Skiing in June in Norway

Can you actually ski in Norway in June?

Only on a glacier, and only at a handful of dedicated summer areas. By June the mainstream Norwegian winter resorts such as Hemsedal, Trysil, Geilo and Hafjell have closed for the season, their lifts stopped and their lower pistes long melted out. Downhill skiing in June survives only at high summer glacier centres, historically Galdhopiggen near Lom, plus areas at Stryn and on the Folgefonna glacier, which run on snow that lasts at altitude into the warm months.

Be realistic about how fragile this has become. Recent seasons have seen summer glacier areas open late, cut hours or close early as warm spells melt the delicate snow base, and at least one long running Norwegian summer glacier operation has shut down entirely in recent years. So while June glacier skiing exists, it is a specialist, weather dependent pursuit, not the dependable resort week you would book for January or March.

What are conditions like on the Norwegian summer glaciers in June?

June glacier skiing is a morning sport. The snow is firm and grippy at first light, then softens fast as the sun climbs, so the lifts and the best turns are an early start affair and the slopes often wind down by early afternoon. The terrain is limited, typically a cluster of drag lifts and a few wide runs rather than a full mountain, and it draws racers, freestyle camps and serious skiers chasing summer turns more than holiday cruisers.

The setting, on the other hand, is spectacular, high among glaciers and peaks under a sky that barely darkens this far north. Just keep expectations matched to reality: this is a few runs of high altitude snow in a stunning place, dependent on the year and the weather, not a snow sure resort experience. Always check the operator's current status before you travel, because June openings vary year to year and can be cut short by a heatwave.

What should you do in Norway in June instead of skiing?

June is one of the best months to be in Norway, just not on skis. This is the start of the long bright summer, with daylight stretching toward the midnight sun, green valleys, thundering meltwater waterfalls and fjords at their most dramatic. The same mountains that carry the winter resorts become superb hiking, cycling and sightseeing country, and the towns that host the ski areas are gateways to that summer landscape.

If your heart is set on combining snow with summer, the move is to spend most of the trip on fjords, trails and the road, then add a single early morning at a glacier area if one is reliably open when you travel. That gives you the novelty of June turns without betting a whole holiday on fragile high glacier snow.

When should you actually go skiing in Norway?

For a real Norwegian ski holiday, go between December and April and ideally in March. The lift served resorts run a long northern season, opening from late November and skiing snow sure deep into spring, and March pairs the deepest settled snowpack with long bright days and milder cold than midwinter, which is why Norwegians treat it as the crown of the year. January and February deliver the most reliable cold snow but with short days, while April still skis well at the bigger resorts around Easter.

So treat June as a summer trip with an optional glacier morning, and put your ski week in the winter and spring window. If you want long days and reliable snow in the same trip, March is the answer, not June.

June in Norway: the case for and against

Where to ski in Norway in June

For June we would point you first at these, each with our full review:

• Hemsedal. Norway's biggest alpine resort is closed in June, but it is the strongest all round choice to book for the winter and spring season instead.
• Geilo. Closed in June, but a relaxed snow sure resort near the fjord and glacier country worth pairing with a summer trip and booking for winter.
• Voss. Closed for skiing in June, but the ideal fjord side base for a June summer trip, with winter skiing to book for another time.

Common questions