Winter is approaching fast, and if you’re eager to plan your first skiing trip, we’ve got several tips for where snow is guaranteed already by the end of October.

Here’s an overview of cross-country skiing destinations that typically have snow by late October or early November. We’ll first focus on Central and Southern Europe and then look at selected resorts in Scandinavia.

First skiing in the Alps

Davos (Switzerland)

What started more than 15 years ago as an experiment has turned into a successful project. Davos is among the pioneers of snow storage technology (so-called snowfarming). For several years now, it has regularly guaranteed the opening of racing tracks at the end of October. This year, the opening is set for Friday, October 31, 2025. Around 4 kilometers of tracks will be available, suitable for both professional athletes and amateurs.

Livigno (Italy)

Just over the ridge from Davos lies Livigno, a very popular early-snow destination for Czech, Slovak, German, Polish, and, of course, Italian skiers. Local organizers already have the cross-country loop almost ready — and even cross-country superstar Johannes Høsflot Klæbo plans to spend several days there before the Winter Olympics and World Cup season, training on snow and at altitude.

Thanks to snowfarming, around 800 meters of track are usually available by the end of October. When only that loop is open, it’s often overcrowded with athletes, so you might need to ski during midday or in the evening. When temperatures allow, the trails are quickly extended using artificial snow. And sometimes, Livigno gets half a meter of natural snow overnight, allowing the whole 30km network to open already by mid-November.

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Leutasch (Austria)

In this mountain village near the famous Seefeld resort, the cross-country season starts as soon as the weather permits, thanks to stored snow. In previous years, a flat 3km loop was open by mid-November.

Galtür (Austria)

The Galtür ski area in Tyrol plans to open its snowfarming loop on November 14, 2025. The track will be approximately 3km long.

Also Read: How to dress for cold-weather workouts

Year-round options in Central Europe

Of course, we can’t forget the almost year-round skiing opportunities on Alpine glaciers or in indoor ski tunnels. A traditional favorite among skiers has always been the Dachstein Glacier, where they combine morning skiing on the glacier with afternoon dry training on roller skis or running in Ramsau.

Ramsau am Dachstein (Austria)

One option is early-season skiing on the Dachstein Glacier, where conditions can be good already in September. Check the weather — sometimes you’ll enjoy fresh powder and beautiful winter, other times rain turns the snow into heavy spring slush. Remember that training at altitude requires caution.

Oberhof (Germany)

This small town in the Thuringian Forest offers Germany’s first indoor ski hall, open year-round at a constant temperature of -4°C. The loop is just under 2km long — ideal for consistent training regardless of the weather.

Read More – Anders Aukland: “Two or three workouts a week are enough”

Skiing options in Scandinavia

Scandinavia is a dream destination for Central European skiers — and while it may seem far away, some areas are surprisingly accessible, especially by plane. In fact, you can reach some Nordic resorts in less time than it takes to drive to Italy or Switzerland.

Early skiing in Sweden

Idre Fjäll

From October 17, skiing will be possible in the popular biathlon venue Idre Fjäll:

“We start the cross-country season in October thanks to stored snow. Trails open early, so you can ski long before winter truly arrives. Our tracks wind through mountain forests and offer sparkling views, fresh alpine air, and that first real feeling of winter,” writes Idre Fjäll on its website.

Vålådalen

Vålådalen guarantees open trails from October 18:

“The 2025 cross-country season premiere is coming soon — on October 18! We’ve saved 30% more snow than last year, meaning a thicker layer and better resistance to warm weather,” announces Vålådalens Fjällstation on social media.

Bruksvallarna

Skiing begins on October 25:

“Bruksvallarna welcomes all skiing enthusiasts on October 25, 2025. We’ve stored plenty of snow again and will spread it on a longer, smoother trail for optimal training conditions,” writes Bruksvallarna on its website.

Orsa Grönklitt

Near the start of Vasaloppet, the Orsa Grönklitt season begins on October 25:

“During week 43, we plan to spread stored snow on the artificial-snow trail and the multisport track around Lake Rädsjön, aiming to open for skiing on Saturday, October 25, 2025,” says Orsa Grönklitt on its website.

Högbo Bruk

Högbo Bruk expects to open between late October and mid-November:

“We plan to open our artificial-snow trails sometime between weeks 44 and 46,” they report on their website.

Well-known Finnish resorts

Vuokatti

Around the ski tunnel, an outdoor loop is being prepared for cross-country skiing — and the Czech biathlon team plans to train there after this weekend.

Levi

The ski season here begins very early, usually in the first week of October. For 2025, the official opening was set for October 3, both for alpine and cross-country skiing. Stored snow from the Front Slopes is used to prepare an initial 2km loop, which is later extended.

Rovaniemi

The Czech cross-country team also heads here for final preparation before the World Cup season. Local organizers do not publish an exact date, but trails are usually open by late October or early November, using stored and artificial snow.

Norwegian venues

If you head to Norway, there are several options — though early-season loops are often crowded with local athletes, so it’s better to avoid peak hours or wait for natural snow.

Sjusjøen

Sjusjøen Arena Natrudstilen guarantees open trails from November 1. Initially, 2km will be prepared for both classic and skating techniques, with more added as conditions improve. Early-season trail fees apply: NOK 100 per day, NOK 250 for a weekend, NOK 500 per week, or NOK 1000 for the season.

Beitostølen

The Beitostølen stadium opens on November 1 with at least 3.5km of groomed trails, possibly more depending on weather, plus access to the biathlon range—trail fees during early-season skiing: NOK 75 per day or NOK 500 for the season.

Trysil

Trysil’s cross-country season starts on October 31, offering at least 5km of prepared tracks in the Trysilfjellet Arena for both classic and skate skiing, made from stored and artificial snow.

“Our trails are maintained throughout the season, with flat and hilly terrain variations. Perfect for both technique and interval training,” says the website.

Early-season trail fees and booking are required: NOK 150 per day or NOK 800 for the season.

Are you interested in training for long-distance, traditional cross-country skiing, and biathlon? Click HERE and read more about it.