J2Ski's Where to Ski in September 2025
J2Ski's Where to Ski in September 2025
Published : 01-Sep-2025 06:44
September brings the seasonal shift, with southern hemisphere ski areas winding down while northern skiers await cooler temperatures and early snowfalls.
Mount Hutt, New Zealand, this week...
Where to Ski in September 2025
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The beginning of September marks the start of spring in the southern hemisphere and autumn in the northern hemisphere. Ski areas south of the equator will begin closing at the end of their 2025 seasons, with only 5-10% remaining open into October.
In the north, skiers will be eagerly anticipating temperature drops and early snowfalls in the mountains. Some years see significant accumulations at altitude, although warm weather can often wipe it all out again. Only a handful of northern hemisphere centres, all in Europe, are open as we start the month, but this number should increase by the end of September.
Most ski areas in the southern hemisphere are likely to end their 2025 seasons in the latter half of this month, although a few in Chile and New Zealand are expected to continue into October. After a much better-than-average season, there is a chance that some Australian centres might extend their seasons as well. They have done so in previous years: recent seasons have ended 2-3 weeks into September.
The ski season is over in Lesotho, Southern Africa, so we are back down to four skiable continents.
Australasia / Oceania
Australia
Australia's ski season has ended 2-3 weeks into September in recent years, with resorts like Selwyn and Mount Buller closing first, followed by higher resorts like Hotham and Thredbo, which usually continue until the penultimate week of the month. However, a few years ago, several centres, including Perisher, managed to stay open a week or two into October.
It is unclear where we will be this year.
It has been one of the better seasons for snowfall and depth, and the final week of August saw the biggest snowfall of the season to date. Perisher starts the month with everything open and the deepest base in the world at over 2 m/6.5 ft at the top.
Temperatures will inevitably rise, and the snowpack will thaw, indicating we are in the final weeks of Australia's season, but it remains to be seen if any ski areas will make it into October.
New Zealand
New Zealand's ski areas have had a mixed 2025 season, particularly on the North Island.
However, in August, Mount Hutt was posting the deepest base in the southern hemisphere, and the Kiwis report that more of their centres are 100% open than any other country, including Mount Dobson and Treble Cone. Most other South Island resorts start September at least 80% open.
Unfortunately, the North Island's ski areas, including Turoa and Whakapapa, have been battling poor snowfall much of this winter. Things have improved, and both usually stay open into October. Hopefully, September will bring much-needed significant snowfall.
South America
Argentina
Unfortunately, it has been a poor winter for most of Argentina's ski areas, with conditions too dry and sometimes too warm, resulting in far below-average snowfall. There have been some good snowfalls in the past month, but they have not significantly improved the overall situation.
The country's largest ski area, Cerro Catedral near Bariloche, has only been able to open a fraction of its terrain, while most others have peaked at less than 50%. The exception is Cerro Castor, the world's most southerly centre, which has had a fairly normal season.
Most Argentinian ski areas traditionally close 2-3 weeks into September, but barring any last-minute miracle snowfall, some may end their 2025 season early.
Chile
Chilean ski areas have had a better winter than their Argentinian counterparts.
Although snowfall totals have been below average, most centres report at least 1 m/3.3 ft of snow on their upper mountains as September begins, with 50-90% of terrain open. Many centres close in the final weeks of September, but a few, including Portillo and Valle Nevado, are expected to continue operating a week or two into October.
Europe
The Alps
Austria used to dominate September skiing in the northern hemisphere, with up to eight centres open by the end of the month, but as we start September, there are no centres open here.
Hintertux, which used to operate year-round, unexpectedly closed in August but plans to reopen in September.
The three centres open as we start autumn are in Italy (Passo Stelvio) or Switzerland (Saas-Fee and Zermatt).
By the end of the month, more Austrian centres are expected to open than anywhere else, with Solden (yet to set a date) usually opening this month and the highest slopes at Pitztal opening on the last day of the month. A second Italian glacier area, Val Senales, should open the weekend before, bringing the total to seven areas expected to open by the start of October.
Scandinavia
September is a quiet month on Scandinavian slopes.
Only one ski area is expected to be open, but Norway's Galdhopiggen Glacier summer ski area is currently closed. In recent years, it has closed for the first half of September due to summer heat, and 2025 is no different. The centre suspended operations on 18th August and plans to reopen on 19th September, hoping conditions will be more autumnal by then.
By the end of the month, Finnish ski areas Levi and Ruka will begin uncovering their snow-farming saved snow from last winter and starting to spread it back out on the slopes ahead of their 2025-26 season start on the first weekend of October.
North America
USA
There is usually no lift-served skiing available in North America in September. The last centre that did offer it, Timberline on Mount Hood in Oregon, ended its nine-month-plus season two weeks ago on 17th August and will not reopen for several months.
Occasionally, early heavy snowfalls enable brief September openings, as has happened in Oregon and Washington states in past years, but this is rare and unpredictable. More likely, high resorts like Loveland, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin will begin snowmaking towards the end of the month if it is cold enough to justify it, aiming for October openings.
It is worth mentioning Copper Mountain's summer hike-to terrain park, also in Colorado, which aims to stay open to the first weekend of this month. It is open to the public for a £25 lift ticket from Friday to Sunday, 5th to 7th September.
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