The best snow-sure ski destinations to visit this December
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Planning a ski trip before Christmas? These fifteen ski resorts historically offer the best early-season snow
As the ski season kicks off, many avid skiers are keen to get back on the slopes before the end of the year, with Google data showing a 50% increase in searches for ‘ski holidays in December’ in the past three months.
December can be the perfect time to get away pre-Christmas with experts reporting lower prices and quieter slopes. But how’s the snow?
Ski tour operators Ski Solutions have conducted research to answer that question, revealing the best snow-sure ski resorts to visit for an early season trip.
They analysed 158 of the most popular ski resorts around the world, ranking those with the highest historic snowfall levels during December, over the past 17 years.
The top 15 ski resorts with the most snowfall in December (metres, average)
1. Whistler, Canada – 2.57m
2. Chamonix, France – 1.95m
3. Zermatt, Switzerland – 1.95m
4. Les Deux Alps, France – 1.86m
5. Flaine, France – 1.77m
6. Gstaad, Switzerland – 1.77m
7. Alpe D’Huez, France – 1.73m
8. La Rosière, France – 1.73m
9. Les Arcs, France – 1.73m
10. Les Crosets, Switzerland – 1.73m
11. Verbier, Switzerland – 1.73m
12. Lech, Austria – 1.68m
13. Zürs, Austria – 1.68m
14. St. Anton, Austria – 1.64m
15. Val d’Isère, France – 1.64m
Whistler in Canada tops the list with a huge average snowfall in December of 2.5 metres. It is the only resort outside of Europe in the top 15 list.
Zermatt and Chamonix, two of the most popular ski resorts in Europe have a hefty snowfall of just shy of two metres in December too, making these a must visit pre-Christmas.
Both locations have a skiable altitude of over 3,800 metres and 50% of their slopes are north facing too, protecting the snow from the sun and keeping it in top condition.
French ski resorts dominate the most snow-sure destinations in December as six of the top 10 reside there.
Les Deux Alps and Flaine complete the top five resorts with 1.86 metres and 1.77 metres of snowfall (respectively) in the final month of the year, on average.
The ski resort of Gstaad in Switzerland is also named a great option for early season skiing, with over 1.7 metres of snowfall on average.
Nearly two thirds (63%) of the slopes are north-facing and at an altitude of 3,000m, the early season snow tends to stick around.
Whilst it is known that snowfall is a must when going on a ski holiday, plenty of skiers seek out a ‘bluebird day or ideally a ‘bluebird powder day’ if they’re lucky enough.
A bluebird ski day features sunshine, clear blue skies, and very low winds. A bluebird powder day is all of that with a heavy bout of snowfall the night before to give skiers fresh powder snow.
Ski Solutions’ research found that it was some of the lesser-known resorts in Norway, or further afield resorts in US and Canada that have their best bluebird weeks of the year in December.
Whistler in the first week of December is named a top option. Along with it having the strongest snowfall of all resorts that month, Whistler typically has its best week for bluebird skiing in the first week of the December according to data from the past 17 years – having a total of 3 bluebird ski days on average that week, with 0.8 days having the ideal bluebird powder ski conditions.
Norwegian resorts of Myrkdalen and Narvik typically have their best bluebird ski days in the second week of December, with 2.2 and 3.3 bluebird ski days respectively.
Meanwhile, Beitostølen in Norway, typically has 3.4 bluebird days (and 0.8 bluebird powder days) in the last week of the year.
Myrkdalen has particular strong snowfall in December of 1.4 metres which experts say is an excellent combination with the bluebird skiing on offer too.
Ian McIlrath, Managing Director of Ski Solutions said: “When it comes to December, the ski season has well and truly arrived. People are eager to get back on the slopes for yet another year of skiing, and our research shows which resorts are expected to be the most snow sure for their pre-Christmas ski holiday.
“Favourites such as Zermatt, Chamonix and Val d’Isère are included in the most snow-sure resorts to visit in December as well as some lesser-known resorts that are worth a try, if you fancy a new location this year.
“Skiers will be looking for blue skies along with plenty of snow this winter, so the hidden gem of Myrkdalen in Norway seems a perfect option as ski holidays continue to grow in popularity in that area.
“December is the perfect time for a getaway to end the year in style, and with quieter slopes, cheaper prices and strong snowfall you can’t go wrong!”
Further information about the best snow-sure ski resorts can be found here: https://www.skisolutions.com/blog/hows-the-snow-most-snow-sure-resorts-in-the-world
