
Rising above the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, Levi combines thrilling winter sports with the magic of the northern wilderness. As Finland's largest ski resort, it offers 43 slopes across both sides of the fell, creating a unique Arctic skiing experience where you can chase the Northern Lights or ski under the Midnight Sun, depending on the season. The resort's vibrant village atmosphere blends traditional Lappish culture with modern amenities, making it especially appealing for families and groups.
Levi is Finland's largest ski resort, with 43 runs and 45 kilometres of piste on a fell rising from 202 metres to 531 metres, a vertical of 329 metres. The grading is 45% beginner, 47% intermediate and 8% advanced, with no expert-rated runs, so it is firmly a groomed, family-friendly mountain. The lift network is built around four six-seater chairs, two gondolas, 17 T-bars and three surface lifts, which keeps queues moving. Sitting well north of the Arctic Circle at Sirkka, Levi trades big vertical for a long winter and a relaxed pace.
Most of the skiing is wide, forgiving cruising, with the longest run stretching to roughly 2 kilometres. Many slopes are floodlit, which matters in a Lapland winter when daylight is short and flat light is common, so night skiing is part of the routine rather than a novelty. Beginners and children have plenty of gentle slopes, and confident intermediates can lap the red runs all day. Advanced skiers will find only a handful of steeper pistes and little off-piste of note. Levi suits families, first-timers and anyone after an easy, social ski trip with plenty of time on snow.
The ski season in Levi stretches from October to May, offering one of the longest seasons in Europe. Early-season skiing starts under Lapland's autumn colors, while midwinter brings the ethereal polar night period when slopes are illuminated for extended skiing hours. Spring presents perfect conditions with lengthening daylight and reliable snow coverage. Beyond winter, summer transforms Levi into an outdoor adventure destination with hiking, mountain biking, and golf under the Midnight Sun.
Situated 170 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, Levi is remarkably accessible for such a northern destination. The resort is just a 15-minute drive from Kittilä Airport, which receives direct flights from major European cities during peak season. The resort center, Levi Village, concentrates accommodations, restaurants, and services within walking distance of the slopes, creating an intimate atmosphere where Arctic wilderness meets modern convenience.
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Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.

Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.

The Alps look a lot more like winter today, for a day or so. A cold front is moving west to east, dropping up to 35 cm on high glaciers and peaks, with snow levels falling to around 1,500-1,800 m at times. Don’t plan a trip around it: mid-elevation snow will be thin and wet, every area is closed bar a limited Sölden glacier opening tomorrow, and warmer weather returns by Monday.

Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.
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