With summer knocking on the Northern Hemisphere's door, South American and New Zealand ski destinations are just starting to spin their lifts. But this doesn't mean skiing up North is kaput until December. Read on for a list of places to find your lift-acessed fix, both north and south.

Some think summer skiing in North America translates to jumps and rails at Hood or Whistler (which opens Saturday, June 19). Good news for the faint-of-heart when it comes to grinding skis on metal ten feet above frozen glacier: spring corn at Snowbird. They don't even have a park and plan to keep the tram and Little Cloud lift open for at least two more weekends at a minimum. Mammoth recieved five inches of new snow on May 27 and is claiming a four to seven foot base with lifts turning until Independance Day. If you are farther north, Timberline on Mt. Hood is also still in full-time operation.

Across the pond, six glaciers are currently open in Europe, with more on the way. Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland and Scotland all boast open ski areas. Even further north, Sweden's Folgefonn, Galdhoppigen, and Stryn glacier areas are still open for skiers. 

Below the equator, El Colorado, Chile plans for a June 11 opening, with Portillo spinning on June 19. In New Zealand, Coronet Peak opened last Saturday, followed by Treble Cone. Most Kiwi areas are expected to open within the next three weeks.

And this is just lift access--the outstanding late winter that has provoked the Northwest Avalanche Center to issue a special warning for June (3 to 5 feet of new above 7,000'), touring season will be good to go through much of the Western US and Canada until snow begins to fly in the fall. The never ending winter is within your reach.