I heave a sigh of desolation as the rain relentlessly pours outside my kitchen window making my very leafy back garden frustratingly delicious for even more unwanted slimy visitors…I can think of nothing more perfect than to drive the 20 minutes to my local Airport (Bristol), and treat myself to a hot July/August amongst the mountains, shredding the irony that is summer snowboarding.
So in case, unlike me, you are lucky enough to escape (even in part) another wet British summer, and spend your days sliding around gaily in the sun, here is a list of possible European destinations you can choose from (for more infomation on guides to summer snowboarding see our World Snowboard Guide review).
(I hope you don’t suffer any chaffing from your sweaty snowboard pants now! Jealous, me?…)
France
Fancy honing your jibbing skills ready to show off to your buddies this winter? This is where all the die-hard, baggy panted crew come to hang out (so I’ve heard)…
(Fly Grenoble/Lyon)
Tignes – Grande Motte Glacier, June-October (Park)
Les Deux Alpes - June-August (Park & Pipe)
Alpes D’Huez – October-November (Is this late or early season?!)
Switzerland
The Glaciers of some of these uber swanky, prestigious resorts can keep riders entertained, the year round…
(Fly Geneva/Zurich)
Zermatt – Matterhorn Glacier Paradise/Theodul Glacier, May-September (Zermatt Gravity Park)
Laax – Vorab Glacier
Crans Montana – Plaine Morte Glacier, June-October
Gstaad – Les Diablerets Glacier, May–September
Leysin – Les Diablets Glacier
St Moritz – Diavolezza Glacier, May–November
Villars – Glacier 3000, June-August
Austria
If you like sausage, this place will rock your world…Terrain is not bad here either.
(Fly Innsbruck)
Hintertux Glacier (Mayrhofen), May-November (Beware! Usual Park not definite in July/August)
Kaprun – Kitzsteinhorn Glacier; 3203m high, May-October
Solden (Obergurgl) – Rettenbach Glacier, June–October (Park)
Schladming – Dachstein Glacier, May-November (Park and Pipe)
Stubai Glacier - (This is the only Innsbruck resort open for summer snowboarding), May-November
Zell Am See – May-October (Park & Pipe)
Italy
Less prestigious maybe, but less costly and less pretentious (I hope I haven’t spoken too soon…)
(Fly Geneva/Verona)
Passo Tonale (Presena Glacier), June-October
Cervinia
Courmayeur
Norway
If you want to ride where the sun never stops shining (literally), check out how the Scandinavians do things in the home of the vikings…
(Fly via Oslo & Tronoheim)
Stryn - Jostedalsbreen Glacier; esteemed summer resort for this region, April–August
For more extensive information on where to get your summer shred on, check out the ‘World Snowboard Guide’ and Snowboarding the World which you can rely on for blatant, honest opinions about all the above resorts (and more), to help you figure out where might tickle your fancy the most.
Have fun!
(I’m as green as the slug infested leaves in my garden)
For more on summer snowboarding, see our articles on the Iceland Park Project.
October 31st, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Snowboarding in the summer! Wow, thats awesome, must give that a go, thanks for sharing.