a Colorado winter trip for January to March, when the snowpack is deep and the whole mountain is open, and lock in lodging early because the best places at the marquee resorts sell out months in advance. For August itself, point your skis at the Southern Hemisphere and let Colorado wait for winter.

What about backcountry or hike to snow in Colorado in August?

A handful of die hard ski mountaineers do hunt down patches of lingering snow in Colorado's highest north facing couloirs and permanent snowfields in summer, and in a big snow year a few lines on the highest peaks can hold into July and occasionally August. This is true backcountry touring, though: long approaches on foot at extreme altitude, objective hazards, melting and unstable summer snow, and a short, often icy or slushy descent at the end of a hard climb. It is a serious mountaineering pursuit for experienced, properly equipped parties, not a holiday activity, and by August even those patches are usually shrunken and dangerous to reach.

For the overwhelming majority of travelers the honest takeaway is the same: there is no practical, lift served or piste skiing in Colorado in August, and chasing summer snow on foot is a niche, high risk endeavour rather than a trip you book. If you want to stand on snow with skis on in August, fly to the Southern Hemisphere, where a lift carries you up a groomed, patrolled mountain in the heart of a real winter. Save your Colorado skiing energy for the season that actually delivers it.

August in Colorado: the case for and against

Common questions