May is perhaps the most difficult month of the year for finding a ski run to enjoy! Most of the resorts that have been open all winter close at the start of the month if they had not already, and most summer ski resorts close for a few months in May and June before re-opening for the summer. Even the ski resorts of the southern hemisphere don’t really get going until June.

But Skiinfo (www.skiinfo.com) tracks the latest opening information from more than 1,000 ski areas in Europe and with the great late-season snow coming on top of a spectacular winter season, there’s no reason to put your skis or board away just yet (if ever!).

The best snow of the past week has been in Austria where the Pitztal Glacier reported 30cm (12 inches) of fresh powder on May1st. All 28km of piste and the resort’s seven lifts are operating and will remain open until 18th May.

If you want to ski in Austria later in the month head to the Tux glacier which is currently reporting a 335cm (11 foot) base and is one of a handful of resorts that remains open year round. 13 lifts are open serving 61km of runs. A third glacier area, Kaprun, where there is over three metres (ten feet) of snow on the glacier, remains open to June 1st before closing for three weeks in June. The Kaunertal glacier is also open with 310cm (just over 10 feet) of snow at the top whilst the Stubai Glacier has recently announced that it will stay open in to July and has 280cm (nine feet, four
inches) of snow.

If you are looking for newly opened ski areas, Norway is the place to be, where the country’s three glacier ski areas all open this month. Folgefonn was the first to open last weekend and is reporting an incredible accumulation of eight metres (27 feet) of snow. The second ski area, Galdhøpiggen, opens this Saturday, May 10th. It is named after Scandinavia’s highest peak, nearby, and operates a 1.4km long T Bar installed in 2002, the longest glacier lift in the country. The final ski area to open is Alberto Tomba’s favourite, Stryn, which opens on 30th May.

In Sweden, the legendary period of skiing under the midnight sun is fast approaching at Riksgränsen where all 16 runs are open and snow depths are currently 144cm (just under five feet).

In Switzerland Engelberg claims the greatest snow depth with 495cm (16.5 feet) at the top and a 1200m skiable vertical. Zermatt, like Tux open 366 days in 2008, has 120cm (four feet) of snow on its lower slopes and 187cm (just over six feet) on Europe’s highest slopes more than a thousand metres above.

In France it’s the last weekend of the winter at the two resorts that are still enjoying the spectacular 2007-8 winter season. Chamonix has five runs open and six metres (20 feet) of snow on its highest slopes. Tignes has half the snow depth of Chamonix, but double the number of runs open.

In Italy three ski runs are open on the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale, albeit only suited to advanced or intermediate skiers. Other summer ski areas at Passo Stelvio, Val Senales and Cervinia re-open on May 25th and June 14th respectively.

To check out current snow conditions, lifts and runs open and all other ski area information visit www.skiinfo.com. Skiinfo’s The Snowfinder feature projects snowfall over the next five days and Skiers’ Lounge allows anyone to post queries and comments to fellow skiers and boarders from across the continent and beyond.