Industry News
Resorts in the southern Alps have been receiving some late season snow over in Europe, including the summer ski resort Passo Stelvio in Italy. The ski area is located along the Stelvio Pass which connects the Upper Valtellina with South Tyrol. The resort was scheduled to open on Saturday, June 1 but has now confirmed plans to open one day early, on Friday, May 31.
Snow depth at Passo Stelvio has been reported to be at 3 meters (10 feet) as of yesterday, May 5. The resort will be open from May 31 to November 3, 2024.
Crews have been busy clearing the access road, the Stelvio Pass, in time for the season opening. The spectacular, winding mountain road was referred to as “the greatest driving road in the world” by Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson.
Clearing the access road can be dangerous work. Last year, a member of the Italian Alpine Rescue who was helping clear the road for the opening, fell 165 feet to his death.
The Stelvio resort is the largest summer skiing area in the European Alps and offers skiing from 9,049 ft (2,758m) to 11,319 ft (3,450m) and spanning over 12.4 miles (20km) of groomed slopes. With nine lifts and 34 runs, skiers can enjoy a variety of thrilling descents against the backdrop of the majestic Alps.
Summer skiing at Stelvio has a long-standing tradition dating back to the early 1930s when the mountain hut Livrio was built, and the first ski courses were created. The resort is popular with international ski racing teams and is typically the summer base for the Italian national ski team.
