Germany, Europe
Arber
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
13 Dec 2025
Closes
30 Mar 2026
Days open
107
Annual snow
2m
The Overview
Arber stands as the Bavarian Forest's premier ski destination, offering 14.5km of diverse slopes across a spectacular natural setting. Rising to 1,456m at the highest point in the Bavarian Forest, this impressive resort combines excellent terrain for all abilities with reliable snow conditions throughout winter. The uncrowded pistes and authentic eastern Bavarian character make Arber particularly appealing for those seeking quality skiing away from the busier Alpine regions.
406m
Vertical
13
Runs
11.5 km
Piste
2m
Annual snow
The Terrain
13 runs across 11.5 km of piste
Arber spreads 13 runs across 11.5 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 39%, with 5 beginner runs to find your feet and 3 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
13
runs
13 runs across 4 grades
Beginner5 runs · 39%
Intermediate5 runs · 35%
Advanced3 runs · 26%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Arber
Arber typically operates from December through March, with the most reliable conditions in January and February. The resort benefits from its elevated position in one of Bavaria's snowiest regions, receiving substantial natural snowfall supplemented by extensive snowmaking coverage. The predominantly north-facing slopes maintain excellent snow quality throughout the season, often delivering good skiing conditions when lower regions struggle. The Bavarian Forest microclimate frequently creates powder opportunities, particularly during cold continental weather patterns.
Season 2025 - 2026
13 Dec 2025
Opens
30 Mar 2026
Closes
107
Days open
2 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Arber, and where to stay
Located in eastern Bavaria approximately 200km from Munich and 60km from the Czech border, Arber offers a distinctive mountain experience away from the crowded Alpine resorts. The resort sits within the beautiful Bavarian Forest National Park, surrounded by pristine woodland and crystal-clear mountain lakes. This unique location provides visitors with opportunities to combine skiing with exploration of one of Germany's most impressive wilderness areas. The nearby towns of Bodenmais and Bayerisch Eisenstein offer charming accommodation options and excellent dining serving authentic eastern Bavarian specialties.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Arber, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Arosa to Replace 40-Year-Old Hörnli Lifts With New Gondola and Chair
Arosa's Hörnli sector is getting its biggest overhaul in decades. The 1986 gondola and 1994 chairlift linking toward Lenzerheide are both being replaced, with capacity up, tower count down and a new base station lower on the hill. At roughly CHF 67 million, it is the largest single investment Arosa Bergbahnen has ever made - and the target opening has already slipped a year, to December 2028. Here is what is changing, and why the timeline moved.
20 Aug 2026
Sundance Mountain Resort Is Getting a New High-Speed Quad and More Back Mountain Terrain This Winter
Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.
19 Aug 2026
Levi and Ruka Confirm October 2 Opening on Farmed Summer Snow
Finland's Levi and Ruka open for the 2026-27 season on October 2, more than seven weeks before most of Europe sees a lift turn. Neither resort is waiting on autumn snowfall - both are skiing on snow buried since last spring, insulated through the Finnish summer and dug back out for opening day. It is not a shortcut. It is a decades-old system now spreading from the Arctic Circle to Idaho, Utah, Vermont and Colorado. Here is how snow farming actually works, and why it is catching on.
19 Aug 2026
Sölden's Old Einzeiger Chairlift Gets a Second Life in Montafon
Silvretta Montafon is replacing its ageing Freda chairlift - but not with something new. The resort is having a 1999 four-seater chairlift, retired from Sölden, dismantled, shipped to Vorarlberg and rebuilt with new electronics, cable and clamps. It has to be running before March 2027, when Silvretta Montafon hosts the FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships - the biggest winter sports event Vorarlberg has staged. Here's how a reused lift ends up cheaper.
18 Aug 2026
Nassfeld Invests €13 Million in New 6-Seater Chairlift for 2026/27 Season
Nassfeld is putting €13 million into a new 6-seater chairlift, the Tressdorfer Almbahn, connecting Sonnleitn with the Tressdorfer Alm from December 2026. It replaces three ageing drag lifts and will run through summer too, from June 2027, moving up to 2,500 people an hour on the roughly three-minute ride. It's the latest step in Carinthia's largest ski resort building out a genuine year-round offering, following last year's Gartnerkofelbahn gondola.
17 Aug 2026
Stelvio Glacier Suspends Summer Skiing, Leaving Continental Europe Without a Lift-Served Slope
Italy's Stelvio Glacier has pulled the plug on summer skiing from August 15. It was the last lift-served ski option left standing in continental Europe, and now there's none. Operator SIFAS pointed to persistent heat, storms, and a snowpack that simply wasn't refreezing overnight anymore. The cable car keeps running. Whether skiing comes back later this summer depends on the weather turning - and right now, nobody's promising anything.
15 Aug 2026
Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area
Firefighters saved every base building at Maverick Mountain, Montana, but the resort's sole chairlift didn't survive the Sand Creek Fire. Owners Erik and Kristi Borge say the lift is "most likely" out for the 2026/27 season after flames tore through the mountain on August 8. The wildfire has since grown past 27,700 acres with zero percent containment. It's a gutting result for the tiny, one-lift operation near Dillon - though the lodge, groomers and equipment all made it through untouched.
15 Aug 2026
Fairmont Niseko: New Luxury Resort Revives Stalled La Plume Site for Early 2028 Opening
Fairmont is bringing its second Japanese property to Niseko, and this one's got history. The 165-room resort will rise on the site of the stalled La Plume project, which collapsed into bankruptcy in 2025 before J-Will Partners bought the site for redevelopment. Set between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri, it's slated for an early 2028 opening - putting it in play for the 2027/28 season. Expect two restaurants, a spa, onsen bathing, and a kids' club, a short drive from Niseko Village and Hirafu.
12 Aug 2026
Lift system
The lift system at Arber features 11 modern installations efficiently serving the entire ski area. The network includes comfortable chairlifts and surface lifts strategically positioned to minimize waiting times even during peak periods. With a vertical drop of 400m, the lifts provide access to diverse terrain across multiple faces of the mountain. The Große Arberbahn gondola transports skiers smoothly to 1,456m, offering spectacular panoramic views extending to the Czech Republic and, on clear days, to the distant Alps.
10lifts across 4 types
1
Gondola
2
6-Person Chairs
3
T-Bars
4
Surface Lifts
Arber lift system
Arber is served by 10 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Arber intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.