
Cimone dominates the Northern Apennines as Emilia Romagna's largest ski destination, with 50km of interconnected terrain sprawling across the region's highest peak at 2,165m. This expansive resort encompasses six distinct skiing sectors—Passo del Lupo, Lago della Ninfa, Le Polle, Cimoncino, Montecreto, and Pian del Falco—all accessible with a single ski pass. The resort's exceptional width and natural terrain conformation create ideal conditions for intermediate and advanced skiers, while comprehensive snowmaking coverage across 50km ensures reliable conditions throughout the season.
With 20 modern lifts including an aerial tram, six-person chairs, and quad chairs efficiently transporting skiers across the mountain's three faces, Cimone delivers a sophisticated Apennine skiing experience within the protected Frignano Regional Park setting. The resort's position straddling the Emilia-Tuscany border at elevations between 900m and 1,976m creates distinctive terrain rarely found in Italian Apennine destinations, combining extensive vertical drops with the trademark wide pistes that characterise this historic mountain.
Cimone is the main ski area on the northern Apennines, climbing Monte Cimone on the Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany border with 25 runs across 50 kilometres. It starts low at 900 metres and tops out at 1,976 metres, so the vertical is a healthy 1,076 metres. Sanity grades it 30% beginner, 50% intermediate and 20% advanced, with no expert-rated terrain. That is a more even spread than most Apennine areas, and the intermediate bias makes it an easy place to build confidence. Chairs of every size, plus an aerial tram and a good set of surface lifts, serve the slopes.
The aerial tram climbs from Passo del Lupo to Pian Cavallaro, which opens the upper mountain, and the Direttissima, a black of about 1.7 kilometres, drops back to Passo del Lupo for advanced skiers. Lago della Ninfa has gentler slopes, a snow park and a children's area, and Sestola is the main base. Freeride terrain is limited. It suits families, intermediates and weekend skiers from Bologna and Florence, and it gives stronger skiers a few steeper runs. Snowmaking is part of the picture on these lower slopes, so conditions depend more on temperature than on natural snow, and early-season visits are best checked against current reports before booking.
Cimone typically operates from mid-December through early April, with peak conditions concentrated in January through March when the resort benefits from its elevated Northern Apennine position. The comprehensive snowmaking system covering the entire 50km of terrain provides exceptional reliability throughout the season, supplementing natural snowfall that averages 350cm annually. The resort's elevation span from 900m to 1,976m creates varied snow conditions, with upper slopes maintaining excellent coverage while lower runs benefit from extensive artificial snow infrastructure.
Monte Cimone's position as the highest peak in the Northern Apennines exposes the resort to consistent weather systems, though clear days reveal extraordinary panoramic views extending from the Alps to the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. The predominantly intermediate terrain with 50% red runs appeals particularly during stable midwinter periods, while the 30% beginner terrain at lower elevations remains accessible even during marginal snow years. The resort's protected position within Frignano Regional Park creates a distinctive microclimate that often preserves snow quality when other Apennine destinations struggle.
Located in Modena province at the heart of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, Cimone sits approximately 100km from Bologna and 150km from Florence, making it the most accessible major ski destination for both cities. The historic mountain villages of Sestola, Fanano, Riolunato, and Montecreto provide comprehensive accommodation and dining options at the resort's base, offering authentic Emilia Romagna hospitality and traditional cuisine including tigelle flatbread, gnocco fritto, and fresh tortellini. Bologna Airport provides the primary international gateway just 90 minutes away, while Florence Airport offers alternative access for visitors combining Tuscan cultural experiences with Northern Apennine skiing.
The resort's strategic position along the regional border delivers cultural diversity, with valley towns reflecting both Emilian and Tuscan influences in their architecture, cuisine, and local traditions. This distinctive location within the High Modenese Apennines Regional Park surrounds visitors with protected beech and coniferous forests, providing scenic beauty and environmental significance beyond the skiing. The nearby cities of Modena and Bologna offer exceptional cultural attractions, world-renowned restaurants, and the legendary automotive heritage of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati factories, creating opportunities for comprehensive Italian experiences beyond the slopes.
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Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

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.
Live open status isn’t available right now.
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
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Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 900m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 1076m higher at 1976m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Cimone's 900m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Cimone snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place. The mountain is served by 20 lifts, including an aerial tram and 4 quad chairlifts.
Conditions can change overnight, so mornings and late afternoons are the best times to check back on Cimone.