Germany, Europe
Belchen
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
24 Dec 2025
Closes
9 Mar 2026
Days open
75
Annual snow
1m
The Overview
Belchen delivers a quintessential Black Forest skiing experience with 9km of diverse slopes catering to all ability levels. This historic resort occupies one of the most prominent peaks in the southern Black Forest, offering spectacular 360-degree views extending to the Alps, Vosges Mountains, and even the distant Bernese Oberland on clear days. The uncrowded pistes and authentic southwestern German character make Belchen particularly appealing for those seeking quality skiing combined with exceptional natural beauty.
263m
Vertical
30
Runs
8 km
Piste
1m
Annual snow
The Terrain
30 runs across 8 km of piste
Belchen spreads 30 runs across 8 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 75%, with 23 beginner runs to find your feet.
Terrain split
30
runs
30 runs across 4 grades
Beginner23 runs · 75%
Intermediate8 runs · 25%
Advanced0 runs · 0%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Belchen
Belchen 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 the snowiest regions of the Black Forest, receiving substantial natural snowfall supplemented by strategic snowmaking on key runs. The varied slope aspects include north-facing sections that maintain excellent snow quality throughout the season, often preserving good skiing conditions when lower areas struggle with thawing conditions.
Season 2025 - 2026
24 Dec 2025
Opens
9 Mar 2026
Closes
75
Days open
1 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Belchen, and where to stay
Located in Baden-Württemberg approximately 150km south of Stuttgart and 40km from Freiburg, Belchen offers an accessible mountain escape in Germany's beautiful southern Black Forest. The resort sits within the stunning Belchen Nature Reserve, surrounded by pristine woodland and traditional farmhouses. This convenient location makes it easily reachable for day trips and weekend visits from major cities. The surrounding Black Forest region offers exceptional cross-country skiing, winter hiking trails, and access to traditional villages known for their distinctive architecture and cuisine.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Belchen, powered by Stay22.
Good to know
Frequently asked
When is Belchen's ski season?
Belchen's season typically runs from December 24 to March 9, roughly 75 days, weather and conditions permitting.
How much skiable terrain does Belchen have?
Belchen has about 8 km of piste across 30 runs.
How many lifts does Belchen have?
Belchen operates 1 lifts in total.
How much snow does Belchen get?
Belchen averages around 58 inches (4.9 feet) of snowfall per season.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
22 July 2026
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
22 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
21 July 2026
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
21 July 2026
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
21 July 2026
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
21 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
19 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.
18 July 2026